Fortec Star Passion HD Satellite Receiver - any good?

fortec star website has the down loads

1download to pc
2unzip
3 transfer files to a usb stick (files must be in the root directory)
4 use menu on the box and select s/w update.
(make sure to run the loader file before the main file)
5 after the machine resets then from menu select 'factory settings'
6 sit back and enjoy


Just hooked up dish today and am very happy with the upgraded firmware. We can live without Channel 5 for now...

I am a bit disappointed with the lack of a decent EPG on this STB but otherwise there's not much to complain about. The picture for SD channels is much better than what received on our old SKY box and HD is something else... although I too will be trying to figure out how to get ITV HD. I know they are testing but the station is located but there is no picture or sound.

Set up was a piece of cake by the way for anyone interested in purchasing this box. We had a Humax box but that was returned as we didn't get the 80+ channels using our unit although we get a considerable amount more with our Foretec Star Passion. If you look out for it you may find a Package deal which includes a Dish and brackets, LNB, 10 meters of cable, Coax Plugs and Instructions. All for the price of a standard Passion or a tenner more than a Freesat box!!
 
I have one of these since last September but tonight whilst watching the football on ITV HD, the damn thing stop outputting through HDMI. It still works through scart but with slight 'waving' interference.

When its switched back on after being powered off it briefly displays the Fortec Star sign with the mountain back ground but than the screen goes blank.

Anyone got any ideas?
 
Just bought one of these passion recievers, and had to go to the fortec site to get upgrade software to recieve ITVHD, i downloaded it onto a usb and uploaded it onto the reciever it loaded up etc, but i still cant find ITVHD on the reciever, can anyone help, thanks
 
Just bought one of these passion recievers, and had to go to the fortec site to get upgrade software to recieve ITVHD, i downloaded it onto a usb and uploaded it onto the reciever it loaded up etc, but i still cant find ITVHD on the reciever, can anyone help, thanks
 
Got my fortec passion up and running ITVHD and BBCHD outstanding, but my problem is bbc3 and 4 they display the kids channels when i select them, the TP frequency is 10773 and symbol rate 22000, can anyone help me to retune these channels to the correct frequencies
 
Got my fortec passion up and running ITVHD and BBCHD outstanding, but my problem is bbc3 and 4 they display the kids channels when i select them, the TP frequency is 10773 and symbol rate 22000, can anyone help me to retune these channels to the correct frequencies

BBC3 and BBC4 don't start until 7pm but show the childrens channels during the day on the same transponder
 
Just received a B grade kit for 119.95. Good price. I think I got the last one!
Apart from a scratch on the dish, everything else seems new!
Updated to new software before setting it up.
Everything seemed OK and installation went without a hitch, connecting via HDMI.
The dish is someway away and total cable length is about 30m..
Signal and quality was always between 60-80%.
I am disappointed in the SD picture quality, with ghosting in some channels.
SD pictures quality are much inferior to the freeview channels (freeview pictures are excellent on my Samsung 37" HD ready set).
HD pictures are OK though.
I encountered one big problem.
Soon after it was set up, it locked up when BBC HD was selected.
There was no response with the remote or any buttons on the receiver.
Even after power was disconnected and back on, it always went back to where it was, at BBC HD, and it just locked up.
This was the only way get it back again:
1. Switch power off.
2. Disconnect satellite cable (F connector).
3. Switch power on.
4. It would still go back to BBCHD when it was turned on, but I could at least change the channel so I could changed it to BBC1.
(there was no signal of course as satellite input was disconnected)
5. Turn off receiver, switch power off.
6. Connect satellite input again.
7. Switch on receiver, it would go back to the channels before it was switched off - BBC1.
8. It was then working normally, UNTIL, BBC HD was selected. Then I had to go over the procedures again.
I must have done that a dozen times, resetting to factory setting several times. The only time BBC HD did not lock up was when I choose to scan all channels (including pay channels) instead of the software default (UK and ROI).
One other time that BBC HD did not lock, ITV HD was not available.
I had also updated the same software again several times and it did not seem to make any difference.
I thought it did that because BBCHD was not on air but that was not the case.
Did any one else have the same experience?
Is my receiver faulty?
I have now seem to have go it working "normally" after more than a dozen tries with software updates and factory resets.
But I am afraid the symptom may return any time.
 
Did any one else have the same experience?
Is my receiver faulty?
I have now seem to have go it working "normally" after more than a dozen tries with software updates and factory resets.
But I am afraid the symptom may return any time.

This is a problem with the software version 1.12 which is what I assume you upgraded to.
I had exactly the same symptoms with BBC HD locking up. However there is a beta version 1.13 which cures this problem. Post your email address and I will send to you (write address in full ("dot" and "at" etc)so that 'bots don't pick it up and spam you). V 1.13 was kindly sent to me by another subscriber who is in the "trade".

I think that Fortec are somewhat remiss at releasing an upgrade that knackers their receiver! As far as SD reception is concerned, mine is very good and I can't tell the difference between it and my Freeview receiver.

Regards

Simon Morgan
 
This is a problem with the software version 1.12 which is what I assume you upgraded to.
I had exactly the same symptoms with BBC HD locking up. However there is a beta version 1.13 which cures this problem. Post your email address and I will send to you (write address in full ("dot" and "at" etc)so that 'bots don't pick it up and spam you). V 1.13 was kindly sent to me by another subscriber who is in the "trade".

I think that Fortec are somewhat remiss at releasing an upgrade that knackers their receiver! As far as SD reception is concerned, mine is very good and I can't tell the difference between it and my Freeview receiver.

Regards

Simon Morgan
I downloaded the "latest" firmwre only 2-3 days ago and assumed it was the latest.
After I had posted my message I found out that my latest firmware was 1.12 and there is a 1.13 on Fortec site dated 27-5-2008.

So I upgraded to that and hopefully it is OK.
UK channels (BBC/ITV etc) on satellites are OK but not as good as freeview on my TV. Other channels like CNN/Euronews are just like terrestrial analogue channels with ghosting and not very sharp.
 
Hi

Had the same issue with 1.12 myself

Rather than disconnecting the connectors cured mine by removing all leads at back of receiver doing a power cycle and reattaching leads

All seems ok now, but the unit doesnt like being powered down totally so i just leave it in standby

As for reception my freeview is allways better quality im sre its something to do with resolution if my memory serves me right ie satellite resolution is lower on SD

bt BBC and iTV HD are good

regards
 
Hi

Okay just worked it out

On the site it states it as version 1.12 but actually its version 1.13

how confusing lol
 
Is this a viable alternative.

As I understand it, the Humax Freesat box runs in two modes, a Freesat mode and a non Freesat mode ?

Can the Passion HD do both and therefore will I be able to see the full Freesat line up on this receiver ?

I currently have a twin LNB that has been installed for Sky.
 
Remember

You wont get an EPG with ITV HD on the passion

You will get all the FTA services so you wont get C5 bt you will get BBC HD and ITV HD ( but no epg)

regards
 
Just applied the latest firmware upgrades from Fortecstar and WOW... ITV HD as well as BBC HD (had this one before). It seems that now we have a "Freesat" box though the EPG is proprietry to th Freesat licensed boxes I believe.

I understand that ITV HD uses a different compression method to BBC HD hence need to upgrade.

Still makes this good value from Maplin.
Simon Morgan

Hi how easy was it to update could you tell me how to do it I just got my hd box today
 
I did the upload from the fortec stars website which gave me C4HD(though i cannot veiw it yet) but the ITVHD still does not show up on the search.Have i gone wrong somewhere?.How did you do it?
 
This receiver generally seems to have got favourable reviews, particularly as regards the frequent software upgrades from Fortec eg to allow ITV HD reception:)
With this in mind the forthcoming Passion + model with USB PVR recording capability seems interesting. Maplins are advertising it for ÂŁ159.99 (pre-order available, none in stock yet, showing ~28+ days for being in stock) :
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=224742&doy=10m7

Anyone any thoughts on this?
 
I also have just bought the Fortec Star Passion while on a trip back to the UK. Installation was fine, no problems, and picture quality excellent [particularly HD]. BUT; today I downloaded the software update and although it appeared to install on receiver OK I can no longer get a picture through the STB, no menu even, nothing. Neither the controls on STB or remote have any effect, there is just a display LOADER V 14. Any ideas - HELP.
 
You should have downloaded and installed LOADER v1.5 before installing the latest firmware.Don't know how you can undo this if it is bricked.
 
>>>runningdog

Download loader v1.5 & put this on your USB stick making sure this is the only file on the stick.
Power off the Passion and insert the USB stick
Power on & hope that it will find the loader v1.5 & install it
If that works then put the firmware on the stick and with nothing else on the stick repeat the process

I cannot guarantee that this will work but it seems the most logical solution
 
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I bought my passion from Maplins approx 1 month ago . BBC HD is very good, all I can see on ITVhd is a note saying service not available.
ITV4 and some other channels are choppy.
I have SKY SD and the same channels seem fine when viewed through this receiver.

The details on my STB are Loader 1.5.0.
software 1.1.3
Dated 27 May 2008.

Should I update and as I already have loader 1.5 do I still start with updating this, or should I skip this.

In past years I have had many STBs and still have a motorised dish. So my SkySD is connected to the 45cm dish, whilst my passion is connected to my 1m mtororised dish. As is my media centre. Gave up trying to get HD on that via satellite with my HVR4000.

So any advice on the passion would be much appreciated.
Kind regards
Tony
 

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