Ali3510 receiver

[rrob311]

I just purchased one of these for 27$ shipped. Should be fun to review. It advertises the Ali3510 chipset which the Openbox S8 advertises. 300mhz processor from what I gather. This receiver has dethroned the msd7816 based as the most inexpensive dvb-s2 available.

Features:
Hard Specification:
CPU: ALI3510 Embedded Demodulator.
Memory: 32 * 16Mbit DDR2 Frequency:1066.
Flash: 32M bytes.
TUNER: AV2018.
USB 2.0: Embedded One Host.
Software Features:
Fully comply with DVB-S/S2, MPEG-2/4 H.264 Standard.
Supports single / multiple or blind search satellite search.
Automatic PAL/NTSC conversion.
Support DiSEqC 1.0 / 1.1 / 1.2/1.3 (USALS) protocol.
Various channel editing function (favorite, move, lock, skip, delete, rename, find, sort).
Support BISS KEY.
Support teletext/subtitle/multi-language.
Powerful and highly effective 7-day EPG function.
AUTO, 16:9 Pillar Box, 16:9 Pan G Scan, 4:3 Letter Box, 4:3 Pan G Scan, 4:3 Full, 16:9 Wide Screen.
USB 2.0 for PVR, TimeShift, software upgrade and media files playback, multimedia playback.
Video output resolution: 480i/576i/480p/576p/720p/1080i/1080P.
Demodulation:
Frequency Range: 950MHz-2150MHz.
Sensitivity Level: - 10~ - 81dBm.
Mode IFFT: 2k, 8k.
FEC Mode: 1/4, 1/3, 2/5, 1/2, 3/5, 2/3, 3/4, 4/5, 5/6, 8/9, 9/10.
Guard intervals: 1/4,1/8,1/16,1/32.
Constellation: QPSK, 8PSK, 16APSK.
Decoder: Video Decoder:
Compliant with: MPEG-4 part10/MPEG-2 ISO/IEC 13818.
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MPEG-2 Main Profile# Main Level(15Mbps).
H.264 MP#L3(10Mbps).H.264 HP L4.1(25Mbps).
Audio Decoder: MPEG-1, MPEG-2 (Layer I/II), MP3, AC-3 (Dolby Digital), AAC-LC, WMA
E-AC-3 (Dolby Digital Plus) decoding HE-AAC 5.1 multi-channel decoding.
Powerful Multimedia Features:
MediaCodec: avi. mpg, .dat, .vob, .div, .mov, .mkv, .jpeg, .ts etc.
Audio Codec: WMA,MP3,AAC (wma,.mp3,m4a).
Photo Codec: JPEG, BMP, PNG.
License: Optional DTS, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, RM/RMVB, Divx License.

Specification:
Interface:
2 * USB port (The one at the front, the other at the rear)
1 * Line in
1 * Coaxial
1 * HDMI 1.3
1 * DC in (12V 1A)
1 * AV RCA
Color: Black
machine size: 16.8 * 9.9 * 3.5cm/6.61 * 3.89 * 1.37in
machine weight: 274g / 9.66oz
Packaged size:19.5 * 17.0 * 5.5cm / 7.67 * 6.69 * 2.17inch
Packaged weight: 528g / 18.62

Package list: V955
1 * DVB-S2 Receiver
1 * Remote controller
1 * RCA cable
1 * EU Plug Power adapter
1 * User manual

[dr.zin]

I didn't see any rs232 port

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[cpr43]

Looks like an Openbox S8(V8S) clone.

[rrob311]

Ya there is no rs232 port like the msd7816 receiver. I wonder if there is a way to recover these on the main board somehow.

[el bandido]

There should be at least a ttl connection on the main board, but good luck finding anything to recover it with!

[dr.zin]

the openbox s16 was even a problem with the ali 3606 and rs232 connector.
It seems only the old 3602 had the disaster recovery option built into the processor.

[dr.zin]

the v8 supposedly has an rs232 loader,but none of the support files included mention that processor.
it looks like the old ali loader with different support files.

[mountaineer]

rrob,

My big interest is in the ali chip....does it shutdown the receiver after a timer record like all other ali chips that I have seen? Hopefully not....such a pain that they do that.

Thanks for any info!!!

[rrob311]

I just got the box tonight. It is pretty small and the batteries were not included for the remote. It included the plug adaptor however. The receiver has an eastern satellite list. I am in the process of setting up everything and scanning. The menus are similar to the openbox s9. There are two games included, Sudoku and Othello.

[rrob311]

There doesn't seem to be any motor control options with this receiver so it would be best suited for a fixed dish or single dish system. It has diseqc 1.0 and 1.1 options. The switching works well with my 8 satellite diseqc 1.0/ 22khz setup. I scanned in qvc on 131w and there is no audio. The bandstacked 5150/5750 lnb setting works properly in the blind scan.

[Costactc]

It's identical to my no name box Rob:

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[rrob311]

The audio doesn't come in on a lot of the spanish channels on 97w cband. In the audio menu it says dolby d. I don't have a stereo system hooked up to my tv so I am not sure which audio type any of these are. I would imagine they are the same.

[Costactc]

I noticed the same audio issue on the CTV channels on Anik F1R at 107.3w, they are Ac3(dolby).

[rrob311]

Do you know which satellite has a working epg? I would like to test the recording function.

[rrob311]

I tested the epg on 103w and set it up to record a show in advance. It started recording the show promptly at 6pm when I set it up. It then stopped recording at 6:15 at the end of the show. The receiver stayed on. I am not that familiar with the settings but it didn't shut off when it was done.

[mountaineer]

Thanks rrob! That is great info!

One thing does it have to have EPG to record.....or does it have a place to setup timers?

Thanks for the review!

[rrob311]

Yes for the timer setting utilizing the green button it needs a functioning epg. There are 2 options to record, ps and ts. However in the main menu if you go into timer setting you can manually enter the information to record. I setup a quick 5 minute recording using this option on Ion with no epg and it worked properly starting at 8:50 and ending at 8:55. When the recording ended it did not shut off but it switched briefly like it was switching channels.

[mountaineer]

awesome. Thanks....so really the only faults so far are....AC3 audio...and no motor control. if I have it right.
Well if they get atleast the ac3 audio fixed....the box sounds good.
Thanks rrob.

[rrob311]

Yes the AC3 audio problem is a drag. There is a Coaxial audio output that I cannot test because I don't have a stereo. Maybe the ac3 audio would work using this output.

I don't see a motor menu anywhere. This receiver is very similar in functions to the msd7816 receiver I tested a while back. Both lack motor control and ac3 audio. Since this box is about 15$ cheaper it is a much better deal for the money.

I have been using the box for the last 2 nights exclusively to watch TV with and haven't experienced any hardware issues or freezing. So the box is stable so far.

[mountaineer]

wonder if there is another box out there that might have firmware that is compatible that has those features...of course then the remote control might not work :)

[rrob311]

Its certainly cheap enough to give it a shot. I tried that with my msd7816 and am stuck with xoro firmware. Wasn't able to revert back to the original. There are quite a few different files that can be upgraded in the usb menu on this. keydb, maincode, Radioback, defaultdb, userdb, Allcode, HDCPKey.

[rrob311]

I emailed the seller about the audio problem and they asked I send them a video showing the problem. I sent them a video so hopefully they can fix it.

[r10fret]

On the msd7816 version if you set the audio output in the menu to RAW it would send the audio through HDMI to your TV for decoding.

[rrob311]

The seller offered to send me another box for only a shipping charge. I don't think this will change the audio problem but I will have a spare box to test.

[rrob311]

Well i got the replacement box in the mail tonight, and they decided to send me two of them.

[el bandido]

Sent 2 replacement receivers? Sounds like they are trying to get rid of them.

[cpr43]

:hide:

[eastof111]

Well i got the replacement box in the mail tonight, and they decided to send me two of them.

It's always better with two.... or so I've been told. LOL :smoke:

[rrob311]

I found a newer box called the Sathawk 200 that Sadoun is selling for 99.99. It looks identical to this. I am not sure if the internals are the same but I was inquiring on processor specs because none are listed.

[cpr43]

We need to find out someone inside Sadoun to see if we can get copy of the firmware

[cpr43]

I went thru Sadoun specs of the box and looks like they just are reselling the box the way its with no in-house firmware. NO AC3

[rrob311]

So is it the Ali3510 or the Novatec?

[cpr43]

Screen look to me like the Novatek


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[rrob311]

I finally dug my spare one of these out of storage and set it up. I used my coaxial audio cable to feed it into my Kenwood surround receiver. It feeds the ac-3 audio fine to the Kenwood.

[cpr43]

$21.78 w/free shipping. I ask if he could send me copy of the firmware if I order. This is the Ali3510

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[Silverado5150]

For the $21.78 and free shipping you almost can't go wrong. A year ago I bought a similar looking one that has the Ali chipset without AC3 before I knew about that. I gave it to my dad so he could get COZI TV on 103W. That's all it's used for and he's happy.

The timer works fine and records programs to a USB stick for later viewing when desired. I just created the SES3 satellite in the list and entered my own TP for the channel he wanted.

[cpr43]

I ordered one and asked for copy of the firmware to see if I can recover a bricked one I bourough from rrob