Freeview boxes

As previously mentioned, I'm splitting with my girlfriend and she's got custody of the freeview box (along with the joint account, but that's another story).

Now as skint as this has left me, we (or rather I) get crap analogue reception so I want to buy a new box.

What is the generally accepted 'best' box out there? Please don't tell me to audition them, frankly I can't be arsed. I trust and respect the opinions of people here, and it can't be worse than the old one (ITV digital Phillips box).

Thanks guys.

 

Hi stumblin,

I've got the Sony VTX D800 which is excellent compared to my old Panasonic which used to be virtually unwatchable most of the time where as now with the Sony its never switched off.

cheers

Martin

 

You may want to look for / wait for a newer box with a card slot. Ch. 26 is currently previewing Topup.TV which is coming soon if that sort of thing takes your fancy.

http://www.topup.tv/

 

If I was buying now I'd probably go for the Pace one for around £70 - can't really go wrong with Pace as they give a good picture even through a crap ariel. I had the Philips DTR1500 for a few weeks but then sold it as it had trouble receiving UK History (my old little Pace DVTA never had any such problems) and had some annoying bugs. The Sony and Pioneer boxes are said to be very good too though.

What I ended up getting to replace the Philips was a Pace Twin - the one with the hard disk in it that allows you to record up to 10 hours of TV. It also has two tuners so you can watch one freeview channel and record another. It used to cost £350 but they are £198 now.

Well, it's been superb and I haven't used the VCR since. Okay so some may say 10 hours is a bit stingy but in reality if you end up with more than 10 hours recorded you often never get around to watching it anyway. Quality wise it's superb - the recording is identical to the original broadcast plus if you really want to keep something then you can archive it off to DVD or VHS.

If you want to watch something you have recorded then you just press the "library" button on the remote and you are presented with a list of all programmes recorded, giving details and a picture preview - beats hunting around for the right video tape (that you didn't bother to write the programme name on)!

Matt.

 

Stumblin

I just got the Pioneer TBR-TF100GB for £80 from Richer.

Breeze to install, and, fed from my outside arial, great picture.

 

I'm using the same box, though not from RS, mine came from the north pole thanks to santa

Was simple to install and easy to use.

Pictures good too.

No coax out, "just" optical and RCA.

 

There doesn't seem to be a standard as there is with Sky boxes and some of the cheaper Freeview ones have a single scart, no audio out sockets and only output composite video so make sure that you don't get one of them.

 

I've got the Philips STR1500 box from argos £90. It has coax out but I don't think it has optical.

It has two scart sockets and all the usualy phono sockets.

The picture quality is top notch and the sound is also NICAM standard.

 

So, I went out last night and got the Sony on a whim.

Picture quality is superb with good quality signals, though it seems the signal strength is very weak. Most channel have good signal quality which seems to compensate. Alas BBC1 & 2 have only average signal quality and very poor signal strength which causes a lot of artifacts, not making it a joy to watch.

Also I don't seem able to pick up BBC 4 at all any more. Not a big loss, but when I'm paying £120 I expect at least to get all the channels I'm used to with the crappy old ITV digital box.

Why, oh why, did they choose to use a 3.5mm jack for audio out? Only reason I can think of was a lack of real estate on the back of the box - presumably why they combined it with the optical out.

Can't fairly comment on sound as I have it going to TV via SCART and then TV to amp as I don't have the requisit length 3.5mm to phono lead.

Menu system is good and pretty intuitive, as is the remote control.
Looks are good, but I fear they may already be dating.

All in all, a very good little unit that would probably be outstanding if I wasn't sharing my aerial with fifty other flats.

 

I liked the look of the Sony but it has the least audio expansion of the lot. No phonos or digital out which is real dissapointing so I might wait to see if they revise it.

My gf has the Thomson box and I have to say that works very well, plus it has lots of features and proper audio out.

We have found that digiboxes benefit from a signal booster. We rarely get pixelation at all now since we plugged one in.

The Netgem/Netgen boxes have the most features and look quite interesting.

 

The more expensive models may have these features but it is the cheaper Thomson / Ferguson boxes that won't output RGB and only have one scart and no audio outputs at all.

 

Yep its the nice twin scart/RGB one that she has. Its interesting to switch between the RGB and normal feed to see the difference.

 

I don't know. It's disgraceful that so many of you spend your time watching all these television stations when there's music to listen to and hi-fi to upgrade and tweak. Hang your heads in shame all of you. :toomuchtv

And before you ask, the fact that my part of Surrey can't get digital is totally beside the point.

 

The BT Shop are doing their version of the Netgem for £65 delivered, which is a bargain.

Watching TV? Mines only tuned to 'Smash Hits Radio'

 

Yes dont worry, there isnt that much to watch on freeview. I have to say sitting down with the gf for a relaxing pizza and vino and finding only 'The Auchwitz(?) Story' on UK History to watch a tad depressing.

Its usually Internet browsing with the stereo on behind me.

 

And that's where the Pace Twin comes in. Throughout the week you record anything you don't get a chance to watch or that clashes with something else and then, on a night when there's bugger all on, you hit the "library" button and then choose to watch something from the list of programmes you've recorded! Then you delete it.

Seriously, unless you've got Sky+, a Tivo or a DVD recorder then it's really worth the extra £100 or so to get the inbuilt hard disk recorder and twin tuners.

Matt.

p.s. it also has optical out and a card slot for future pay channels should they ever emerge.