Ricability Set Top Box Reviews

Sky Amstrad DRX550

Ease of Use: 77%
Price: �Part of deal - contact supplier

Verdict: One of the boxes supplied by Sky for receiving digital TV via satellite - it's large with full controls on the top. Handles audio description and has a built in modulator for connecting to a no-SCART TV. Fairly high standby and in use power consumption. Good remote control that makes it easy to use.

Logik LDR V3

Ease of Use: 75%
Price: �39.93

Verdict: Small black box with basic controls on top and low power consumption. Full 7-8 day TV guide but no favourite groups. Handles audio description and has a built in modulator for connecting to a no-SCART TV. Intuitive and simple to use. Also to be sold as MDR 300. Optional universal remote control available for �14.99 from the manufacturer.

TVonics MDR-300

Ease of Use: 73%
Price: �59.95

Verdict: Small STB with basic controls on top. Intuitive and simple to use with a large, well designed remote control. No favourite groups possible. Incorporates audio description and built- in modulator for connecting to a no-SCART TV.

Logik LDR V2

Ease of Use: 71%
Price: �49.99

Verdict: A small STB, stand-alone or fixed behind the TV. Intuitive and simple to use with most functions operating through the central navigation and OK buttons on the remote control. This is slim and lightweight; an optional larger universal remote available for £14.99 (see Contacts).

Humax F2-FOX T

Ease of Use: 69%
Price: �69

Verdict: Small STB, generally intuitive to use but let down by a few niggles e.g.favourites awkward to select and TV guide versatile but lacks some prompts. Has a universal remote that operates TV and a modulator output for a TV with no SCART.

Tiscali

Ease of Use: 65%
Price: �Part of deal - contact supplier

Verdict: This product has some advanced functionality, but it lacks some basics such as text and subtitles. Its TV Guide is difficult to read due to excessive highlighting. User profile system is good and more versatile than the basic favourites system of most boxes. Series reminder feature useful. Kids' simple remote control available.

Virgin Media Samsung SMT-2110C

Ease of Use: 63%
Price: �Part of deal - contact supplier

Verdict: This is a fairly basic STB with some niggles, eg poor remote control labelling, limited teletext, poor instructions and poorly labelled front panel controls.

Virgin Media Pace

Ease of Use: 60%
Price: �Part of deal - contact supplier

Verdict: This is a complex system with a well laid-out RC, but is let down by poor navigation keys, a busy on-screen menu display and a limited TV Guide.

Hitachi HDB72

Ease of Use: 60%
Price: �29.99

Verdict: Large set top box with basic front panel controls and a slim remote control. 7-day TV Guide is slow to populate and shows only one channel at a time. Can set up a favourite channel group but this is not displayed in its own TV Guide or channel list. Intuitive to use with easily readable TV guide but poorly presented instruction manual. Low power consumption.

TVonics MFR-300

Ease of Use: 59%
Price: �69.99

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 (see Contacts).

Metronic Gemini MET739

Ease of Use: 58%
Price: �59.99

Verdict: Basic set top box let down by slow channel surfing, due to latency problems with remote and a critical angle of use. Unusual with two tuners so you can record one digital channel on a VCR or DVD recorder while watching another on the TV. 7-8 day TV guide is slightly slow to populate. Access to favourites via button only. High power consumption.

Technika AESTBS7

Ease of Use: 53%
Price: �22.97

Verdict: A black box with basic front panel controls. Full 7 day TV guide but shows only one channel at a time. Good clear subtitle button on the remote and logical on-screen menu.

Digihome DV940B

Ease of Use: 52%
Price: �17.99

Verdict: Distinctively styled silver box with a single SCART socket. Has full 7 day TV guide but this shows only one channel at a time.

Alba STB8

Ease of Use: 51%
Price: �19.99

Verdict: A small, slim, black box with a single SCART socket. Has full 7 day TV guide but this shows only one channel at a time. A 14 day Teletext version is downloaded each night that displays 5 channels at a time.

Philips DTR220/05

Ease of Use: 48%
Price: �33.97

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.

Grundig GUDSTB1000

Ease of Use: 47%
Price: �39.5

Verdict: Small, basic STB let down by TV guide that shows only a single channel, limited favourites option and poor buttons on the remote. Poorly presented instruction manual.

Metronic Setanta Sports 441805

Ease of Use: 47%
Price: �56.9

Verdict: Basic box with no front panel controls. Small, thin remote control with small, quite cramped buttons and small labelling. Daunting TV guide - bright and squashed with poor readability and shows one channel only at a time. One of the few boxes with pay TV viewing card slot. Sold as a Setanta Sports box with a Setanta card and one month's subscription. You can set up favourite channel groups but these are not displayed in their own TV guide.

Onn OSTB01

Ease of Use: 46%
Price: �22.97

Verdict: Basic box with a slim remote control. Its navigation buttons are low down and most buttons are small and wobbly to press. The TV guide can show only one channel at a time. You can set up a favourite channel group but this is not displayed in its own TV guide or channel list. Instruction manual lacks detail, has small print and is on thin paper with show-through.

Goodmans GDB6

Ease of Use: 46%
Price: �39.99

Verdict: This product has a poorly laid-out TV Guide, poor remote control and a poor instruction manual.

Sagem ITD58NG

Ease of Use: 45%
Price: �24.99

Verdict: Small, basic, unusually shaped unit with no TV guide and a single SCART socket. Fairly high standby and in use power consumption. Remote control pretty easy to use.

Wharfedale DV832B

Ease of Use: 44%
Price: �39.99

Verdict: Product has a poorly laid-out and unintuitive TV Guide. Remote control also poorly laid out. Advanced features are not intuitive and instructions manual does little to help.

Sagem ITD59NG ECO UK

Ease of Use: 41%
Price: �29.99

Verdict: Looks like a portable CD player with no front panel controls and a single SCART socket. 7-8 day TV Guide but only shows one channel at a time. No favourite groups possible. Comfortable and well laid out remote control. Not easy to retune - pin number required to access channel installation and poorly presented instruction manual. Low power consumption.

Goodmans GDB9

Ease of Use: 40%
Price: �34.94

Verdict: Silver box with basic controls on the front panel. Unfriendly TV guide that does not always show full 7x24 hours ahead and shows only one channel at a time. Remote control not easy to use.

Bush DFTA16

Ease of Use: 39%
Price: �19.99

Verdict: Basic box let down by remote control with poorly contrasted labelling and some squashed buttons and a daunting TV guide - busy and bright with small text and it shows one channel only at a time. You can set up favourite channel groups but these are not displayed in their own TV guide. Fairly high in use power consumption.

Digilogic DSTB5000

Ease of Use: 37%
Price: �17.99

Verdict: Silver box with basic controls on the front panel. Unfriendly TV guide that does not always show full 7x24 hours ahead and shows only one channel at a time. Fairly high power consumption in use.