Hitachi HDB72 - does it work with Tivo

[jed]

Hi,
Does anyone know if the Hitachi HDB72 works with Tivo at all?
As far as I know Hitachi used to be a decent make and Argos are knocking these boxes out at £25.

I can't see Hitachi on the Manufacturers list which worries me a little.

Thanks,
Jed

[Fred Smith]

Just because it got a brand name on the box does not mean it was made by them. Most Freeview boxes branded and other are currently made by Vestel or other manufacturers whom specialise in OEM'ing their products. So a lot use the same remote control codes and may have the same or similar issues as each other.

Rather than keep asking does 'XYZ' work with TiVo do a search on other websites to see if the box is any good in the first place. Digital Spy has a reviews section, a good place to start, where the Philips you recently asked about got poor reviews.

When you find a good box, even if the IR code for a particular bx is not in TiVo's database it can usually be added.

I am currently testing a SEG box as I need RF modulated output for my dual Sky Freesat / Freeview setup. It's another Vestel clone and so far so good, but it's early days.

PS SEG are not listed either but a code under Freeview works.

[jed]

Thanks for the information Fred, if all the boxes are made by pretty much the same few companies then maybe that explains why all the ones I've had recently have been trash.

The problem reading quite a few of the reviews I've seen is that some people will slate a box and others rave about it, rather suggesting that if you can get a good box you could be ok, however that doesn't answer the particular questions I was asking about the various boxes (changing between radio / TV etc.) where Tivo users are likely to be the most likely source of the answers as they'll doubtless be looking for the same things. Hence my queries here.

I'll have to look into how to getting codes added to Tivo in case I find a box which does work.

I have to say I'd never heard of SEG before. Looks like you may have avoided a Friday model, I see from the digital spy reviews that one person raves and 3 others have had problems.

I confess when I posted earlier I had picked the box up from Argos but not opened it (mostly in case there were no appropriate codes and it had to go back).

Following your post (thanks) I've opened up the box and for anyone who's interested...

What I found pretty much confirms what Fred says - the box appears very similar to the previous Wharfedale - identical size box, identical packing, identical remote (aside saying Hitachi rather than Wharfedale) although the front of the STB is marginally different but the display is identical.
The initial setup is identical as are the menus, even the s/w version is identical - getting the picture?
Needless to say the Wharfedale codes work.

One or two differences.
The menus are chronically slow (10second response?) however channel changing is quick enough so I don't care.
The better news is that on this box so far (I'm not counting any chickens) I've not noticed any sound drop-outs.
I've not checked if I can get it to auto-power up by jamming the on button again (not quite so easy with this design of button) however given the above I suspect it will work. I'll worry about that when I'm happy it isn't doing the sound drop thing.

Jed

[jed]

Forget it, it's just another piece of generic Agros sh*

Not only does the sound drop but I keep getting no signal.

It's going back.
Jed