Two weeks ago I received the DVB-T upgrade kit which I subsequently installed into a Mark II AVANT DVD and what follows is my review of the upgrade which may be useful to others when deciding if they are going to implement it or stay with a STB configuration.

 

The kit part number 1446300 is intended to upgrade all versions of AVANT DVD and all versions of Beovision 3.

 

Surprisingly, and very helpfully the kit also comes with software upgrade chips to take the Mark I & II AVANT’s to version 10.4 and Mark III AVANT to version 16

 

Minimum Versions

 

The minimum software which must be installed is:

 

Ø      Beovision AVANT 32  DVD Type 844x, 845x – Beovision 28 DVD type 834x, 835x and Beovision 3-32 type 880x must have a software version of at least 10.2

 

Ø      Mark III Beovision AVANT 32 DVD type 846x and the Beovision 3-32 type 881x must have software version 14.3 or higher

 

The instructions provided with the DVB-T upgrade for the AVANT & Beovision 3 are basic, but do cover all the key points. Fitting the physical module was a problem because plug 02P033 hit part of a lug on the main chassis meaning without the removal of this lug, the board could not be fitted. After careful removal of the lug which was about 8mm x 4mm, the board was fitted into place.

 

Connecting the cable 02P033 to PCB2 was a challenge without completely removing the whole chassis from the AVANT itself, but I did manage it with some difficulty.

 

The kit provided a new back panel with a socket area for the RS232 plug to the service tool and also a new plastic back panel which had only one difference  with the old and that was an extra screw hole above the RS232 socket which in my view was not needed. 

 

The software update was done very quickly because it only requires the removal of the surround sound module held on with two screws. The software update was completed in around 10 minutes.

 

The UK update kit also comes with a two slot CA module which fitted perfectly and is the same one used with the previous Satellite module.

 

So, the whole upgrade took about 90 minutes and the only issue some users will have including me, relates to the SCART sockets. If you use both the AV and decoder socket as I do, then the STB controller will now only be available to one socket and that is the AV socket because SAT/DTV is assigned to the DVB-T automatically. The Decoder SCART socket does not have the remote signal on SCART pin 8 and you cannot assign a STB controller on this socket any more. You can only assign non B&O TP2. So if a user has just one external box such as a Sky STB, then no problems it will work perfectly, but the Sky box will be used via VAUX. If like me you have a STB containing your hard drive recorder and a Force satellite box which is controlled by pin 8 on the SCART in the same manner as the DVD1, then you have a problem. Even buying an HDR2 would not solve your problem because of the lack of the remote signal on pin 8 of the Decoder socket.

 

From a users view point the following are my comments:-

 

By default English sub-titles are set on, so you go to sub-titles in the menu and set it to none and the sub-titles stop. However, when you switch channel the sub-titles return. The solution is to go into the setup and under language set both languages from English for sub-titles to NONE. This is not noted in the manual and in my view will catch a lot of people out.

 

Further evaluation of the use of the DVB-T and the following are my observations:-

 

1. The DVB-T cannot decode standard digital text, so for example you cannot use BBCi or any interactive service such as pressing the RED button for more information. In fact the RED button has been assigned to calling up the EPG, silly move, given the broadcasters at least in the UK are using the RED button interactive services more and more.. It also means you cannot have multi-channel on the screen. The big issue for potential customers who already have these services via a STB are going to pay some £500 for integration, and they end up with less functionality and services than they had before with the STB.
2. The module comes with two conditional adapter slots for pay TV channels. The only company offering this service in the UK, is Topup anytime, but they changed their service offering last year, so you cannot actually buy a subscription card from them for integrated systems. You are forced to buy their box to have Top-up TV. So for the foreseeable future these slots will never get used.
3. The switch on time for the DVB-T is about 10 seconds which some customers may find a long time.
4. Unlike the use of some STB's all the menu functions can be used via any link TV.
5. If you have a Beolab 3500 with software version 2.1 or higher then the DTV and channel number appear on the screen.

 

From a sales viewpoint, I think dealers will get some mixed reactions from customers, those with older systems who have used the facilities of their STB for a long time will question the value of the DVB-T, but they will not find out until it is installed, unless they read this or a dealer tells them, so they may have some dis-satisfied customers on that one.

 

Summary

Pro’s

Ø      Very good picture quality

Ø      Good User interface which is easy to use.

Ø      The EPG works well and much better than the Fusion STB it replaced.

Con’s

Ø      Three times the price of the STB it replaces with less functionality

Ø      The two CA module slots will never get used

Ø      Limits the use of more than one STB when installed

Ø      Cannot use interactive services or view BBCi

 

Thanks for that Keith. Pretty sure I will not bother as the STB-C route seems more flexible, as you say.

Keith,

 

This is interesting, I have the dvb module in my beosytem 3 and the interactive services work as does multi screen. I thought the modules were the same throughout the range?

 

You are correct about the subtitles menu which van be switched off via the main menu.

The DVB-T in the Beosystem 3 is totally different, it is a combined satellite and freeview module in one, so my comments do not relate to that unit.

So that there is no mis-understanding for the readers of this review, the following picture is the upgrade module for the AVANT DVD and BeoVision 3. The type number for this unit is 4463 and is the same for all countries

The unit below is for the BeoSystem 3 and as you can see they are very different. There are apparently two variations of this unit, one for the EU and one for the UK. I guess the UK version supports BBCi which the AVANT upgrade version does not.

Thanks for this info/review.

Could this DVB-T module also work with a digital cable signal (DVB-C)?

Regards,

Bieele 

No, the DVB-T will not work with a digital cable signal DVB-C

In fact B&O does not apparently support DVB-C on any product.

The DVB-T Frequency Range is 174 Mhz to 230 Mhz and 470 Mhz to 860 Mhz and most digital cable systems fall outside these ranges and assuming it was also encoded in MPEG2

Does it have a card slot like some Freeview boxes? Can't see one in the picture. There is an unused card slot on the rear of my BV3-32 never worked out why.

 

Craig

Craig,

In the back of the AVANT and BeoVision 3 there is a card slot area normally covered with a piece of plastic unless a DVB-S or DVB-T are fitted. The DVB-T comes with a two CA slots (Conditional Adapters) in which you can put your subscription card.

Below is a picture of the CA fitted in the AVANT

In the UK until last year you could purchase a subscription card from Top-up TV but they have now chnaged their policy and they will no longer provide viewing cards, so in the UK currently these slots are useless and that goes for any integrated TV CA slot

Duplicate post Deleted

Craig,

This is the third attempt to answer your question, but each time it ends up in the moderators area, so I will provide multiple posts with the answer.

The picture does show the two condititional adapter slots and the next post will show a close up picture of it fitted in the AVANT

It should be noted that the BeoSystem 3 DVB-T/S does not come with a CA adapter.

 

One other point I should have mentioned relates to the format handling on link TV's.

With the upgrade in the software as part of the DVB-T installation I also noted that the formatting of the picture on link TV's appears to work correctly now and the problem of resuming a DVD also seems to have been fixed.

Thanks Keith for the reply, I didn't  know card were no longer available in the U.K.

 

Craig 

 

Can we have a picture of the TV displaying EPG info please.

Keith Saunders:

...

in the UK currently these slots are useless and that goes for any integrated TV CA slot

The same here in germany. There's no company using encrypted DVB-T at the moment.

The next generation DVB-T, known as DVB-T2 will use it, but AFAIK DVB-T would not be compatible upwards with DVB-T2, the same as DVB-S is not compatible upwards with DVB-S2. So you can throw your DVB-T module in the bin if DVB-T2 is starting. This will be around 2010, after most of the private TV stations in germany will encrypt their program.

So why does B&O offer a standard DVB-T module with CA slots for a price of 500 pounds now ? It takes ages for B&O to offer new things. Some of them are nearly outdated when they are released.

Martin
 

That's exactly why I've always said you're better off using an external decoder.

You're right Alex, this is why i use an old but pimped Nokia DVB-S Set-Top-Box with harddisk and wlan on my main MX. German user "Ulf" designed a controller - like B&O's STB-C - for it to use my Beo4. It's not B&O but it works better, faster and costs only 1/4 of the B&O price.

Martin 

Below are four screen shots of the EPG as requested

looks great, I love the GUI. I'm off to order one now. My dealer is doing a special discount on fitting charges. nlb.

So, how much is your dealer charging for the unit and the fitting ?

Keith, he is charging £75 to fit. nlb.

Thank you Keith,

Very informative and interresting post.  One additional piece of information for the benefit of Norwegian and Estonian Avant-owners:  The module is designed for MPEG2 decoding, only, and will not be of any use in Norway, Estonia and other nations with the MPEG4 decoding technology.  No version capable of MPEG4 decoding is, AFAIK, planned.

Sverre

Thank you Sverre, you are right it can only decode MPEG2, in fact Estonia was the first country in the world to use MPEG4

You may be interested in a recent OFCOM announcement in the UK on HD on DVB as below

Space for 4 HDTV channels on DTT platform, says OFCOM
Ed Richards, chief executive of Ofcom recently said that the regulator is drawing up plans that will allow up to four HDTV channels to be broadcast within the existing DTT multiplexes.
He went on to explain that by a combination of new compression technologies such as the H.264, AVC MPEG-4 codec and a reshuffle of the DTT line-up, additional capacity could be created for HD. “The whole point is that we can use spectrum space more efficiently, “ he said, speaking to the Broadcasting Press Guild.
While not proposing a wholesale shift to MPEG-4, it was suggested as a way to make a new HDTV service possible.
He said that some independent research into what could be done has been commissioned and the findings would be made public in due course.
Main source: Broadband TV News
Item added: 24th July 2007

Keith, had a DVB-T module (UK version) installed yesterday on the BV6-26. Very good and great B&O style GUI. But some negative points: 1. The "red" button does work so full interactive services are avaialiable, but this is at the expense of loosing direct access to the programe guide for example, you have to use a fustrating sequence of buttons > MENU > DTV > RED button = programe guide. Not a good example of usability from B&O and very disapointing! 2. The subtitles are a pain, unless you know how to remove them!! (as noted by Keith) 3. TV favourite group listings not avialiable, so you have long TV lists of stations to scroll through! 4. Pressing the "TEXT" button on the Beo4 gives you the old analogue text, not very helpfull, and again poor usability. 5. There are now two aerial socets on the back of the tv, presume I could use a splitter so that I could still use the old analogue tv? 6. Does anyone have a pdf of the user manual, mine came in German! nlb.