Dead Set-top-box, recommendations requested

[markbanang]

Hi peoples,

My Thompson DTI 2300 died this week, so I'm looking for a suitable replacement. At the time I bought it, it was being recommended as one of the most reliable STB's still available and the most stable for use with UK Tivo's.

With the news that some STB's have stopped working recently and with the 2300 having died in under two years, I'm wondering if there might be better options today.

So, what STB's have people found reliable? I run my Tivo and STB on a UPS, so I would consider more than one freeze/reboot per month to be unacceptably high (which is why I decommissioned my original Pace OnDigital box).

Any thoughts or opinions gratefully received. Most of the other threads on this topic are either woefully out of date or have diverged wildly off topic, so I think a clean slate at this time might be worthwhile.


Mark..........

[RichardJH]

I'm using a Technika box from Tesco's and not finding any problems. At least with Tesco's I have never had any problems with returns or exchanges. Make your choice and try.

AFAIK the IR codes are in the generic freeview list

[Johnbyte]

My Thompson DTI 2300 died this week, so I'm looking for a suitable replacement..........

Hi Mark,

Funnily enough my Thomson DTI2300 failed a couple of weeks before Christmas, though it was rather older than yours - purchased around 2002. I replaced it with a Humax F2-Fox-T. Fairly pricy, but I wanted something reliable, and an RF modulated output as my Tivo uses its aux Scart for Sky. STBs with a modulated RF output seem to be a bit thin on the ground. In the short time I've had it, the Humax has been fine - no rebooting so far.

Johnbyte

[britcub]

I'm using a Technika box from Tesco's and not finding any problems. At least with Tesco's I have never had any problems with returns or exchanges. Make your choice and try.

AFAIK the IR codes are in the generic freeview list

Unfortunately my Technika suffers from the dreaded 'sound drop-out' problem.

[einstein]

I'm using a Technika box from Tesco's and not finding any problems. At least with Tesco's I have never had any problems with returns or exchanges. Make your choice and try.

AFAIK the IR codes are in the generic freeview list
I'm in the market for a new STB, as my Panasonic is doing strange stuff, with randomly adding channels to odd numbers!

This Technika box doesn't do anything strange like, display messages, when it receives new channels, and then TiVo cannot change channel, and the IR codes are already in TiVo?

[cyril]

For freeview, my Sagems are reasonably reliable, and cheap too.

For Sky, SkyHD is reliable so long as you reboot it daily and dont use the Sky EPG or try to record using the Sky remote :)

[einstein]

For freeview, my Sagems are reasonably reliable, and cheap too.

For Sky, SkyHD is reliable so long as you reboot it daily and dont use the Sky EPG or try to record using the Sky remote :)

what are the model numbers, and can you still purchase them?

[sibo999]

I've been using a Phillips DTR 500 for about 8 months now and it's worked flawlessly. (No sound drop outs, restarts fine). It is reset 3 times a week on a timer, just in case.

I also have used a Phillips DTR 220 in the past which worked fine too. (I'm not bothered about recording radio)

Spookily both work on code 20053.

HTH

[uksurfing72]

I had a Sagem Box that gave up the ghost. After reading similar threads on the forums i've bought a Sony VTX-D800U Freeview Digital Receiver DVB from Ebay. Week 2 and so far so great!

[einstein]

yes, I was looking at purchasing one of these quality STBs, but they still seem to be selling fairly high, just bought a Logik LDR2 in the Currys sale. Been looking to purchase this model for ages, because it's very small, and I think Which? voted Best Buy, but wasn't going to pay £50 for a STB, glad I didn't because this one was a bargain in the sale.

[Ian_m]

I'm using a Technika box from Tesco's and not finding any problems. At least with Tesco's I have never had any problems with returns or exchanges. Make your choice and try.

AFAIK the IR codes are in the generic freeview list
Which Technika box did you get, there are 3 listed on Tesco Direct.

Technika ECO2STBA08 Twin Scart Digital TV Receiver £19.41
Technika Twin Scart Set Top Box £16.48
Technika ECO1STBA08 Single Scart Digital TV Receiver £12.65

Though it lists only the middle one having RGB output, which seems strange.

I will be forced into a new DTT box by 25th March 2009 as in Meridian area all Freeview frequencies are changing and I have an old SetPal box that if I allow to re-tune will die......:mad: