Vu Uno4k SE - so far, so good!

[Joe_90]

I just got delivery of an Uno 4kSE on Thursday. I've set it up for multiboot so I can test Dev and Release images. This will be my daily driver replacement for a 10 year-old GB QuadPlus, so her indoors will be using it mostly. Most of our usage will be on Freesat or SKY FTA. I am finding the FBC tuners particularly useful even with my universal LNB twin feed as it gives huge flexibility in recording from multiple transponders at once. I may well replace the LNB with a unicable model later this year which will give ultimate freedom in selecting programmes for recording.

Despite the warnings from more learned members of the dev team, I went and bought a USB DVB-T tuner to provide access to my local Saorview transmitter (Irish equivalent of UK Freeview but uses DVB-T and not DVB-T2) as the Uno only has one internal tuner slot. The Sony Play TV twin tuner (DVB-T only!) is available from a local second-hand hardware chain (Cex) for €8 plus postage, so a no-brainer really. I tested the Play TV unit on my AX61HD over the past 10 days or so and I haven't had any issues with it in normal operation. The only glitch I noticed was that it would fail to initialise if I soft re-booted the AX61 after a software update or re-flash or whatever. The logs would indicate that the Play TV unit was found in a "warm state" and the DiB7000 driver would not load the firmware into the tuner. I had to power cycle the receiver (or put it into deep standby) and reboot for it to find the Play TV in a "cold state" after which it would load the firmware and it would initialise properly. The Uno had no such issues as it seems to power off the USB ports on a reboot, so the DiB7000 driver always finds the Play TV box in a "cold state" and it downloads the firmware on every boot.

Another difference I noticed with the Uno is that it seems to keep a realtime clock (or pseudo realtime clock) running while it is in deep standby. So, even if there are no DVB-T or DVB-S transponders available or there is no network available, the box will display the correct time and timestamp the logs properly after a boot from deep standby, providing I don't pull the mains power completely. All of my other receivers are dependent on setting the correct time from a transponder or NTP or from the dreaded fake-hwclock.

The only minor annoyance with the Uno is that it has a power LED (white) which remains on when it is in deep standby. I can't find any software setting to turn it off, so, while it is in the bedroom on test, I am using a bit of tape to block the light. Once I have had it on test for the next week it will go into its permanent location in the living room. The power LED won't be an issue there. It's not particularly bright but is an annoyance in a bedroom environment!

 

[bmitie]

have you set the uno for multiboot? And how do you like the remote? , As for the AXHD61 if the buttons were bigger on the remote it would be perfect, still a great box and pic quality.

I am new to FBC and have it just configured for 2 sats and fbc as automatic but it says inactive. I don't record a lot but SWMBO does. I assume the extra tuner kicks in when normal one is busy. You can of course record ALL of saorview simultaneously.

thinking of unicable as well and the recording possibilities are endless apparently.

Now back to that saorview custom mix later today.

 

[Joe_90]

I set the Uno for multiboot as it was offered on first flash from USB stick containing the Vix Release. It's a bit more limited in that there are only three slots on the internal flash compared to four on the AX61 but it's fine for use as our daily machine as I will likely only be testing the latest Development and Release images on this particular box.

The FBC tuners are brilliant and a real benefit for when I'm recording multiple services. Just a a quick test last night (first night in place in the living room) I was able to record all BBC1/2/3/4HD, ITV1HD and CH4HD and CH5HD (London region) simultaneously and I could see other transponders available, so this would cover 99% of my needs without going unicable just yet. Screenshots of the tuner setup and also of BBC1/2/ITV/CH4/CH5 HD all recording right now. You can see that some tuners are inactive and others are being used automatically. The two root tuners A and B are each fed by a cable from my old Sky dish with an octo LNB. The Sony Play TV tuners cover both transponders on Saorview.

Very pleased with it so far. I'm using a Chinese brand (fanxiang) 1TB SSD, so box is completely silent. No issues so far as regards recording. Will see if it lasts 10 years like the 2.5" 1TB HDD I have in my GB Quad Plus!

 

[spevs]

I've had two of these for at least 4 years and they are a great little box, FBC does make recording anything and everything a real breeze. I also have a 1 TB SSD which significantly improved the speed of the box over the Sata drive that I initially had in there from new. The multi boot option is a great asset especially as you can test out new images without losing the old one and switching between each is dead easy.

 

[twol]

I set the Uno for multiboot as it was offered on first flash from USB stick containing the Vix Release. It's a bit more limited in that there are only three slots on the internal flash compared to four on the AX61 but it's fine for use as our daily machine as I will likely only be testing the latest Development and Release images on this particular box.

The FBC tuners are brilliant and a real benefit for when I'm recording multiple services. Just a a quick test last night (first night in place in the living room) I was able to record all BBC1/2/3/4HD, ITV1HD and CH4HD and CH5HD (London region) simultaneously and I could see other transponders available, so this would cover 99% of my needs without going unicable just yet. Screenshots of the tuner setup and also of BBC1/2/ITV/CH4/CH5 HD all recording right now. You can see that some tuners are inactive and others are being used automatically. The two root tuners A and B are each fed by a cable from my old Sky dish with an octo LNB. The Sony Play TV tuners cover both transponders on Saorview.

Very pleased with it so far. I'm using a Chinese brand (fanxiang) 1TB SSD, so box is completely silent. No issues so far as regards recording. Will see if it lasts 10 years like the 2.5" 1TB HDD I have in my GB Quad Plus!

@Joe_90 - so add a ext4 format usb, reboot ! and then long press power - go to multiboot selector and press red button to add usb slots

 

[bmitie]

I forgot to mention the IR extender so you can hide box. And as above have as many images as you like.

 

[Joe_90]

Yep - had an IR extender with the AX 61HD also. My setup uses an AV stack with glass shelves, so I don't need to hide anything. The extender is incredibly useful for anyone who uses any kind of furniture, though.