Whats the best Freeview box?
 

I'm thinking about finally dipping my toes in the water of digital TV
and I'm just wondering about the best Freeview box to buy. My own
requirement is that it has some stereo output jacks so I can plug it
into an amp. At the local Curries they sell the Humax F2 but looking
on this group and elsewhere it seems to have had its fair share of
problems. Is this still the case or have they ironed them all out
now?

B2003

Whats the best Freeview box?
 

"Boltar" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm thinking about finally dipping my toes in the water of digital TV
and I'm just wondering about the best Freeview box to buy. My own
requirement is that it has some stereo output jacks so I can plug it
into an amp. At the local Curries they sell the Humax F2 but looking
on this group and elsewhere it seems to have had its fair share of
problems. Is this still the case or have they ironed them all out
now?

B2003


Firstly, are you sure you can receive Freeview where you are without the
need for a new aerial etc? Secondly, ye cheapie box from a supermarket will
normally have a SCART socket. Inside the SCART cables are the signals you
want so with an adapter to so you can get the L/R audio output.

If you want full digital sound to plug into an A/V decoder, and just a
Freeview box, then you'll have to shop around.

Alternatively, read the various NG items about the Humax PVRs.

Paul DS

Whats the best Freeview box?
 

On 10 Jul, 16:16, "Paul D.Smith" wrote:
Firstly, are you sure you can receive Freeview where you are without the
need for a new aerial etc? Secondly, ye cheapie box from a supermarket will
normally have a SCART socket. Inside the SCART cables are the signals you
want so with an adapter to so you can get the L/R audio output.

I don't want to faff about with extra kit in the cable chain. I just
want direct L/R audio out.

If you want full digital sound to plug into an A/V decoder, and just a
Freeview box, then you'll have to shop around.

No ,just stereo will do me fine.


Alternatively, read the various NG items about the Humax PVRs.

Not interested in a PVR , my VCR works perfectly well and has done for
17 years ;)

B2003

Whats the best Freeview box?
 

Boltar wrote:
I'm thinking about finally dipping my toes in the water of digital TV
and I'm just wondering about the best Freeview box to buy. My own
requirement is that it has some stereo output jacks so I can plug it
into an amp. At the local Curries they sell the Humax F2 but looking
on this group and elsewhere it seems to have had its fair share of
problems. Is this still the case or have they ironed them all out
now?

For what it's worth, I was looking at a recent Which! report on this
subject. They reckon that the only one worth buying is a Logik Vesa at
£50 in Currie's.

Whats the best Freeview box?
 

Boltar wrote:
I'm thinking about finally dipping my toes in the water of digital TV
and I'm just wondering about the best Freeview box to buy. My own
requirement is that it has some stereo output jacks so I can plug it
into an amp. At the local Curries they sell the Humax F2 but looking
on this group and elsewhere it seems to have had its fair share of
problems. Is this still the case or have they ironed them all out
now?


Hard call. I would look to assess:


a) ability to get picture from signal. Some seem better than others.
b) stability. Some seem prone to crash and resets, others never glitch.
c) Legibility of on-screen EPG and other on-screen controls.
d) Usability of EPG and remote features (both screen design and handset
design)
e) responsiveness of box to remote (some are dreadfully slow)
f) can it programme my VCR (assuming you require this)
g) ease of re-ordering channels and hiding rubbish channels (we all have our
own view of which are rubbish!)
h) does it have jacks for audio out, etc (minor, can be broken out from
Scart)


I have a now discontinued Sony box, I think it cost more than £70. When I
bought it, it cost considerably more than some other boxes.
It replaced a cheaper (£50) box which went back to the retailer as "not fit
for purpose" due to the number of crashes (which reset everything, loosing
my preferences, recording settings, hiding of rubbish channels, etc.). It
was also slow (push remote, drum fingers, wait for box, then something
happens) and the on-screen text wasn't particularly easy to read. The Sony
is way better in all respects.



I'm sure prices will have fallen by at least a third since I purchased mine.



- Nigel


--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

Whats the best Freeview box?
 

"Boltar" wrote in message
oups.com...
On 10 Jul, 16:16, "Paul D.Smith" wrote:
Firstly, are you sure you can receive Freeview where you are without the
need for a new aerial etc? Secondly, ye cheapie box from a supermarket
will
normally have a SCART socket. Inside the SCART cables are the signals
you
want so with an adapter to so you can get the L/R audio output.

I don't want to faff about with extra kit in the cable chain. I just
want direct L/R audio out.

If you want full digital sound to plug into an A/V decoder, and just a
Freeview box, then you'll have to shop around.

No ,just stereo will do me fine.


Alternatively, read the various NG items about the Humax PVRs.

Not interested in a PVR , my VCR works perfectly well and has done for
17 years ;)

You'll find it one hell of a hassle having to set two timers especially if a
programme begins earlier or later than advertised.

(kim)

Whats the best Freeview box?
 

"Nigel Cliffe" wrote in message
...
Boltar wrote:
I'm thinking about finally dipping my toes in the water of digital TV
and I'm just wondering about the best Freeview box to buy. My own
requirement is that it has some stereo output jacks so I can plug it
into an amp. At the local Curries they sell the Humax F2 but looking
on this group and elsewhere it seems to have had its fair share of
problems. Is this still the case or have they ironed them all out
now?


I live in a poor digital signal area and started with a Daewoo which was
good on BBC but useless on ITV etc even with a high-gain aerial on a10'
pole. I took advice and bought a Humax F2-FOX T (includes audio L-R out)
which is excellent on all channels.

Whats the best Freeview box?
 

"kim" wrote in message
...
"Boltar" wrote in message
oups.com...
On 10 Jul, 16:16, "Paul D.Smith" wrote:
Firstly, are you sure you can receive Freeview where you are without the
need for a new aerial etc? Secondly, ye cheapie box from a supermarket
will
normally have a SCART socket. Inside the SCART cables are the signals
you
want so with an adapter to so you can get the L/R audio output.

I don't want to faff about with extra kit in the cable chain. I just
want direct L/R audio out.

If you want full digital sound to plug into an A/V decoder, and just a
Freeview box, then you'll have to shop around.

No ,just stereo will do me fine.


Alternatively, read the various NG items about the Humax PVRs.

Not interested in a PVR , my VCR works perfectly well and has done for
17 years ;)

You'll find it one hell of a hassle having to set two timers especially if
a programme begins earlier or later than advertised.

Some VCRs - though perhaps not many 17-year-old ones - can be set so that
they start recording when they receive a signal from the STB - so you only
need to set one timer.

Alternatively set the VCR - you can usually use the VideoPlus+ numbers
published in Radio Times - and leave the STB set to the correct channel.

If you've really only got a 17-year-old VCR, I suggest you get a spare
before they go out of fashion - I expect you've got plenty of tapes!

--
Max Demian

Whats the best Freeview box?
 

On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 17:15:18 +0100, mike o'sullivan
wrote:

For what it's worth, I was looking at a recent Which! report on this
subject. They reckon that the only one worth buying is a Logik Vesa at
£50 in Currie's.

Thanks for the info, as per all Which recommendations that's one to
avoid like the plague.


--

Whats the best Freeview box?
 

"Mike" wrote in message
...

On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 17:15:18 +0100, mike o'sullivan
wrote:

For what it's worth, I was looking at a recent Which! report on this
subject. They reckon that the only one worth buying is a Logik Vesa at
£50 in Currie's.

Thanks for the info, as per all Which recommendations that's one to
avoid like the plague.

Agreed!!
I imagine the recommendation is sold to the highest bigger
(thats's the one with the largest number of poorly designed lemon'
boxes to shift)




--