Power option

[john deer]

Is it best to just leave the T5 on all the time or turn it off when not watching TV

[ago]

Not sure there is a preferred option, I would turn off to keep unit cold plus extend components life.

[herk]

no point in leaving it on.the tps update when you shut it off

[dogdayz]

I leave mine on 7/24.
Now and then I reboot and it updates tps.

[jvvh5897]

If you leave it on and showing a channel then you are, most likely, making requests from IKS server--that makes the load on server higher, so either put it on a channel that does not require CW (like an open channel) or in standby mode. I tend to just power down box entirely as that reduces power needed by house.

[jets]

Actually..

1) I think leaving it on make IKS request like jvvh said and powers LNB (heat).

2) Switching it off with the remote no iks requests, but LNB powered (heat).

3) Switched off with power switch at back, no IKS request no LNB powered, no heat.

So in the short term power it off when not watching with remote. If your going away shut down with power switch at back. If your box runs hot switch it off with switch at back when not using.

But most dreamlink run cool and switching off at back switch is not necessary. With that said I tell my neighbor to shut his off once a week or so, but be aware you will have to download guide again.

:)

[staticrider]

I go with option #3. The guide repopulates relatively fast.

[jedi]

If you leave it on and showing a channel then you are, most likely, making requests from IKS server--that makes the load on server higher, so either put it on a channel that does not require CW (like an open channel) or in standby mode. I tend to just power down box entirely as that reduces power needed by house.

It's not really much of a load on the server. In the old days some IKS servers wanted some client boxes tuned to certain channels at all times to feed the cache.

Raton has an EMM feeder software that can be used to pull the control words from the access cards and send it to the cache - but you need one receiver for each transponder. With Dish Network and all their satellites that is a lot of receivers needed to pull the control words from every transponder that they have.

I used Dream Boxes with the EMM feeder software to feed the cache. Each card can only do about 20 channels - if you try pulling more than 20 control words from a single card you'll start to see problems. So if you have 20 DreamBoxes with 20 access cards you can pull the control words for about 300 channels.
Once these control words are in the cache then any client needing the control word just gets it from the cache - that only takes a few milliseconds.

Not a lot of IKS servers were using the EMM feeder and I don't know if b3viks is using it or not? At one time they were not using it - they were just relying on the client requests to fill the cache. If they are still doing that they may not mind clients leaving their receivers turned on when they are not using it - that way they are feeding the cache. That's important for a new and growing service - but b3viks is probably big enough they don't need any more feeders LOL

[jvvh5897]

Still, an open channel should be available. I haven't done IKS, but in the old days you had an open ch for PPV review and an introduction channel telling you how to use your remote. If nothing else you put up an FTA dish and use an open channel from it.

[jedi]

Still, an open channel should be available. I haven't done IKS, but in the old days you had an open ch for PPV review and an introduction channel telling you how to use your remote. If nothing else you put up an FTA dish and use an open channel from it.

You are correct - there are several free channels that you can tune to that do not require control words - and thus no request for control words from the client to the server.

My point was that some servers may not mind you leaving your receiver tuned to a station when you are not using it because that way you are feeding the control words to the cache.
Let's say a server is not using Raton's EMM feeder to pull the control words from multiple transponders to feed their cache and that they are only relying on their client receivers to feed the cache.

If you are watching, say, Fox News and nobody else is watching that channel then you are the only person feeding the control words for that channel to the cache. So if I tune to Fox News to watch I get an instant response to my request for the control words because you are already watching and feeding the cache. The access card doesn't have to do any work for me - because it is already doing it for you.

Now this is where it gets a bit tricky and maybe hard to follow for some.

Let's say the guys that run the server want to sell their cache to some other people - they are not giving these guys access to their server they are only pushing what is in their cache to the other guys servers.
Now if you were the only guy watching Fox News and thus feeding the cache - then when you turn off your receiver there is no control words for Fox News in the cache. None of the clients of the guys that are buying the cache push will be able to watch Fox News because you turned off your receiver.

If you go to bed and leave your receiver tuned to Fox News then you are still feeding the cache and anybody buying the push can watch that channel.

Sorry for the long winded explanation - but it is the only way I could think of to get my point across :-)

Depending on how the IKS server is set up - it may be a benefit to the guys running the server that you leave your receiver turned on and watching a channel that requires control words.

If you don't give a hoot about that - then best to turn it off - at least you are saving on your electric bill and it may add a bit of life to your receiver.

[jvvh5897]

I'm sure that some folks need such a long winded post. Oddly, though I do not DO IKS I do understand how it works.