Hey guys, somebody at work asked me to do a bit of homework on digital set top boxes for them. I'm quite happy with the digital tuner built into my TV, so I have NFI what the go is.

The guy is just after something that will pick up digital channels, is smooth and easy to use and won't cost an arm or a leg. I'm looking for good SD and HD suggestions.

Pretty much whatever's cheapest.

Just a decoder or does he also want to record stuff? In any case, stay the hell away from Topfield's TF7100HDPVRt, they're pretty much a brick waiting to happen.

I saw some pretty easy to use ones in Wow sight and sound, ask nicely and they might even set one up & demo it for you, they did for me.

Thanks for the info. Would there be any merit in choosing known brands over the el budgetto models?

Until I built my HTPC I just went cheapest, never had a prob as long as you just want to receive digi TV and that's it.

i got a topfield tf7000ht

just a stb, not a recorder or anything

im pretty happy with it

good picture, but my inbuilt tuner in the bedroom does a better job of using the signal from the aerial

Thanks for the info. Would there be any merit in choosing known brands over the el budgetto models?

Known brands can have good and bad units from year to year, cheaper units may use cheaper components thus not last as long or they could use the same components as the others but are cheaper because you're not paying for a name brand. It's amazing just how much a name can raise the price of something.

Either way, whichever you choose go play with one in the store & ask them how many comebacks they get, hopefully they should answer truthfully... hopefully.

CT, from what i understand, as far as SD Digital STB's go, Teac is king. They have a good menu, a good chipset which provides for good reception, easy setup and simple remote. A mate of mine had one of those s***ty tiny little Dick Smiths STB's, and it was complete and utter s***, couldn't pick up SBS for his Top Gear/Mythbusters/Swift&Shift viewing needs, told him to get a Teac one like i'm running and My dad's running and everyone's running, and he got perfect signal on all channels.

Ah yeah, now that you mention it I have seen a Teac perform better than a generic DSE one. We were setting up a projector + STB for Melbourne Cup last year (in a cement building in the city, with bunny ears... i.e. a nightmare). The Teac could pick up most channels, the Dick Smith one couldn't find anything.

Bought my folks a 'strong' hd tuner, works great, had it recommended to me by a friend who works at hardly normal.

Took about 2 minutes to plug in and setup, and good picture to boot on all chans

Got my dad a Topfield TF4410PVRt for christmas, its only SD, but he has one of those bigarse rear projection thing that is only 576 res so didnt need HD, its got dual tuners and 160gb hdd, works great, and is only $266.

Ive got a crappy little thomson box at home works pretty good, bit slow changing channels though.

I think if you are having trouble picking up channels, the TV aerial is more of a culprit than the box, sure better boxes will be able to make up for it, but even a crappy box should be able to pick up all the channels with enough signal strength.

I recently installed a TV aerial at my house, ran all new dual shielded rg6, which is feed through a foxtel box and then back to 3 other TV point's, and can get perfect digital reception on all of them, less digital breakups than we used to get at my old work at west end, and im at jimboomba. Wasnt a huge aerial either.



last edited by `ViPER` at 07:51:55 08/Jan/09

I'm guessing the TEAC ones use the same or a similar chipset to any decent Sony gear (since TEAC is Sony's budget line)?

I'm in a similar boat to you - we've just got cheap s***ty ones, and while they do the job, our TVs are too old to really care about high end. My brother bought a Samsung 1080p LCD over christmas, and the tuner in that is bloody brilliant - I'm also happily using an Elegato EyeTV DTT now that I've got it hooked up to the external antennae. Before doing that it was unusable and unreliable - used to crack the sads any time someone opened the garage door.

From everything I've been told, if I were to purchase a STB/PVR myself, I'd get a Beyonwiz DP-H1.

Aldi had a pretty good one awhile ago.

They sold out in less than 10 minutes though. So good luck getting another one if they come out again.

I had a teac, it used to overheat etc. At least they have decent service.

I have an LG HD stb and it works fine... I wouldn't go for the super cheap ones cause they are pretty dodgy and unreliable. I also wouldn't spend a fortune one one.

^ Make sure it supports Freeview!

lol. I don't think any of them do yet.

I have an LG one and i have found its much better then my Sharp TV one..

As i run the antenna cable from the wall to our old VCR to the TV and i cant get SBS on digital

however if i run antenna cable from the wall to our VCR to the HD STB it works fine...

So i know the LG one we have has really good signal

lol. I don't think any of them do yet.

soooo gay having to get a specific settop box for freeview....i don't want an extra box! :|

im sure lots of boxes will be upgradable for freeview;

i know my topfield can get its bios flashed;

Freeview is a crock... the only thing you "miss out on" without a "Freeview compatible" box is the proprietary EPG. You can still use the broadcasters 7 day EPG though.

Also note that freeview compliance requires manufacturers to limit or remove ad skip functionality.

Buy the best unit around, not just one thats crippled for a scam of a digital revolution thats really just one extra SD stream per broadcaster.

im sure lots of boxes will be upgradable for freeview;

You reakon? I don't have one...my digital tuner is inbuilt into my Bravia TV. I don't see any USB ports or anything I can use to upgrade my TV tuner....so im screwed!

yup, you are matty;

my lg 60" PLASMA has a usb port and an option in the menu for 'firmware upgrade'

not that i could give two f***s about freeview anymore, it's a great big waste of money imo
doesn't give us much more content at all

its like youtube offering high def on their vids, same s*** different smell

You reakon? I don't have one...my digital tuner is inbuilt into my Bravia TV. I don't see any USB ports or anything I can use to upgrade my TV tuner....so im screwed!

My Pwnasonic TV just scans the air waves & downloads the latest software using psychic networks.