Hi
Just been cleared to use this forum, and loads of questions about the Foxsat. I've already found some answers in other postings but any help with these ones would be much appreciated

1. I'm using the Foxsat in Belgium - it works fine. I put in the UK postcode to get the machine running, but it's on UK time. Anyone know if I can change to Central European Time?

2. I've got two satellite dishes - the second one is on Hotbird. I found a post that said something about transponders - will following the instructions about adding different transponder settings in non-Freesat mode allow me to view and record Hotbird stuff too? (Does the Hotbird dish have to be connected to both wires into the Humax or will one be enough?)

3. Despite having two wires in - and the system has found them and confirms a good signal from each - when I record ITV1 I don't seem to be able to get BBC1 or some other channels. Is that normal?

4. Is it possible to display the EPG with only the "favourites" channels? What happens if you have several lists of favourites (for different users)?

5. I've been able to copy TV recording files to my PC using an external hard disc, but the PC doesn't know how to play them. Is it possible to do that? Someone said something about getting the right codec...

6. How can I make on-screen info (e.g. programming clashes) visible for longer? The messages usually disappear before I have a chance to work out what they mean.

7. How do I enter the 4-digit codes in the remote control? Our TV is a Samsung and the list of codes is endless, so how do I choose the right one?

8. I want to set the machine to record programmes as they start but the options on the machine are different from the ones in the instruction book. I've left the option set to Auto (instead of automatically adding X number of minutes) because that seemed the logical choice, but I still miss the beginning of some programmes. Or doesn't BBC support that function?

Wow, that's a lot of questions. Love the machine but think it's let down by the instruction manual (the Freesat + features on the first inside page aren't explained further on, except series record).

Thanks in advance for any answers to any of these questions and cheers for a great website and forum.

Hi Chris. Welcome to the Forum, the guys on here are brilliant, so forget the useless manual and ask away

The guys will answer all your questions but I will answer a couple.

3) No thats not normal, try a reset.

4) No you can't get the guide to show only your favourites. So it's actually a joke, complete waste of time even being there!!

6)The banner for conflicts dissappears so fast you don't even have time to grab the remote....sorry you can't make it appear for longer.

8)Mine is set to auto and I haven't missed start or end so far but you can use the padding if it's happening a lot on your progs.

Hope that helps a bit

If I'm right in thinking the clock is set by the epg data so its going to be fixed to uk time

it should work on just the one but you will only be able to make manual recordings and you need to be wary that schedules in freesat mode may under certain conditions fail. If you do change which dish and cables you are going to use you need to tell the stb of your intentions. Press 'menu' > 'set-up' then move the cursor over to 'freesat tune' but don't press ok.. press red green yellow blue green yellow blue and the select 'antenna settings' and change 'connection type' accordingly.

Pressing the menu>systems>diagnostics is NOT a guaranteed way of testing whether both tuners are working as it just reports the one tuner and duplicates the result for both. Remove the LNB connection at the rear of the box and test the diagnostics for them individually on if I remember correctly on the LNB1 port.. if I'm wrong try on the LNB2 port


Get Yourself a copy of VLC media player from www.videolan.org it's free too


Yes the BBC does support it they are probably the better broadcaster for this function. However I find it best to leave auto recording set on and any channels that prove problematic I select the programme from the epg and then whilst still on that screen press the yellow button to get the schedule tab scroll to the show I've just reserved and then press the yellow button again to manually re-define the start/end times.


Edited for extra detail
Last edited by GaseousClay : 24-04-2009 at 13:41

Check you have connected the cables to the right connections (It's easy to connect the 2nd cable to Tuner1 out instead of tuner 2 in). The stb should say 2 cables found during a factory reset

You can't change the clock, if you could the epg recording times would be wrong
Last edited by grahamlthompson : 24-04-2009 at 13:35

Hi
Just a big thanks for the advice and tips. You've certainly given me some things to try out - particularly the VLC media player - with any luck I'll be taking some UK tv recordings on my next business trip. One question back to Gaseous Clay before I start playing around with my connections to the LNB to make sure both connections are working: doesn't the fact that I can record two programmes simultaneously already indicate that both connections are working?
Cheers
Chris

It probably does mean that your two connections are fine. But note it's actually possible to record 2 using only 1 tuner if both happen to be on the same transponder.

Quick test, tune to 108 BBC HD start an instant recording, tune to 951 BBC1 CI start a second recording. You should now be able to watch any other channel and also be able press pause to pause live tv

Hi Chris if you take a look at the link below althought it is aimed at people with just one LNB connection it illustrates how the tuning of satallite equipment functions. Basically there are four different arrangments that the set top box configures the LNB, high band vertical, high band horizontal, low band vertical and low band horizontal. So it is possible for two channels for example 102 BBC2 and 103 ITV HD (red button) to record using only one tuner (low band Horizontal). However as you mentioned in item 3 on the opening post that when you record ITV HD you can't get BBC1, this is possibly because ITV HD is using the only operating tuner on low band horizontal and BBC1 requires the other tuner for low band vertical. It might be just a tweak is necessary to your connection of coax to the F plug connector so no need for concern at present

Here is the link

For one tuner to record 2 together they have to be on the same transponder not just in the same block. Eg BBC HD and BBC1 CI which are both on 10847 V

For seamless operation you could have twin/quad LNBs on both dishes, connected to the Foxsat HDR using two DiSEqC switches.

You can then record a channel on one satellite whilst watching a channel on the other satellite. However you would need to be in Non Freesat mode, and you can't schedule recordings when in Non Freesat mode. The HDR will contain a list of Hotbird transponders which you can scan. Scanning transponders destroys the Freesat recording schedule and the favourite settings. - Enjoy!