Advice Needed 'New Old Stock' Foxsat HD box ?

[phil2spill]

Hello, can I ask for your advice please.

I previously set up a LiDL FTA SD kit at my elderly parents' remote place in southern Scotland about eight years ago and it has worked pretty well in that time, except for poor reception in heavy rain and the dish sometimes being knocked off target in high winds.

Anyway, they now have an HD TV so I'm looking at getting them a Freesat HD setup. They do not have broadband Internet access, so 'smart' features and catch-up services are pointless and would just be a source of confusion and annoyance. Also they don't bother recording programmes, so a PVR is unnecessary.

I was thinking about getting them one of the old Foxsat HD STBs from a decade ago that crop up as 'new old stock' on popular internet auction sites for about £50. My worry is that there might be some kind of developments since then that would make an older box less functional in some way, perhaps in terms of broadcast or HDMI standards, or anything else that goes over my head.

Can you advise whether the old Foxsat model would still be a good choice? If not, what would your recommendations be for a simple, good quality HD FTA / Freesat STB please?

Also can I ask about a new dish: the LiDL one was always marginal in performance so thought I'd get an 85 cm dish this time — does that sound like the right size, or perhaps too big? Any specific dishes you would recommend for the Scottish borders region?

Many thanks for any advice.

 

[Analoguesat]

Hi Phil, welcome to the forum.

Ive got a none recording Humax box in the bedroom. Its a decent box apart from a minor quirk where it wont switch on from the remote every couple of months or so. (But you just press the button on the front when that happens)

As you can see from my profile Im in the Borders too - near Galashiels. A well aimed 60cm dish will be fine for anything short of monsoon rainfall or heavy snowfall conditions. Even in snow the main problem with snow is build up on the lnb rather than the stuff falling through the sky, and monsoon conditions are rare - maybe once or twice a year for 10-15 minutes.

If you can get the dish into a slightly more sheltered location do so - it doesnt need to be high up so if you can tuck it into the corner of the garden somewhere sheltered behind a fence or in a corner of the building thats fine.

The only major change in broadcast standards that is likely to happen in the near to middle future is that the DVB-S transmission standard will be run down in favour of DVB-S2 - which is what most of the HD channels use at the moment.

 

[Analoguesat]

Oh and consider the recording aspect too - you never realise just how useful it is until you start using it - we didnt bother for years - now we watch almost no live tv as the missus just records everything in advance and makes her own schedules up

 

[phil2spill]

Hi Analoguesat, thanks for the welcome and good info. Will take the info on board. Good to know that I can use a 60 cm dish.

 

[Analoguesat]

Now the decrepit old satellites have all been withdrawn you could get away with a 45cm dish, but the 60cm gives you that bit extra bad weather resilience.

If there is absolutely no way to shelter the dish & the house is in a very exposed place then drop down to a 45cm dish as it wont have as much wind resistance.

 

[Lazarus]

I too have one of the original Humax Foxsat non-recording boxes and if you can get your hands on one, they are still the best.

That said, other boxes have hit the market and you can get a Manhattan Plaza Freesat HD for £44.

I believe they are of good quality, too. But do avoid the Bush.

See here for up to date info.

 

[phil2spill]

Ah, it's a relief to know that I should be able to get away with a smaller dish as that makes life easier (not to mention cheaper!), I was way out with the 85 cm dish there. The current one is mounted on the lower end of a mast which I lashed to the chimney. Since it was a faff to do, I'm loath to move it, so will probably take my chances with the wind, but thanks for the info nonetheless and will look out for a 45. It was only the rubbish elevation clamp (basically a long bolt going horizontally through the dish back bracket) that moved in wind, and not the mast clamp, so hopefully a better engineered dish will be a lot stronger in that department.

Thanks Lazarus, good to read your endorsement of the Foxsat box. I looked up the Manhatten box you mention, and liked the look of that too. Richer Sounds have a few 'open box' units left at some shops selling for £18! Bargain or what, but sadly none near me. So instead I pulled the trigger on a Foxsat HD as 'new old stock' still sealed in its box for £45 delivered from the bay of fleas. I've read about some dodgy capacitors on the PSU that can blow, but could probably handle replacing those as and when required so am willing to take the risk!

Appreciate your help, cheers.

 

[phil2spill]

Just as an epilogue: Triax 64cm dish and Foxsat HD installed today in place of the old Lidl setup at my Mum and Dad's place. I was able to reuse the cable, just with a new F-plug on the outdoor end. Great to have the luxury of calibrated elevation angles on the clamp and being able to preset that and then just swing the dish around the mast to find Astra 2E -- much easier than trying to sort both adjustments outdoors, up a ladder with the old system.

Although not optimised since I just had the Lidl audible aid, hopefully it will prove better in rainstorms than the smaller dish. It certainly feels more solidly attached to the mast so fingers crossed that it will survive the gales. The picture looks great on their new £279 'dumb' (simple, no smart features) Samsung 40" TV. As a simple and inexpensive system for non technical folks, it fits the bill and the parents are chuffed to bits. Thanks for your advice.

 

[Analoguesat]

Thanks for the update - great to hear its all worked out ok & you folks are happy with the result