Obviously everyone has shit boxes !
As all the retail outlets use DVDs to show off their new Plasmas, LCDs etc and don't hook up aerials (with reception probs giving poorer images), you never get much chance to preview STBs.
I have had a few different HD stbs but they all have something missing.
One has no channel recall button and only 'now and next' epg.
Another has full 7 day epg but really small text, that my parents struggle to read. Another is really slow to refresh after changing channel.
I'd be interested to hear if anyone has found a stb that works well and has all the best features, for a reasonable price.
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Obviously everyone has shit boxes !
Not overly experienced with HD settop boxes mate but I guess you get what you pay for.
I bought a cheap Conia HD box and eventhough it has HDMI out, the menu is slow and often scrolling through the different resolution settings it shows no pic at all.
Lofty2 (18-08-09)
Thanks weirdo.
I nearly bought a Conia SD box from a Rick Hart store a while back, but got sidetracked by my missus checking out for a new stove !
My folks TEAC is really slow through menus which was disappointing too.
"all"? I was in a major retailer the other day and they had both ONEHD and NBNHD on most of their plasmas and lcds. Only one display had a dvd playing and only 3 had a blueray playing.
Oh and I found the Olin2200B quite good, excellent picture on 1080i, HDMI (labelled DVI on the back) works fine, as does the component output, downscaling of HD channels to standard tvs works fine, menu is quite quick, epg is good, comprehensive and easy to use. But they are hard to find now, kmart had them for a while, might still have some somewhere
Last edited by Jason_dinAlt; 19-08-09 at 08:20 AM.
Lofty2 (19-08-09)
Reality is an invention of my imagination.
ಠ_ಠ
ageno2gen1 (19-08-09)
have you tried changing the osd size on the stb that has the 7 day epg. this would solve your problem without buying a new 1. most of them u can but some u cant. worth a try thou.
Over a period of 5 years I have picked up and used/using 4 SD and 1 HD.
My requirements are simply ones that pick and retain the signal.
In order of purchase, Omni,Teac,MTV, AWA and Healing HD.
The Omni (2005) had a power failure within the first 3 months, repaired under warranty,and at times has a tendency to lock up and need a restart.
The Teac seems to work well but against another running simultaniously it will lose the signal and freeze but the other still runs.
The MTV is at my daughters and rarely used but I wasnt happy with its recieve abilty but I feel there is an antenna/cable/splitter problem there.
The AWA is a 12V little black box from Woolworths, bought because of the 12v option. Works no better or worse than the others.
The Healing HD claims to have a 'Super Sensitive Tuner' which was the reason I bought it but based on past experiences, it doesnt work as well as inbuilt tuner nor any better than the others I own.
Maybe test equipment could show it does but it froze with signal loss which I get regularly before an other unit did.
Not one does the same thing, none of the menu's are similar and each loads and displays differently.
Not even the HDTV's work the same so why should the STB's.
Slow channel changing, lousy EPG/Info, weird colour backgrounds, confusing Menu's are really imaterial if the STB doesnt pick a descent signal to begin with.
It seems with price you get numbers on the front, cheapies have a light, maybe but then untill you remember the channel lineup, the numbers are no help.
So untill you get it home,,plug it in, run through the menus can you see what you have bought and if you dont like it, take it back or give it to a Rellie as a Xmas Present.
But with SD STB's on Sale at $32, you aint gunna get Fire Engine Red with a Go-Fast stripe, are you??
HD at $79, I ask you...................
It comes down to how much you want to spend. Since HD and SD channels no longer broadcast the same program all the time HD is a must.
If you are looking for something that would completely change your viewing habits, I recommend a HD with recorder also known as PVR. you simply select whatever you'd like to watch from the 7 day EPG and the box will record it to the hard drive. When you playback you can easily skip the adds using advert skip function.
This week at SAM's ex clints, ex Warehouse, a Magnavox HD stb for the munificent price of $79.
Next to the AWA from woolies it is the smallest, runs on a plugpack that supplies 12V 1A DC to the devise so it could run of a battery.
Black in colour with a silver panel across the front.Three buttons on front do ON/OFF, Channel UP and Down.It has a green 4 digit LED display that show the channel numbers but when off, only a small soft red light is on.
Antenna in and out, standard AV outs,Comp video,HDMI,optical.
RS232 for updates.
Menu and info panels are good and seems to have lots of information.
One odd thing tho was the initial channel search, I pressed ok to do the seach but it kept saying there was no service untill I pressed the 'Green' pad on the remote, then it seached,displayed and saved the channels.I havent struck that before.
Its a Magnavox made in China, where else??
For $79, a years warranty, how can you go wrong???
What was the epg like on the Magnavox ? 7 day ?
I had a SD stb once that supposedly took firmware updates over a RS232, but I just couldn't find any updates anywhere on the net !
Try getting something like Topfield ,Strong or even find a Humax . Healing and Ikusi are recommended by installers over at dtv forum.
Quite a few of the first DVB-T boxes were made by companies that had alot of experience in satellite set top boxes .
So look for brands that make both DVB-T and DVB-S boxes and you should get a good one.
Arent Healing and Olin terrestrial stbs one and the same? just different label?
Lofty, I cant answer your query as the Magnavox is on loan to a friend but as far as I remember, it does claim to have a 7 day EPG as everything else does.
BUT, do the channels actually transmit a 7 day Guide???
One channel seems to run out after 70 hours, another has the next 2 hours only.
When GO!! started, I had no EPG for the first few days so I wonder being in a 'Rural' area, if our affiliates bother??
I see your in Perth but does Perth qualify as a Metropolitan or Regional or 'Where'??
I never see Perth mentioned when they speak of 'Sydney/Melbourne' services.
My friend did a flying trip to his daughter's in the south western suburbs of Sydney on Wednesday and set up his MTV SD and the Magnavox HD and he said what he received there 'aint nuttin' like he get at home.
You do have the option if the STB isnt what you want, take it back.
I rarely check the EPG even on PayTV, I find it quicker to grab the guide and go straight to the relevant page rather than try scrolling thru endless menus.
Gordon, Perth is metro and generally has 7 day EPGs, provided that the box has the facility.
Though some stations do seem to 'go missing' now and then on that front.
As I rely on the net more than papers these days, i don't always get a tv guide so an epg is very handy.
Ikusi for me, when stock is available.
iam a bogan
Recently got a Topfield High definition set top box Model Number: TBF-7200 for about $170. Has hdmi as well as component, composite and optical sound out.
It is used to pick up the channels the panasonic lcd hd tv can't pull in without breaking up and pixelating.
Does a good job. Haven't tried the epg as I don't live where it is installed.
Would recommend it
Hi
Similar story - got a Toppy 2400 as brand new 2K+ Sony couldn't get 7. (very sad!!!) This is a bloody dear STB being a new model but it does tick most of the boxes EXCEPT they have reduced the font size on the EPG and you can now only have horizontal scrolling.
Made a HUGE mistake with a Mediastar HDX 9100 (sat and terrestrial)
I don't want to have to totally gong the thing BUT the one I'm reviewing for long term RV use at present would have to be a dreadful piece of kit. Satellite only works if you pull the card in and out with the card "already refreshed" on another box (on the same dish). It is totally useless - tried the purple cam, Premium X, and SCM Microsystems using genuine Aurora card. Dreadful timer issues using terrestrial only and it is an intermittent problem happening at least once a fortnight - adds 4000+ minutes to some weekly slots. When one timer goes bonkers it pulls down others. On weekly settings this takes ages to correct and older users wouldn't be able to cope with these problems. On the plus side the picture is OK BUT for RV use the tuner is not sensitive enough in country areas (I use Topfield/Strong for comparative tests) The OSD is far too small for older eyes and most motorhomes/caravans are limited to maximum 19" screens.
Note: I have used drives remote powered and device powered - makes no difference to timer woes. The way bookmarks/FF work on this unit is utterly atrocious and enough to drive you batty in frustration. Chase play is a nightmare. Nothing is intuitive on this unit and the instructions are a disgrace. For instance the Topfield 2400 was up and running in minutes without opening the book. Similarly with the first Strong to use an external drive. It will be going back!
Take care
Bob
Might I suggest you consider an MHA when your out 'Leyland Bros' the country side?
Lots of translators dont seem to run very high power, the antenna isnt optimul nor the location/height.
if you off the mains, Kingray make 12 volt models with the same boosting capacity as the mains powered ones.
I know some dont like MHA's with digital because they amp everything but if gets you a reception, isnt that what you want?
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