U4 Quad Hybrid: New UHD DVB-S2 + OTA receiver
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That's what I mean Brian. Once a app is added it modifies the OS and causes corruption. Mine is still working as a great sat receiver for right now with nothing loaded, but if I put kodi on it I will have a European A3 in no time flat. The test A3 combo that Joe sent out to a member has already reverted itself back to European status, so to me it is a coding problem that a app can make the OS revert back to the factory state. It sure would be nice if we could load a android OS then the sat software and leave it at that.
I have always wanted a reliable dual tuner satellite STB, but never have found one that properly managed motor control and timed events. If it properly managed the dual DVBS2 tuners, I would lean towards that configuration.
The ATSC option would need to have an exceptionally sensitive tuner and EPG XML database integration. Otherwise, it will just be another unused ATSC STB tuner.
Hard for me to get excited over a product announcement of an untested STB. Seen too many manufacturers provide STB samples that are big on promises and specifications that end up being worthless pieces of junk!
My personal Amiko A3 continues to perform without any problems. It is running .72 and I don't load any other apps. I continue to enjoy the exceptionally sensitive tuner that catches almost any feed and the reliable daily recording of the network feeds.
I strongly disagree with the suggestion that the Android OS is the problem with multi media STBs. The loading of other apps and allowing automatic updates cause conflicts and database errors with the Android STBs and tablets that I test and own.
I haven't used an A3, but I don't think that all apps corrupt Android. However, I agree with you that there is something about the A3 that causes it to revert to its European status under certain conditions.
After I read about that over at Fridge I made my final decision not to get an A3 Combo. Also would much rather have twin DVB-S2 tuners than one DVB-S2 and one useless (for me) DVB-T tuner.
But a proper operating system shouldn't allow apps to corrupt itself, should it?
(I could swear that I heard a long time ago that Android ran everything in a VM. I guess I heard wrong.)
I hosed my A2 by somehow corrupting the satellite/channel list several times in the first few hours I had it! After a few hard reboots, it magically settled down -- much like the A3, except the A2 isn't Android-based. And to the end (whatever version that was), even though it would get a little better with every version, my A2 would still lock up at random occasionally when scanning, or when using the web interface -- same as my A3!
I really wonder if Fulan / Spark's programmers have an endemic problem with memory leaks and / or race conditions... It would explain a lot...
I wanted to throw my A2 out the window on more than 1 occasion, but since they stripped out the North American IPTV stuff on the last build it has been completely stable.
The U4 Quad has been shipped and is supposed to arrive by Monday.
I have begun negotiations with my wife on getting a 4K TV. I think we have a deal -- she gets furniture (a display case) and I get the new TV. Definitely a win-win. Would like to get about a 60" TV. I don't like curved screens. Any recommendations?
I have begun negotiations with my wife on getting a 4K TV. I think we have a deal -- she gets furniture (a display case) and I get the new TV. Definitely a win-win. Would like to get about a 60" TV. I don't like curved screens. Any recommendations?
I am wondering if the Hi3136 Demodulator will do ACM. Also wondering if this will have some of the same problems as the A3 Quad Combo, which can't (yet) record UHD and has other issues. I understand that its still in test mode, so nothing is set in stone.
In reading the thread on FridgeFTA, the A3 Combo UHD recording error appeared to be related to the op using a 3TB drive. He swapped to a 2TB drive and reported that it records UHD.
If you have a 3TB (or larger) drive, you might want to test if the larger drives causes recording errors with the U4. Most STBs that I have tested only support up to 2TB drives. Be interesting to know if the 3.0 port with 3.0 drive provides more reliable recording.
Since you are buying the dual DVBS2 tuner model, I am very interested in how the U4 handles overlapping multiple timers between the two tuners, the time reference, accuracy and 12/24hr modes? Be nice to have a single STB manage my daily network primetime timeshifts!
He couldn't record at all with a 3TB drive. Then in post #12 of the testing thread he said NASA UHD didn't record on a 1 TB drive, but he could record HD. The 2TB drive would also record, but he didn't specify if it was just HD like the 1TB drive.
As for multiple overlapping timers, I will try but I have low expectations of success. When I told them I wanted the twin DVB-S2 tuner model they tried to talk me into getting the DVB-S2 + OTA version instead. After telling them 'Twin DVB-S2' the 3rd time they finally said 'OK'. Hopefully thats what I'll get. It's in Los Angeles now.....
I found the full specs and block diagram for the Hi3136 demodulator. ACM is listed!
View attachment 114331
I did not realize the receiver could do ? ? ? ? ? ? . But I am really impressed with its ability to ? ? ?? ? ? and ? ? ?.
The U4 Quad arrived Monday and I have tried out some of its features. This is not a full review yet, just my initial observations. I don't think its worthy of a full review unless they fix some of the major problems.
1) It supports ACM. Music Choice on 125W plays fine.
2) All the UHD channels on 103W and 105W have various playback problems on my 1080P TV. There are the frequent audio cutouts and dropped video frames / pauses on NASA UHD. When I say 'frequent' I'm talking about every second or two. Pauses may last for a split second to several seconds. Sometimes it locks up and requires a power cycle. 'Fashion One' UHD is severely pixelated. The 'Silent Monkeys' channel has the same video issues as NASA UHD.
3) Attempting to record any UHD channel brings up an error message 'Channel does not supported'. This is with a USB 3.0 stick plugged into the USB 3.0 port on the receiver.
4) HD and SD channels play and record fine. I didn't notice any of the problems that UHD had.
5) Sometimes in the 'Config' menu it only lists one tuner. (I have the twin DVB-S2 model). When this happens I have to power cycle the receiver to get the other tuner back.
6) My KU dish motor has a digital readout of its current position. I compared the U4's USALS calculated positions with my Mini HD SE and they appear to match. So the USALS calculation appears to be correct. However, when you switch between satellites it does not move the motor at all, like other receivers do automatically. From what I can tell, the only way to move the motor is to go into the USALS configuration menu and press the 'GO TO' button.
7) HiTVRemote is an Android app that lets you use your phone as a mini-touchscreen interface to the receiver. When I was able to get it to work, it was very cool. The android phone acts as a powerful remote control, and it displays TV too. But it only connected once in about 5 tries. I cannot get it to work consistently.
8) On 139W I was able to scan in over 1000 radio channels. It does not seem to have a fixed limit of channels per transponder like many other receivers.
9) It comes with Kodi version 15.2 which works OK. In a desperate attempt to get UHD channels to playback properly I uninstalled Kodi, thinking that it may be hogging CPU cycles, Removing it didn't help.
10) I didn't see any way to manually edit PID's
I did not try timer recording. The clock has the correct date mostly, but the time is way off sometimes. Like right now it is off by 3 hours and 12 minutes.
If you would like me to try something or have any suggestions, I would welcome them.
1) It supports ACM. Music Choice on 125W plays fine.
2) All the UHD channels on 103W and 105W have various playback problems on my 1080P TV. There are the frequent audio cutouts and dropped video frames / pauses on NASA UHD. When I say 'frequent' I'm talking about every second or two. Pauses may last for a split second to several seconds. Sometimes it locks up and requires a power cycle. 'Fashion One' UHD is severely pixelated. The 'Silent Monkeys' channel has the same video issues as NASA UHD.
3) Attempting to record any UHD channel brings up an error message 'Channel does not supported'. This is with a USB 3.0 stick plugged into the USB 3.0 port on the receiver.
4) HD and SD channels play and record fine. I didn't notice any of the problems that UHD had.
5) Sometimes in the 'Config' menu it only lists one tuner. (I have the twin DVB-S2 model). When this happens I have to power cycle the receiver to get the other tuner back.
6) My KU dish motor has a digital readout of its current position. I compared the U4's USALS calculated positions with my Mini HD SE and they appear to match. So the USALS calculation appears to be correct. However, when you switch between satellites it does not move the motor at all, like other receivers do automatically. From what I can tell, the only way to move the motor is to go into the USALS configuration menu and press the 'GO TO' button.
7) HiTVRemote is an Android app that lets you use your phone as a mini-touchscreen interface to the receiver. When I was able to get it to work, it was very cool. The android phone acts as a powerful remote control, and it displays TV too. But it only connected once in about 5 tries. I cannot get it to work consistently.
8) On 139W I was able to scan in over 1000 radio channels. It does not seem to have a fixed limit of channels per transponder like many other receivers.
9) It comes with Kodi version 15.2 which works OK. In a desperate attempt to get UHD channels to playback properly I uninstalled Kodi, thinking that it may be hogging CPU cycles, Removing it didn't help.
10) I didn't see any way to manually edit PID's
I did not try timer recording. The clock has the correct date mostly, but the time is way off sometimes. Like right now it is off by 3 hours and 12 minutes.
If you would like me to try something or have any suggestions, I would welcome them.
The 4:2:2 channels I tried just gave a black screen.
I haven't tried rooting it. It comes with a 'Developer Tools' app. Most of the options in it are to display various information screens.
103W 4140V 30000
It's silent. From what I could tell by lipreading he said "I'll scratch your neck if you scratch mine".
On 103W there's UHD1 (Silent Monkeys), Fashion One 4K, High 4K TV, and NASA UHD TV. Some screenshots below. As you can see, Fashion One is pixelated and High 4K has strange colors.
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