Question:
Sorry if this has been mentioned before, but without search and having looked through several pages and becomin' bored I've decided to ask again. :D
So what are the top 3 Freeview boxes? (I'm looking for best 3 so I can take other things into account later; i.e. cost)
Cheers. :)
Pace DTVA (ver.2 with improved connectivity)
Labgear Setpal DDT100 (or Daewoo Setpal)
Panasonic TUCT20
Probably the better 3 of the widely available boxes, be careful if you go for the Pace that you get the revised version this is clearly marked on the box.
Quite a good summary from one persons experience of numerous boxes here (http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/showthread.php?postid=945740#post945740), but doesn't include all.
Some of the upcoming boxes look promising too, but I guess that's a different story.
I've been looking into this recently - going to buy one soon, and the one that gets the most praise seems to be the Netgem i-player.
Supposedly there is to be a significant price drop on Freeview boxes this month, would be nice if this was true.
Certainly would, I've got an old OnDigital Pioneer box at the moment but want to get a new box for the main set and use this on my 2nd TV or as a dedicated box for VCR.
Things seem to be improving all round with these newer boxes, even the ones that weren't up to scratch from the outset have been improved considerably by over-the-air software updates (or improved connectivity in the case of the DTVA).
It's just a shame there isn't at least one that hits all the right notes straight out of the box.
If you're buying now it has to be the Netgem box.
Very very good.
panasonic all the way........... :)
Originally posted by saxton
panasonic all the way........... :)
Is good but not as fast as the Netgem I-Player :), I have both so I know :), I-Player all the way and you can even read the dvdforums pages on the I-Player can't do that with the Panasonic :)
I-Player? :suspect:
Link please... :)
http://www.netgem.com
I can recommend the Daewoo.
Cheap in Safeways and being SetPal it's great for really poor signal quality (still had to use a booster though and the loft aerial but that's very poor quality on analogue, and spot on with Freeview). Has RF out as well as SCART. I just use it for a 2nd TV as my main TV has Sky.
Doesn't do anything fancy, but it does the job. Surprisingly faster in some ways to my Sky Pace digibox.
yep - more and more people moving away from SKY....
new pioneer box out in September - likely to be better than anything else out there.
Sony just brought out a new box too!
Originally posted by Celtic
yep - more and more people moving away from SKY....
Nah, I just added it to Sky :D.
I wouldn't give up my Sky in favour of Freeview for my main telly. Channels I want aren't on Freeview and it doesn't break up so much, just that Freeview is cheaper than a 2nd sub from Sky and I only really want the news channels for the 2nd TV (though annoyingly ITV News is not 24 hour on Freeview).
I've also got the option of NTL cable, as I'm a cable customer, just that I have Sky for telly instead and there's no way I'd go back to NTL for TV (for numerous reasons I won't go into I got rid of it in favour of Sky). I'd rather get Freeview for the 2nd TV than have the hassle of NTL come out to wire up a box and then pay a fortune to get what should be free channels :oh-hum:.
pioneer box:
http://www.avland.co.uk/pioneer/dbrtf100/index.htm
sony box:
http://www.avland.co.uk/sony/vtxd800/index.htm
The Pioneers looks really good and seems to have great specs. The new Philips in the Argos Catalogue looks good as well, can't get any info on it but one thing I like is that it seems to have controls on the box, just in case the remote has gone astray temporarily.
Originally posted by N00N00
pioneer box:
http://www.avland.co.uk/pioneer/dbrtf100/index.htm
sony box:
http://www.avland.co.uk/sony/vtxd800/index.htm
Can't believe they haven't put audio phono outputs on the Pioneer
there is optical out to compensate!
the pioneers are manufactured just down the road from me! :clap:
Can I just check something with these boxes?
Would I be able to fit one up to my projector?
For example, the Pioneer mentioned?
Run it to a TV aerial, then take the scart from the box into the PJ and run the optical out to my amp for sound??
Originally posted by saxton
there is optical out to compensate!
How many Freeview channels broadcast in Digital then?
None that I'm aware of.......
Originally posted by Radiohead
How many Freeview channels broadcast in Digital then?
None that I'm aware of.......
All do, just it's 2 channel MPEG audio which is digital :p
But assuming you mean multi-channel surround digital (like Dolby Digital), then yes, none.
You'd still get 2 channel PCM though I assume as an output from the box.
I did indeed mean multi-channel.
the people who have the netgem I-player, can you tell me if you are able to change the volume from your remote.
People who know more about the new STB coming out (eg sony..) do you recommend me to buy the netgem -player now, or wait for the new degital recievers ?
the panasonic is brilliant, dont hesitate!
Originally posted by Panic
the people who have the netgem I-player, can you tell me if you are able to change the volume from your remote.
Yes
:)
So what are the top 3 Freeview boxes? (I'm looking for best 3 so I can take other things into account later; i.e. cost)
Cheers. :)
Answers:
Pace DTVA (ver.2 with improved connectivity)
Labgear Setpal DDT100 (or Daewoo Setpal)
Panasonic TUCT20
Probably the better 3 of the widely available boxes, be careful if you go for the Pace that you get the revised version this is clearly marked on the box.
Quite a good summary from one persons experience of numerous boxes here (http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/showthread.php?postid=945740#post945740), but doesn't include all.
Some of the upcoming boxes look promising too, but I guess that's a different story.
Answers:
I've been looking into this recently - going to buy one soon, and the one that gets the most praise seems to be the Netgem i-player.
Answers:
Supposedly there is to be a significant price drop on Freeview boxes this month, would be nice if this was true.
Answers:
Certainly would, I've got an old OnDigital Pioneer box at the moment but want to get a new box for the main set and use this on my 2nd TV or as a dedicated box for VCR.
Things seem to be improving all round with these newer boxes, even the ones that weren't up to scratch from the outset have been improved considerably by over-the-air software updates (or improved connectivity in the case of the DTVA).
It's just a shame there isn't at least one that hits all the right notes straight out of the box.
Answers:
If you're buying now it has to be the Netgem box.
Very very good.
Answers:
panasonic all the way........... :)
Answers:
Originally posted by saxton
panasonic all the way........... :)
Is good but not as fast as the Netgem I-Player :), I have both so I know :), I-Player all the way and you can even read the dvdforums pages on the I-Player can't do that with the Panasonic :)
Answers:
I-Player? :suspect:
Link please... :)
Answers:
http://www.netgem.com
Answers:
I can recommend the Daewoo.
Cheap in Safeways and being SetPal it's great for really poor signal quality (still had to use a booster though and the loft aerial but that's very poor quality on analogue, and spot on with Freeview). Has RF out as well as SCART. I just use it for a 2nd TV as my main TV has Sky.
Doesn't do anything fancy, but it does the job. Surprisingly faster in some ways to my Sky Pace digibox.
Answers:
yep - more and more people moving away from SKY....
Answers:
new pioneer box out in September - likely to be better than anything else out there.
Sony just brought out a new box too!
Answers:
Originally posted by Celtic
yep - more and more people moving away from SKY....
Nah, I just added it to Sky :D.
I wouldn't give up my Sky in favour of Freeview for my main telly. Channels I want aren't on Freeview and it doesn't break up so much, just that Freeview is cheaper than a 2nd sub from Sky and I only really want the news channels for the 2nd TV (though annoyingly ITV News is not 24 hour on Freeview).
I've also got the option of NTL cable, as I'm a cable customer, just that I have Sky for telly instead and there's no way I'd go back to NTL for TV (for numerous reasons I won't go into I got rid of it in favour of Sky). I'd rather get Freeview for the 2nd TV than have the hassle of NTL come out to wire up a box and then pay a fortune to get what should be free channels :oh-hum:.
Answers:
pioneer box:
http://www.avland.co.uk/pioneer/dbrtf100/index.htm
sony box:
http://www.avland.co.uk/sony/vtxd800/index.htm
Answers:
The Pioneers looks really good and seems to have great specs. The new Philips in the Argos Catalogue looks good as well, can't get any info on it but one thing I like is that it seems to have controls on the box, just in case the remote has gone astray temporarily.
Answers:
Originally posted by N00N00
pioneer box:
http://www.avland.co.uk/pioneer/dbrtf100/index.htm
sony box:
http://www.avland.co.uk/sony/vtxd800/index.htm
Can't believe they haven't put audio phono outputs on the Pioneer
Answers:
there is optical out to compensate!
the pioneers are manufactured just down the road from me! :clap:
Answers:
Can I just check something with these boxes?
Would I be able to fit one up to my projector?
For example, the Pioneer mentioned?
Run it to a TV aerial, then take the scart from the box into the PJ and run the optical out to my amp for sound??
Answers:
Originally posted by saxton
there is optical out to compensate!
How many Freeview channels broadcast in Digital then?
None that I'm aware of.......
Answers:
Originally posted by Radiohead
How many Freeview channels broadcast in Digital then?
None that I'm aware of.......
All do, just it's 2 channel MPEG audio which is digital :p
But assuming you mean multi-channel surround digital (like Dolby Digital), then yes, none.
You'd still get 2 channel PCM though I assume as an output from the box.
Answers:
I did indeed mean multi-channel.
Answers:
the people who have the netgem I-player, can you tell me if you are able to change the volume from your remote.
People who know more about the new STB coming out (eg sony..) do you recommend me to buy the netgem -player now, or wait for the new degital recievers ?
Answers:
the panasonic is brilliant, dont hesitate!
Answers:
Originally posted by Panic
the people who have the netgem I-player, can you tell me if you are able to change the volume from your remote.
Yes
:)
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