Interesting observations (Myth Busters) for the Skippa - will update regularly

[warkus]

Well first cab off the rank...

You may have all noticed that it stays on pretty much 24/7. If not, well it does...I recall Dave stating that it pretty much only switches off video, and I can confirm this is definitely true...

My unit was off for much of the day (standby) but it still checked the IceTV servers all day long every 10 minutes... So note that the unit doesn't have to be "on" to update recordings and EPG data etc.

More interesting I think was that I was just watching The Chase Australia on my PC streamed from my SKIPPA, which was also on at the time on live TV. I kinda forgot that I was streaming a show on my PC, and I powered off the Skippa to standby.

Now one would think that the streaming would therefore stop...

Nope, still playing fine, just finished that show and have started streaming another, the SKIPPA is still in standby...

Does the SKIPPA stay on 24/7 and only switch off video in standby mode - Confirmed!

[stretch4x4]

Sounds about right, although I would hope if it wasn't streaming, recording or processing ads on a recorded file it would go into a lower power mode again.. Be hard to prove either way though.. Unless someone has a power meter they can plug the skippa into :)

[warkus]

I will test over the weekend, I have one...

Testing by a user called Waz on whirlpool, of the Altech 9600T - which is a very similar machine to this in terms of hardware operation and also stays on 24/7 - shows virtually no change to power draw whether in standby or on mode. Around 15w give or take .05w up and down, with no change whether in standby or not.

I would wager a bet that the Skippa would be the same but is probably slightly higher power consumption, guessing around 17-18w as it has a faster CPU and wireless that the 9600T does not.

Mark

[stretch4x4]

Not unexpected I guess.. Would be handy though if it could go into a low power state up until the next event happens (provided in that low power state it keeps checking in with the server for last minute recordings)

Will be interested to see your results

[csutak40]

Would be handy though if it could go into a low power state up until the next event happens (provided in that low power state it keeps checking in with the server for last minute recordings)

Will be interested to see your results

Will be interesting to see what Choice thinks of it.   Historically, they are critical of things that have high power use in standby.  So, wonder what they will make of the fact that,  effectively, there is no standby  :D

[warkus]

If I recall and I could be wrong, I think they did a review on the Beyonwiz T series, possibly a T3 and were pretty critical of that units standby consumption, but that's because it has 3 levels of operation, unlike the Skippa and I don't think they quite worked that out when they reviewed it.

It can run "on", standby or deep standby. The standby mode is similar to the Skippa where it mostly stays on and running, but the deep standby is where it pretty much shuts down and conserves power and they may not have realised it could do that in their tests.

The Skippa on the other hand has no deep standby mode so it could be an interesting review that's for sure.

Personally, I love the instant on I have to admit , i think that's worth 18w of power, lol...