Recommend a Digibox!

[Tyre_Tread]

So far I have bought 3 Digiboxes with the intention of getting one that works for more than few months.

Initially I bought (what I thought was) a reasonable quality one (Ferguson triangular box listed at £100 in Currys but negotiated it down to £50) and it lasted all of about 18 months before it started to change channels intermittently. This channel changing became more and more frequent until it was unwatchable.

I then ordered off t'internet a small unit that plugs directly into the socket on the back of the TV. Result was green everything - people, buildings, cars. Checked it on more than one TV and it was the same so back it went.

My missus picked up a cheapie Grundig one from Cosco which has lasted less that a year before the sound beacme distorted and it stopped working altogether. Last night I traced and fixed the non working problem to a dry joint on the thermal fuse(?) (limit of my electical knowledge. Put the thing back together and the sound is still so bad (sort of fuzzy) that its barely watchable.

Can anyone, please, recommend a half decent digibox without sopending a King's reansom?

[Ed.]

Not sure about brand because it sounds like you are having bad luck with different ones but you could either spend more or get a £30 one from john lewis and get a warranty that they stick too.

[miniman]

Humax

[tonyvid]

Hi TT, I had a Philips one from Tesco that coast about £33 and that was fine, I gave it to my parents when I bought a BTVision box from BT for £30+£30 connection fee but you need a BT Broadband line to make it work - great bit of kit for the price of a digibox!

[alex1982]

We brought a Phillips one from Argos 2 weeks, its pretty cack. Would an internal aeriel help?

[garycat]

No but an external one would.

[tonyvid]

alex1982 said:

We brought a Phillips one from Argos 2 weeks, its pretty cack. Would an internal aeriel help?

Er, no. With digiboxes it either works or doesn't.

[n3il123]

miniman said:

Humax

Another vote for the Humax.. had one for about 2 years and never had one problem with it

[Tyre_Tread]

tonyvid said:

Hi TT, I had a Philips one from Tesco that coast about £33 and that was fine, I gave it to my parents when I bought a BTVision box from BT for £30+£30 connection fee but you need a BT Broadband line to make it work - great bit of kit for the price of a digibox!

Hi Tony, does that use up your download alocation when you use it?

Edited by Tyre_Tread on Tuesday 24th February 12:11

[A - W]

Humax 9200T is the one I went for a year or so ago.

Absolutely great, think similar Sky+ if you've never heard of one before.

Might be a touch more then a single set top box but the recording facility makes up for it.

[GregE240]

If it doesn't need recording capability built in, take a look at a secondhand Sony one.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SONY-VTX-D800U-Freeview-Rece...

I have one - it is simply the best Freeview receiver I've ever used.

[S7Paul]

See http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[tonyvid]

Tyre_Tread said:

tonyvid said:

Hi TT, I had a Philips one from Tesco that coast about £33 and that was fine, I gave it to my parents when I bought a BTVision box from BT for £30+£30 connection fee but you need a BT Broadband line to make it work - great bit of kit for the price of a digibox!

Hi Tony, does that use up your download alocation when you use it?

Nope, I only use it as a freeview reciever/recorder and haven't downloaded a thing yet.....mind you, I did notice an "adult section" the other day

I have it on a no-subscription basis as my broadband speed is only about 1.4Mb, it will only work with BT connected(for the electronic programme guide etc) so that is bit of a limitation if you tend to swap about. I can't fault it, great picture quality, record 2 things at once, pause live telly, blah blah.

[S6PNJ]

A - W said:

n3il123 said:

miniman said:

Humax

Another vote for the Humax.. had one for about 2 years and never had one problem with it

Humax 9200T is the one I went for a year or so ago.

Absolutely great, think similar Sky+ if you've never heard of one before.

Might be a touch more then a single set top box but the recording facility makes up for it.

Get a Humax reconditioned unit (from Humax) for the princely sum of £96.89. it will be the best £96.89 you ever spend on a digibox. The Humax has a twin receiver and so can record 2 progs at once while still watching a THIRD (recorded or some channels only). It can record up to about 80-100 hours of TV I think. Loads of people on here swear by them (as do I).

Edited by S6PNJ on Tuesday 24th February 12:43

[miniman]

S6PNJ said:

A - W said:

n3il123 said:

miniman said:

Humax

Another vote for the Humax.. had one for about 2 years and never had one problem with it

Humax 9200T is the one I went for a year or so ago.

Absolutely great, think similar Sky+ if you've never heard of one before.

Might be a touch more then a single set top box but the recording facility makes up for it.

Get a Humax reconditioned unit (from Humax) for the princely sum of £96.89. it will be the best £96.89 you ever spend on a digibox. The Humax has a twin receiver and so can record 2 progs at once while still watching a THIRD (recorded or some channels only). It can record up to about 80-100 hours of TV I think. Loads of people on here swear by them (as do I).

I was initially sceptical - "who the fk are Humax?" - but they are a bit like Open Source software - you get all the cool features and it just works.

[Tyre_Tread]

S7Paul said:

See http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Sorry, search facility wasn't working when I posted earlier.

Some good possibilities there. Thanks guys!

[Tyre_Tread]

Had a look at the BTVision option and although I have BT Broadband with a wireless router, I don't have a Home Hub which they are trying to flog me for about £50 plus the £30 set up and £30 for the box.

Makes it a tad expensive for essentially a Digibox!

[E31Shrew]

You'll find now that all decent manufacturers have stopped making Freeview boxes as not economically viable. Youre better off buying a HD DVD recorder with Freeview built in and getting the recording benefits also. Just make sure you but a well known brand and avoid Samsung

[Pupp]

What are you doing with them to kill them? Not stuck in a confined space with no ventilation?

I have a couple of the Sony freeview ones mentioned above, which are great. I also have a Humax Freesat PVR which is better still. Every bit as good as the hype (for once).

[tonyvid]

Tyre_Tread said:

Had a look at the BTVision option and although I have BT Broadband with a wireless router, I don't have a Home Hub which they are trying to flog me for about £50 plus the £30 set up and £30 for the box.

Makes it a tad expensive for essentially a Digibox!

They gave me a free home hub as I only had a router before - I think they had to renew my broadband service to do that but I was staying with them anyway...for the BTVision

There is a lot to be said for going for a PVR with freeview built in, I was still using my SVHS until xmas but that is because I am a luddite.