[Stephen Neal]

Looks like the October firmware update for the Fortec Star Passion and Innovation HD receivers includes support for the 7 Day Freesat EPG. It apparently takes around 20 minutes to fully populate - but it is interesting that non-Freesat licensed receivers are now implementing it.

(The EPG is compressed but not encrypted, and has been reverse engineered and implemented in both MythTV and DVB Viewer on the PC AIUI)

[nwhitfield]

Are we certain that it's the Freesat data they're using? Not a different stream? The info I've seen on DS wasn't clear.

I do foresee trouble if people are using the Freesat EPG in products that aren't licensed, and sold commercially (as opposed to community efforts like Myth); the Broadcasting Act 1990 lays down a requirement for royalties regarding the publishing of programme data, including on EPGs.

That will be calculated, presumably, based on number of Freesat receivers sold. But if another company is starting to sell kit that makes a feature of that EPG, it will be increasing the number of users of the data, and consequently requiring higher fees under the Act. Those fees are paid by the publisher (Freesat); if someone else were to be selling thousands of boxes that display the information, then that potentially exposes Freesat to higher royalty payments for the EPG.

I know folk love to say "if it's not encrypted, you can do what you want with it," but that's patently not the case with EPG data for BBC, ITV1 and C4 (though C4 waived their right to such royalties some years ago).

[Stephen Neal]

It appears to be the Freesat and not the Sky EPG - though both have been reverse engineered. I haven't seen it in action yet - but the EPG channel list appears to be only Freesat channels.

[Weldick]

I've installed this update on my HD Passion+ 3 or 4 times, each time with less than successful results.
Pressing EPG loses the current channel in the preview window.
Pressing EPG reverts to 'All Channels' group.
7 day EPG fails to fill.
My attached external drive is no longer recognised until I do a reformat.

I'll wait for an update guaranteed to work with my HD Passion+ or next year look for an STB with better support.

Hi,

I've installed the firmware update on my FortecStar Innovation and, like the previous posting, have seen the system performance deteriorate. There is no 7 day EPG (as claimed by F.S.) and the EPG display now has no channel preview only a logo picture. I've emailed both F.S. (never had a reply or acknowledgement from them) and Maplin the retailer who have acknowledged, but not yet responded. My disappointment with this unit is growing by the week.
Does anyone know which satelite carries the Freesat EPG data (is it Astra 28E or another ?).

[snaithg]

Originally Posted by chipmotel

Hi,

I've installed the firmware update on my FortecStar Innovation and, like the previous posting, have seen the system performance deteriorate. There is no 7 day EPG (as claimed by F.S.) and the EPG display now has no channel preview only a logo picture. I've emailed both F.S. (never had a reply or acknowledgement from them) and Maplin the retailer who have acknowledged, but not yet responded. My disappointment with this unit is growing by the week.
Does anyone know which satelite carries the Freesat EPG data (is it Astra 28E or another ?).

The freesat EPG is on Eurobird 28.5 along with some channels, but most of the channels are on Astra 2 (28.2).


Graham.

Many thanks for the sat information.

I'm pleased to report progress with the 7 day EPG on the Innovation. Having read the feedback on sataid.net/forum I repeated the update, but this time used the front USB boot method then left the unit on standby overnight. Now success I have 7 day EPG for most channels. Still no preview on the EPG page, but it reads as though an update for this is in beta.

cheers

[Live_Steam_Mad]

Originally Posted by chipmotel

Many thanks for the sat information.

I'm pleased to report progress with the 7 day EPG on the Innovation. Having read the feedback on sataid.net/forum I repeated the update, but this time used the front USB boot method then left the unit on standby overnight. Now success I have 7 day EPG for most channels. Still no preview on the EPG page, but it reads as though an update for this is in beta.

cheers

Hi, I am very interested in aquiring a Digital Satellite receiver which can use a HDD to record in HD (mostly BBCHD) and which can timer record from the FreeSat epg and I am wondering please is there any more progress with this or other DS receivers in this regards.

I am looking to buy a non-FreeSat branded unit as I don't like the Humax units (FoxSat PVR) because they encrypt their recordings when they are in FreeSat mode and they will only ever play back on that exact unit (not even another with a different serial number, which sucks).

Any info. on this is most welcome. Sorry to dig up this old post but I can't find much info. out there about doing this.

Cheers,

Alistair G.

[Carl Rawson]

I too have installed the latest firmware from the Fortecstar website on my 2 Innovations. Results seem to vary re the EPG. Sometimes it works and sometimes In see areas of blanks and given that this is not the case on an old Sky receiver I guess ( i.m.h.o. ) that the data is coming from elsewhere.
My primary aim for the update was to see if I could get the Innovations to work with 1TB hard drives that I got from Maplin as they were selling the 1TB at the same price at the 500GB at the time.
Whilst they let me format the drive after a while it all goes pearshaped and the onscreen display as ever reads "device not ready or not FAT32". I have emailed, written and phoned Fortecstar regarding this and with the exception of 1 email asking me the model and size of the external hard drives ( Segate external 1TB ) I have heard nothing.
Nice product. Questionable customer service.

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by Carl Rawson

I too have installed the latest firmware from the Fortecstar website on my 2 Innovations. Results seem to vary re the EPG. Sometimes it works and sometimes In see areas of blanks and given that this is not the case on an old Sky receiver I guess ( i.m.h.o. ) that the data is coming from elsewhere.
My primary aim for the update was to see if I could get the Innovations to work with 1TB hard drives that I got from Maplin as they were selling the 1TB at the same price at the 500GB at the time.
Whilst they let me format the drive after a while it all goes pearshaped and the onscreen display as ever reads "device not ready or not FAT32". I have emailed, written and phoned Fortecstar regarding this and with the exception of 1 email asking me the model and size of the external hard drives ( Segate external 1TB ) I have heard nothing.
Nice product. Questionable customer service.

The freesat epg comes from transponder 11426 H along with ITV HD from Eurobird 1 at 28.5E

[logiciel]

Originally Posted by Live_Steam_Mad

Hi, I am very interested in aquiring a Digital Satellite receiver which can use a HDD to record in HD (mostly BBCHD) and which can timer record from the FreeSat epg.

My Techno does this all the time, almost all of it in HD, though I often find it quicker manually to set the timing of recordings.

[Live_Steam_Mad]

Originally Posted by logiciel

My Techno does this all the time, almost all of it in HD, though I often find it quicker manually to set the timing of recordings.

Yep. I wanted to be able to then transfer the HD recordings in TS transport stream form to my laptop PC via USB and then use AVIDEMUX or similar to strip out the MPEG4 H.264 video and AC3 audio and then be able to somehow burn them to BluRay eventually.

Whatever I get I don't want anything which uses encrypted or copy protected recordings!

Is it possible to record ITVHD, on your DS stand alone box, using the USB PVR (external HDD), without encryption, and transfer the files to your PC and have them play in 1080i ?

Cheers,

Alistair G.

[Fred Smith]

Originally Posted by Carl Rawson

My primary aim for the update was to see if I could get the Innovations to work with 1TB hard drives that I got from Maplin as they were selling the 1TB at the same price at the 500GB at the time.
Whilst they let me format the drive after a while it all goes pearshaped and the onscreen display as ever reads "device not ready or not FAT32". I have emailed, written and phoned Fortecstar regarding this and with the exception of 1 email asking me the model and size of the external hard drives ( Segate external 1TB ) I have heard nothing.
Nice product. Questionable customer service.

Fortec Star told one poster (post around somewhere) the maximum HDD size was 500Gb. I use a 750Gb with mine and as long as it does not get over about 80% full it works fine, over that is prone to locking up for minutes at a time or crashing.

Regarding CS, you're right it's crap.

[Fred Smith]

Originally Posted by Live_Steam_Mad

Hi, I am very interested in aquiring a Digital Satellite receiver which can use a HDD to record in HD (mostly BBCHD) and which can timer record from the FreeSat epg and I am wondering please is there any more progress with this or other DS receivers in this regards.

I am looking to buy a non-FreeSat branded unit as I don't like the Humax units (FoxSat PVR) because they encrypt their recordings when they are in FreeSat mode and they will only ever play back on that exact unit (not even another with a different serial number, which sucks).

Any info. on this is most welcome. Sorry to dig up this old post but I can't find much info. out there about doing this.

Cheers,

Alistair G.

Don't expect the Fortec Star Freesat EPG implementation to be reliable and you will be OK, set manual recordings and make sure the clock is set to auto and not user (the receiver has a habit of changing this setting itself) and HD recordings will mostly be fine.

[Carl Rawson]

Fred. Thanks.
I have one of the Innovations attached to a 500GB Maxtor and that works fine. The FS4400 at my flat in Guernsey just keeps starting and restarting when I attach the 1TB.
How hard could it be though for Fortec to issue an update to allow greater capacity on these hard drives?
Incidentally some of you posters are really knowledgeable! Where do you get your info from?

[Live_Steam_Mad]

Interesting. To the ones that have problems with the FreeSat EPG on their Fortec Star Passion / Innovation , are you all running the very latest firmware from the manufacturer?

Also, is there any other manufacturer of high definition DS boxes out there that are not FreeSat branded but still can use the FreeSat 7 day EPG?

Would love to know.

Cheers,

Alistair G.