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WIFI Bridges
Is anyone using either of these items? :-
Vonets VAP11G WIFI Bridge vonets wifi bridge
OR
The open media version open media wifi bridge
What is your opinion?
Vonets VAP11G WIFI Bridge vonets wifi bridge
OR
The open media version open media wifi bridge
What is your opinion?
0
Comments
The only thing it doesn't do is take its power from USB - it has to have mains power. Other than that, I thoroughly recommend it.
After that It's up and running in minutes. At the time of purchase it was the cheapest I could find at £20.
The Vonets looks the better option for me (small size to tuck away behind the sky box). Thanks for the heads up about the software, I've now been looking at various reviews and the software supplied seems a bit hit and miss, some report disc won't read, some it runs xp only, others that it is win7 only. So I should be prepared if that is my final decision.
His method for a final connection check is a bit long winded but he has very kindly dropped the setup software in a cloud thingy so its easy to retrieve.
I've got this bridge and its software installed no problem whatsoever on my Win 7 laptop (I've read reviews from others who reported problems trying to load it onto Win 7 but was ok on XP and vice versa!).
The software disc supplied has options for xp and win7/vista. Loaded and installed easily.
Runs like a dream, so why pay sky £60 for their version when this came in at just under £20.
Now. if only the sky box USBs supplied power !
Because it essentially plugs in and works, and you don't need a computer (plus reasonable computer skills) in order to set it up.
If you have the required computer, and possess the skills required, then there are numerous cheaper options - but none as simple.
Best option of course is to run an Ethernet lead!.
Wife would not let me run ethernet cable from router in master socket in bedroom across the hall then across the full length of the lounge :mad: or this would have been my first choice.
Reasonable computer skills?
I clicked " next " 3 times, entered my router passkey (from the querty keyboard). Set up done!
Then put it into sky box, powered up and got a page on screen asking me to press "select" on my remote.
ALL DONE AND DUSTED.
NO COMPUTER SKILLS REQUIRED.
I would have happily let my 10 year old grandson do it. But then I would probably had to give him half of the £40 I saved:D
Having watched the SKY VIDEO of how to set up their own wireless box (including having to use the remote as a keypad to enter the passkey) I reckon the Vonets was just as simple.
10 year old grandkids have the skills
A great many people can't even tune their TV, never mind setting up something like this. However, from your description it's easier than some of the other options.
I've got this one trained already:D He can identify diodes and capacitors and knows how to read resistor bands, and his solder joints are clean and neat.
Most boxes now do not have power available out of the USB, there are still some older boxes out there which do (but rare now).
I used a spare 3pin to USB transformer which came with a (now defunct) phone, these are also available in many sites for £2/3.
No need to worry to much about which transformer, the WiFi bridge operates on a range of 5 - 15 volts
I taught my daughter to solder about 7 or 8, and while I never managed to get her interested in Electronics she has made a number of Maplin/Vellemen kits and enjoyed doing so.
At secondary school they did electronics for a couple of lessons (building 55 timers on veroboard), and she could solder better than the teacher!
It does on my 3 year old Amstrad HD box.
Cheers!
But it might not continue to do so, various boxes used to, but were disabled in later updates - it's not something you can rely on.
Thanks for the info Nigel.
Can you advise (or speculate) on the reason why Sky would want to disable the USB port - doesn't seem to make any sense to me?
And while you're at it give a good reason why 5.1 sound isn't transmitted via the HDMI socket.
Because it's not used - it was originally added for the introduction of a portable Sky Player, so you could copy programmes to it - but DRM issues killed the project, and the USB port was never used for anything. The fact that power was accidentally enabled on some boxes was an oversight by the developers.
As for no 5.1 via HDMI?, the Sky HD box predates it - there was nothing at the time that could do it, so it obviously wasn't considered of any importance.
Even now ARC and 5.1 over HDMI are far from universal.
There have been some suggestions that the non-PVR HD box (as it's a newer design) 'may' have the capability though?.
Thanks
No "may" about it, it certainly does support 5.1 audio over HDMI. I have one of these boxes.
Nice to have it confirmed - I've no personal experience of it - mainly because the boxes are 'multi-room only' and it's pointless selling multi-room as you make no money on it.
IIRC it's the DRX595 that does DD5.1 over HDMI.
yes and that's the non-PVR HD box, which is what i referred to.
Here is one example (there are thousands of others out there)
http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/-/3139/2406/-/13417253/Groov-e-USB-iPod-iPhone-UK-Mains-Power-Charger-Adapter/Product.html