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As far as I know there are only 3 makes of tntsat box at the moment. The Strong is only mpeg2 so will not handle HD when / if it is available but the Sagem one at 240 euros does mpeg4 so will do HD.might be worth bearing in mind - if you understand all that 'cos I don't really!

Not sure about the third make...

There are plenty reviews already - in French - have a search online. They only work with the Astra satellite and can't be used with other cards which may annoy some people.

It might also be worth waiting for other models e.g. with hard disk or double tuner.

Danny

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[quote user="Pierre ZFP"]

Which Astra satellite do you point at for these channels?

[/quote]

Astra 1 at 19°E

Danny,

I did a search this morning and found the not 'HD ready' for the Strong, like you said "when and if", and double tuner etc not too bothered, as with the speed of development of electronics today it will be outdated very quickly. My understanding of the card, is that it is needed for TNT decription, is that correct ?

I am interested on where you found the info about it being limited to Astra, my thinking was to put up a second LNB, if necessary, and to get hotbird at 13°E. 

thanks to both of you

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The card is indeed "part of the package" and these boxes are designed (at the moment,  by a power-crazed Canalsat) only for use to pick up the TNT channels duplicated on satellite.  The card is Viacess III for which there are no other boxes or CAM's available.

The original Sagem box was so crippled (deliberately,  and it may still be) that it would NOT pick up any other channels on Astra 1 (even FTA) and would NOT work in HD mode.   Now maybe the (entirely) justified howls of protest from the market have caused Canalsat to have a rethink,  but to be honest I would buy one of these TNTsat boxes only if you want the TNT channels (which I do,  I shall be buying two,  including for reception in the UK,  because I'm not going to have some jumped-up rights holder tellling me I can't watch French TV in the UK when I've paid my redevance).

As you (or someone else) say technology moves fast,  so boxes doing different jobs are often the only way to go,  uneconomic and unenvironmentally friendly as that is.

But you've all heard me before on subject of the satellite bouquet operators and their Spanish uncompetitive practices.....

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The cheap Strong.   But it won't be until next April as we're in Devon until then.    Maybe something else will have come along by then.

We don't have widescreen,  plasma,  LCD,  HD,  or anything else,  just cathode ray tubes.   Which we'll stick to until they fall over.   So the most basic TNT box is all we need.

Then - rather nostalgically - it'll be good bye to SECAM on AB3. Except I'll keep a dish on it until ASO and watch the closing "ceremony"!

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Hello Martin

I am surprised you are buying a rip off box, I think you know my views on any of these boxes especially sly, if people buy these boxes the same will happen as with sly they will buy the rights to programs and events and you will have to buy their box to watch them and they will not be available unless you have their box then they will start to charge extra to watch certain programs and IMO at €129 it sure ain't cheap, my TM 1000 cost £50 and you know what channels I receive.[;-)]  I would rather go without than pay these money grabbers.

 

 

 

 

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The problem is that when the TPS/Canalsat merger is complete and most of French TV moves off Hotbird your TM will be producing some rather blank screens.   AB3 analogue will  be there 'til 2010 or 2011 until ASO but then....

Well who knows,  but in view of the worsening outlook for Technomates I don't mind spending €120 if it's a one off and gets me French TV...

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Hi Martin

I like looking on the bright side, no point in jumping untill you get to the fence, at the moment I receive on ASTRA 1

TV5 monde europe

TV5 monde

Telif

RTBF SAT

Demain tv

KTU

LCP

Liberty TV FR

M6 Boutique

Mezzo

NT1

Have lost a few channels lately due to nagra 3 but I am sure that will be solved soon.[:D][:D][:D]

So at the moment with all the French channels on Hotbird and Astra, I am a happy bunny, will it change ....yes I am sure it will and then it will be sorted again.

 

You take care

 

 

 

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hi All

good to back (albeit under a new name - poster formerly known as andrewjspencer)....

Getting back to the OP question about the Strong receiver. I have the Strong 6420 which according to who you ask is either a silver version of the 6410 or has a more "sensitive" tuner.

I bought it online from tvcorner.com - very good service and communications throughout, delivered to my UK address by UPS for reasonable charge - and have it installed in place of my old analogue box.

It is a basic receiver but does have a number of user friendly options, such as menus in English if needed, favourites lists but is totally locked into receiving channels from the Astra 19.2E satellite. The package comes with the TNTSAT card which will lst 4 years from date it is first used. The instructions on which way round to slot the card ina re wrong so throws you for a moment!

The initial quick install finds the 18 TNT channels plus France O and a full scan finds scores of other channels, including many French ones such as Demain and France 24 (in FR and EN), Polish, Spanish, German and even UK ones such as BBC World. It also finds scores of radio stations such as France Inter etc, RFM, Nostalgie. You can also choose the France 3 regional channel of your choice - which was a bit of pot luck until a fix was made yesterday - selecting Caen got Orleans for example!

Picture quality through an RGB Scart is good and sound through the coaxial digital output is very good.

All in all I would recommend this receiver package. I understand the argurments about paying for the card etc but I don't want the hassle of updating secret codes on my receiver to watch channels (which some may construe as theft anyway  - (light touchpaper and stand well back)).

Hope this helps

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[quote user="Martinwatkins"]Very interesting to hear your experiences.    I shall wait until I can buy one in France but as you say the price charged by that outfit are not unreasonable.

Did they (or anyone else) want a French address to register the card to?
[/quote]

 

hi Martin.

no french address was asked for at all.

regards

ajs

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