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Amiko Allien 2 Vs AZ Box Mini Me
- Thread starter Vondertrenk
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Clear up something about the MiniMe for me, please: is it still in production, or are they going to run out soon? When I wanted a box that was network-capable, the MiniMe's software was still pretty rough (poor blind scan, etc.), so I went with the Amiko instead even though the Amiko's media player leaves a lot to be desired. (Not the nice IPTV system that Joe has put together, but the box's own video and music file player.) It sounds like the MiniMe might finally be reasonably bug-free, but I don't want to spend money on a receiver that might disappear any time, because I don't trust anyone to keep supporting the software if it does!
Can't tell you about production, but the mini-me is certainly not bug-free. It has had many improvements, including blind-scan. I finally was happy with the scans as of last week with 1.70 firmware, but I had to drop the step frequency to 3 from 5
Every box I've owned since 2004 has been able to delete transponders. Not the MiniMe still waiting!
As far as the media player, everything has played smoothly. However, I can't seem to pause it. RR/FF works okay. Takes about 40 seconds to get back to main menu after stopping a show.
One other thing I noticed is that if you are on a weak channel and the picture freezes, you have to do a complete reboot to get video on another channel. Switching channels, TP's, Satellites doesn't bring back video. Either does a soft restart. You have to fully reboot the box.
Catamount
Every box I've owned since 2004 has been able to delete transponders. Not the MiniMe still waiting!
As far as the media player, everything has played smoothly. However, I can't seem to pause it. RR/FF works okay. Takes about 40 seconds to get back to main menu after stopping a show.
One other thing I noticed is that if you are on a weak channel and the picture freezes, you have to do a complete reboot to get video on another channel. Switching channels, TP's, Satellites doesn't bring back video. Either does a soft restart. You have to fully reboot the box.
Catamount
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Have you ever tried to record the CBS 4:2:2 signal with the Amiko, and then play it back on another computer on your network? If so, did that work for you?
Please forgive my ignorance here, but who is Joe and what has he put together? Is it something that would allow playing the 4:2:2 programming? Sounds potentially interesting...
I don't have a C-band dish, but the Amiko will stream 4:2:2 to another computer that can decode it. If you have a wireless connection, there may be bit-rate issues with some HD channels, 4:2:2 or not, however. I assume that recording it also works, but I don't remember if I've tried. Playing recordings over the network works in general.
Joe Franco is the American distributor of Amiko products. The Alien receivers have the ability to play streaming video from Internet sources, like web sites. Joe has put together a server that automatically updates the receivers with a package of selected channels from around the world, so the user doesn't have to do it. It has nothing to do with the ability to play 4:2:2 or not.
Joe Franco is the American distributor of Amiko products. The Alien receivers have the ability to play streaming video from Internet sources, like web sites. Joe has put together a server that automatically updates the receivers with a package of selected channels from around the world, so the user doesn't have to do it. It has nothing to do with the ability to play 4:2:2 or not.
I understand your concern but please be reassured that the issue is temporary and AzBox US authorised dealers will soon have our products listed on their website for sale.
We could actually solve this issue a lot easier by shipping a load of miniMe American Edition receivers to Amazon and have them sell directly to the U.S. market. However, we want to avoid doing this as the legitimate FTA hobbyist market is not very large and requires as many small independent FTA retailers as possible in order to support it. By having authorised dealers instead of selling directly to end users, we indirectly contribute to the FTA hobbyist market via the profit they make from selling our products.
With this in mind, we are always looking for additional dealers so please contact us if you wish to become an authorised AzBox Canada or AzBox US dealer.
Best regards,
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Thanks. If it would record 4:2:2 and then I could access it from another computer and copy the recording, I could probably apply whatever post-processing is necessary to make it playable.
Oh, okay. That would probably not be of quite so much interest to me personally, because I have a home theater PC that runs XBMC and the MythTV frontend, and XBMC has video add-ons that let it receive all kinds of channels. But my ISP has bandwidth caps, so I have to be careful not to watch too much. That's why I'm more interested in what can be received and recorded from the satellites, and primarily CBS and NBC since our local affiliates are located too far away to put a reliable signal into my area, even with a good outdoor antenna on a tall tower. I understand that NBC would not be a problem, but CBS is something else again. That's why I'm trying to figure out if the Alien2 can actually receive it and record it, so that I could access the recording over the local network, and then either play it directly on my home theater PC, or (if necessary) do some post-processing on the recording to convert it to a more usable format. Live viewing really isn't that important to me, since I rarely watch anything at the time it's aired anyway.
Problem is that it seems that so few people these days still have C-band dishes AND any interest in watching CBS, and I would really hate spending the money on a receiver and a new LNB (which would be necessary because I still have the old style with the blue polarotor for switching polarity, and my understanding is that newer receivers don't support those anymore), and then find out it's not going to work.
By the way, after reading catamount's comments about the MiniMe, that pretty much puts the nail in the coffin on any interest I had in ever buying one of those. The last receiver I used was pretty buggy (it would occasionally do something to a recording that made it unreadable if you tried to skip ahead or back too quickly) so the last thing I want is another model with unresolved bugs!
Pwrsurge the minime are better but long to be one good blind scan compare to the receivers I have vantage vt1 vantage 1100 azboxpremium plus .The minime have one long way to go.Missing to many channels special on the c band manual scan are ok
Of course the AzBox miniMe American Edition is still in production as it was only released back in November of last year so it's not even a year old! There would certainly be no purpose for us to organize a contest if it was in fact no longer in production. We will continue to release firmware updates for this model while it remains in production and even for a few years after production ends.
I understand why you are confused as certain individuals such as Rick Caylor have been spreading misinformation in regards to AzBox. Specifically, Mr. Caylor wants people to believe that all AzBox models are no longer in production as he's still stuck with hundreds of Premium HD Plus units. He is trying to prevent people from realizing that there is still a current AzBox model available since he would be forced to slash the prices of his remaining Premium HD Plus inventory.
If you notice on his website, he tries to hide the fact that the AzBox miniMe American Edition even exists as you surely noticed that he has a discussion forum for every official AzBox HD model except the AzBox miniMe. In fact, I have personally seen posts made on his forum in regards to the AzBox miniMe American Edition deleted mere minutes after being made. Furthermore, other popular brands that he's not selling such as GEOSATpro and Amiko don't even have a forum at all!
Don't get me wrong as the Premium HD Plus was a very successful model for AzBox. However, it was released way back in early 2010 and as everyone knows, most technology in this day and age tends to have a production lifespan of approximately 3 years.
I won't lie in saying that NO FTA receiver out there currently in the market or in the future will ever be 100% bug free and this includes the AzBox miniMe American Edition. Even subscription satellite provider receivers have bugs and LOTS more resources are invested into development of those units. However, the most important thing you should be looking for when shopping around for a FTA receiver is an direct open line of communication with the people involved in North American based firmware development and support along with the release of firmware updates on a regular basis in order to enhance the unit with FTA hobbyist use in mind.
Best regards,
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Which firmware version are you currently running? If it's not 1.70 then please upgrade as blind scan performance was greatly enhanced in this version. If it's 1.70 then please make sure you are scanning using "Detailed" rather than "Quick" mode. Under Detailed mode, you may also reduce the blind scan step size to less than the 5000 KHz default if you want to improve blind scan accuracy even more at the expense of time required to complete the scan. Quick mode won't be as accurate as it uses a larger hard coded step size of 20700 KHz rather than the user defined value but under this mode, a full satellite blind scan will take less than 5 minutes to complete.
Best regards,
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A TP delete function is already on the list of enhancement requests so it will soon be implemented in a future firmware update but for now, you may easily delete transponders using the DSEdit software on your PC and network connected receiver.
The delay in exiting the media player is our main priority issue at the moment. As this needs to be fixed before we launch our IPTV services, you can expect it to be fixed in the next or following firmware update.
The freezing picture issue is related to same code as the media player exit delay issue so chances are, this will be fixed at the same time. However, there is a good quick workaround when this particular issue happens where you simply have to press MENU then the BLUE button twice and the video should return immediately.
Best regards,
Minime
Pwrsurge I don't complaine the box are better on the 1.70 but need more updates.And the vantage vt1 cust $600 compare to $200 About Mr.Caylor did don't like az Canada I no .I ope azbox Canada improve because are good for the azbox and for the economics and for free to air
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Pwrsurge I don't complaine the box are better on the 1.70 but need more updates.And the vantage vt1 cust $600 compare to $200 About Mr.Caylor did don't like az Canada I no .I ope azbox Canada improve because are good for the azbox and for the economics and for free to air
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Any updates on this matchup: Alien2 vs Mini-Me?
I'm also interested in either of these units, but am interested to know if the bugs mentioned with the Mini-me have been dealt with.
I currently have an Openbox S-10 and a GeosatPro MicroHD. I am looking for mediaplayer capability and solid blindscanning.
Thanks
I'm also interested in either of these units, but am interested to know if the bugs mentioned with the Mini-me have been dealt with.
I currently have an Openbox S-10 and a GeosatPro MicroHD. I am looking for mediaplayer capability and solid blindscanning.
Thanks
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