UltimaTe Systems 4 Ultimate Budget system
5 Ultimate linux system
2 Ultimate luxury system
6 Ultimate UK FTA system
7 ULTIMATE UK Pay-TV SYSTEM
8 ULTIMATE DIGITAL TV pc SYSTEM
009 tem 2 s y s ate Ultim
Ultimate systems 2009
10 ULTIMATE FeedHUNTING SYSTEM
Wotsat builds nine ideal digital TV systems for all pockets
11 ULTIMATE Idtv SYSTEM
Putting together a satellite system (or any digital TV setup) is a matter of horses for courses really. First, ask yourself – what do I want to get? Do you want satellite channels from the UK or Europe or both? This will determine what satellite dish and receiver you need. A Sky minidish or equivalent (like the Selfsat and Neovia antennas featured in these pages) will suffice for most needs but for many European satellites you’ll need something bigger. An installer will be able to advise you, but bear in mind that if you plan to have anything larger than a 1 metre dish (with an accompanying 60cm dish
12 ULTIMATE Travel SYSTEM
perhaps) you will need to seek planning permission from your local council. Our Channel Check starting on page 56 offers pointers on dish size.
Decide what you want Next up, do you want to pay for your TV or do you want free channels only? Do you want PVR recording? Do you want to supplement your viewing with cable and/or Freeview services? Do you want to watch shows in any room in the house? And what will you be watching them on? Questions, questions. Over the next 11 pages we’ve put together nine systems to suit the needs of everyone from ardent feedhunters to those who just want to watch the latest US imports in HD.
Summer 2009 What Satellite & Digital TV 1
Ultimate luxury system
TV
If you’ve got the space and the cash you’ll never have to miss a thing
09 m 20 syste e t a Ultim
Sony 46Z4500
n Ultra-stylish 1080p-capable luxury IDTV blessed with DNLA media streaming and motion-smoothing 200Hz processing n £1,700 (approx), www.sony.co.uk
Streamer
Apple TV
Accessories
Popcorn Hour A-110
Receiver
Sky+HD & Multiroom
n The best HD channel line-up and an excellent PVR with improved EPG. Multiroom is the only way to go n £49, www.sky.com
Accessories
Slingcatcher
n A slave for your Slingbox lets you watch TV from your receivers in another room, including HD. n £180, uk.slingmedia.com
Recommended
n Nothing on telly? This HD-ready media streamer can handle pretty much any format you throw at it n £185, www. popcornhour.com
n Interfacing neatly with iTunes and YouTube and now with HD support, Apple TV is another multimedia player/ streamer to cherish n £195, www.apple.com
n Selfsat H21D: With a choice of single, twin or
quad LNBs, like the Neovia this can also be hidden using stickers. £70, www.eurosat.co.uk 2 What Satellite & Digital TV Summer 2009
n Triax TD 1.1 dish: Big enough to feed the
LyngBox with as many Euro channels as you’d ever want. Just add the mount. £70, eurosat.co.uk
n Stab STHH120 mount: Used with the LyngBox,
this DiSEqC 1.2 motor is more than capable of driving our 1.1m dish. £30, www.eurosat.co.uk
UltimaTe Systems screen
Eyeline EMW30W
n The Eyeline range of pull-down projector screens includes some tasty widescreen numbers like this 300cm behemoth, which goes well with our Full HD Epson projector n £688, www. metroplan.co.uk
ProjectoR
Epson EH-W3800
audio
n Capable of blowing 1080p images up to 300in, this Epson projector is an ideal way to make the most of your HD TV/movie viewing n £2,000, www.epson.co.uk
Teufel Columa 900
n This 7.1 speaker system looks great and will add a touch of audio finesse to any system (especially if you plan to add a Blu-ray player) n £1,300, www. teufel.eu
Receiver
Sony STRDA5400ES
accessories
Slingbox Pro
n An easy way to ‘placeshift’ your TV viewing around the home or over the web n £170, uk.slingmedia.com
Receiver
LyngBox
n With HD sat and Freeview tuners and the ability to download frequency data from the net, this is the ideal Euro TV provider n £450, www.eurosat.co.uk
n Feeding those stylish Teufel speakers is this high-end AV receiver with no fewer than six HDMI inputs and a combined output of 840W n £1,500 (approx), www.sony.co.uk
Recommended
n The Technomate 6900HD Combo Super: DTT
and HD/SD sat reception on this great Euro sat PVR. £280, www.technomate.com
n Virgin Media V+ Box: Virgin’s cable PVR has
three tuners and lots of on-demand fare. A nice addition to Sky+HD? £99, www.virginmedia.com
n Panasonic DMR-S850: If cost is no object why
not add Panasonic’s combined Freesat, Blu-ray and HDD recorder. £1,000, www.panasonic.co.uk Summer 2009 What Satellite & Digital TV 3
Ultimate budget system Get hundreds of free Euro TV channels without breaking the bank
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TV
Sony KDL32V4000
n It’s not 1080p (but then no TV channel is either) but this 32in LCD IDTV has a performance and specification that punches above its price tag n £450, www.sony.co.uk
meter
Wattson Power Meter
n OK, it’s a bit of designer luxury, but if you’re on a budget you’ll want to save on energy bills. Plug the Wattson into the mains and you’ll know exactly how much your power consumption is costing you. n£90, www.diykyoto.com
Receiver
Technomate TM-5200D USB Super
Recommended
n A steal at £70, the 5200D proves a highly flexible FTA receiver with blind search for elusive feeds and PVR recording via USB n £70, www. technomate.com
n Triax TD 78: Giving performance approximate
to an 80cm dish, this will get you channels from the popular Euro sats. £49.95, www.eurosat.co.uk 4 What Satellite & Digital TV Summer 2009
n Stab STHH100 motor: This nimble DiSEqC 1.2
mount is sufficient to drive our choice of antenna aided by the 5200D. £39.50, www.eurosat.co.uk
n Manhattan XT CM: The latest version of this
receiver has multicrypt readers plus great tuning features and performance (see page 112). £79
UltimaTe Systems
TV
37LG3000
n This 1080i LCD IDTV is another mid-sized LG bargain with three HDMIs and excellent pictures thanks to LG’s XD Engine processing n £450, uk.lge.com
accessories
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Horizon MiniSAT
n Horizon’s meter makes short work of locating signals from desired satellites n £139, www. horizonhge.com
receiver
Dreambox DM-800D
Ultimate Linux sat system Linux receivers open up a world of tweakable firmware that few enthusiasts can resist. But don’t forget to buy a decent HD TV too
n Dreambox has become the go-to brand for customisable Linux receivers and this compact HD receiver is a great centrepiece for any Linux system n £359, www. dreamboxshop. co.uk
Recommended
n AB IPBox9000HD: Dual DVB-S2 tuners and an
500GB hard disc make this a good Linux HD alternative. £550, www.satellitesuperstore.com
n Triax TD 1.1: This 1.1m Triax beast should be
sufficient to pull in channels from most popular European satellites. £70, www.eurosat.co.uk
n Stab STHH120 motor: For easy sat-scanning,
this DiSEqC 1.2 mount has muscle enough to move the Triax dish. £42, www.eurosat.co.uk
Summer 2009 What Satellite & Digital TV 5
Ultimate UK free-to-air system Get the most from Freesat and Freeview with this matching system 09 m 20 syste e t a Ultim
TV
Panasonic P42X10B
n This 42in 1080i plasma IDTV has Freeview and Freesat tuners, giving you superior flexibility when used in conjunction with the Topfield and Humax receivers. It’s also a decent panel in its own right n £780, www. panasonic.co.uk
receiveR
Humax Foxsat-HDR n Dual Freesat HD recording, a 320GB hard disc and provision for non-Freesat channels make a superb FTA sat PVR n £250 (approx), www.humaxdigital. com
PVR
Topfield TF5810 PVRT
Logitech Harmony S1100
home cinema
LG HT903TA
n Pairing a stylish 1000W 5.1 speaker system with an upscaling and DivX-compatible DVD player, this LG system makes a great home cinema accompaniment n £280, www.lge.co.uk
n This touchscreen universal remote control should make controlling all your devices a hassle-free experience n £350, www.logitech.co.uk
Recommended
n With a huge 500GB hard disc and HDMI upscaling, this Topfield dual tuner Freeview recorder has your terrestrial TV needs covered n £280, www.turbosat.com
Accessories
n Selfsat H21D: With a choice of single, twin or
quad LNBs, this camo-dish is similar to the Neovia. £150/£170/£200, www.eurosat.co.uk 6 What Satellite & Digital TV Summer 2009
n Technisat HDFS (back): The best non-PVR
Freesat box has Euro-sat support and multimedia streaming/playback. £175, www.technisat.co.uk
n Humax PVR9300T: Smaller HDD (320GB) than
the Topfield, but still has dual Freeview recording. Cheaper too. £185, www.humaxdigital.com/uk
UltimaTe Systems
2009 ystem s e t a Ultim
audio
MJ Acoustics Xeno
TV
n This stylish 5.1 speaker system (upgradeable to 7.1) makes a fitting accompaniment to Onkyo’s powerhouse receiver. n £680, www. mjacoustics.co.uk
Pioneer Kuro KRP-500A
n This luxury 50in Full HD plasma has free-to-air satellite and Freeview tuners, media streaming and superlative picture performance n £2,500, www.pioneer.co.uk
receiver
Onkyo TX-SR7065
n This THXcertified 7.1-ready AV receiver can pump out a whopping 160W of audio per channel and upscale inputted video sources to 1080i n £600, www.onkyo.co.uk
ReceiveR
accessoriES
Sky+HD with Multiroom
Slingbox Pro
n Sky has the widest range of HD channels available, supplied via a formidable dual-tuner PVR. If you want HD and SD channels, there is no competition n £49, www.sky com
n Making the most of what you watch, the Slingbox range is the ideal way to distribute TV around the home or over the internet while out and about n £160, uk.slingmedia.com
Ultimate UK pay-TV entertainment system Sky remains the premium source for standard and hi-def channels in the UK and Sky+HD is at its best with a top-quality home cinema setup Recommended
n Virgin V+ Box: Virgin Media’s cable service has a very limited HD offering compared with Sky HD, but
this triple-tuner PVR allows you to record two channels while watching a third, plus there’s an extensive on-demand library. £99, www.virginmedia.com
n Neovia NEO-VH200: With twin LNBs, Neovia’s
antenna is sufficient for Sky channels and a few other satellites too. £146, www.pulsat.com Summer 2009 What Satellite & Digital TV 7
Ultimate Digital TV PC system With a beast of an HD-ready media PC at its heart and twin quad tuner cards capable of recording two satellite or Freeview channels at once, meet the PC TV system to rule them all
Display
Toshiba 42ZV555D
n Our custom PC has the HD chops to generate super-sharp images and this Full HD Tosh LCD IDTV should do justice to them. It’ll also upscale SD video too via Resolution+ n £800, www.toshiba.co.uk
media PC
Custom PC
n Our custommade powerhouse media PC from Yoyotech combines HD satellite and DTT reception plus a Blu-ray burner for archiving n Silverstone GD02 case, Cooler Master Silent Pro PSU, Intel G45 mainboard, Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400, 60GB OCZ Vertex boot drive, 1TB Samsung data drive, 4GB OCZ memory, Sapphire Radeon HD 4670 graphics with HDMI, Blu-ray R/W disc drive n Tuners: 2 x Hauppauge WinTV HVR 4000 (quad tuner DVB-S/S2/T/ analogue DTT) n Operating system: Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Remote n Total system price: £1,644 + VAT, www.yoyotech. co.uk
card reader
Hauppauge Win TV CI
Recommended
n Connects via USB and works in conjunction with the Hauppauge HVR 4000 and a CAM and viewing card for your chosen pay-TV service n £70, www. hauppauge.co.uk
n Stab STHH100 motor: Our Nova card will
happily drive this DiSEqC 1.2 motor as you hunt for channels. £40, www.eurosat.co.uk 8 What Satellite & Digital TV Summer 2009
n Azurewave AD-SP400 card: The Azurewave
offers SD and HD sat reception and comes with a CI module for pay-TV. £120, www.pulsat.com
n Sony Vaio VGN-AW11Z/B: Take an 18.4in Full
HD screen, Blu-ray burner and GeForce graphics, and add USB TV tuners. £1,500, www.sony.co.uk
UltimaTe Systems
09 m 20 syste e t a Ultim
antenna
Triax TD 78 n This Triax antenna should be enough to feed your Nova HD card with the most desirable Euro channels n £50, www.eurosat.co.uk
audio
Onkyo HTC-5115
n Onkyo’s all-in-one 5.1 home cinema system comprises an upscaling DVD player, receiver and speakers to deliver a value for money home cinema accompaniment to our media PC n £342.50, www.onkyo.com
Recommended
n Linux Mythbuntu: The Linux-based Mythbuntu
OS incorporates MythTV, the powerful PVR TV application. www.mythbuntu.org
n Windows Media Centre: Microsoft has finally upgraded Media Centre to support both terrestrial and
satellite DVB tuners, and it’s the easiest option for PC beginners, included with Vista’s Home Premium and Ultimate editions. £166.37 / £225.10, www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-media-center
Summer 2009 What Satellite & Digital TV 9
Ultimate feedhunting system The ideal system for the enthusiast who must find everything TV
LG LG7000
n This 37in 1080p LCD IDTV more than fulfils the needs of the HD-minded enthusiast, boasting decent pictures and no fewer than four HDMIs n £700, uk.lge.com
09 m 20 syste e t a Ultim
Signal meter
Receiver
Horizon MiniSAT
Technomate TM-6900HD Combo Super
n This compact signal meter should make easy work of finding the most oft-used satellites for feeds n £139, www. horizonhge.com
Recommended
n With copious search options (including blind search) to satisfy ardent sat scanners, plus PVR (via USB) recording and bonus Freeview reception n £280, www. technomate.co.uk
n Andrew 1.2m dish: If you’ve got the space this
sizeable dish is enough to find feeds from birds over UK and Europe. £200, www.eurosat.co.uk 10 What Satellite & Digital TV Summer 2009
n STHH120 Stab mount: Driving a big dish
requires a suitable motor like this capable DiSEqC 1.2 enhanced effort. £42, www.eurosat.co.uk
n Eurovox EX8000 HD+: This DTT/sat PVR is
cheaper than the Technomate 6900 but without a UHF modulator. £254, www.maxking.co.uk
UltimaTe Systems
09 m 20 syste e t a Ultim
TV
Panasonic P50G10B
n This massive 50in 1080p plasma IDTV offers both Freesat HD and Freeview, excellent picture processing and Viera Link control over the Panny Blu-ray recorder n £1,150, www. panasonic.co.uk
PVR
Panasonic DMR-S850
n The flagship HDD/disc recorder in the Panasonic range boasts dual Freesat HD tuners and the ability to record to record to Blu-ray discs. Also has Viera Cast and multimedia playback n £,1000, www. panasonic.co.uk
Ultimate IDTV system This elegant system combines a superb Freesat TV with the latest in digital TV recording and Blu-ray playback Recommended
n Neovia NEO-VH200 dish: A discreet way to get
Freesat channels, this dual LNB fitted antenna can be hidden with stickers. £70, www.pulsat.com
n Pioneer Kuro KRP-500A: Pricey, but this plasma
produces unrivalled pictures and has both FTA sat and DTT tuners. £2,500, www.pioneer.co.uk
n Selfsat HD21: With single, dual or quad LNB
attachments, this antenna is a good alternative to Neovia’s NEO-VH200. £70, www.eurosat.co.uk Summer 2009 What Satellite & Digital TV 11
Ultimate travel system Simple and lightweight, for TV on the move Antenna
Maxview Omnisat B2566
n This all-in-one dish kit is built with the Euro traveller in mind and includes a 66cm tripod mounted elliptical dish with folding arm and LNB (we’ve chosen the twin option), carry case, compass and sat finder. 54cm version also available n £230, www. maxview.co.uk
09 m 20 syste e t a Ultim
TV
AVTex W193D accessories
Horizon MiniSAT
Receiver
Roadpro Zehnder 65
n With its 4,000-channel memory, twin Scarts and a digital audio output, this is an ideal FTA sat solution for caravan holidayers n £90, www.roadpro.co.uk
Recommended
n This compact meter is your flexible friend when it comes to hunting down channels when out and about in the UK or on the Continent n £139, www. horizonhge.com
n As well as a nice big 19in screen and 1440 x 900 resolution, this 12V travel-friendly LCD TV also has a built-in DVD/CD player, dual HDMIs, card reader and FM radio. Useful if you get bored with watching sat TV n £399, www.avtex.co.uk
n Powergorilla: This portable power source can
supply devices up to 12V, so it’s ideal for roaming technology nuts. £150, www.powertraveller.com 12 What Satellite & Digital TV Summer 2009
n Comag sat-in-a-suitcase: A Comag free-to-air
receiver plus a vari-mount 45cm dish for ultra-portable sat TV. £(varies), www.lidl.co.uk
n Bush BFSAT01HD: Bush’s Freesat HD receiver
has an external 12V power supply so it’s perfect for holidays. £94.99, www.argos.co.uk