The installation is quite simple. Plugged the power adapter to the receiver, satellite cable screwed, optional SCART or HDMI cable to your TV and you're off. The configuration when you first turn takes over the receiver almost completely automatically. Only a few entries like the country, the desired menu language and the preferred satellite are scanned and whether you want to have the transmitter also equal ordered by the automatic search function in a meaningful order. This setting makes it easier for one to program behind the transmitter to the favorite channel position.
The picture and sound quality is as far as I can judge perfectly. We have the receiver to a Samsung Full HD REGZA TV and Harman-Kardon 5.1 surround sound system connected. The FullHD resolution is simply breathtaking. The only negative for the image quality I could find with programs that in the format 4: 3 broadcast. These are on the 16: 3 format display or spotty zoomed that you can no longer see the station logo: 9 television only in 4. So far we could not find a solution for it, unfortunately.
The menu navigation is intuitive and easy. All menus are there where you expect them, so you really do not need the manual. The recording function on external storage devices we've tested with a USB stick and this worked perfectly. The stick has to be formatted at the beginning of the receiver and can then serve for future recordings. The quality of the recorded video is fine.
A bit annoying are the long switching times, ie that it popped through the individual channels rather long does it take until a picture appears on the new transmitter. Especially those days are long when you switch to a HD TV channels. I have however seen for some time, so that the charging time the viewing experience hardly detracts.
The electronic program guide 'SFi' is very convenient. This displays all the running programs and highlights a bar how long to run the programs already. About the program guide can also be a timer for recording function activate, so that the recording will start automatically as soon as the program starts.
The included HD + card for 1 year of free HD TV experience as an encore is then quasi the icing.
Conclusion: The Technisat S1 + TechniBox digital HDTV satellite receiver is a successful device with which you can have a lot of fun and that is well integrated with its simple appearance in most living rooms. A satellite receiver which delivers what it promises!
