Review: consumer receiver natively tuning 4:2:2

[comfortably_numb]

Turns out the video is choppy on the PC also, from both the GTX and the Edision, which tells me whatever modulation NBC is using is tough for our receivers and even super fast PC's to handle.

We ended up switching to the NBC FTA satellite feed. Nice to have OTA on the second tuner, you can easily flip back and forth with the RECALL button and compare video quality.

I really like having OTA and satellite tuners built in without having to use a dongle.

 

[juventusbrown]

Thank for posting the steps for the android 4.2.2 I have to see if I can receive those channels properly first cause I'm all the way in barbados in the Caribbean. Thanks again. Will try and give a feedback at some point.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Does the PC on the network see the m3u stream by itself or how do you view the feed on the PC from the GTX?

192.168.###.###:7779 pulls up the web interface for the GTX. This enables you to download an M3U playlist directly from the box.

(Substitute your box's IP address for the ### above).

 

[Jim S.]

For UHF I had to add the frequencies manually; it only auto-scans VHF for some reason.

Well if the frequency table selection is only for cable, as your one picture hints, that might explain it. On cable, channel 14 immediately follows channel 13, instead of being hundreds of megahertz higher.

It looks like, above the cable selections, there are OTA selections for specific DMAs. I'm not sure why they'd do something like that, other than maybe speeding up scanning by skipping unused frequencies. What happens if you select one of those?

Also, I don't know why it says it's scanning for 64QAM channels, when ATSC is 8VSB. But since it works, it must just be an issue of what it displays versus what it does.

 

[comfortably_numb]

What happens if you select one of those?

The only option is Miami

 

[iBoston]

Well, i really think a 4:2:2 receiver is very cool. So kudos to that. It doesn't surprise me the STB stutters on those 4:2:2. To play those reliably, i needed a high quality nvidia card, and had to tweak the settings for reliable stability.

I also think the ATSC integration is nice, but for me, i only get a couple channels without a VERY LARGE long range antenna. 90 miles line of site is where all the signals come from. I had a large antenna once, but it lasted only about 6 years from the wind battering all the expandable wing-lets on the antenna.

Thanks for posting.

 

[cyberham]

192.168.###.###:7779 pulls up the web interface for the GTX. This enables you to download an M3U playlist directly from the box...

How did you determine port 7779 is the one to use? Does this work on your V9 Prime? I tried this on my V9 but no luck. It just reported "Refused to connect".

 

[comfortably_numb]

How did you determine port 7779 is the one to use? Does this work on your V9 Prime? I tried this on my V9 but no luck. It just reported "Refused to connect".

I learned about it from a post on the GTMedia forum. Only works on the GTX.

 

[cyberham]

...i only get a couple channels without a VERY LARGE long range antenna. 90 miles line of site...

I use a Clearstream 2V with Channel Master 30 dB preamp to receive METV OTA from 77 miles away. This antenna works very well yet is quite small. If I were buying today, I'd get the larger Clearstream 4V with higher gain. I was surprised to learn that a high OTA antenna wasn't the solution, but walking around the yard trying every location high and low was the best way. It works best at only 4 feet high in just the right spot.

 

[cyberham]

I learned about it from a post on the GTMedia forum. Only works on the GTX.

I tried to access the V9 via 192.168.XXX.XXX:81 and got a reply from the box! It said {"msg":"This is a test page!","resultcode":1}. But I don't know how to talk its language.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I tried to access the V9 via 192.168.XXX.XXX:81

Yes, that's the streaming port. If you export an M3U playlist from the V9 to a thumb drive and then open it in Notepad on a PC, you'll see a URL with that port (a .TS file). Those can be streamed using Potplayer or VLC.

On the GTX you can download the M3U files
directly via browser on PC (similar to the Edision).

 

[mr3p]

Too bad someone can't figure out how to directly access m3u playlist from the V9.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Too bad someone can't figure out how to directly access m3u playlist from the V9.

AFAIK, they'd have to modify the software to allow downloading playlists via an open port. Perhaps a future update will allow this, but I won't be holding my breath.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Just FYI the only way to set a static IP on the GTX is to use WIFI. If using ethernet, it pulls a new IP every time the box reboots regardless of the IP you set for it.

We have a Comcast fiber gateway, so I'll be looking to see if I can reserve an IP for the GTX's mac address that way.

 

[mr3p]

Just FYI the only way to set a static IP on the GTX is to use WIFI. If using ethernet, it pulls a new IP every time the box reboots regardless of the IP you set for it.

We have a Comcast fiber gateway, so I'll be looking to see if I can reserve an IP for the GTX's mac address that way.

You can probably have your router assign a specific IP address if the GTX won't let you manually configure it. MAC address is your friend.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I contacted GTMedia about the ATSC tuner issues and they said this:

"Dear, you can open a return for the reason missing parts, thank you! We have a small tuner for the atsc signal in the package."

Supposedly there was supposed to be a "small tuner" in the box. They want me to return the whole thing and then send me another. I asked them to just send me this "small tuner."

Curioser and curioser..

 

[primestar31]

I contacted GTMedia about the ATSC tuner issues and they said this:

"Dear, you can open a return for the reason missing parts, thank you! We have a small tuner for the atsc signal in the package."

Supposedly there was supposed to be a "small tuner" in the box. They want me to return the whole thing and then send me another. I asked them to just send me this "small tuner."

Curioser and curioser..

I think they misunderstood what you were trying to tell them. The receiver already has a tuner, so they must be talking about a different receiver. They are probably losing what you are saying in translation.

 

[arlo]

Couple of questions because I might be looking for another receiver. Almost dead set on the SF8008 Pro.
Are the manuals included in the Combo and V9 boxes really as sparse as what I see online?
Or are the menu's intuitive enough so you really don't need one?
I have rambled the freesat.cn page for user input and suggestions. But not really in depth.
What are the. If any. Advantages of these receivers have over a good E2 receiver running Linux? I like having control of my stuff and being able to tweak configs. and settings.

I've had chinbox firmware based receivers. Dreamlink, Linkbox. Both with 'the modules'. They set in "the stack" unused for some time.
There were firmware versions not off-the-shelf for them. How about these receivers? Not so interested in YouTube and all of that stuff.
Just being able to more deeply control what's going on and streaming to whatever device. LAN file transfers. Stuff.

The 4:2:2 thing is rampant among us. I heard mention of native 4:2:2. Did I miss something? Using HDMI?
I was messing around with VLC alternatives. One of the 4:2:2 channels was glitching pretty bad using VLC on my pc.
Didn't try the same on my Fire TV Cube. VLC for Android is just a pain. Nor did I at the moment use Kodi's E2 PVR. Which btw, is really pretty slick.
I web searched for a VLC alternative and tried GOM Player Plus. Compared to using VLC on my laptop. Nuttin' fancy. Intel integrated graphics on an Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6500U CPU @ 2.50GHz 2.59 GHz and 12 gigs of ram.
GOM played steady where VLC was choppy and pixelated. Didn't try a Cast To my TV or mirror to the Cube.
That's the geeky side of things.

Hands on. What is so impressive of these GT Media boxes? What would have you steering over a good reveiver such as the Mio or SF 8008?
The eBay DSR receivers with ASI outputs are pretty interesting lately. I'm of the impression that they are headend receivers that are meant to be tuned to one transponder on one satellite. So to be usable for us. A stack of them would be necessary. And then there's the CA system that we can't readily discuss here. The European sites are fairly clueless also. And the fact that you can't use a remote control to use them, diseqc to steer a dish. All that stuff.

There hasn't been any new FTA or the likes chipsets released on how many years. So to me. These "new" receivers aren't really that new.
Just firmware on older receivers touted as being upgradable that eventually goes stagnant and having a person seeking a new box.
So. What gives? New E2 receiver or a chinabox firmware flavor box?

 

[comfortably_numb]

So to be usable for us. A stack of them would be necessary

Not really. Changing transponders is easy on the commercial receivers, you just can't blind scan. You also need to make sure the receiver has the proper licenses and tuner cards to do everything you want (HEVC, 4:2:2 etc).

 

[cyberham]

Hands on. What is so impressive of these GT Media boxes?

I've had a couple of Edision Mio+s and now have the GT Media V9 Prime and V7S5X. The V9 is the best of the two GT Media receivers that I have.

On the V9, the blind scan and sensitivity are the best of anything I've owned. They scan very fast usually and they lock signals better in some cases than the Mio+. Best example is 101W Weigel mux. In the morning when the signal is weakest in the rising sun, the V9 allows me to watch these channels in perfect clarity on my "small" 7.5' dish. The Mio+ provides intermittent reception at that time of day clearing up later in the day and especially in the evening when the signal is strongest.

To compare the V9 to the Mio+ is kind of a joke. They are totally different creatures. Now that I've gone through the multi-year training curve of the Edision line, I wouldn't do without the Mio+. The Mio+ is a true satellite receiver; the V9 is a useful and fun tool. You need both types of receivers if you're a satellite hobbyist. If you're only a TV watcher, I'd have to say the V9 is a lot easier to use.

Manuals? There is no manual to speak of for either receiver. But do we really need a manual at this stage?