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Test reports
Indoor aerials
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Search for Set Top Boxes - results
Search for Set Top Boxes - 28 results
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1 to 10
of 28
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Dion VSTBAW09
Compare (up to 3)
Ease of use:
53%
Price:
£13.00
Signal by:
Aerial
Show Verdict
Small box with a single SCART socket and no front panel controls. The TV Guide was very slow to fill up but it does show a small picture of the currently tuned channel. It has favourite channels feature but they are not displayed in their own TV Guide. Now and Next only available for the current channel being watched. It was considered easy to install.
Power use
In use power consumption:
3.4 watts
Standby power consumption:
1.8 watts
Dion STB1AW09
Compare (up to 3)
Ease of use:
49%
Price:
£13.00
Signal by:
Aerial
Show Verdict
A basic Freeview set top box with no front panel controls and a single SCART socket. Installation and set-up is easy with intuitive tuning and retuning but a poor quick start guide. The TV guide is very slow to fill up. The remote control is well laid out with well grouped buttons.
Power use
In use power consumption:
3.5 watts
Standby power consumption:
0.69 watts
Philips DTR230/05
Compare (up to 3)
Ease of use:
43%
Price:
£40.00
Signal by:
Aerial
Show Verdict
This is a Freeview set top box with a small remote control. The TV Guide was slow to fill up and to navigate and not easy to use.
Power use
In use power consumption:
3.5 watts
Standby power consumption:
Super Eco 'Active' - 0.40 watts. Super Eco 'Inactive' - 1.53 watts
Metronic Eco zapbox 2
Compare (up to 3)
Ease of use:
42%
Price:
£40.00
Signal by:
Aerial
Show Verdict
A basic Freeview set top box that is easy to install and set-up. It features a useful retuning shortcut via the blue button and also benefits from an easy to use TV guide. But ease of use is let down by the remote control that consists of small and wobbly buttons that are too close together. The button labels are also small and difficult to read.
Power use
In use power consumption:
3.7 watts
Standby power consumption:
Power saving mode 'on' (as delivered) - 0.61 watts, 'off' - 3.00 watts
TVonics MDR-240
Compare (up to 3)
Ease of use:
73%
Price:
£40.00
Signal by:
Aerial
Show Verdict
Small, intuitive and simple to use box with a fairly large and well designed remote control, dedicated subtitle and audio description buttons and an easily readable TV guide. No favourite channel groups but you can hide unwanted channels. It also has the assisted retune feature - this makes re-tuning for digital switchover much easier.
Power use
In use power consumption:
3.8 watts
Standby power consumption:
1.8 watts
Grundig GUD1600TS1G
Compare (up to 3)
Ease of use:
60%
Price:
£60.00
Signal by:
Aerial
Show Verdict
This box has 2 SCART sockets and a useful built-in "timeshift" feature which allows you to pause a live TV programme for approximately half an hour. The TV Guide only shows one channel at a time, and is very slow to fill up but it does show a small picture of the currently tuned channel. It has no favourite channels option but unwanted channels can be deleted or locked. It does not have any front panel controls and the box tested had a sound to vision lip-sync problem. It was considered easy to install.
Power use
In use power consumption:
3.9 watts
Standby power consumption:
0.8 watts
Argos Value Range STB101
Compare (up to 3)
Ease of use:
40%
Price:
£15.00
Signal by:
Aerial
Show Verdict
Basic box that was not very easy to use. TV guide showed only one channel at a time and was very slow to fill up with programmes and the small remote control had small, poorly laid out buttons. No favourite channel groups but you can delete unwanted channels.
Power use
In use power consumption:
4.3 watts
Standby power consumption:
1.7 watts
TVonics MFR-300
Compare (up to 3)
Ease of use:
59%
Price:
£39.00
Signal by:
Aerial
Show Verdict
Tiny set top box with no front panel controls. Intuitive and simple to use and it can handle audio description. Most functions work through central navigation keys and OK key. TV guide and instruction manual readability could be improved. It connects via an aerial cable - ideal for a TV with no spare SCART sockets. Mono only sound but sound and picture quality satisfactory. No favourite groups possible. Low power consumption. An optional larger universal remote available for £14.99
Power use
In use power consumption:
4.43 watts
Standby power consumption:
1.24 watts
Metronic Eco zapbox
Compare (up to 3)
Ease of use:
44%
Price:
£30.00
Signal by:
Aerial
Show Verdict
Basic box that was easy to install and had intuitive TV guide, though very slow to fill up, and otherwise not very easy to use. Poorly laid out remote control with all round buttons lacking tactile feedback and small labelling.
Power use
In use power consumption:
4.9 watts
Standby power consumption:
1.2 watts
Philips DTR220/05
Compare (up to 3)
Ease of use:
48%
Price:
£28.00
Signal by:
Aerial
Show Verdict
Fairly small black box with full 7 day TV guide that was not easy to read and a remote control not easy to use
Power use
In use power consumption:
5.11 watts
Standby power consumption:
4.05 watts
1 to 10
of 28
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