OpenBox Died. Now what do I do?

[NotTy]

The HDMI output has been dead for about a year and a half and now the composite output is dead. No picture or sound but the panel does light up. Also checked to make sure it was on 720p. Checked all the wires and cables. It's dead like a zombie.
Now I'm wondering if getting a new FTA Box is worth it. I'm looking into a smart tv that can get lots of stuff, the internet, Netfix etc.
On the other hand, some boxes come with the ability to surf the internet and I have Roku.
If I get another box, which ones are the better?
A good blind scan is more important than a fast scan.

 

[T4Runner]

The HDMI output has been dead for about a year and a half and now the composite output is dead. No picture or sound but the panel does light up. Also checked to make sure it was on 720p. Checked all the wires and cables. It's dead like a zombie.

Now I'm wondering if getting a new FTA Box is worth it.

I'm looking into a smart tv that can get lots of stuff, the internet, Netfix etc.
On the other hand, some boxes come with the ability to surf the internet and I have Roku.
If I get another box, which ones are the better?
A good blind scan is more important than a fast scan.

With 352 posts I'll forgive you for the statement "Now i'm wondering if getting a new FTA box is worth it".... ;>)

But that kind of heresy is not usually read here!

Of course it's worth it! MICROHD is my recommendation.



Posted Via The SatelliteGuys Reader App!

 

[KE4EST]

I agree the MicroHD or The Amiko Nano HD(if you have a tighter budget) are box excellent boxes, with great blind scan.

I will pretend I didn't hear you say

Now I'm wondering if getting a new FTA Box is worth it.

 

[mmewrench]

Get the Nano Hd If you are looking for a good blind scan. Its fast and accurate. Only one tuner, No fancy display, you tube sucks, but the picture is great and the receiver is stable.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Amiko-Nano-...US_Satellite_TV_Receivers&hash=item2a3248aa7b

 

[NotTy]

Thanks everyone.
Sorry, I know there are tons of posts but wanted a quick response to the best of them.

And I may have found it but it doesn't support 4:2:2. I know my OpenBox didn't either but was thinking it would be nice to have 4:2:2 but there seems to be only one 4:2:2 channel that I'm interested to pick up. With that in mind, there's also just one receiver capable of receiving the 4:2:2 signal that's in my price range but is a little more than I want to spend just to get that 1extra channel.

Is 4:2:2 just not popular or is it a format that's outdated?

So as of now, it looks like it'll probably be the MicroHD. It's small enough I can silicone it to the top lip of my TV. Along with my small L.E.D. clock, my Roku and a small center channel speaker.

 

[jorgek]

Not to hinder any sales for MIcroHD or any other new box, but did yo try to reload the firmware?

If there is no video you will need to use the serial port.

 

[NotTy]

Not to hinder any sales for MIcroHD or any other new box, but did yo try to reload the firmware?

If there is no video you will need to use the serial port.

I could try that but I'm not overly knowledgeable in that department. I didn't even know what a serial port was until I Googled it.

I take it I would have to buy a cable then download the firmware to my computer, then using the cable, upload it to the OpenBox.

This is a decision I'll have to make in the next couple hours.

 

[jorgek]

Its a null modem serial cable. Depending on your PC, you may not have a serial (rs-232) port, in which case you will also require a serial/USB adapter. After all that there is no gaurantee that your issue will be fixed!

I have used the serial cable when my S9 frooze. The rs-232 port is the only way to revive an unresponsive box.

 

[NotTy]

I just ordered the MicroHD. It should be here Friday. There's definitely not many new ones to choose from these days.

 

[jorgek]

I just ordered the MicroHD. It should be here Friday. There's definitely not many new ones to choose from these days.

Good choice.

 

[FaT Air]

There's definitely not many new ones to choose from these days.

Yeah, not since the Openboand clone) series of 'improved models' every other week or month. (LOL)

 

[cyberham]

...but it doesn't support 4:2:2...

Do you know you can record the 4.2.2 feed using the DVR function on your microHD, then connect the external hard disk to your PC and replay the file? It will play back on your PC with beautiful quality.

 

[NotTy]

Nope. Didn't know that. But when you say hard disk, is that the same as a flash drive?
And I'm in the market to get a smart tv, the Samsung 8000 series to be exact. Would I be able to play it back on that, I wonder, since the 8000 series can suposably surf the internet and play video files about as good as a computer?

Do you know you can record the 4.2.2 feed using the DVR function on your microHD, then connect the external hard disk to your PC and replay the file? It will play back on your PC with beautiful quality.

 

[cyberham]

Any USB storage device is fine. It has to have lots of MB to store video recording. If the Samsung TV can play .ts or .ps files, it would work. My guess is it couldn't play those formats.

 

[NotTy]

Thanks cyberham.
I'll do some more research on the 8000 series. Either way, that's an awesome TV.

Any USB storage device is fine. It has to have lots of MB to store video recording. If the Samsung TV can play .ts or .ps files, it would work. My guess is it couldn't play those formats.

 

[toucan-man]

Any USB storage device is fine. It has to have lots of MB to store video recording. If the Samsung TV can play .ts or .ps files, it would work. My guess is it couldn't play those formats.

I gave up on thumb drives. One of the better ones I found would write 21MB/s connected to a USB 2 port -- not fast enough for a certain 4:2:2 feed I wanted. Broke down and bought a 2TB harddrive which hasn't choked yet whilst recording.

For what it's worth, my TV set can play .ts files, but it won't play 4:2:2 recordings. Neither will my Blu-ray player do 4:2:2 through its USB port.

 

[T4Runner]

Thanks cyberham.
I'll do some more research on the 8000 series. Either way, that's an awesome TV.

I thought that series was discontinued? Be careful you dont buy a discontinued one.


Posted Via The SatelliteGuys Reader App!

 

[NotTy]

Interesting.
Maybe a new series of 8000's have come out. The particular one I'm looking at is the UN60F8000 which is supposed to be Samsung's Flagship TV of 2013. But I did read some articles that the 8000 series was discontinued. I wonder if there's a difference between 8000 and UNF8000.

I thought that series was discontinued? Be careful you dont buy a discontinued one.


Posted Via The SatelliteGuys Reader App!

 

[wildbill47]

OPENBOX X5 love that fta and hd is super watch feeds and backhauls in hd on c and ku band. has multimedia and internet.

 

[NotTy]

Although the OpenBox S-9 did OK for me, it was also kind of quirky.
The picture was good but right from the start, it had a green hue on composite output and my TV I had at the time was from the 80's and only had composite in.

Then my gf moved in and she had a high def plasma. So I was able to use the HDMI input. Beautiful picture but then the picture and sound began to get out of sync more and more as time went on. Usually, changing the channels then going back usually helped, but not always. The last six months, I've had to turn it off and on to fix the out of sync problem.

Then HDMI output quit working and I hooked up the using the last option I had.

The clock didn't work.

The format button was in about the stupidest place possible so I had to super glue it.

Here's a photo of the last picture shown. Pressing the "V" button didn't help and I could not bring the menu up. Changing satellites didn't work either.

No more OpenBoxes in my home.

OPENBOX X5 love that fta and hd is super watch feeds and backhauls in hd on c and ku band. has multimedia and internet.