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Secondhand 5800 - advisability of buying? |
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#1 |
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SW London, Crystal Palace Tx
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Secondhand 5800 - advisability of buying?
I need to invest in a new PVR because my current, adored, Vestels aren't fit for switchover & don't do Series Link, and I don't rate the newer models. Money says I can't buy new so I'm looking at a used Toppy, either from Turbosat or other eBay sellers.
There's one eBayer saying "I have updated it with the most stable Topfield firmware - 5.13.65N which accomodates all the latest Freeview transmitter changes so all channels are correctly assigned to the recorder." But from what I've read this firmware doesn't provide Freeview Playback, right? If MyStuff has been installed already but the firmware is "old", do you have to remove MyStuff before updating and then put it back again? Is there anything else to watch out for? parthena |
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#2 |
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Hertfordshire
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Hi Parthena,
As you know mystuff is an alternative EPG system for the toppy, but its better than Topfields own one. When you get your toppy you can carry out a mystuff installation that includes everything you need firmware wise. So instead of using freeview+ features, you'll use the toppy with autopadding and control timers (timers that deal with your recordings that are part of a series). If you head over to toppy.org.uk you can start picking up a mystuff manual and ask questions that experts and fellow newbies can help and perhaps reassure you about. |
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#3 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
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Quote:
If you head over to toppy.org.uk
![]() So I can't have MyStuff and "accurate recording"? It woud have to be auto-padding? I will go back to Toppy.org now, but there's a helluva lot there for my tiny mind I'll look for a User Guide with MyStuff already installed, the one I found assumes "no MyStuff".parthena |
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#4 |
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Join Date: Jan 2004
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Quote:
Originally Posted by parthena
So I can't have MyStuff and "accurate recording"? It woud have to be auto-padding?
![]() Quote:
Originally Posted by parthena
I will go back to Toppy.org now, but there's a helluva lot there for my tiny mind
I'll look for a User Guide with MyStuff already installed, the one I found assumes "no MyStuff".When you have the toppy, you can always load the latest freeview+ firmware with latest patches if you are interested; read about some of the remaining bugs and see if they make much of an impact in practice. |
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#5 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
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Thank you Marc
I am swapping between Toppy.org and the eBay listings. If I were sensible, instead of being an old lady trying to save a bob or two, I'd go with Turbosat, wouldn't I?! ![]() parthena |
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#6 |
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Hertfordshire
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I think you are probably doing the right thing buying second hand. If you get bored of it or really dont like it you can sell it on again for similar amounts
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#7 |
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SW London, Crystal Palace Tx
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I've ordered a refurbed 5800 from Turbosat. I'm quaking 'n sweating, I spent more time on Toppy.org this morning and saw that a lady got told "RTFM" kinda thing
![]() Whilst I'm awaiting delivery, I'm going to thicken up my skin ![]() I've decided I'll run it "as is" while I'm learning Toppyish ![]() parthena |
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#8 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Scotland
Posts: 83
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If you're a Vestel lover, you can run a minimalist Toppy that's similar to a Vestel only much better (imo) - which is what I do!
If you install the EPG Navigator TAP, then add the UK Auto Scheduler TAP, you have a PVR that I (and others) think is better and more reliable than series link, and oh so simple and straightforward. I really admire My Stuff but I do think it's quite difficult to get to grips with. Then again it might be for you. But the real beauty of the Topfield is, if you have strong feelings about what you want, it can almost certainly be achieved. And the people at Toppy.org are extremely helpful. You will love your Toppy - guaranteed! |
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#9 |
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Join Date: Jul 2004
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Thank you, Norm. I'm really nervous about having shelled out what is quite a significant sum of money to me, so your encouragement is very welcome
![]() Your suggestions sound good! parthena |
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#10 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SW London, Crystal Palace Tx
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My Toppy "Black Panther Edition"
![]() Even Digital Spy can't help me with this one ![]() parthena |
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#11 |
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Join Date: Jul 2004
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Dunnit
Slowly but surely, it's in situ and up & running ![]() The interface is not nearly as "awkward" as I expected it to be, if fact it's not awkward at all. I've set umpteen series to record, just to see what happens ![]() The first thing I'd like to mod is the Opt button, so that it automatically switches subtitles on and off instead of giving me a menu (I'm not hard of hearing, but could never have watched some bits of The Wire without subs )Well, I'd been thinking about getting a Toppy on and off for over a year, and so far I'm glad I've got it. parthena |
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#12 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 310
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UKSubtitle will do the single key subtitle toggle.
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#13 |
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Join Date: Jul 2004
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There's a lot of water under the bridge since my last post, Simon, and I've got myself in a right pickle. This creature is not for the foggy-headed (which I am
).I've been and gone and installed MyStuff on it It'll be the death of me.parthena
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#14 |
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 38
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My Stuff seems terribly complicated when you read the manual, or at least it did for me. I have gotten used to it now and it is a big improvement over the native EPG etc. I find most of the options are quite intuative and after a month I guess you do too?
![]() My only gripe is the add padding feature. I am sure it is terribly clever software but I find it is more trouble than it is worth and will delete it (once I have figured out how to )
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#15 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
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Quote:
My only gripe is the add padding feature.
Did I say 'thank you, Simon' for the link to UK Subtitle? Thank you, Simon! I've just downloaded it.Now, though, I've totally forgotten how to attack putting stuff on Toppy, there are no learning curves in my world these days Back to Square One but I'll be OK in the end.parthena |
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#16 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,395
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Quote:
you can add a patch to a mystuff toppy to monitor the running status of a programme, like accurate recording on freeview+ does.
cheers |
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#17 |
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Buckingham
Posts: 28,537
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The Ab patch.
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#18 |
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Join Date: Apr 2006
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Quote:
The Ab patch.
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#19 |
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Join Date: Oct 2004
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Quote:
Accurate bookmarking? Oh, I find this not very reliable.
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#20 |
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,395
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Yes I agree, I don't blame the Toppy or the patch!
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#21 |
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Join Date: Jul 2004
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Quote:
It reliably marks the points at which the broadcaster sends the event transition signal which Freeview+ relies on for Accurate Recording. Not all broadcasters at not all times can be depended to send it at the right time. But combined with auto-padding and auto-extending it gives you an almost foolproof way of making sure you never miss a thing.
If so, does one end up with even more padding to interfere with other scheduled recordings? (I've really must study my manual, I've been wondering why I'm swamped with recordings of, for example, Desperate Housewives - have been setting Controlled Timers with no restrictions so it's recording all occurrences on all channels.)parthena |
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#22 |
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Join Date: Oct 2004
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Quote:
Could you explain a bit further? Does it record with the usual padding + an extension and put bookmarks within the recording to show where the programme actually starts and ends?
Quote:
If so, does one end up with even more padding to interfere with other scheduled recordings?
Preference is given to new timers starting if need be. I spread my timers across two PVRs to eliminate or limit the effect that can have.
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#23 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,395
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Quote:
And it is the Extend TAP which dynamically extends a recording until it see the end of programme event or by two hours which is shorter.
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I'll look for a User Guide with MyStuff already installed, the one I found assumes "no MyStuff".




Back to Square One but I'll be OK in the end.