Thanks for that Amarok, I seem to recall that the problem with the clock was that it was freezing, my front panel info all disappears!

Oh well, at least the tuning still works ok and I can see the station details on-screen using the info banner. Not good for a STB less than 3 weeks old though, bodes ill for the future methinks.

I would ask for a replacement from your retailer.

No user option exist to turn the front display off.

The power save on/off just puts the box into standby in the early AM hours if left on and no buttons are pressed.

Automan.

It does seem to me the box only just has enough CPU power and RAM to perform the current functions.

I suspect the reason when using to play music etc from a media server that it only lists the first 100 matches and limited files in folders is due to the lack of ram needed to do this and still maintain the ability to record two channels.

Only time will tell I guess...

Automan.

I agree, the spec for YouView requires a 950MHz CPU and a half gig of RAM minimum. The Samsung box doesnt have this, so if the G2 standard is similar to YouView, its not going to be powerful enough.

Anyway I've got my Samsung and set it up, and I like it much more than the Humax - its far more user friendly and feels modern and well designed. Only complaints so far are lip sync problems when viewing iplayer in HD and the other very minor complaint is the glue on the Youtube/iplayer sticker if you want to remove it - it took me almost an hour to wipe it all off!

It should do nicely until the new boxes come out next year, and with cashback it was great value at £170!

I rather suspect that G2 is going to be somewhat less YouView (or YouView - apps - Web (other than On-Demand services) - it is all rather unclear - YouView publish specs - Freesat don't. Why?

Perhaps. There seems to be alot of confusion in the marketplace... G2 is a freesat platform that may include some aspects of Youview, that's my interpretation, clearly the Youview specs are out of this planet for an embedded STB, those specs sound more like a PC.....

Right now they may seem high, but even my (admittedly recent) mobile phone could theoretically run YouView - apart from the tuners and connections of course. In just a year those components will cost peanuts, and personally I think it's a good sign that YouView have specified at such a level. The specs are like a PC because it needs that kind of power if YouView is to live up to its potential.

After constant chasing about the remaining bugs to do with the lip sync issues and occasional crashing/recording blips (issues previously confirmed as being fixed, and update soon) - I've since had a reply from Samsung saying there are no planned updates for our box...

"please be advised that there are currently no additional firmware updates currently planned for release in the near future"

A little dissapointing that we can't watch iPlayer properly, or media files, or I guess ITVplayer (which obviously isn't coming early 2011 ) - unless of course they're just going to bundle it all in with a massive update that includes G2, YouView, LoveFilm etc.

Has anyone heard any different - could just be an error from that particular customer support person...

Also - has anyone got any recommendations for a media server (either windows OR standalone network HDD) that works well with the box. Have tried a few and the best I've got so far is actually a beta version of Samsungs server - but the later versions didn't work at all with the box.

Some servers the Samsung doesn't even see, others it doesn't see any files...

Cheers

Nick

That is rather worrying as I have logged several firmware errors with Samsung. I hope it's just poor internal communications.

In response to one of my problems with media playback of XVID and MPG files, I received the following response on 8th September:


In response to another couple of problems logged concerning playback while tuned to a radio channel and playback jerkiness in other defined circumstances, I received the following response on 25th July:

Bramble - likewise I had assurances on the 8th August - and have heard nothing back since this message - despite chasing

05.08.2011
Normally there is a small lip sync delay when AVI files are played through our FreeSat product. We have passed this information to one of our lead engineers for further clarification. It is likely that our engineer will be able to reply to your email (which we have forwarded) on Monday. Please send a follow up email on Monday and we will reply once we have the requested information.

Perhaps we need to complain to Freesat who gave this product their seal of approval and that was when it was totally useless

http://www.freesat.co.uk/files/1613/...e_23_03_11.pdf


Automan.

Also of course the box still does have some basic bugs that still have not been attended...

1. If you playback a recording still being made and stop playback the resume information is not saved but the unwatched/new status is cleared.

2. Some series link program names are incremented by a number other are not. It seems to be almost random.

e.g.
Mr Bean
Mr Bean

Ironside
Ironside (2)
Ironside
Ironside
Ironside (3)

3. Clock display and screen saver are sometimes 15 seconds slow.

4. Screen saver will cut in every five minutes during a recording playback if you load the library from a radio channel.

5. When you stop playing a recording you are not always returned to that item in the library

6. When you stop playing a series link recording while another one has recorded when you return to library view the new recording is not displayed till you exit the sub folder and enter it again.

7. Media player only shows the first 100 matching tracks or artists when browsing.

8. No USB WiFi Dongle Support (which was promised at launch).


Automan.

I wonder if this is the same "lead engineer" referred to in a response I received on 9th August regarding lip sync issues:

So far after 2 weeks of use, I am REALLY pleased with my Samsung box. I understand ALL boxes have issues (and certainly Sky was chock-full of them).

One thing I can't seem to figure out, is how to search the entire planner data.

I can see how to search for a single day (which is useless, as usually I know what channel a program is on and roughly the time of day, so it's quicker just to scroll left and right).

No way to find out what day a particular program is on.

Also....

How can I tell if I am watching live TV or timeshifted TV? There is no obvious way I can find..... Am I missing something....

You can't See Number 7 on my list....


Automan.

Press info, observe the progress bar - in timeshift it also shows the buffered content in different colour.

automan (or others) - what media server do you use (albeit with 100 limit)? One that will do video as well as audio and pictures. Thanks

Nick

Windows Media Player - Windows 7 64b

thanks! Have to see if theres a way of installing on the machine I have in the loft - is running windows 2008 web server...

It's a shame they don't put the silly and useless blue LED on te front to use to pulse and indicate timeshift....

Why do all manufacturers all seem to assume we love lots of glowing LEDS on all our AV equipment? (even when the are off). What's with that????

I'm almost tempted to take mine apart and cut the LED leg.. It means a really nice looking box tacky with it as it is. It's like putting go faster stripes on an Audio R8 and sticking furry dice in the window.

Gosh!! Could I ask where u managed to get it at that price? I want one!!

cheers Kev

It should do nicely until the new boxes come out next year, and with cashback it was great value at £170![/quote]

[/quote]

Richer Sounds sell it for £200

http://www.richersounds.com/product/.../sams-smts7800

I actually bought mine from Crampton & Moore on ebay for £200 including free delivery.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Samsung-SM...ht_1501wt_1396

You then go here for the £30 cashback:

http://www.samsung.com/uk/smartcashback/

Be careful who you buy it off if you go on ebay. To be eligible for the cashback I think you have to buy it off an authorised dealer (Crampton & Moore are an authorised dealer)

I just bought one of these on Saturday from Richer Sounds and am incredibly pleased with the box. The only major fault from my perspective so far is the poorly designed library function.

Other than that, improvements I would like to see are:
[LIST][*]Abilty to switch off the blue LED[*]ITV player, 4od etc[*]Ability to access some non-freesat channels when in freesat mode (such as Sky News)[*]Ability to turn off the genre list for the guide[*]Inclusion of favorites in genre list[*]Ability to edit channels listed (and their position) in the All Channels and other lists within the Guide[*]or else ability to list HD channels in preference to non-HD channels in All Channels and other lists[/LIST]
Improvements that seem to be in place which I don't think are reflected in this thread are;
[LIST][*]Freesat recordings still take place even when in non-freesat mode[*]There does seem to be padding options in the SYSTEM menu when in non-freesat mode.[/LIST]
As for the latter, I wonder if that would ever help (you could record a programme in non-freesat mode if it needs padding), or does the improved handling of start and end times totally negate the need for padding for any programmes that can be recorded in freesat mode?

I just bought this and I have come to notice an annoying 'feature' with the remote control.

If you want to change the volume of you Samsung TV using the 7800 remote you are forced to change the remote to TV mode.

I also have a Samsung blu-ray player and the volume controls amazingly change the volume! why doesn't the freesat remote do this same thing?

I'm hoping this is something that can be changed in software (and will be fixed), but I'm guessing this is down to the failings in the remote.