[OT] Dick Smith G7659 Set Top Box help needed

J

John Smith

Guest
Hi, I bought one of these today...

http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/en/product/G7659

....and I've stuffed it up already. :) Basically, I went to reset the
factory settings, and accidentally selected United Kingdom instead of
Australia. Now I get no signal... which means I can't navigate through
the menus to reset it again to Australia. :( Can someone who has this
unit (and I've seen there's a few of you in the various groups that this
post is sent to) please tell me the remote control buttons to go through
to reset it to Australia? Assuming from a power on and then Menu button
press. Thanks! :)
 
BTW, I forgot to mention: digital TV rocks! :)

But two disappointments:

(1) With using it with a standard VCR, you can't record digital TV and
then watch another channel at the same time.

(2) The EPG (electronic programme guide) seems to be dependent on the
channel providers, and they all seem to show only the current and next
programme; rather than a full week ahead, which the box supports. :(

Still, you get a few additional free-to-air channels, which was very
unexpected and a pleasant surprise. Sure, they're not fantastic, but
still... it's a few more channels than I used to have! :)
 
"John Smith"

http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/en/product/G7659

...and I've stuffed it up already. :) Basically, I went to reset the
factory settings, and accidentally selected United Kingdom instead of
Australia. Now I get no signal... which means I can't navigate through
the menus to reset it again to Australia.
Click to expand...

** If you are using the video output ( S Video or composite) then there
*must* be a signal.

Maybe you have disabled the modulator.

I have one of the DSE boxes - but need more details about your set up.



.............. Phil
 
"John Smith"
But two disappointments:

(1) With using it with a standard VCR, you can't record digital TV and
then watch another channel at the same time.
Click to expand...

** Of course you can.

But the handbook may not say how.




............ Phil
 
Phil Allison wrote:

** If you are using the video output ( S Video or composite) then
there *must* be a signal.
Click to expand...
Nope, the setup is simple:

External antenna -> TV/Aerial In (STB).
TV Out (STB) -> TV RCA in (via switcher box).

I think that selecting the UK has done something to the unit.
If I could navigate blind to re-select the factory setting of Australia,
it should fix it. That's what I need explained, so I can do so.
 
John Smith wrote:

I think that selecting the UK has done something to the unit.
If I could navigate blind to re-select the factory setting of
Australia, it should fix it.
Click to expand...
FIXED -- Turns out all I had to do was re-tune the TV to the output
signal of the STB again. I thought the box would still be on the
same wavelength (or whatever) but it wasn't. All's fine now. :)
 
I think that selecting the UK has done something to the unit.
If I could navigate blind to re-select the factory setting of
Australia, it should fix it.

FIXED -- Turns out all I had to do was re-tune the TV to the output
signal of the STB again. I thought the box would still be on the
same wavelength (or whatever) but it wasn't. All's fine now. :)
Click to expand...
You're using RF output?? Why not at least use a composite video output? Or
is your TV *really* old?
 
John Smith wrote:
BTW, I forgot to mention: digital TV rocks! :)

But two disappointments:

(1) With using it with a standard VCR, you can't record digital TV and
then watch another channel at the same time.

(2) The EPG (electronic programme guide) seems to be dependent on the
channel providers, and they all seem to show only the current and next
programme; rather than a full week ahead, which the box supports. :(

Still, you get a few additional free-to-air channels, which was very
unexpected and a pleasant surprise. Sure, they're not fantastic, but
still... it's a few more channels than I used to have! :)


Get a Topfield TF5000PVRt.
Click to expand...

You can record two channels whilst watching a pre-recorded program at
the same time, and there is a development community that has just
released a way to upload weeks worth of EPG data from the net.

http://www.topfield-australia.com.au/frm/default.asp
 
Caliban wrote:

Get a Topfield TF5000PVRt.
http://www.topfield-australia.com.au/frm/default.asp
Click to expand...
Two things: (1) If I paid $128 for the Dick Smith unit, how could I afford
anything else? (2) I can't view the page above because it wants a rego,
and I'll be damned if I'm going to bother.
 
In aus.comms John Smith <no@spam.thank.you.very.much> wrote:
But two disappointments:

(1) With using it with a standard VCR, you can't record digital TV and
then watch another channel at the same time.
Click to expand...
Sure you can - cable the antenna through to the TV (via the VCR) and then
use the tuner in your TV for whatever you want to watch whilst recording.

(2) The EPG (electronic programme guide) seems to be dependent on the
channel providers, and they all seem to show only the current and next
programme; rather than a full week ahead, which the box supports. :(
Click to expand...
Yup, certainly annoying, although the "program guide" channels partially
overcomes this.

Scott
 
John Smith wrote:
Caliban wrote:


Get a Topfield TF5000PVRt.
http://www.topfield-australia.com.au/frm/default.asp


Two things: (1) If I paid $128 for the Dick Smith unit, how could I afford
anything else?
Click to expand...
You get what you pay for.

(2) I can't view the page above because it wants a rego,
and I'll be damned if I'm going to bother.
Click to expand...
Ah, I didn't realise it required registration as I'm logged in, but
there's no point if (as you say) you can't afford it.

However the rest of my post (that you snipped) still holds true, weekly
EPG and dual recording is available for FTA DVB.
 
"John Smith"
Caliban wrote:

Get a Topfield TF5000PVRt.
http://www.topfield-australia.com.au/frm/default.asp

Two things: (1) If I paid $128 for the Dick Smith unit, how could I afford
anything else? (2) I can't view the page above because it wants a rego,
and I'll be damned if I'm going to bother.
Click to expand...

** Just click on "products" and the device is there.

Expensive as hell I bet - a dual STB with 120G of hard drive storage !




............... Phil
 
Caliban wrote:

Two things: (1) If I paid $128 for the Dick Smith unit, how could I
afford anything else?

You get what you pay for.
Click to expand...
Yep, and I can't pay for the one you mentioned. :)

However the rest of my post (that you snipped) still holds true,
weekly EPG and dual recording is available for FTA DVB.
Click to expand...
I snipped it because I didn't want to mention it, as I can't afford it.
 
Scott Howard wrote:

(1) With using it with a standard VCR, you can't record digital TV
and then watch another channel at the same time.

Sure you can - cable the antenna through to the TV (via the VCR) and
then use the tuner in your TV for whatever you want to watch whilst
recording.
Click to expand...
But the STB can only be set to one channel. If I'm recording that
channel on my VCR, I obviously can't change it on my TV.
 
No Sweat - DS will take it back and give you a refund - they are the good
guys

David

John Smith wrote:

Caliban wrote:

Get a Topfield TF5000PVRt.
http://www.topfield-australia.com.au/frm/default.asp

Two things: (1) If I paid $128 for the Dick Smith unit, how could I afford
anything else? (2) I can't view the page above because it wants a rego,
and I'll be damned if I'm going to bother.
Click to expand...
 
"John Smith"
Sure you can - cable the antenna through to the TV (via the VCR) and
then use the tuner in your TV for whatever you want to watch whilst
recording.

But the STB can only be set to one channel. If I'm recording that
channel on my VCR, I obviously can't change it on my TV.
Click to expand...
** Yes you can - the VCR operates quite independently of the TV set.

Just run a lead from the "TV/VCR" socket back to the TV and watch any
channel.





........... Phil
 
I think John Smith wrote:

(2) I can't view the page above because it wants a rego,
and I'll be damned if I'm going to bother.
Click to expand...
You dont have to rego - just click on products

David
 
In aus.comms John Smith <no@spam.thank.you.very.much> wrote:
(1) With using it with a standard VCR, you can't record digital TV
and then watch another channel at the same time.

Sure you can - cable the antenna through to the TV (via the VCR) and
then use the tuner in your TV for whatever you want to watch whilst
recording.

But the STB can only be set to one channel. If I'm recording that
channel on my VCR, I obviously can't change it on my TV.
Click to expand...
Just tune the TV to whatever channel you want to watch. It won't be
digital, but at least you can still watch it.

_Exactly_ the same thing you'd do if you wanted to record one analogue
channel, and watch another.

Scott
 
Scott Howard wrote:

Just tune the TV to whatever channel you want to watch. It won't be
digital, but at least you can still watch it.
Click to expand...
But that's the problem: I can't watch TV (satisfactorily) without digital.
The entire point of getting digital was to remove the ghosting I used to
get. So, by going digital, I've got great pictures but at the expense
of not being able to record one channel and watch another. :( Oh, and
there's another problem: to record shows on VCR you now have to set two
devices: the STB to select the channel/time, and the VCR to select the
times. Double work for what used to be a single task. Hmm. I'm now
starting to wonder whether it's all worth it...

Phil Allison wrote:

Just run a lead from the "TV/VCR" socket back to the TV and watch
any channel.
Click to expand...
Can't -- the TV input is used by the output from the VCR. There's
nowhere left on the TV to plug anything in.
 
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