skybox vs openbox - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

Emerald_Boar · 2012-03-21, 02:06 PM

Is this quote true about skybox vs openbox?

Quote:

Skybox S9 HD PVR the most affordable FTA HD High Definition receiver on the market today. Skybox S9 HD also know as Openbox S9 HD, Sathawk PVR 800 HD, Solomend HD. A Cheaper alternative to the Dreambox HD. Some of the main features of the Skybox S9 receiver: Supports DVB-S, DVB-S2, MPEG-2 & MPEG-4, Digital Video Recorder via USB and Receive Digital High Definition (HD) and Standard Definition (SD) Satellite Signal

TIA,
Al

HDTV101 · 2012-03-21, 04:22 PM

skybox vs openbox S9 is the same thing.

I have 2 of them...

They cost about $135 and it does do DVB-S, DVB-S2, MPEG-2 & MPEG-4, Digital Video Recorder via USB and Receive Digital High Definition (HD) and Standard Definition (SD) Satellite Signal.

The remote is my only complaint .... really cheap.. flimsy and as cheap as can be and the one I have after 6 months of light use you now have to push the keys very hard... and it has to be pointed directly at the box,,, it's too directional ... really I HATE the remote!

But the receiver is OK... remember this is a $135 box!

I also have real DreamBoxes made in Germany that are a fine work of art!! but they are like buying a BMW while the Openbox is a Ford Focus.

cyberham · 2012-03-21, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HDTV101

...after 6 months of light use you now have to push the keys very hard... and it has to be pointed directly at the box...

Put new batteries in the remote.

majortom · 2012-03-21, 08:40 PM

I use Skybox firmware in my Openbox S9.
It's dated July 17 2011 and seems to be the most stable I could find for the Openbox S9. Plays all feeds I throw at it with no stutter or freezing. All of the Openbox S9 releases I have tried to date have some stutter and or freezing on certain feeds.
Regardless it's a decent box for the price as a starter kit for HD feed hunting.

HDTV Junkee · 2012-03-22, 11:33 AM

I, too have experienced a stutter from time to time on the Openbox S9. That said, I have heard that it depends largely on the type of USB stick that you are using, as well as the tpe of feed.

Sometimes I make a quick test of what it is that I wish to record. If there is a stutter on one USB, I quickly try another (and then no problem).

Funny that my most expensive 32 GB Cruz is the one I have the most problems with (tried re-formatting in various formats, but still have some problems).

On many of my cheaper ones, never experienced a problem -- but memory is only 2, 4 or 8 GB (limited space).

Kraven · 2012-03-22, 02:20 PM

I have an S10 w/ the skybox firmware. No problems w/ it so far. Finding the right firmware though was a bit challenging.

Cheers, K

majortom · 2012-03-22, 06:56 PM

the studder / freezing issue I'm refering to is with no external drive connected.
And is only on certain feeds, all of which are on CBAND. So unless you have a CBAND antenna you may not experience the issue. can assure you, once ya do, you will see the same stutter / freezing issues on the same feeds and it'll drive ya nuts until ya fix it. These things were not optimized for north america.

Kraven · 2012-03-23, 10:58 AM

Ah great... more good news! Is it a specific feed or varies from day to day?

Cheers, K

With the great weather we've been having, am looking at a mid april install.

majortom · 2012-03-23, 05:39 PM

specifically, CBC, ABC, ION muxes, anytime, don't matter. Probably a couple others. Essentially anything that's 720p an S9 will have trouble on almost every f/w except what I'm using now. Same issue with an S10, but a different SW version is required to fix that box.

Another new one just recently dscovered is the new CW mux on Galaxy 17 91W, locks up the box good and tite, unresponsive. No fix for that.
But that mux is all 480i h264, don't think anyone watches that. Deleting that mux was my fix for that issue.

2012-03-21, 08:40 PM	#4
majortom Veteran Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 2,564	I use Skybox firmware in my Openbox S9. It's dated July 17 2011 and seems to be the most stable I could find for the Openbox S9. Plays all feeds I throw at it with no stutter or freezing. All of the Openbox S9 releases I have tried to date have some stutter and or freezing on certain feeds. Regardless it's a decent box for the price as a starter kit for HD feed hunting. __________________ uhf/vhf combo rotor chimney mount homebrew vhf hi hpf ap-8700 preamp 4way split lg lcd dtt901 pctuner mythtv

2012-03-22, 06:56 PM	#7
majortom Veteran Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 2,564	the studder / freezing issue I'm refering to is with no external drive connected. And is only on certain feeds, all of which are on CBAND. So unless you have a CBAND antenna you may not experience the issue. can assure you, once ya do, you will see the same stutter / freezing issues on the same feeds and it'll drive ya nuts until ya fix it. These things were not optimized for north america. __________________ uhf/vhf combo rotor chimney mount homebrew vhf hi hpf ap-8700 preamp 4way split lg lcd dtt901 pctuner mythtv

2012-03-23, 05:39 PM	#9
majortom Veteran Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 2,564	specifically, CBC, ABC, ION muxes, anytime, don't matter. Probably a couple others. Essentially anything that's 720p an S9 will have trouble on almost every f/w except what I'm using now. Same issue with an S10, but a different SW version is required to fix that box. Another new one just recently dscovered is the new CW mux on Galaxy 17 91W, locks up the box good and tite, unresponsive. No fix for that. But that mux is all 480i h264, don't think anyone watches that. Deleting that mux was my fix for that issue. __________________ uhf/vhf combo rotor chimney mount homebrew vhf hi hpf ap-8700 preamp 4way split lg lcd dtt901 pctuner mythtv

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2012-03-21, 04:22 PM	#2
HDTV101 Veteran Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 2,000	skybox vs openbox S9 is the same thing. I have 2 of them... They cost about $135 and it does do DVB-S, DVB-S2, MPEG-2 & MPEG-4, Digital Video Recorder via USB and Receive Digital High Definition (HD) and Standard Definition (SD) Satellite Signal. The remote is my only complaint .... really cheap.. flimsy and as cheap as can be and the one I have after 6 months of light use you now have to push the keys very hard... and it has to be pointed directly at the box,,, it's too directional ... really I HATE the remote! But the receiver is OK... remember this is a $135 box! I also have real DreamBoxes made in Germany that are a fine work of art!! but they are like buying a BMW while the Openbox is a Ford Focus.

2012-03-22, 11:33 AM	#5
HDTV Junkee Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 174	I, too have experienced a stutter from time to time on the Openbox S9. That said, I have heard that it depends largely on the type of USB stick that you are using, as well as the tpe of feed. Sometimes I make a quick test of what it is that I wish to record. If there is a stutter on one USB, I quickly try another (and then no problem). Funny that my most expensive 32 GB Cruz is the one I have the most problems with (tried re-formatting in various formats, but still have some problems). On many of my cheaper ones, never experienced a problem -- but memory is only 2, 4 or 8 GB (limited space).

2012-03-22, 02:20 PM	#6
Kraven Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Shore, QC Posts: 530	I have an S10 w/ the skybox firmware. No problems w/ it so far. Finding the right firmware though was a bit challenging. Cheers, K

2012-03-23, 10:58 AM	#8
Kraven Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Shore, QC Posts: 530	Ah great... more good news! Is it a specific feed or varies from day to day? Cheers, K With the great weather we've been having, am looking at a mid april install.