Reviews: SatHawk PVR800 WorldDVB DVB-S2 HD FTA Receiver

[Jim S.]

Iceberg,

On the HDD issue, there must be something wired stupidly in my drive enclosure then. But I still don't think the SatHawk is wired right either. Also, see my update to my post in which I say that even though everything else worked, there was no LNB power.

On the AC3 issue, I think we're just having a terminology problem. Lak7 asked whether it output AC3 over the HDMI cable, and you said no, just optical. I assumed that he wanted to know, as I did, whether it bitstreamed AC3 over HDMI, and it does.

On the plug adapter, yeah, it's crap. I knocked mine out accidentally several times already. I had assumed it was my power strip, it's nice to know it isn't.

 

[Mr Tony]

Iceberg,

On the AC3 issue, I think we're just having a terminology problem. Lak7 asked whether it output AC3 over the HDMI cable, and you said no, just optical. I assumed that he wanted to know, as I did, whether it bitstreamed AC3 over HDMI, and it does.

I'm confused. All I know is the azbox I need one cable (HDMI) yet the Sathawk I need 2 cables (HDMI and optical) and a separate piece of equipment

On the plug adapter, yeah, it's crap. I knocked mine out accidentally several times already. I had assumed it was my power strip, it's nice to know it isn't.

nah my power strip is a really good one. With all the stuff I got hooked top it I need great protection

 

[Jim S.]

I'm confused. All I know is the azbox I need one cable (HDMI) yet the Sathawk I need 2 cables (HDMI and optical) and a separate piece of equipment

I'm not disputing that you need something to decode it with the Sathawk, I'm just saying that the decoder can be hooked up via HDMI.

What puzzles me is why TVs don't decode AC3 from their HDMI inputs. They've got to have AC3 decoders for OTA channels anyway.

 

[knowmiddlename]

Does it play AAC?
If it does play what outputs?

Could someone verify if the Sathawk actually decodes AAC? If it does, it might be worth purchasing the receiver just for this capability. There are numerous radio channels we might be able to receive without the use of an expensive commercial receiver.

 

[stogie5150]

Could someone verify if the Sathawk actually decodes AAC? If it does, it might be worth purchasing the receiver just for this capability. There are numerous radio channels we might be able to receive without the use of an expensive commercial receiver.

That is an affirmative. I had someone check already.

 

[Yurek99]

I'm confused. All I know is the azbox I need one cable (HDMI) yet the Sathawk I need 2 cables (HDMI and optical) and a separate piece of equipment

Iceberg,

I'm confused as well. From Pictures posted by Sadoun, it looks like this box has only Coax output for AC3, but you indicate that there is Optical as well. Can you please clarifie. ( In my amplifier I have only on coax connector and is already taken, but I have one spare optical I can use)

Thanks

 

[mr3p]

This might be a dumb question but can 4:2:2 support be added for SD?

 

[Lak7]

This might be a dumb question but can 4:2:2 support be added for SD?

Only the Mfg. knows.

 

[woodheat/nooil]

"Coax output for AC3, but you indicate that there is Optical as well." Is Sadoun's picture accurate of the back of the unit?

 

[badmotorscooter]

I see a lot of confusion in the audio realm and the use of terminology. AC-3 is the coined term for Dolby Digital encoded stream. A dvd player, STB etc; when set to "pcm", will decode the surround signal whether it is AC-3 or whatever else it can do and then send it out HDMI or opt/coax. When you set the output to "bitstream", it will send the signal in its original format. HDMI will deliver any audio format encoded or decoded to any device on the other end of the cable. Most newer TV sets should accept "encoded" audio through HDMI and convert that to a 2ch stereo or some 2ch surround type format (DVS or SRS) out its speakers. All of this can be device dependent of course. Many older or cheap AVR units do not accept PCM via HDMI inputs, which could cause a problem. If the Sathawk set to bitstream works to an AVR or TV via HDMI, then they are not decoding it when set to pcm properly in the STB, or it is not capable. HDMI in theory is a wonderful thing, unfortunately many companies still can not make it work correctly. Optical or coaxial connection can by design send bitstream or pcm. There are cheap converters to go from optical to coaxial and coaxial to optical for cheap. Have I made this clear as mud?

 

[Lak7]

Is Sadoun's picture accurate of the back of the unit?

Yes, even the USB port is a little off center on mine.

 

[woodheat/nooil]

I just thought ac3 jack would look like this or like the ones on DVD players with red light?

 

[Mr Tony]

Iceberg,

I'm confused as well. From Pictures posted by Sadoun, it looks like this box has only Coax output for AC3, but you indicate that there is Optical as well. Can you please clarifie. ( In my amplifier I have only on coax connector and is already taken, but I have one spare optical I can use)

Thanks

whoops. There is just coaxial on it. Just checked.. I thought I saw an optical connection

My bad

 

[i4tas]

I like how you can record one channel on a transponder and then watch another program on that same TP. If you try to watch a channel on a different tp it asks you if you want to end recording.

 

[Mr Tony]

really? Have to try that

 

[Jim S.]

I like how you can record one channel on a transponder and then watch another program on that same TP. If you try to watch a channel on a different tp it asks you if you want to end recording.

How do you manage that? When I push the up or down buttons, it asks me if I want to exit recording even if the next channel in the list is on the same TP. And I can't bring up the popup channel list or the menus.

 

[hd fan]

Well I would rather have the capability to record one channel on 1 TP and watch another channel on another TP on the same Polarity. The SonicView HD box allows you to do that, which is even better. The CoolSat 8XXX series on the contrary does not.

BTW none of this units seem to implement a Full Timeshift function like the DN and Bell TV receivers do. I mean not only Pause but also Rewind Live TV (up to 45 min or 1 Hr depending on the HDD buffer).

 

[Mr Tony]

How do you manage that? When I push the up or down buttons, it asks me if I want to exit recording even if the next channel in the list is on the same TP. And I can't bring up the popup channel list or the menus.

it works here. The channels have to be on the same transponder

I went to 12177 V on 97W and recorded TBN. I could scroll through all the channels on that TP with no issues. If I went off that TP I get "do you want to stop recording" option

cool

I dont like the "REC" in the corner though. Could burn an image on a HDTV

 

[Mr Tony]

You can timeshift while recording which is good. SO you can start a program while its still recording

you cant watch a recorded program while recording one. The Visionsat you could.

When you record, you cant bring up the menu option

 

[hd fan]

What do you mean by timeshift? Rewind live tv ? or just the Pause or Recordt it and then you can rewind later?. IMHO the later one should not be called timeshift, just Pause or Record.