Technika Freeview HD Box

Sorry to hear about your experiences. For the record do you have the old (larger box with HDMI lead) or the new version (smaller with no lead)? I have the smaller and this is the latest.

I bought this with the expectation of some problems. Early software is never right and I wouldn't recommend you play with the system. Up and down the channel menu seems to be the most stable. I got a top-of-the-range HUMAX box for downstairs and that locks now and then. A cold reset will solve most problems in both cases. Not making excuses - but a fact of life.

You don't need to do a factory reset to get back the lost HD channels. I save them as favourites so I can get them via the heart button. A cold start (turn off at the wall) gives you the best chance of a successful return.
 
Hello everyone. I wanted to let the readers of this thread know that Tesco has reduced its Technika Freeview HD box price even further. Now it's only £70!

And Freeview HD is celebrating the news by giving away five Technika boxes on Twitter. The competition is open until 2 September 2010, so if you fancy a chance at a free Technika box, click here for more information: http://*******/b0Y1nK

And you can still use the on line discount code to reduce it further to £50
 
And if you don't mind a refurb they're going for £39.97 & free P&P on Ebay from the tesco-direct outlet.
 
Just received one of the refurbs today. Very easy to set up, HD reception fine with an indoor aerial (am quite close to Crystal Palace). As for PQ - have viewed very little so far today, not my sort of programmes on this evening. Either my Panasonic plasma 720p TV is brilliant at upscaling SD transmissions or there's not a lot of difference - am waiting for some football to see if it's worth the £40.

So is this another Vestel box?

I said that the PVR version reminded me of a Vestel but was told it wasn't related. Well, I'd say that this STB definitely is - the menus are so similarly presented, for one thing, and for another, the Technika remote control operates my Vestel PVRs :eek: Anyone know how to change the signal channel?

clemenzina
 
There are at least two different Technika HD boxes and a PVR. Each with different model numbers.
I have seen two versions of a chinese model and a vestel box, plus the Fetch PVR.
I think it would be a good idea for people to post the model number to prevent confusion.
 
I think it would be a good idea for people to post the model number to prevent confusion.

Good point, I've got this thread mixed up with another somewhere which is dedicated to my model.

I have the STBHDV2010 - the less "sophisticated" of the 2 STBs, without USB (the other is the STBHDS2010, I think, which does have USB). It does have an ethernet socket, though, saying in the manual "Use this to connect to an active LAN connection", which I will get around to soon to see if it actually offers anything.

(Just checked the EPG for HD programmes today - my only thought is WHY BOTHER? :confused: )

clemenzina
 
Is anyone aware of any firmware updates lately? My box (STBHDS2010) restarted and I think it said CRC on the LED display on the unit itself. At first I thought it just crashed but it was interesting that it said CRC before it restarted itself.

There may have been something on the TV screen but I didn't notice it, I was too busy looking at forums.
 
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(Just checked the EPG for HD programmes today - my only thought is WHY BOTHER? :confused: )

Freeview HD is still in its infancy, BBC One HD isn't far off and once Freeview HD penetrates enough homes I reckon there's a good chance they might launch another mux.
 
I don't mind that there are only 3 HD channels - it's the programmes they're choosing to transmit on them that appals me :(

clemenzina :)
 
Is anyone aware of any firmware updates lately? My box (STBHDS2010) restarted and I think it said CRC on the LED display on the unit itself. At first I thought it just crashed but it was interesting that it said CRC before it restarted itself.

There may have been something on the TV screen but I didn't notice it, I was too busy looking at forums.


Is it the model ending HDIS2010 - the non-Vestel made box with the square arrangement of arrow buttons on the front? I presume you have changed the 3 hour auto off so that it does not switch itself off if you do not alter the station etc. This is not a glitch but required of all new TV equipment to save people accidentally leaving things on.


It may have been "EPG" you saw as it defaults back to this on startup. You almost certainly then had the BBC1/BBC HD conflict caused by Waterloo Road.

You can increase the stability of the unit by marking all HD channels and BBC1 - BBC4 as Favorites. This stops tuned stations being removed due to the conflict. I have had one on soak tuned to BBC1 since Monday and it has not crashed.
 
It wasn't a software update, it did it again while I was watching the Tony Blair Interview on BBC HD. It just randomly decided to reboot with the same CRC thing on the LED screen again, I was only watching that programme for about half an hour when it happened so I don't think it was the 3 hour timer.

And it's not just going to standby, it's a complete reboot, I also lose the Channel Zero crap when it happens.

Do you think favouriting channels would help with this or is losing channels a separate thing?

Generally it's been OK except I do lose the odd channel now and again or just the video on some channels, sometimes its very unresponsive with the Channel Zero stuff on there and of course the couple of crashes I've had.

Hopefully they'll release a software update to address these problems, I can put up with it till then though.
 
It wasn't a software update, it did it again while I was watching the Tony Blair Interview on BBC HD. It just randomly decided to reboot with the same CRC thing on the LED screen again, I was only watching that programme for about half an hour when it happened so I don't think it was the 3 hour timer.

And it's not just going to standby, it's a complete reboot, I also lose the Channel Zero crap when it happens.

Do you think favouriting channels would help with this or is losing channels a separate thing?

Generally it's been OK except I do lose the odd channel now and again or just the video on some channels, sometimes its very unresponsive with the Channel Zero stuff on there and of course the couple of crashes I've had.

Hopefully they'll release a software update to address these problems, I can put up with it till then though.

When it does a reboot, you loose all settings like favorites. Have you now re-marked the HD and BBC TV number channels (BBC1, BBC2, BBC3 and BBC4) as favorites? Is the problems still happening?

If they take as long as Humax to write a patch to correct initial software errors, it will be after Christmas before it goes OTA.
 
When it does a reboot, you loose all settings like favorites. Have you now re-marked the HD and BBC TV number channels (BBC1, BBC2, BBC3 and BBC4) as favorites? Is the problems still happening?

If they take as long as Humax to write a patch to correct initial software errors, it will be after Christmas before it goes OTA.

I haven't marked all the channels as favourites but I have done some of them. I marked them after the last random reboot. I'll mark all the channels when I get a chance.
 
where is the online discount code pls , i'm interested in one of these boxes
Sorry, they expired the offer as soon as they realised people were using the £20 discount voucher on top of their price reduction.


Another tip. Technical data about the channel and programme you are tuned to can be called up by pressing OK (brings up a channel list display) and then "Exit" three times.

Also, if you need to retune and there is a simulcast on BBC1 and BBC HD, you can avoid another crash by: when it asks you if you want to see the channel list, highlight NO and press in very quick succession OK, 5, OK. This will take you to channel 5 and interrupt the box trying to tune to BBC1 and finding the clash. You can then mark favorites to help avoid the glitch from there.
 
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I found that pressing Exit not long after tuning into a channel works as well.

Useful, I was wondering where that sort of information was and I found it by accident.

Mine still keeps crashing a lot, crashed about half an hour ago looking for software updates. If they don't update the software soon this thing is going back to Tesco!
 
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I found that pressing Exit not long after tuning into a channel works as well.

Useful, I was wondering where that sort of information was and I found it by accident.

Mine still keeps crashing a lot, crashed about half an hour ago looking for software updates. If they don't update the software soon this thing is going back to Tesco!
You can turn off software updates and just keep an eye on the DTG site for when one is being broadcast.
 
Went out and got one myself today. Disappointing, there is no coaxial output on it, just optical. I'm taking it back without trying it.

Optical to coax converters cost about £10.00
 
I don't know where to find my s/w version beyond "v.2.44" dated 2010/04/30.

Just scanned for an update but it didn't even start scanning during the 5 minutes I left it... so I left it ;)

clemenzina
 
Hi,
My father Just bought one of these boxes, set it up, scanned for channels, but it wont pick any HD channels up, is there something I need to do to discover these channels? it finds all the sd channels no problem, do you think it could be the aerial, or is it the area he's in (Rotherham)? it is a fully digital aerial but going through a booster box, I dont think this should effect it??

Any ideas?

Cheers,

Mick.
 
Try to scan again. You should get four HD channels in Rotherham (Emley Moor). If you scan when the weather is bad then sometimes you get nothing. Today I have four HD channels - but last night they kept breaking up. Let me know how you get on.
 
Try to scan again. You should get four HD channels in Rotherham (Emley Moor). If you scan when the weather is bad then sometimes you get nothing. Today I have four HD channels - but last night they kept breaking up. Let me know how you get on.

As a matter of interest, which are the four? Has BBC1 HD started in your area or do you get two ITV regions? The lineup currently should be (Freeview) Channel 50 = BBC HD; Ch 51 = ITV1 HD and Ch 52 = Channel 4HD.

Note that this box does two scans, first DVB-T (the standard definition channels) and then DVB-T2 (the HD mux) but also splits the UHF spectrum into two "bands". After it has finished both, it will go to the EPG (Sorry first part of this is in error, see below)

As mentioned previously, the newer box can be unstable if the same programme is being broadcast on BBC HD and an SD channel . To avoid this, immediately it goes to the EPG, scroll down away from BBC1 and BBC2 to, say, channel 5. Then press enter to view the whole screen. After that, mark the HD channels tuned and all the numbered BBC channels (BBC1 to BBC 4) as "Favorites". This seems to stabilise the problem.

Also note that to activate the "Channel Zero" feature, you have to wait until it has found it in a separate tune as the carrier is broadcast all the time (like CBBC in the evening for example). This is shown as a series of about 15 empty boxes that fill white as it scans. Again, having this tuned in seems to stabilise the box somewhat.
 
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OMG, lbear, that's terrible complicated looking :confused: Maybe I should stick to my SD PVRs ;)

I wonder if there's a way to skip the SD tuning? I think I've already been told that you can't delete channels (unless that was about one of the other brands, there's been such a lot going on since these HD PVRs started coming on the market).

clemenzina
 
OMG, lbear, that's terrible complicated looking :confused: Maybe I should stick to my SD PVRs ;)

I wonder if there's a way to skip the SD tuning? I think I've already been told that you can't delete channels (unless that was about one of the other brands, there's been such a lot going on since these HD PVRs started coming on the market).

clemenzina

Sorry if it sounds complicated, just quickly move away from BBC1 and 2 immediately after retuning. This is not always necessary but it is the safest way found after trial and error.


Afraid you cannot do an HD only tune, what happens is that it searches through all the UHF spectrum to see what muxes it can receive, then goes through each of the available ones to tune in and identify the TV channels. (Apologies for the error earlier, my Humax does the DVB-T/T2 double scan)

You can watch this doing it on screen. In the first scan, you should see it finding a mux with "256QAM". That's the HD mux - the standard definition DVB-T ones are either 16QAM or 64QAM.

You can delete channels using the "Organise" option from the menu - useful to get rid of things like the Sky Sports and TUTV encrypted channels that you cannot watch. The options using the number keys on the remote are:


  1. Favorite
  2. Lock - you then need to enter a code to watch so children cannot access "adult
  3. Skip - so the box misses out the channel as you use the programme Up/Down buttons to change channels
  4. Delete
  5. Rename
Any you mark for deletion show up with an "X" on the listing. Once you press "OK" to confirm, the changes will take effect.
 
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Try to scan again. You should get four HD channels in Rotherham (Emley Moor). If you scan when the weather is bad then sometimes you get nothing. Today I have four HD channels - but last night they kept breaking up. Let me know how you get on.

They are away for the weekend now, so will have another look when they return, I did try to rescan 2 or 3 times, but nothing...

I think I will try to remove the booster box and just go straight from the aerial and see if this makes any difference.

On a second note, is there a list of the channels they can expect to receive on this box?, I noticed there were a few more channels than on the set top freeview they have.

Regards,

Mick.
 

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