Posts by ekkostar

    Hi,


    Does anyone have the original or official Factory Image for the ET8500 that they could kindly upload please ?


    The official ET site appears to have had dead download links for ages. Can't find the original images anywhere !


    So if someone has previously downloaded it and kept it would you be so kind as to upload it here please ?


    Thanks

    It's a good box and great value at the moment.


    Video quality from Tiviar and Formuler (Fortis manufactured boxes) can be very good indeed so that's another plus.


    Only issue would be images and ongoing support. It does have OpenATV and OpenVix images out there but strangely enough nothing from OpenPli ?

    I have a Galvanised 3" Patio Polar Mount, built like a tank. Originally used on a 1.5m Omnisat Primefocus. Pretty sure it can be adapted to take any dish face 1.5m/1.8m.


    Any good to you ?

    That's probably the most sensible approach although the question going round at the moment is 'does anyone really need a S4K?'


    At £399 it's also a bit pricey. It can be had for £50 cheaper if you are European based and there is no real justifiable reason for the current UK price difference.


    The prices are likely to head south in the not too distant future.

    The Wetek is a work in progress, so prepare to be frustrated.


    The VU Solo Se is a much more refined product. It will pretty much do what you thought it would do and more reliably.

    Why is that a problem? ET8000 is not spec'd that it transcodes.


    Maybe there's not loads of forum thread's because users don't have many issues :)


    The point was raised why the VU+ machine was better. The Solo2 which the OP already has does transcode. The ET8000 as you say doesn't. When I tried the machine last year, it didn't.


    Maybe there's not loads of forum threads here or elsewhere for a simpler reason, because it's simply not that popular ? As far as I am aware it never really commercially took off as a machine. It's certainly not a 'new' machine and has been around for a bit.


    Finally given the OP already has the Solo2. The most cost effective solution would be to simply buy a VU Turbo Tuner. The ET8000 is good value at £159 but the £60 VU tuner option is probably better. He retains the better machine and saves £100. So, I concur with digi247 in post #4.


    It's all horses for courses and personal preference anyway.


    Thanks

    sounds like fanboy drivel,and not an objective opinion.


    Totally agree. There certainly seems to be some drivel being posted as objectivity.


    There is nothing new about the ET8000. It's approx 14-15mths old and the machine fell flat at launch as it couldn't transcode. At this current price it represents better value. Albeit with a whiff of 'let's shift some stock'


    However, objectively it's an ok machine, with good build quality. You can stick a stable image on, if it works for you, job done.


    Xtrend do normally offer a 24mth warranty which is good. I think VU+ have recently upped there's to 36mths now.


    - - - Updated - - -


    I'm thinking of buying one et8000, has anyone had any experience with them? I'm thinking about a sat and a cable tuner. I have a vu solo 2 which is amazing with openvix, is this similar?


    If you are thinking of the change purely for the additional tuner. Then it's better and cheaper to just add the VU Turbo Tuner to the Solo2.

    There is nothing new about the ET8000. It's been out for well over a year and had considerable problems not being able to transcode, which left it considerably flat from the outset.


    The only thing new is this deal or current offer at £159. Sounds like a special to shift stocks. The offer makes it an 'ok' machine at a decent price, end of.


    It's nothing personal and I realise you maybe advocating the machine of your personal choice.


    Support comes in a number of forms. Manufacturer support, image team support and user support. Xtrend cannot really compare with VU+


    If you want an example of user support activity look at the sub forums on this very site to see the scale of difference between VU+ and Xtrend. There's no need to expand on image team support as that is self explanatory.

    I can allso say that there are boxes like HD2400 HD , or Miraclebox that are even beter then Vu+


    Clarke-Tech/Xtrend have been around for quite a while. They produce 'ok' machines and have never really had great take up/success here.


    As for your above comment, you are welcome to your opinion. I would doubt it's a majority view though.