GTMedia GTCombo 4:2:2 receiver

[John]

A bit more from the same freq - 7East with audio

 

[moonbase]

The audio PID's might not all be gravied up, could be that only the video PID is gravied up.
Also, if the transport stream is viewed using an analyser app it sometimes shows PID's oscillating between Poop and non Poop.

If you are getting intermittent audio it might be audio Poop oscillo?
It would need to be viewed live in an analyser app to check.

 

[moonbase]

Just checked it and none of the PID's are gravied up.
The video is in 4:2:2 format as can be seen from the Profile line in the screen grab below.

One of the audio PID's is AES3, most consumer grade receivers cannot provide audio from this.
Depending on how the Combo scanned and stored the four audio PID's it could be trying to use the wrong one or perhaps switching between them if it has that functionality?

 

[John]

The audio PID's might not all be gravied up, could be that only the video PID is gravied up.
Also, if the transport stream is viewed using an analyser app it sometimes shows PID's oscillating between Poop and non Poop.

If you are getting intermittent audio it might be audio Poop oscillo?
It would need to be viewed live in an analyser app to check.

That youtube video is exactly what was reproduced off the Combo with 'Change Player' selected. The reference to intermittent audio was on an earlier grab where it was the odd blip of audio from the tech people, this young ladies audio was constant although the lip sync was out.
Anybody else should be able to view what i saw.
I welcome your more detailed reports MB .

 

[moonbase]

I welcome your more detailed reports MB .

I have just posted a screen grab from an analyser that shows the status of the transport stream a few minutes ago in reply 743.
It was non Poop 4:2:2 when I took the screen grab.

 

[stephan94]

Beta testers???? I strongly doubt it. Everyone is a beta tester for the Combo here.

When you read the GTCombo forum carefully, you can see that some people are trying updates that are not yet available, and sometimes it's better, because these changes are not always positive.
There are always people who would like to try these tests, and then they complain because it doesn't work.
In fact we don't know how many tests there are between the released updates (you can guess when you look at the version number)

 

[mapperuo]

Updated my box today and it's just ruined it, The subtitle menu just stays on forever, I press exit and it goes away then comes back.

 

[moonbase]

Updated my box today and it's just ruined it, The subtitle menu just stays on forever, I press exit and it goes away then comes back.

What firmware version was it that you updated to?

 

[Manikm909]

is there a new one out?

 

[Satspot]

is there a new one out?

The post “updated my box today” did not specify what version they updated to. They were asked but as of yet have not replied. There is a test version available which is due for release soon so I’d hold off for the moment as that test version has turned some remote controls into a piece of useless plastic. What is your OTA update reporting at the moment.

 

[mapperuo]

It is on C20.A9.1.16 according to the info page.

 

[mapperuo]

This is what it is doing, If you hit exit to get rid of the menu it just comes back. You have to hit home, then go back into the DVB app and its gone.

 

[Satspot]

This is what it is doing, If you hit exit to get rid of the menu it just comes back. You have to hit home, then go back into the DVB app and its gone.

Most of those issues are easily sorted with a system backup and factory reset and restore. If you haven’t already done so mention it on the GT Media forum and one of the support staff I’m sure would be only too glad to help. As an owner I assume you’re registered on that forum.

 

[STB IRE]

@John I have read this thread with great interest. The elusive 4:2:2 clearance of H264 content eh.

I see several people think that there is something special about the GTCombo. There isn't, other than it has a media player that is attempting to clear the Chroma feeds through that media player. Unfortunately the specs of the GT does not have the requisite processing power to do that on a continuous uninterrupted basis.

So. This is tried and tested and works for those who want to clear H264 4:2:2 feeds.

Any E2 receiver will pick up a 4:2:2 feed. It's just a transport stream after all. In order to display it in real time, I use an Apple 4K TV box (the first generation version) using the free VU+ Plus app. Nothing special about the chipset (its an A10X Fusion chip with 64-bit architecture Processor)

It plays both the video and audio feed of the H264 4:2:2 stream flawlessly without stutter, in practical realtime.

You will pick one up a second hand 1st gen Apple TV 4K Box for about €100.

 

[John]

@John I have read this thread with great interest. The elusive 4:2:2 clearance of H264 content eh.

I see several people think that there is something special about the GTCombo. There isn't, other than it has a media player that is attempting to clear the Chroma feeds through that media player. Unfortunately the specs of the GT does not have the requisite processing power to do that on a continuous uninterrupted basis.

So. This is tried and tested and works for those who want to clear H264 4:2:2 feeds.

Any E2 receiver will pick up a 4:2:2 feed. It's just a transport stream after all. In order to display it in real time, I use an Apple 4K TV box (the first generation version) using the free VU+ Plus app. Nothing special about the chipset (its an A10X Fusion chip with 64-bit architecture Processor)

It plays both the video and audio feed of the H264 4:2:2 stream flawlessly without stutter, in practical realtime.

You will pick one up a second hand 1st gen Apple TV 4K Box for about €100.

Opening posts 1 to 5 of this thread sums it up pretty well - cheapish / simple to use / no extra external pc needed / rudimentary view of a 4:2:2 transmissions and other things but quickly became apparent that it didn't have the processing power and perhaps other things to cope. Progressive positive development of what is basically a phone app to get the most out of it, as well as adding requested menu features for various user dependencies is taking it's time which isn't something new but does introduce owner frustration. I'm not a great E2 fan so happy to go along with the Combo development for the time being........ until the Mk2 comes out (if at all) with better processor and no App clutter lol.

 

[STB IRE]

Opening posts 1 to 5 of this thread sums it up pretty well - cheapish / simple to use / no extra external pc needed / rudimentary view of a 4:2:2 transmissions and other things but quickly became apparent that it didn't have the processing power and perhaps other things to cope. Progressive positive development of what is basically a phone app to get the most out of it, as well as adding requested menu features for various user dependencies is taking it's time which isn't something new but does introduce owner frustration. I'm not a great E2 fan so happy to go along with the Combo development for the time being........ until the Mk2 comes out (if at all) with better processor and no App clutter lol.

Yes I hear what you are saying. But the selling point of clearing 4:2:2 on these receivers is clearly misleading. Displaying the transport stream on the fly for 1 second is not going to satisfy feed hunters. The simple matter is that 4:2:2 Chroma subsampling can only be done with a media player that has the necessary hardware, especially if that stream is processor hungry. Most of these feeds, especially the sport ones, are H.264 with 10-bit 4:2:2 encoding. To add confusion you will have 4:2:2 encodes with low bitrates that will make it seem seamless.

My point to anyone who wants to clear H264 4:2:2 feeds is that whilst your normal run of the mill e2 box will find the signal but not display the picture, connecting to that stream using the webif function (streamlined into the free VU+app) on a Apple 4K box will clear the picture once you have the requisite high speed HDMI cable. The Apple 4K TV boxes after all have a specific HDR menu to display Chroma 4:2:2, so it no surprise that they can display the content of 422 stream from an e2 box on the same network.

Just goes to show that you don't need pro broadcast gear like the MediaKind receivers to access these feeds.

 

[Channel Hopper]

@John I have read this thread with great interest. The elusive 4:2:2 clearance of H264 content eh.

I see several people think that there is something special about the GTCombo. There isn't, other than it has a media player that is attempting to clear the Chroma feeds through that media player. Unfortunately the specs of the GT does not have the requisite processing power to do that on a continuous uninterrupted basis.

So. This is tried and tested and works for those who want to clear H264 4:2:2 feeds.

Any E2 receiver will pick up a 4:2:2 feed. It's just a transport stream after all. In order to display it in real time, I use an Apple 4K TV box (the first generation version) using the free VU+ Plus app. Nothing special about the chipset (its an A10X Fusion chip with 64-bit architecture Processor)

It plays both the video and audio feed of the H264 4:2:2 stream flawlessly without stutter, in practical realtime.

You will pick one up a second hand 1st gen Apple TV 4K Box for about €100.

I may have a different box to everybody elses, but nothing on the packaging or in the manual suggests it is special, or decodes 4:2:2 content.

I don't believe the manufacturer's have promoted it as such either (importers are a different animal). The GTCombo does have features I do like though; dual tuner, sensitivity, low power consumption, the colourful and easy to read remote with audio prompt and that it is not reliant on E2.

Everything else it does achieve ( or might be able to do once improved) as a 4K box for the £65 delivered is a bonus.

 

[STB IRE]

I may have a different box to everybody elses, but nothing on the packaging or in the manual suggests it is special, or decodes 4:2:2 content.

I don't believe the manufacturer's have promoted it as such either (importers are a different animal). The GTCombo does have features I do like though; dual tuner, sensitivity, low power consumption, the colourful and easy to read remote with audio prompt and that it is not reliant on E2.

Everything else it does achieve ( or might be able to do once improved) as a 4K box for the £65 delivered is a bonus.

Hi Channel Hopper. I am not here to diss the box, and I'm sure it has many benefits for such a low price tag. I am a set top box enthusiast myself and have been for many years , especially hacking them to do stuff that they aren't retailed to do. The thread title itself is labelled as GTMedia GTCombo 4:2:2 receiver and I have seen adverts on Alie Express describing them as such too, including illustrative literature claims that they "Support YUV422 decoding". Coming from the freesatcn chain I was initially interested and this thread grabbed my attention.

However, given the spec it would be a surprise to me that they could clear H264 422 on the fly. If anyone has one of these boxes in the UK and wants to try to gauge their limitations, nearly ever Sunday, Irish Broadcasters RTE/TG4 have strong fta satellite feeds from Gaelic Games on either 28.2E or 23.5E without any form of encryption. These are H264 Full HD DVB-S2 10 bit encoded feeds via 4:2:2. If they do I'll buy one! But I have a collection of other boxes that have previously disappointed me. My input may or may not be helpful to those seeking to decode 422.

All the best.

 

[Channel Hopper]

OK, the initial post title is misleading.

 

[John]

OK, the initial post title is misleading.

Only slightly - it's based on the initial advertising guff from Nov 22nd 2021
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