New Freeview HD hardware: eXtra Terrestrial Freeview HD tuner

Forums › Freeview (DVB-T/DVB-S) › New Freeview HD hardware: eXtra Terrestrial Freeview HD tuner

wreck90

780 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#24705 31-Jul-2008 13:02

A guy is flogging "extra terrestrial" freeview HD tuners on trademe...

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/TVs/Other/auction-168725618.htm

Anyone know if they are any good, he seems to think they are the best around but he might be biased :)

This is what he says...

The BEST deal NOW available for the NZ public.
If you are paying more than this, then its NOW wasted money...

OUR ""Extra Terrestrial"" HD box
is considerred by many folk...BETTER than other overpriced units like zinwell....

But, his feed back is 95% , so some dissatisfied customers.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ... | 87

110 posts

Master Geek

#153004 31-Jul-2008 13:35

It seems alright, but I'd check out these 2 http://www.dtvs.co.nz/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=22 I have tested both and they are both pretty good, especially the pvr box

Asmodeus

1015 posts

Uber Geek

#153024 31-Jul-2008 15:00

Kinda unimportant, but doesn't "extra terrestrial" imply that its satellite Freeview or at least "not" terrestrial?!?

Aliens perhaps?

Jaxson

8042 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#153044 31-Jul-2008 15:42

Hi there,

I don't have trademe at work, How much are these going for on trademe?

The extra terrestrial ones are the http://freeviewnz.com/ model which have just arrived. Have a retail of $290 and working EPG. Definitely DVB-Terrestrial despite the name!

Those homecast and vantage units seem pretty pricey given you can get a proper zinwell for $350 at dick smith these days, or $399 for the DSE variant with hdmi cable. Also the pvr has no epg which means it's not worth jumping into just yet IMO.

wreck90

780 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#153168 1-Aug-2008 00:48

Jaxson: Hi there,

I don't have trademe at work, How much are these going for on trademe?

The extra terrestrial ones are the http://freeviewnz.com/ model which have just arrived. Have a retail of $290 and working EPG. Definitely DVB-Terrestrial despite the name!

Those homecast and vantage units seem pretty pricey given you can get a proper zinwell for $350 at dick smith these days, or $399 for the DSE variant with hdmi cable. Also the pvr has no epg which means it's not worth jumping into just yet IMO.

The vantage one says...

Includes a full 1 year subscription to TV Guide.

woohoo!

JaBZ

404 posts

Ultimate Geek

#153216 1-Aug-2008 09:32

Yep apparently the MHEG5 EPG specs won't be out till Dec. So I'll stick to my HTPC till then.

My opinions and ideas expressed in posts are solely my own and do not reflect the views of my employer in any way..

Jaxson

8042 posts

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Trusted

#153227 1-Aug-2008 10:15

Suppliers from China etc can fairly easily modify their boxes for our specific DVB-T spec. Just take an MPEG4 set top box and add support for our HE-AAC audio. What they can't easily do is sort the MHEG5 EPG because you really have to approach freeview to see how this bit of software actually works. That's why we're seeing a range of HD boxes that can't support the NZ EPG.

This extra terrestrial box does support the EPG and seems a good price. I'm yet to see any other box for under $300 full stop, most are around $400 and some don't even include the EPG. Some suppliers that have gone to the effort of sorting the EPG, others are just trying to make a quick buck. It's $350 for the original Zinwell at Dick Smith, anything other than that I think should be under $300, less if it doesn't include the EPG. Only exception is if you offer some additional functionality or superior build quality and support.

BazNZ

258 posts

Ultimate Geek

#153239 1-Aug-2008 10:29

Well this HD Freeview Receiver is very tempting at $290. "Extra Terrestrial HD Freeview Receiver"
Good Price compared to the $500 Zinwell's and other brands. What do you guys think? Should I buy one?

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mcraenz

1140 posts

Uber Geek

#153260 1-Aug-2008 11:28

YES you should buy one! Then if it's crap you can warn the rest of us.

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openmedia

3332 posts

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#153262 1-Aug-2008 11:30

JaBZ: Yep apparently the MHEG5 EPG specs won't be out till Dec. So I'll stick to my HTPC till then.

Equipment manufacturers can request the current MHEG-5 specs from freeview. What are you expecting be released in Dec?

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

Batman

Mad Scientist
29766 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#153299 1-Aug-2008 13:31

you must say it looks awesome for the price - but "usb for special features" - like?
also doesnt have or support hard drive / pvr ...
also what does it mean by "hd on component for movie freaks"?? movie freaks use hd via hdmi?
mmm very tempted - 70% savings on an htpc. but is it as buggy? and it doesnt record ...

Jaxson

8042 posts

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#153317 1-Aug-2008 14:17

I looked into finding a China type supplier for HD TV boxes earlier this year. Many had Mpeg2 terrestrial boxes available, and many had Mpeg2 that could record to HDD via USB. First up they were in the process of updating their products to receive Mpeg4 and then they were going to look at recreating the HDD recording capability.
I'd say many of the Mpeg4 boxes that are becoming available will have the hardware ability to record to HDD but it will depend on whether any supplier bothers to pursue the firmware developments enough to allow this. Kind of like the Zinwell boxes having network and usb ports that don't do anything, yet. Most suppliers could therefore advertise something along the lines of, "may support USB HDD in the future"!

JaBZ

404 posts

Ultimate Geek

#153340 1-Aug-2008 15:12

openmedia:

Equipment manufacturers can request the current MHEG-5 specs from freeview. What are you expecting be released in Dec?

Not sure, could be the specs to intergrate MHEG5 with a PVR so you have full scheduling capabilites. Thats what these distributors are saying with the current boxes that have a USB port. Or as in the case of the Strong, no MHEG5. Or is this BS?
What do you know?

My opinions and ideas expressed in posts are solely my own and do not reflect the views of my employer in any way..