i have just had my skyplus cut off and want to replace it with a humax pvr.is it a case of just changing the cables from the skyplus box to the humax one.Also how could i keep the skyplus box working so that i could receive the sky version of five which is unavailable on the humax pvr.I am on the costa blanca and would appreciate some advice. thank you

You would just need to use the Sky+ box as a ftv box by connecting a spare lnb output to it (If you have one). You will need a new type card to get 5 though as the version you want is encrypted but free to view.

ok thanks,im not sure whether i should bother with the humax then.

In which case you won't be able to record unless you pay sky £10 per month for the privilege

Are you sure you can't get the free to air channel 5. If you can get BBC 3, BBC 4, CBBC, Cbeebies you should be able to get CH5 as they are all on the same transponder. Try using add channels and scan 10773 H 22000 5/6.

This is currently a hot topic around here, and I will put my cards on the table.

I strongly advise against Freesat boxes in the Costa Blanca North.

The reason is, as we all know here (but grahamlthompson is forgiven for not knowing in Worcestershire) we lose all the 2D horizontal transponders between about 1700 and 1900, even with a big dish. This means after that time there's no BBC 2/3/4, ,and for BBC1 we need to use a vertically polarised channel, normally Channel Islands. No box can fix that. It also means no Freesat C4 or C5 as these are also horizontally polarised.

Nowever, with a FSFS card things are a lot easier. There are FTV encrypted broadcasts of ITV, C4 and C5 on the stronger (for here) beams.

So I always recommend a Sky box with a FSFS card for non subscription viewing here.
If you want to be able to use a FSFS card but record as well, there are non Sky box alternatives.


This is frequently discussed in my TV in Spain group.

Thanks for your help,so could you tell me what alternative you would recommend,bearing in mind my sky plus box is now nothing more than a sky digibox IE i can only record via video.Is there a PVR worth having on the costa Blancaor should i just forget trying to have a similar system to skyplus,to record and watch 2 different channels?

Nuciero, I will send you a PM.

I'm not sure if I understood you, but I would like to since I caravan through Spain. We intend going there in May.
Are you talking of using the Sky "South Transponder"
This is something that cannot be done with a Foxsat HDR (AFAIK)
If that is the case I would add that I have not needed the South Transponder except on the south coast, & Algarve since I used a 1.1m dish.

David

I live south of Torrevieja and have a share in a 1.9 dish. Channel 4 is not a problem as Channel 4 + 1 comes through 24 hours a day as do BBC1 and all ITVs. Get the occasional still picture on Five & BBC2. BBC HD & ITV HD are good all the time (apart from heavy rain).

You can use the hdr to access any fta transmission you like using non-freesat mode if you can get a signal. What you can't do is access UK PSB channels that are not on Astra2D as these are encrypted free to view. Being on other than the narrow beam 2D means they are much easier to recieve in Europe

Torreviaja is not La Nucia. Reception conditions, especially for 2D horizontal transponders, are very diffrent.

You CANNOT receive 2D horizontals north of Alicante in the evening, not even with a 3,1m dish.

As I need to keep repeating, the OP and I live close to each other, on the Costa Blanca North.

This is a very poor area for reception of 2D. Spain is a big country, and reception conditions vary greatly throughout it. What people can do in other parts is, unfortunately, of no relevance to those many British residents of this part of the world.

That is why there are so many 2,4m dishes - we wouldn't use them if we didn't need them.

Freesat is NOT a sensible option here; a FSFS card is probably more useful to us than for those in the UK

Apologies for reviving an old thread but loosely relevant to this I feel.

I have been visiting the in-laws in Spain for the last week or so and we brought over a Humax Foxsat HD with us as they have just upgraded their main TV.

Their existing system in Benicarlo (east coast of Spain roughly halfway between Barcelona and Valencia) consists of 2 x Pace 2600c1 digiboxes, two active FSFS cards, 1.1m dish and MTi Highline twin LNB.

I duly replaced the 2600c1 in the lounge with the new Humax and can no longer receive BBC2 or Channel 5 but most other channels fine it seems. Reconnect Pace box and it works fine.

I read about the different transponder used but what is strange is that on the 2600c1, the signal for 10773 H 22000 5/6 is showing 90% strength and 70% quality. The Humax is zero for both!

I am assuming the Humax box itself is faulty in this instance? Could it be a LNB compatibility issue ?

On a more positive note, I also bought a Buffalo WHR-G54S with me bought from Ebay for £14 and flashed it with the free TomatoVPN firmware available. It is setup in OpenVPN client mode, uses 3 watts with wireless turned off and have got the Humax iPlayer working over this..

http://tomatovpn.keithmoyer.com/

I have the VPN terminating at another identical box in the UK but you could use the WHR-G54S as a wired or wireless VPN client to one of the commercial VPN suppliers. It also allows you to run a process which checks the VPN is up every 30 minutes and reboots the box once a day.

Thanks

Gavin
Last edited by GavinP : 10-05-2010 at 15:43

A brief update: switched the MTi Highline LNB with a Smart Titanium 0.2db twin which has been sitting in a drawer for a few years as a spare and I can now get the full range of Freesat channels on the Humax box...

Signal strength on the second 2600c1 has dropped by 10-15% according to the box manual tuning indicators but quality has remained at 60%.

I also found this thread which seems to confirm there is a compatibility issue for the Humax with some LNBs:

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/10...conundrum.html

Thanks

Gavin