Best DVB-T Set Top Box

Forums › Freeview (DVB-T/DVB-S) › Best DVB-T Set Top Box

BuckoNZ

136 posts

Master Geek

#185404 21-Nov-2015 14:32

Thinking about giving Sky TV the flick and signing up for a couple of the subscriber internet streaming services now available.

However, I want to get Freeview HD so I can watch network television as well.

Interested in what GeekZone members think is currently the best DVB-T box to buy - preferably with recording ability.

BuckoNZ

136 posts

Master Geek

#1436811 28-Nov-2015 12:25

No one?

Wills1

710 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1436845 28-Nov-2015 13:36

Probably the Aerialbox T2200 which has a big thread in this forum. It has recording function with built in HDD and on demand content with an internet connection. This is the unit I am going to replace MySky with in January when my special deal runs out with Sky.

morrisk

364 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1436884 28-Nov-2015 14:31

Gave up Sky over a year a go and have had the Magic TV MTV3700TD since. No problems and haven't missed sky at all. Stream most of the programmes I watch these days through Samsung TV apps (iPlayer & ITV) together with Apple TV4

josephhinvest

1543 posts

Uber Geek

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#1436888 28-Nov-2015 14:42

Buy my TiVo!

BuckoNZ

136 posts

Master Geek

#1437089 29-Nov-2015 07:46

Thanks for the responses. I have been looking at the Dish TV 2200 however wasn't aware of the Magic TV unit - might take a closer look at one of those.

Gilco2

1556 posts

Uber Geek

#1437116 29-Nov-2015 08:54

BuckoNZ: Thanks for the responses. I have been looking at the Dish TV 2200 however wasn't aware of the Magic TV unit - might take a closer look at one of those.

Magic TV is not FreeviewPlus so wont get tvondemand etc

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Wills1

710 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1437124 29-Nov-2015 09:15

BuckoNZ: Thanks for the responses. I have been looking at the Dish TV 2200 however wasn't aware of the Magic TV unit - might take a closer look at one of those.

Just be mindful These don't feature FreeviewPlus. Here's a link for Magic TV http://www.dishtv.co.nz/Freeview|HD-aerialBox/152-MagicTV-MTV3700TD-myFreeview|HD-DTR/flypage_web2_lite.tpl.htm

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joshhill96

1512 posts

Uber Geek

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#1437399 29-Nov-2015 20:54

The aerialBox T2200 is the only FreeviewPlus PVR in our range so far, the other products do not have FreeviewPlus, a non PVR STB T2100 does FreeviewPlus

Formerly worked at iStore NZ (Rest in Peace), Sky Network Television, Freeview, Apple, Spark New Zealand Trading Limited, DISH TV Technologies.

Travel Geek: Brazil, Chile, New Caledonia, United States, Fiji, Vanuatu, Australia, Cook Islands

JimmyH

2886 posts

Uber Geek

#1438063 30-Nov-2015 18:57

The "best" box is a bit of a subjective question, on which you will get a lot of opinions here. It would help get an answer that is useful to you if you could be a bit more specific about what you are trying to achieve, and what your budget and existing set up is. For instance:

do you already have a working UHF aerial?
do you care about ability to record material?
if so, do you care about being able to record two things at once?
do you need networkability (eg watch recorded programmes on a media player in another room, over a LAN)?
do you care about being able to burn stuff to disk?
do you want/need Freeview plus?
what will you be connecting it to?
and one of the most important questions, what's your budget?

These matter, and saying yes to some questions means you may have to say no to others. For instance, if you want networkability and the ability to burn to disk, one of the Panasonic units may be your best bet. However, if you care about Freeview Plus, you are probably looking at one of the Dish units.

BuckoNZ

136 posts

Master Geek

#1438866 1-Dec-2015 20:58

do you already have a working UHF aerial?
- No but I plan on getting one
do you care about ability to record material?
- Yes. Want to be able to record Freeview.
if so, do you care about being able to record two things at once?
- That would be ideal.
do you need networkability (eg watch recorded programmes on a media player in another room, over a LAN)?
- No. But I suspect that any device worth purchasing would have a LAN connection.
do you care about being able to burn stuff to disk?
- No. No interest in that at all.
do you want/need Freeview plus?
- Yes.
what will you be connecting it to?
- A 48" LCD television.
and one of the most important questions, what's your budget?
- If budget was a primary concern I would have mentioned it, but it's not.

tangerz

625 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1438888 1-Dec-2015 21:22

BuckoNZ:

do you already have a working UHF aerial?
- No but I plan on getting one

do you care about ability to record material?
- Yes. Want to be able to record Freeview.

if so, do you care about being able to record two things at once?
- That would be ideal.

do you need networkability (eg watch recorded programmes on a media player in another room, over a LAN)?
- No. But I suspect that any device worth purchasing would have a LAN connection.

do you care about being able to burn stuff to disk?
- No. No interest in that at all.

do you want/need Freeview plus?
- Yes.

what will you be connecting it to?
- A 48" LCD television.

and one of the most important questions, what's your budget?
- If budget was a primary concern I would have mentioned it, but it's not.

Given your answers, (as most people have suggested above), the Dish TV aerialBox T2200 would seem to fit your needs perfectly.

E3xtc

773 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1439012 2-Dec-2015 07:30

I would just be wary with the AerialBox products in terms of your reception quality, as I used to roll with these products and they were good, but our reception quality dropped, and the AerialBox product turned into a flaky pile of poo, whereas the other Panasonic tuner in the house was fine.
Back and forth multiple times with AerialBox support, long story short, ended up binning (the reasonably new AerialBox unit) and switching it out for a Panasonic STB/PVR and never looked back - I could only conclude that the receiver quality in the AerialBox is marginal in terms of it's ability to work in areas which have less than great reception.
So yeah - just a headsup

HiroProtagonist

47 posts

Geek

#1439843 3-Dec-2015 12:15

JimmyH:

if so, do you care about being able to record two things at once?

Do you care about recording 3 things at once [each on a different MUX]?

There are no commercial units that can do this, so the solution is to roll your own. Surprisingly easy, and cheap.