The navigation joypad's up/down keys access the channel list. If you are used to more conventional satellite receivers, operating the 800HD can be bewildering – although you'll get used to it in time and the UEI-made handset can also control many brands of TV.įrom the receiver's 'channel list menu', it's easy to delete unwanted channels or bouquets and add an unlimited number of user-defined bouquets (essentially favourites) to your liking. Something that is welcome is the 'satfinder' option, with its large signal strength/quality bar graphs and ability to select a specific satellite/transponder. We hope these features will be added via plug-ins. As long, that is, as none of the satellites in your list are ones that the 800HD doesn't like.Īs regards manual searching, Enigma2 doesn't permit PID entry for non-standard services also regrettable is the lack of blind search. Also allowed are multiple-satellite searches, the dish moving automatically where necessary. But you can't tell the 800HD to home in on only FTA or scrambled channels. The receiver doesn't crash, though – you can exit the search mode and return to normal operation. Here, there's no progress at all – after moving the dish, searching doesn't proceed beyond the first transponder and so obviously no services are found. For some odd reason we could search Astra 1x, Astra 2x/Eurobird and the Hot Birds without problems, but we weren't so lucky with some other satellites – Thor, or Eutelsat W1/W3, for example. Searching can take place for single transponders or complete satellites. We're also pleased with Enigma2's timesaving ability to accept the original DiSEqC memory locations ('satellite numbers') assigned to your motor by a previous receiver.
All of the usual controls for dish movement are supported. The DiSEqC capabilities are good in addition to 1.2, this receiver supports simple switchboxes (1.0) and USALS. They cover language, TV system, time-zone, initial dish/DiSEqC configuration and searching for channels – all parameters that can be modified later on via the setup. Our sample came with Enigma2 firmware pre-installed, the step-by-step wizards of which guide you through the process of installing the receiver. If the widest choice of hi-def viewing isn't essential you could replace the supplied satellite (DVB-S2) tuner with a DTT (DVB-T) or digital cable (DVB-C) one. If eSATA operation is required this connector is instead routed to the rear-panel port.Īs with other Dreamboxes, the tuner module – in this case an ALPS BSBE1-401A type – is 'plug-and-play'. Unfortunately, you can't have internal and external drives working simultaneously the well-made 300MIPS Broadcom BCM7401-powered 'motherboard' only has one SATA connector. These tend to be cheaper than the internally fitting 2.5in drives, and boast higher capacities – which is worth bearing in mind when the storage requirements of hi-def are factored in. The single tuner's LNB input has a loopthrough and there are also Ethernet, two USB ports, an external SATA (eSATA) terminal for storage devices, an RS232 port and, surprisingly, a built-in analogue modem.įitting a 2.5in hard disc is easy to do as there's only one power/data connector, or you can attach an eSATA drive. DVI doesn't normally cater for audio, but with the supplied DVI-HDMI cable our Sony HD-Ready TV yielded sound as well as pictures. The latter – the only way of getting hi-def pictures out of the receiver – is an odd choice as everyone else has moved over to HDMI. And that's just as well, given that the only other AV outlets available are optical digital audio and DVI.
It's possible to switch the (single) Scart output between RGB, composite or S-video – all accompanied by stereo audio.
No CAM emulation is provided as standard with Dream Multimedia's pre-installed 'Enigma2' firmware.Ĭonnectivity is fair, considering the limited rear-panel space available. This is only active if you're emulating a CAM with one of the numerous 'plug-ins' or third-party firmware. On the opposite side of the front-panel, and hidden by a flap, is a card slot. However, the text it displays is so tiny that a magnifying glass should be supplied.Ĭompounding its limited usefulness is a lack of any controls, other than standby. For proof that the design of this receiver is a triumph of form over function one need look no further than the front-panel display.ĭespite the 800HD's small size – a mere 196x130x40mm – Dreambox's designers have seen fit to accommodate a miniature version of the front-panel status LCD that adorns its full-sized products in this case, cutting-edge OLED technology has been specified.