When my trusty Daewoo stopped working, I neede a cheap replacement so
bought a Hitachi HDB71 from Argos. The box is ok but no where near as
good as my ancient Daewoo. The audio cuts off for a couple of seconds
regularly (electrical interference I suppose) and the box is not the
easiest to use. Specially I miss the (not sure what the actual name
is) return to previously viewed channel button and the channel
navigation is at best mediocre. Are all sub £25 boxes like this? Is
there a better one around? As a matter of interest, does anyone know
which boxes won the which? review a few months ago?

Cheers

wrote in message 
news:a7577b00-adee-4e74-8ec9-44ea11aa2e98@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
> When my trusty Daewoo stopped working, I neede a cheap replacement so
> bought a Hitachi HDB71 from Argos. The box is ok but no where near as
> good as my ancient Daewoo. The audio cuts off for a couple of seconds
> regularly (electrical interference I suppose) and the box is not the
> easiest to use. Specially I miss the (not sure what the actual name
> is) return to previously viewed channel button and the channel
> navigation is at best mediocre. Are all sub £25 boxes like this? Is
> there a better one around? As a matter of interest, does anyone know
> which boxes won the which? review a few months ago?
>


I'm in same boat with Daewoo.
I noted only Argos have the Hitachi.  We also have near a shop which sells 
the returns from Argos etc.  Well they have lots of the Hitachi at £12. 
Guess we know why now from your post.

Currys have a Humax Fox at £50 and a Philips 220 at £25.   ( the Philips is 
powered at 12 V, useful in caravans.)

I would like to have reports on these please.
The Humax seems way over the prices of all others.   Philips only well known 
name in shops, but wonder if really Philips, are they Pace as I not seeing 
Pace ones around.  Think Pace and Philips have a deal on satellite boxes.
-- 
Regards,
David

Please reply to News Group

"David"  wrote in message 
news:KWysk.96876$D01.67293@newsfe17.ams2...
>
>
SNIP

>
> Currys have a Humax Fox at £50 and a Philips 220 at £25.   ( the Philips 
> is powered at 12 V, useful in caravans.)

Philips promise updates but don't deliver or respond to queries about it.

>
> I would like to have reports on these please.
> The Humax seems way over the prices of all others.   Philips only well 
> known name in shops, but wonder if really Philips, are they Pace as I not 
> seeing Pace ones around.  Think Pace and Philips have a deal on satellite 
> boxes.
> -- 
> Regards,
> David
>
> Please reply to News Group

"R. Mark Clayton"  wrote in message 
news:W-WdnebfPcMjYi_VnZ2dnUVZ8sPinZ2d@bt.com...
>
> "David"  wrote in message 
> news:KWysk.96876$D01.67293@newsfe17.ams2...
>>
>>
> SNIP
>
>>
>> Currys have a Humax Fox at £50 and a Philips 220 at £25.   ( the Philips 
>> is powered at 12 V, useful in caravans.)
>
> Philips promise updates but don't deliver or respond to queries about it.
>
>>

So the Philips could end up like the Daewoo etc.
-- 
Regards,
David

Please reply to News Groupwhich needs an upgrade to make it work again.

David wrote:
> 
> 
>  wrote in message 
> news:a7577b00-adee-4e74-8ec9-44ea11aa2e98@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
>> When my trusty Daewoo stopped working, I neede a cheap replacement so
>> bought a Hitachi HDB71 from Argos. The box is ok but no where near as
>> good as my ancient Daewoo. The audio cuts off for a couple of seconds
>> regularly (electrical interference I suppose) and the box is not the
>> easiest to use. Specially I miss the (not sure what the actual name
>> is) return to previously viewed channel button and the channel
>> navigation is at best mediocre. Are all sub £25 boxes like this? Is
>> there a better one around? As a matter of interest, does anyone know
>> which boxes won the which? review a few months ago?
>>
> 
> 
> I'm in same boat with Daewoo.
> I noted only Argos have the Hitachi.  We also have near a shop which 
> sells the returns from Argos etc.  Well they have lots of the Hitachi at 
> £12. Guess we know why now from your post.
> 
> Currys have a Humax Fox at £50 and a Philips 220 at £25.   ( the Philips 
> is powered at 12 V, useful in caravans.)
> 
> I would like to have reports on these please.
> The Humax seems way over the prices of all others.   Philips only well 
> known name in shops, but wonder if really Philips, are they Pace as I 
> not seeing Pace ones around.  Think Pace and Philips have a deal on 
> satellite boxes.


I've tried the cheap Philips black box (can't remember model name), 
didn't think much of it but it worked and has 'fast channel change', 
everything else is slow though and had the cheapest RGB scart cable 
imaginable.

Another box I have is the Astratec with TUTV/Setanta card slot, it has 
the IBM PPC processor and is a long established design with many updates 
in the past and now quite stable, if a bit plain looking.  It retails 
under many different brands, latest one I have seen in the supermarket 
is the Goodmans GDB10CA (I think). Speedy  operation, slightly faster 
that the Philips fast change and overall quick.  Also has the channel 
swap button you want.

--
Tony

I bought a Wharfedale STB from Argos a month or so ago (also ca. £25). It 
too exhibits the audio cut-off but at irregular intervals - sometimes a 
minute or so apart, occasionally 15 mins, and the length of the shut-off 
varies from 1 second to 10 secs. Can this really be electrical interference 
or could it be a subtle signal strength effect? (The video appears not to be 
affected.)

David F

 wrote in message 
news:a7577b00-adee-4e74-8ec9-44ea11aa2e98@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
When my trusty Daewoo stopped working, I neede a cheap replacement so
bought a Hitachi HDB71 from Argos. The box is ok but no where near as
good as my ancient Daewoo. The audio cuts off for a couple of seconds
regularly (electrical interference I suppose) and the box is not the
easiest to use. Specially I miss the (not sure what the actual name
is) return to previously viewed channel button and the channel
navigation is at best mediocre. Are all sub £25 boxes like this? Is
there a better one around? As a matter of interest, does anyone know
which boxes won the which? review a few months ago?

Cheers

On Aug 25, 3:01 pm, "David"  wrote:
>  wrote in message
>
> news:a7577b00-adee-4e74-8ec9-44ea11aa2e98@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
>
> > When my trusty Daewoo stopped working, I neede a cheap replacement so
> > bought a Hitachi HDB71 from Argos. The box is ok but no where near as
> > good as my ancient Daewoo. The audio cuts off for a couple of seconds
> > regularly (electrical interference I suppose) and the box is not the
> > easiest to use. Specially I miss the (not sure what the actual name
> > is) return to previously viewed channel button and the channel
> > navigation is at best mediocre. Are all sub £25 boxes like this? Is
> > there a better one around? As a matter of interest, does anyone know
> > which boxes won the which? review a few months ago?
>
> I'm in same boat with Daewoo.
> I noted only Argos have the Hitachi.  We also have near a shop which sells
> the returns from Argos etc.  Well they have lots of the Hitachi at £12.
> Guess we know why now from your post.
>
> Currys have a Humax Fox at £50 and a Philips 220 at £25.   ( the Philips is
> powered at 12 V, useful in caravans.)
>
> I would like to have reports on these please.
> The Humax seems way over the prices of all others.   Philips only well known
> name in shops, but wonder if really Philips, are they Pace as I not seeing
> Pace ones around.  Think Pace and Philips have a deal on satellite boxes.

By a strange quirk of fate, my Daewoo 608 died (PSU failure) about 2
weeks before the NIT change.

I too wanted a cheap as chips STB, but none of the reviews of the
cheap stuff seemed to stack up to be a good reliable box.

Then I remembered that when freeview launched I paid £99 for a Pace
DTVA and about £80 for the Daewoo, so I reckoned anything under £50
would be sound value.  So I went for the TVonics MDR-200 (http://
www.tvonics.com/mdr200.html) for £34.99 (delivered).  Manufactured by
Sony apparently.  Has some nice features including remote extension
and various options for mounting the STB.  I've been very pleased, no
faults so far.

Matt

"larkim"  wrote in message 
news:830f70e3-7afa-4b83-83c8-c61ed3dce873@d77g2000hsb.googlegroups.c

  So I went for the TVonics MDR-200 (http://
> www.tvonics.com/mdr200.html) for £34.99 (delivered).  Manufactured by
> Sony apparently.  Has some nice features including remote extension
> and various options for mounting the STB.  I've been very pleased, no
> faults so far.
>

They have none.

-- 
Regards,
David

Please reply to News Group

On Aug 27, 9:59 am, "David"  wrote:
> "larkim"  wrote in message
>
> news:830f70e3-7afa-4b83-83c8-c61ed3dce873@d77g2000hsb.googlegroups.c
>
>   So I went for the TVonics MDR-200 (http://
>
> >www.tvonics.com/mdr200.html) for £34.99 (delivered).  Manufactured by
> > Sony apparently.  Has some nice features including remote extension
> > and various options for mounting the STB.  I've been very pleased, no
> > faults so far.
>
> They have none.
>
> --
> Regards,
> David
>
> Please reply to News Group

But apart from that glaring fault......if they had some, they'd be a
good buy!!!

I wonder if they've be swamped by demand following the NIT change.
Any indications that the product is being phased out?

The problem with picking up a STB now (as opposed to the days when
there were only a few around) is that there is unlikely to be a
comprehensive up to date review of all of the models, so you can only
really make good decisions through a) word of mouth b) brand
(potentially) or c) price (potentially).  I bought the TVonics one
because of a) above, but also because it touted low energy use which I
knew SWMBO would approve of.

Matt

On Aug 27, 2:06 pm, larkim  wrote:
> On Aug 27, 9:59 am, "David"  wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > "larkim"  wrote in message
>
> >news:830f70e3-7afa-4b83-83c8-c61ed3dce873@d77g2000hsb.googlegroups.c
>
> >   So I went for the TVonics MDR-200 (http://
>
> > >www.tvonics.com/mdr200.html) for £34.99 (delivered).  Manufactured by
> > > Sony apparently.  Has some nice features including remote extension
> > > and various options for mounting the STB.  I've been very pleased, no
> > > faults so far.
>
> > They have none.
>
> > --
> > Regards,
> > David
>
> > Please reply to News Group
>
> But apart from that glaring fault......if they had some, they'd be a
> good buy!!!
>
> I wonder if they've be swamped by demand following the NIT change.
> Any indications that the product is being phased out?
>
> The problem with picking up a STB now (as opposed to the days when
> there were only a few around) is that there is unlikely to be a
> comprehensive up to date review of all of the models, so you can only
> really make good decisions through a) word of mouth b) brand
> (potentially) or c) price (potentially).  I bought the TVonics one
> because of a) above, but also because it touted low energy use which I
> knew SWMBO would approve of.
>
> Matt- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

As a further note, the MDR-200 is sold as a Logik Vesa at Currys,
though it is more expensive there and doesn't have the remote control
extender included (apparently).

Matt

"David"  wrote in message 
news:9qDsk.23618$_M4.3734@newsfe18.ams2...
>
>
> "R. Mark Clayton"  wrote in message 
> news:W-WdnebfPcMjYi_VnZ2dnUVZ8sPinZ2d@bt.com...
>>
>> "David"  wrote in message 
>> news:KWysk.96876$D01.67293@newsfe17.ams2...
>>>
>>>
>> SNIP
>>
>>>
>>> Currys have a Humax Fox at £50 and a Philips 220 at £25.   ( the Philips 
>>> is powered at 12 V, useful in caravans.)
>>
>> Philips promise updates but don't deliver or respond to queries about it.
>>
>>>
>
> So the Philips could end up like the Daewoo etc.

Yes, but at £25 who cares.  OTOH their £1k HD TV's with onboard tuner might 
be more of a nuisance if the DTV spec' changes in a couple of years time and 
they won't supply an update to install via a USB drive...

> -- 
> Regards,
> David
>
> Please reply to News Groupwhich needs an upgrade to make it work again.
>
>