couple of queries on specs of solo2

[damienmcguigan]

hi all,
hoping someone out there can help me. I am in the process of moving house and thinking about getting a solo2. I have a couple of questions:

1- Using a custom image, is it possible to install 'transmission' (bittorrent client), preferably with a gui interface over web etc...
2- Is it possible to install flexget or some other way of downloading .torrent files via rss so that transmission can pick these files from a configured directory and start to download automatically/
3- Are there any good plugins for media player functionality such as xbmc - preferably one which will scrap for data from online sites based on filenames etc...
4- Anyone that has a solo2, what is it like for noise from the fan?

Many thanks

[Rob van der Does]

ad 4: As the box doesn't produce much heat you can use the temperature & fancontrol plugin to set the fan at low speed (and in standby even lower or off): that way you won't hear the fan.

[damienmcguigan]

Thanks for that info. Is it ok to turn the fan down a lot when playing back 720/1080p mkv files locally stored on the onboard HDD?

[judge]

My Solo2 runs silently with default ViX fan settings, not had a need to turn it up or down...


3- Are there any good plugins for media player functionality such as xbmc - preferably one which will scrap for data from online sites based on filenames etc...

as for this one, keep an eye on the movie browser plugin.

https://sites.google.com/site/kashmirplugins/home/movie-browser

It's currently pretty bad for TV series but as a new plugin, it's impressive so far.

[Rob van der Does]

Thanks for that info. Is it ok to turn the fan down a lot when playing back 720/1080p mkv files locally stored on the onboard HDD?
Yes. And if you don't trust it: have a look at the box temperature every now and again until you're feeling confident.


as for this one, keep an eye on the movie browser plugin.

https://sites.google.com/site/kashmirplugins/home/movie-browser

It's currently pretty bad for TV series but as a new plugin, it's impressive so far.
A new version is available via the feeds.

[hdp160]

Anyone have the minimum and maximum operating temperatures for the Solo2 ? ...........
I recall seeing +15C to +35C ........ but that seems rather narrow?

**** Answered my own question ............ see below ......... yes ambient temperature is +15C to +30C ****

Vu+ Solo2 Technical Information:

1300 MHz MIPS processor
256MB Flash
1GB DDR3 DRAM
Gigabit Lan
1 x DVB Common-Interface Slot
2 x Smart Card Reader (Xcrypt)
3 USB ports (1x front, 2x rear)
SPDIF optical audio output (digital)
1 x HDMI 1.4 video / audio output (digital)
1 x Scart (TV)
1 x RCA video output
2 x audio output (L / R) RCA (analog)
Plug and Play support for 2.5" SATA - Hard Drives
unlimited channel lists for TV / Radio
EPG (electronic program guide) support
Support of Bouquet lists
OSD in many languages ​​and skin-support
automatic / manual channel search
DiSEqC 1.0/1.1/1.2, USALS
External 12 volt power supply
Power switch

VU+ Solo2 Specifications:

DVB-S2 tuner:
Input frequency range 950 .. 2150 MHz
Signal Level - 65 dBm ... - 25 dBm
Tuner Input Connector F-Type female
Input impedance 75 ohms
AFC + / - 3.5 MHz
QPSK and 8PSK demodulation
FEC Viterbi and Reed-Solomon
Viterbirate 1/4, 1/3, 2/5, 1/2, 3/5, 2/3, 3/4, 4/5, 5/6, 8/9
Roll-off Factor 35% Common-Interface:
Common-Interface Power Consumption max. 0.35 A/5V video decoding:
Video Compression MPEG-2 / H.264 and MPEG-1 compatible
Video Standard PAL G / 25 Hz, NTSC
4:3 / 16:9
Letterbox for 4:3 TV-Device Output Digital:
Output Level 0,5 Vss on 75 Ohm
Frequency: 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz
S / PDIF optical, coaxial (AC3) audio decoder:
Audio compression MPEG-1 & MPEG-2 Layer I and II, MP3
Audio Mode Dual (main / sub), Stereo
Frequency: 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 16 kHz, 22.05 kHz, 24 kHz
Output analog:
Output Level L / R 0,5 Vss on 600 Ohm
THD> 60 dB (1 kHz)
Crosstalk <-65 dB Video parameter:
Input Level FBAS 1 Vss + / - 0.25 dB on 75 Ohm TV Scart:
Output: FBAS, RGB, Ethernet over OSD:
1000/100/10 MBit compatible interface USB:
USB 2.0 connector (3x) LNB power and DVB-S2 Tuner:
LNB Current 400mA max. , Short-circuit proof
LNB Voltage horizontal "no load 19.5 V" 17.6 V at 400mA
LNB Voltage vertical "no load 14.5 V" 11,8 V at 400mA
LNB is switched off in the standby mode, control of the satellite position:
DiSEqC 1.0/1.1/1.2 and USALS - Rotor Control Power consumption:
<13W (in operation, with LNB) **********.com
<12W (in operation, without LNB)
<0.5 W (Deep-Standby-Mode) Input voltage:
External power supply:
Input:
110-240V AC / 50-60Hz / 1,0 A
Output:
12V = / 3,5 A

Further information on VU+ Solo2:

Ambient Temperature +15 ° C. .. +35 ° C
Humidity <80%
Dimensions (W x D x H): 280 mm x 200 mm x 50
Weight: 2.0 kg without HDD

[hdp160]

** Damn ... TYPO!!! +35C not 30

Ambient Temperature +15 ° C. .. +35 ° C

[judge]

Mine usually runs at about 35°C, don't think I've ever seen it go above that.
That's with permanent time shift enabled & the box on full time...

[hdp160]

Mine usually runs at about 35°C, don't think I've ever seen it go above that.
That's with permanent time shift enabled & the box on full time...

I'm rather concerned at the ambient temperature range, +15C being the lowest room ambient temperature allowable seems rather high.

In the winter months whilst touring my motorhome often dips well below that temperature overnight or indeed if I'm away from the van for a few hours.

I don't think I could tolerate a room temperature in excess of +35C so at that end of the scale no problems.

BUT on checking the specifications on my Dreambox I see it has IDENTICAL ambient temperature details.

So I guess there would be little risk.

[Trial]

Hi,
the problem with low temperatures is the humidity. When ambient temperature is low and STB temperature high it might cause condense water. Water and electronics is a bad combination.

It should be no problem if you wait with watching TV until STB has 15 degree or more.

ciao

[hdp160]

Absolutely correct, condensation is evil, to electronics, motorhomes and caravans and health in general.

I'm trying hard to remember models but several of the early video recorders (betamax and vhs models) had dew sensors.

These purported to inhibit head rotation until the dew point had been passed (to either reduce head wear and/or to stop the tape bird nesting).

[Tkr001]

Checking mine periodically it seems to run between 35 and 41 degrees. can't really see it running much lower when the outside temperature is over 30. :D

[Rob van der Does]

Mine usually runs at about 35°C,
That's not the ambient temperature........