Octagon SF8008 4K UHD E2 Review
Model Description:
Octagon SF8008 4K UHD E2 – the second model in the 4K UHD-receiver line from Octagon. It is made in a classic compact case (220 x 125 x 40 mm), where a 4-digit 7-segment display is located on the front panel. The equipment includes two tuners constantly installed with new 4K DVB-S2X / S2 / T2MI and DVB-T2 standards.
The receiver offers performance and great performance thanks to the new Hisilicon Hi3798MV200 quad-core processor (4×1.6 GHz) from Huawei (performance 15000 DMIPS). 1 GB of DDR4 RAM (RAM) and 8 GB of flash memory are also installed. The ability to decode HEVC video (H. 265) gives you the opportunity to enjoy the full range of sensations from the 4K UHD display. High dynamic range support in the HDR10 and HLG formats is worth mentioning. And the model became PIP HD & UHD (Picture-in-Picture).
The Octagon SF8008 satellite Combi receiver is equipped with HDMI 2.0, AV (audio and video), and S / PDIF for digital audio output. The network interfaces are represented by Gigabit LAN (1000 Mbps) and for a stable wireless connection while working with 4K content the receiver is equipped with WI-FI module 802.11 n (up to 300 Mbps) and two WLAN antennas. You can also connect via 3G with the help of USB-Dongles. To connect external devices and play content, the device is equipped with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 connectors, as well as a slot for reading cards in MicroSD format.
Octagon SF8008 works with the Linux ENIGMA2 operating system, supports the loading of additional entertainment and multimedia plugins. Also in the impressive feature list of the receiver, there is a place for Kodi, HbbTV, and stalker applications.
Appearance and equipment
The device is available in a standard black box, which stands out laconic and the lack of receiver images. Only the manufacturer’s logo and supported standards are specified.
The packaging dimensions are small, and inside the Octagon SF8008 4K combo-receiver, the remote control, 2 batteries, an HDMI cable, a power supply (DC12V-2A), the operating instructions (German and English languages) are inside.
At first glance, the similarity of SF8008 and UCLan Ustym 4K PRO catches the eye. Not to repeat, immediately set the point-the twin brothers with minimal external and internal differences, but Octagon is equipped with a higher quality HDMI cable.
Design 4K UHD Receiver is the most practical – there are no elegant shapes like the products of Dreambox or VU +, but the model is qualitatively assembled in a compact metal case and does not ruin any interior. There is no feeling that the manufacturer has saved everything, and the rectangular form factor with extended antennae from afar resembles a stationary media player. In the activated state the attention is immediately attracted by the large round button Switch on / off and display. The air intakes are present at the top.
The complete remote control is functional and sits well in the hand. Maybe some users irritate the strong (with a click) by triggering buttons – Note that the remote from the old Octagon SF4008 does not work here
Filling, interfaces
Three years ago dual-core processors and fast memory came to satellite receivers, but there was no revolution in speed. Rather, the iron just pulled up to the increased complexity and range of software.
The Octagon SF8008 4K UHD runs on a modern Hi3798MV200 processor from Hisilicon (a subsidiary of Huawei), which is already well known to owners of TV set-top boxes from mid-2017. This is a high-performance Quad Core 64Bit (4x 1.6GHz) processor with 15,000 DMIPS scores. Is it a lot or a little? Practice shows that optimization plays a major role. For comparison, the Vu + Zero 4K uses a dual-core Broadcom BCM72604 with a 7K DMIPS performance. Also in the new Octagon receiver installed 1GB of RAM standard DDR4 and 8GB eMMC Flash. Little built-in drive? The receiver has a microSD card slot on the right side of the case.
The Octagon SF8008 4K UHD has a combination of two tuners: DVB-S2X (Silabs Si2166-D60 & RDA5815m), DVB-C / T2 (Altobeam ATBM7821). Supports SD, HD, and 4K UHD resolutions, there is one card reader, but there is no CI slot. To work with new TVs, the SF8008 is equipped with HDMI 2.0 with a maximum resolution of 2160p and support for HDCP 2.2, while AV (audio and video) and S / PDIF output for digital audio are left for old equipment. It is important to note that the receiver is able to decode the signal in HEVC H.265, which supports HDR10 and HLG formats.
The manufacturer did not save on network performance. Yes, the Octagon SF8008 4K doesn’t use the maximum wireless adapter option, but bundles of a gigabit (1000 Mbps) wired network and 300 Mbps WiFi with two antennas are enough for almost any task. Add to this the USB 3.0 connectors (on the side) + USB 2.0 (on the back) and get ample opportunities to play content not only over the network but also from external media. Plus, you can connect a USB 3G modem. For advanced users, even the RS-232 connector (maintenance) has been added to the receiver.
In the work. TV reception
At the heart of the programming stuffing, the Octagon SF8008 4K UHD is the familiar Enigma2 operating system familiar to advanced digital television lovers. The basic images for the Octagon SF8008 4K UHD (as for UCLan Ustym 4K PRO) are made by the well-known Open ATV team. We had a preinstalled image of Open ATV 6.2. The cold loading of the receiver from scratch happens rather quickly, and the start after a reboot surprised us a few seconds ahead of Ustym 4K PRO.
Before the test, Dishtracker Team made an online update to net OpenATV 6.3, but now you can already find ready-made assemblies on the network. Optimally update using a USB drive (FAT 32) and connect it to the USB 3.0 port on the right side. In December, two updates came out that added support for HDMI CEC and USB devices for DVB dongles. When the article was already being prepared for uploading, another driver update was released to the network, where HDR / HLG detection was added in the info bar. In general, drivers regularly receive corrections and correlate with the twin from UCLan.
What if you don’t like OpenATV? Octagon officially supports these images, but you can always use self-assemblies on OpenPli. Also, the network is working on images of PurE2, OpenHDF, Open eight, and others. And for Ustym 4K PRO, according to rumors, a second system is being prepared on Android 7. It is logical to assume that it will also “fit” the hero of our review.
Working with the receiver will not create problems for those who are familiar with Enigma2 or Linux. Supports “blind search” that provides an automatic search for transponders that are not in the memory of the receiver. The tuner has a good margin of sensitivity, everything works well with SD and HD channels.
Octagon SF8008 4K UHD scans and decodes DVB-S2X format, offering a good foundation for the future. Without comments, there is an interaction with the ball. Working with Ultra HD channels also does not cause any problems, but it upsets that their number has not increased significantly over the year on NTV + and Tricolor. UHD PIP is claimed, but we could not verify its operation. Finally, you can install the Stalker application and use one of the popular stalker portals.
Separately, Dishtracker Team checked the work of DVB-T2 terrestrial television, which is so relevant in the last six months. The receiver easily receives channels from Zeonbud (Ukraine), Multistream T2-MI works.
The Octagon SF8008 4K UHD can be described as a stable receiver with good performance, but looking at processor performance figures, something more was expected. Over the past year, many Vu +, Formuler, and GI have been in the hands. On the speed of the interface and wizard there are devices more brightly, but with the worst iron-on paper. Subjectively, the SF8008 switches channels more slowly than the latest generation of Vu + receivers. However, if all this is measured, then only with an eye on the price tag. Personally, with a good level of performance, image quality is much more important. For the SF8008, it can also be rated as “good” – it is close to the leaders on Full HD and 4K UHD, but it seemed a bit blurry on SD channels. Score 7-7.5 out of 10.
In general, the success of the new Octagon will now depend on good manufacturer support. Well, the main problem of the receiver arose through the fault of the used Hisilicon processor – now not all plugins can be installed (for example, there is a problem with OpenMultiboot and video enhancement). It is unknown who will solve this problem and when, but it concerns several devices and this gives hope for all the necessary corrections.
Media Player Functionality
The receiver allows you to upgrade functionality through plug-ins. This includes both basic IPTV players or YouTube, as well as more complex options. Particularly rare plug-ins can be downloaded on specialized forums, but in general, the range is sharpened on the IPTV / OTT function.
After the hardware in the receivers caught up with those in the smart set-top boxes, the issue of a media player was resolved for buyers with a limited budget. Now your satellite or combo receiver can help where it does not pull the built-in TV player. Note that the functionality of the media player in the Octagon SF8008 4K UHD is built around the Kodi plug-in. With active DLNA mode, you will work with files over the network at any convenient time. It will not be a problem to view m3u playlists from providers via Cody.
Starting and exiting Kodi happens quickly enough, perhaps better than on-budget Android consoles. Given the presence of a fast USB 3.0 port in the receiver, we checked how the player pulls popular content from a USB flash drive or home network. After all, for online movies or TV channels system and network performance is enough in abundance.
If you have already become the owner of Ultra HD TV, then Octagon SF8008 will help you enjoy high-quality 4K content with high dynamic range HDR. The model played everything that we slipped to the test (up to 80-90 Mbit bit rates), but only in the case of the HEVC (H.265) codec. The player could not play the video in several combinations of 4K resolution and the AVC codec (H.264). There was no problem with movies in Full HD, but H.264 is typical for them in other encoding profiles and HEVC is rare.
Pleasantly surprised by the results of verification of playback over the network. No, the Octagon SF8008 is not equipped with a dual-band 802.11ac adapter and therefore will not pull out any 4K UHD Blu-ray over the wireless network (stable speed was around 65-70 Mbps), but should master any regular Blu-ray or Remux. Well, a wired network of 1000 Mbps is traditionally enough to view any 4K content from rip to the source.
Conclusion
Pros
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- Metal case, equipment;
- Supports DVB-S2X and 4K resolution (2160p);
- Fast network interfaces, two USB ports;
- Speed of work;
- Adequate price.
Cons
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- Missing CI +;
- Not all plugins are compatible with Hisilicon chips.
What Dishtracker Team have in the bottom line? A combined device with modern hardware, 4K UHD support, fast network, and a normal set of ports. It works fast, the image is good, but not in the lead.
It may seem that this receiver is not for everyone – Enigma2 fans objectively form a special target audience. On the other hand, in the complex detail of customization, you can figure it out yourself in a couple of hours, and the time spent will more than return in the form of functionality and stability. The current price tag on the Octagon SF8008 4K is View Price in the UK, Italy, Germany, France, which makes the receiver an excellent balanced offer for your money.
I read on some forums about its picture quality, few peoples say , it have poor picture quality, what you say about
Awan 77 thanks for comment
This is 4k console with best picture quality.
if someone say it has poor picture quality it may be because of incompatible TV set. nothing else