Battle of the cheap digital boxes: TV Star 1020 HD USB or GOCLEVER DVB-T100 USB

LordSutch

TV Star 1020 HD USB PVR ready > http://pics.ricardostatic.gr/14_694429896_Big/%CF%84%CE%B7%CE%BB%CE%B5%CE%BF%CF%81%CE%AC%CF%83%CE%B5%CE%B9%CF%82/%CF%88%CE%B7%CF%86%CE%B9%CE%B1%CE%BA%CF%8C%CF%82-%CE%B4%CE%AD%CE%BA%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82-mpeg-4-tv-star-t1020-usb-pvr-hd.jpg

GOCLEVER DVB-T100 HD USB PVR ready > http://goclever.com/images/devices/dvbt_200_1.png

Both boxes are a cheap solution to getting Irish Digital TV on your non digital TV, both are PVR ready* both are HD.
They are both currently selling in several Irish/UK retail outlets, but which is the best box for your €40-€50 Euro?

*PVR ready with the addition of an external hard drive/USB stick.

Peter Rhea

LordSutch wrote: »

. . . which is the best box for your €40-€50 Euro?

Got a Saorview approved box (Technika) in Tesco a couple of weeks ago for €49.99.

And why do you refer to them as 'satellite boxes'? (Fixed now.)

LordSutch

So which Technika is that?

zg3409

T8030 SAORVIEW Approved set-top-box is the only technika approved box. The Laurus brand ay also be used with same model number.

I would buy any non Triax Saorview approved box. All makes are rebadged vestel boxes (such as Walker etc)

See here:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=81354457

These all allow PVR when an additional hard drive is added and are fully approved. Only use fully approved boxes for your main TV as it guarantees all features such a new teletext work 100%. Un approved boxes are often priced nearly the same. Approval is worth the 20 or 30 euro demanded.

So buy yourself a genuine non Triax Saorview approved box.

LordSutch

OK then, what happens if we put the T8030 up against the TV Star 1020 & the GoClever DVB-T100.

I presume the Saorview approved T8030 does all the interactive text stuff, while the other two don't?

Peter Rhea

What exactly is the point in starting another of these approved v. non-approved threads?

LordSutch

My fault, I just happened to buy the TV Star 1020 last week, then I saw the GoClever yesterday also in Tesco, so I thought I would ask which is best, then Peter threw the Technika into the mix . . . .

Sorry

zg3409

Assuming the approved ones are the exact same price, which they seem to be in tesco, why would you buy a non approved box?

The main features of approved boxes are:

8 day TV guide
Fancy new aertel
Captions on channels off air E.g. "RTE1+1 will be back at 7pm"
Guaranteed to work with all features
Sound guaranteed to work now and into the future
Possibility of over the air updates for fixes or new features
Tried and tested in Ireland
Good build quality

Non approved boxes should be much cheaper but often are not. They are only useful if cheaper for 2nd or 3rd TVs.

In general if your TV is more than 10 years old it makes sense to just buy a new TV with Saorview built in. It works out as better value long term.

zg3409

What is the price of the GoClever in Tesco?

LordSutch

€39 in Tesco.

watty

It's a mugs game making a once off small saving less than 10 cups of coffee on generic boxes. Most are not just un-certified, but lacking in features.

Unapproved/Uncertified = No assurance of complete compatibility, not intended for Irish market, usually lacks features.

Approved/Certified = Full compliance and implementation with ALL Saorview features and transmissions, except "PVR" unless specifically approved as PVR.

The shops should have adequate warning labels and always have Certified equipment too, or else shouldn't be selling the "generic" stuff.

watty

zg3409 wrote: »

The main features of approved boxes are:

8 day TV guide
Fancy new aertel
Captions on channels off air E.g. "RTE1+1 will be back at 7pm"
Guaranteed to work with all features
Sound guaranteed to work now and into the future
Possibility of over the air updates for fixes or new features
[Independently] Tried and tested in Ireland [In Sweden for Ireland by Teracom?]
Good build quality

Non approved boxes should be much cheaper but often are not. They are only useful if cheaper for 2nd or 3rd TVs.

Uncertified boxes are a risk EVEN for 2nd & 3rd TVs. A waste of money.

Capt'n Midnight

If you want cheap spend €6 on a usb key

watty

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

If you want cheap spend €6 on a usb key

Though €12 inc postage gets you a USB stck with DAB and VHF-FM too (using a clever SDR mode. Asians are really starting to innovate, unlike a certain Fruit themed company)

Capt'n Midnight

watty wrote: »

Though €12 inc postage gets you a USB stck with DAB and VHF-FM too (using a clever SDR mode. Asians are really starting to innovate, unlike a certain Fruit themed comapany)

a link would be nice
esp. for the E4000? or similar chip.


But if you spent the €12 on a pair of €6 sticks you'd have the makings of a proper PVR :pac:

watty

I don't really do eBay links. Too much like an endorsement. A search will easily find such sticks. I had also a dual DTT tuner stick, worked fine with Win Media or DVBviewer in Win7 or XP. It died. Hauppauge sell a dual DTT stick.

But a PC / Laptop even with DVBviewer is nothing like as good even as a "Freeview+ HD" real PVR that works on Saorview. But I do have 2 x Sat cards DVB-S2 PCI in the PC too, from multiswitch with 4 LNBFs.

Capt'n Midnight

watty wrote: »

I don't really do eBay links.

not to worry , thought it might have been on dx or similar.

Galway

LordSutch wrote: »

€39 in Tesco.

The Tesco Tecnika is an appallingly crap box - I fitted two and an aerial for friends and every so often the signal pops and cracks, same happens with Alba and Lidl boxes if you wiggle the aerial input but the Tesco boxes are constantly doing this. My experience of some non SV approved boxes is they generally dont do this!

Ronnie Raygun

Galway wrote: »

The Tesco Tecnika is an appallingly crap box ...

That simply isn't true. I suspect your installation skills aren't as hot as you seem to think.

reboot

Galway wrote: »

The Tesco Tecnika is an appallingly crap box - I fitted two and an aerial for friends and every so often the signal pops and cracks, same happens with Alba and Lidl boxes if you wiggle the aerial input but the Tesco boxes are constantly doing this. My experience of some non SV approved boxes is they generally dont do this!

Having a problem with the Tecnika stb(originally £60 in Tesco).Sorry can't quote serial no.at present.In order to get the box to work,it has to be rebooted each time.HD pics are fine but its a nuisance!

Souriau

Non-approved STB doesn't see the part-time or shared channels.
e.g, it will either pick up RTE jr if you scan during the day and no RTE1+1 for the evening time when it switch on. Vice-versa if you scan for the channels at night, you will get RTE1+1 but no RTE jr for the next day.

The Mini T2 that my neighbour bought can't see the other channels when one is switch off for the day and the night channel come on
i.e. CBBC - BBC Three, Cbeebies - BBC Four and RTE jr - RTE 1+1.

deaglan169

sorry to hijack but will these cheap boxes also work with freeview sd and hd

Capt'n Midnight

Freeview HD needs a T2 tuner.

recyclebin

The price difference between approved and non approved is so small that it makes deciding which to go for easy.

The non approved boxes would have to be under €25 for me to consider them.

recyclebin

As for the USB ones, I bought the WandTV one from Deal Extreme and it worked fine.