SOLID HDS2 2100 MPEG4 DVB-S2 HD 1080p Satellite Receiver with USB Video Recorder set-top box

[vinay_kumar]

Here we review the SOLID HDS2 2100 MPEG4 DVB-S2 Full HD 1080p Satellite Receiver with USB PVR set-top box.
Price is Rs2200 plus handling charges. So the total cost comes to around Rs2500.

The packaging seems good and information/highlights are clearly written on the box like MPEG4 Full HD 1080p, 8PSK, H.264, HDMI etc. So lesser chances of getting cheated if the box tells all the points with confusing technical jargons.







The box is built of metal with sufficient ventilations on the sides. During an hours operation, the box was not warm at all. Robust body with the "Solid" logo on the top, holes for airflow at the bottom are good.





The earlier HDS2 2100 had a 12Volt external adapter, this one has a 230 volt power cord. Power consumption is 15 Watts lesser than what other FTA boxes consume.






Good connectivity options LNB In, Loop Out to connect to another stb, Composite, Component Video, HDMI Out, Co-axial Digital Audio Out at the back panel.





The front panel has the Power and Signal Lock LED indicators and a numeric channel display that serves as a digital clock in standby.
USB slot is enclosed inside a plastic lid also having a card slot like thing that is not functional.









Channel number display:


Digital Clock:


The remote is designed wisely with buttons operable by single hand as the remote is thin enough to fit in one hand.









Other accessories: AV Cable and remote batteries


Now we come to the software part. The older version software had some issues with playing sound in Dolby Digital. So the newer HDS2 2100 boxes come with the software created for HDS2 3000 boxes. Hence the bootup screen shows 3000 😀



The first thing a buyer has to check before getting any HD box is to actually try receiving HD channels like Angel TV HD or M Tunes HD. Duplicate boxes will fail the test. So either check it at the dealers shop if he has a dish aimed towards HD beams. If you are checking at your home better confirm if the dealer is ready to take it back if it does not work.





Lets see the User Interface of Solid HDS2 2100 stb:


























The Blind Scan is very fast in this box:







Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) lists out timings of various programmes:




Signal Strength Info screen:


Zoom upto 16X


Sleep Timer


Channel / Radio List


Find facility:


Radio:


Audio track option:

 

[delhiboy1000]

I am assuming you would need a Dish setup with this as well? How DO these things work? can you explain a bit in detail?Thanks in advance!

 

[vinay_kumar]

I am assuming you would need a Dish setup with this as well? How DO these things work? can you explain a bit in detail?
Thanks in advance!

Yes a dish antenna from 60cm to 240cms can be used with this set-top box.

The dish antenna is in simple terms a parabolic reflector that focusses the satellite signals onto an electronic LNB (Low Noise Block converter) which is connected to the set-top box through a coaxial wire. To view the different channels from different satellites, the dish can be rotated or multiples LNBs fixed on the same dish to save space and cost.

This is the simplest definition of a satellite tv system setup. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[delhiboy1000]

Thanks Vinay for this info.Can we as private users get such a setup to view FTA channels? And how much is the cost involved?

 

[vinay_kumar]

Thanks Vinay for this info.
Can we as private users get such a setup to view FTA channels? And how much is the cost involved?

Yes we as private users can have such a setup to view FTA channels provided there is enough own space to install dish antennas or society approval for installation.

The cost depends on the number of satellites one wants to receive. So if we go for a single satellite setup then cost varies from Rs3000 to Rs3500 for C-band FTA setup with a 6 feet dish.

Multiple satellites can be caught on the same dish to save the cost of additional dishes by just fixing side LNBs near the center LNB. This works on the simple principle of reflection of waves. A single Ku-band lnb costs ~Rs120 and C-band LNB costs ~Rs300.
So the total free channels count including Indian and foreign channels is in thousands.

For Ku-band FTA setup, the dish size is smaller and the cost also reduces to around Rs2500 to Rs3000.

 

[delhiboy1000]

That's very helpful! But I wonder, if it's all so legal, then why are more people not doing it?Also, how many satellites are there which offer FTA channels and how many C-Band LNBs would I need to catch them all?Is there a published list anywhere?

 

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[MAX 24]

post ss of blind scan search & recording menu & recording player please.Handling charges? did u order it online? Can you play external media files through the pvr? File type likes rm, wmv, etc.Thanks.