Digital set-top boxes for TV how to choose

A digital set-top box (also called a receiver or tuner) will soon be required by all owners of TVs with standard analogue DVB-T transmission - this format is outdated. In the near future, in our country, a massive transition to DVB-T2 (a standard universally accepted in Europe) is planned - the most modern format for on-air digital television broadcasting.

Which prefix to choose?

If you are the owner of an old TV model that does not have a built-in DVB-T2 receiver, you will either have to change the TV, or purchase a set-top box. The tuner will significantly expand the capabilities of your TV.

Thanks to innovations in digital technology, signal transmission in the new format can be performed in HD and 3-D quality. It all depends on your TV - of course, if you have an “old” elderly veteran with a kinescope and an outdated audio system, it will be impossible to fully appreciate the delights of the new television broadcast format. But if you once purchased a completely modern TV (PDP or LCD), with a decent screen resolution and a large diagonal - the tuner will reveal for you all the possibilities of digital broadcasting.

Types of consoles

Today in the market you can find two relevant types of consoles, expanding the range of capabilities of a standard TV. It:

1. DVB-T2,
2. Smart-TV (IPTV).

The digital DVB-T2 tuner has the following advantages:

• you can watch 10 channels for free (of course, all-Russian - this is news, and various information and educational channels);
• there are more channels in the broadcast package;
• various additional information is transmitted in digital packets;
• The tuner is easy to use - it is easy to connect, configure and manage it.

IMPORTANT. The broadcast of ten publicly available entertainment channels still depends on the region - in some places, work is already underway on the construction of television towers.

The capabilities of the tuner depend on the proximity of the tower transmitting the signal - if you live far from it, you will have to additionally purchase an amplifier.

The Smart-TV digital receiver will interest you if you cannot imagine life without the Internet. In addition, current media technologies can no longer do without it. Many television channels have long had their own portals on the network. With a smart receiver, you can use the network to watch television programs, and you do not have to purchase a new and expensive TV model with a built-in smart function. This begs the question of which receiver is better to buy.

Pros of Smart-TV:

• you really save if you purchase this set-top box in addition to your existing TV instead of buying a new TV;
• You will get access to all the "wealth" of the Internet - various services and content repositories;
• the need to download movies, training videos, clips and other video content to a computer and copy to media will disappear;
• it will be possible to independently create a local network in order to view movies, videos and photos from your computer on a large TV screen;
• Android OS provides access to various applications and games on the same platform.

IMPORTANT. Self-connecting a smart set-top box is usually not difficult, but you will have to work hard with additional features. If you are friends with modern technology - great, if not - it is better to entrust the setting to a specialist.

Manufacturing countries

If we analyze what the situation is in the set-top box market in Russia, we can see that the following manufacturing countries occupy the main place in it:

1. China (and this is the most budget products, the choice of which is very large);
2. Russia (domestic manufacturers tightly occupied their niche);
3. Japan.

There are a lot of Chinese consoles with seductive prices on the market, but in order not to buy a very indistinct nouname, look for the BBK and Xiaomi brands - their tuners, at least, get good reviews. If you want to buy a Japanese tuner, pay attention to Supra products. Recommended Russian manufacturers:

• Oriel
• D-COLOR,
• TESLER,
• Rolsen,
• World Vision.

By the way, if you see the prefix of the Telefunken brand, do not take it for German products. Under a license agreement, electronics under this brand are produced in Russia.

IMPORTANT. Remember that the main evidence of a brand’s reliability is its transparency: information on worthy manufacturers is always on the Internet, and reviews of their products and ratings can also be found there.

What can digital consoles do?

DVBT-2:

1. digitizes broadcast television;
2. Allows you to record the desired TV programs on a USB-drive;
3. plays multimedia files from a USB drive;
4. gives you the opportunity to watch TV broadcasts at your convenience (the option of deferred viewing TimeShift).

Smart-TV is essentially a miniature computer with an OS - usually with Android, but both Windows and Linux can stand. To connect to the Internet using a conventional cable connector or Wi-Fi adapter.

1. allows you to watch TV shows, movies, any video content (but not recording to external media);
2. gives access to video hosting on the Internet;
3. makes it possible to browse web pages, communicate in social networks and instant messengers (Scype and similar programs) - you can attach a keyboard to the receiver;

Through applications, you can download and install your favorite games on the cloud or disk (the tuner in this case works as a game console with the image displayed on the TV screen, in which case you will also need a keyboard).

There are two types of smart consoles: a TV stick (similar to a flash drive, the minimum number of ports) and more expensive TV boxes (similar to a router, more reliable in operation, as they are cooled internally using radiators). TV boxes sometimes already have a keyboard.

Connection interfaces

You can connect external devices to any current receiver using standard connectors, you can easily figure them out.

Nuances:

• I want to watch media programs in high quality and the same resolution - check if there is an HDMI connector or YpbPr video output;
• free channels - not the limit of your desires, and you want to connect yourself with several different thematic packages 3D or HDTV for a fee? You need to have a CI slot (a special module with a card is placed there - it provides access to encrypted channels);
• if it is desirable to connect HDD or flash drives to the tuner and watch recordings on them, check if there is a USB port.

IMPORTANT. Fans of high definition images! Quard HD and FULL HD receivers are best for you.
Rating of consoles

It’s extremely difficult to compose some tops of digital consoles - how many users, so many requirements for this type of equipment. What completely suits one may categorically not suit another: people, choosing a device, take into account the reception quality, support for certain codecs (or its absence), the simplicity of settings, the ergonomics of the remote control and other characteristics. Therefore, the reviews make an ambiguous impression.

Among simple and budget receivers with DVB-T2 support, users noted the models:

1. VVK SMP145HDT2;
2. Oriel 421, 202 and 120;
3. D-COLOR DC1301HD.

Of the multifunctional devices marked:

• World Vision Foros Combo T2 / S2 and Premium;
• VVK SMP240HDT2;
• Telefunken TF-DVBT210;
• Oriel 963;
• D-COLOR DC1302.

Best Smart-TV tuners:

• two Xiaomi models - Mi Box International Version and Mi Box 3 Enhanced Edition (on Android);
• M8 Android TV Box;
• two "apples" - Apple TV 4K and TV Gen 4 32GB.

IMPORTANT. As much as possible familiarize yourself with the functionality of the product before purchasing it, it is also advisable to take into account the experience of previous customers - online reviews to help you.

From them you can learn not only about the advantages and disadvantages of a certain model - often users share their impressions about the features of connection and settings, this information may be useful to you.

What to look for when buying

Have you decided to purchase a receiver and do not want to overpay? When choosing your option, pay attention to the following important nuances:

Standard, screen resolution. The main thing you need is support for the DVB-T2 format (do not buy from DVB-T - this is a waste of money, the format will soon become completely irrelevant). Also, do not invest in purchasing a device that supports HDTV signal reception if the screen resolution of your television is standard definition (SDTV). Also in relation to 3D - why do you need this function if the TV does not reproduce a three-dimensional image?

Management Features. Typically, each decent tuner comes with a remote control. But inspect the front panel of the console: are there "main" control buttons - on / off, channel switching. They are very useful if the remote control gets lost or breaks, and you did not have time to pick up a new one.

Multimedia Formats. If you plan to use the receiver as a player for multimedia, pay attention to what video and audio processing formats it supports. Look for familiar formats: MP3 and MP4, MPEG, MPEG4, AVI, DivX, WAV and others like that.

Additional options. Check if the tuner has a TimeShift function - if so, you don’t have to worry that you will miss an important show for you, a series of an amazing series or a decisive sports match. In this case, connect to the receiver via USB an external information medium with the required amount of memory. Next, use the scheduler function and set the exact start and end time of the recording. And then you can leave with peace of mind and watch the recording of the desired TV program later.

IMPORTANT. For your own psychological comfort, specify in advance where the service center or technical support are located. Protect yourself from possible problems: production defects, difficulties with thin settings (especially for smart consoles).