Choosing a digital set-top box for TV

Digital set-top boxes extend the usual capabilities of televisions, both the latest years of release and 10 years ago. Recreation and entertainment is an integral part of the life of every modern person, and today television is one of the means of family leisure. The range of receivers, they are also digital tuners, receivers or set-top boxes, is wide and varied. Such a device is capable of much: from amplifying the signals of television channels broadcasting to going online.

What is the tuner for?

Digital TV tuner is able to expand the possibilities of regular broadcasting. It is a small device that performs several functions:

• digitization of broadcast television broadcasting;
• playback of multimedia files from USB-carriers;
• Record TV programs to flash media in .ts format;
• allows you to pause live viewing;
• the TimeShift option allows you to postpone watching a digital TV program.

Even if the TV supports broadcast standard DVB-T2, additional functionality of the console will interest many. In addition, the tuner is pretty much improve the quality of broadcast. According to user reviews, the installation of a digital receiver allows you to clearly broadcast all channels (included in the multiplex package), to capture the supported radio waves.

Smart TV set-top boxes - This is a separate direction of the tuners, they have more functionality: watching videos online, visiting web pages, wide gaming opportunities. The principle of operation of such devices can be of two types.

1. Store files and programs on your own hard drive. To use the necessary application it is pre-installed, after which it starts.
2. Storage of all files in the cloud, access to them is possible only if there is an Internet connection.

The key advantage of a smart set-top box is - access to Internet resources and display information on the big screen. The tuner can have multiple slots for memory cards, supports many file formats. Games are installed on the disc (or in the cloud), turning the familiar TV into a game console. You can connect a keyboard to it, chat with friends. via Skype or similar programs. Connect the set-top box for digital television via HDMI, VGA or AV-connectors.

In order for the smart tuner to process information faster and better, devices with two or four core processors will be priorities.

Choosing a digital set-top box

How to choose the most optimal device? The digital set-top box may have various options and must be compatible with the TV. Broadcasting television standard recently upgraded from DVB-T to DVB-T2, most receiver models support both formats, but you should pay attention to this when buying. Modern TVs almost all support both broadcast standards, but early release models are limited in features. If the device was released before the introduction of the DVB-T2 standard, it will not support it.

It is worth paying attention that many recommend to choose a digital receiver for the TV with encoding slot CI. Today there is no need for them, but in the future it is possible to expand multiplexes and the appearance of paid packages. There is a suspicion that by that time the standards will be updated to CI +, this has already happened with Tricolor models. Before you choose a new model, you should analyze whether there is a need for this option.

Audio codecs may also differ: if the user plans to play files with the .avi or .mkv extension, then audio support for the AC-3 is necessary, otherwise there will be only video, without voice acting.

Output HDMI will be useful both now and in the future. Users note a better picture when connecting the console through this output. In addition, the third multiplex package should include channels in HD quality, and, in the future, they can be expected on the air.

How to understand the standards of broadcasting

Due to the fact that the digital receiver for TV is a novelty for Russian users, sometimes there are various technical issues. So, it is not always clear whether the receiver can be connected to satellite dish (for example, "Tricolor") instead of the usual, to improve the quality and use the functionality of the device. The answer is simple: yes, perhaps, but meaningless. The receiver will broadcast the broadcast standard channels, and satellite dish will only serve as an antenna for receiving a signal.

Standards of broadcasting in our country are different:

• DVB (DVB-T, DVB-T2) - broadcasting in digital format, which a common antenna catches: indoor or outdoor;
• DVB-C - cable digital television broadcasting transmitted via fiber optic wires, as a rule, it is organized by various Internet providers;
• DVB-H - broadcasting on mobile phones;
• DVB-S - satellite digital television signals.

The TV tuner will receive and decode only the first type of broadcast, so connecting it to a satellite dish does not make sense.

If there are several TVs in the house, and the user wants connect them to a single digital receiver, then the problem will have to be solved in one of the possible ways.

1. Creating an internal home TV network when all TVs dub one connected to the tuner. With this connection, all devices will show one channel.
2. Buying a receiver for each TV.
3. Another solution is also possible: connect only one TV to the digital set-top box, and the rest to the antenna, satellite or cable TV.

Multiplex packets and a bit about antennas

Multiplex is a package of channels broadcast in digital format. on one frequency. Previously, broadcasting was carried out in DVB-T format, but today many (mostly regional) stations have switched to DVB-T2 standard.

There are two packages of shared channels: Multiplex 1 and Multiplex 2. They include 20 TV channels and several radio waves. At the stage of implementation, the Multiplex 3 package is located, its coverage is limited to Moscow, as far as state officials comment on it - in test mode. It is expected that over time, broadcasting will cover the entire country, as planned initially.

Concerning antenna selectionthen the minimum requirements for it. She must take decimeter waves and capture the signal as well as possible. Depending on the location and distance from the signal source, there may be a need for an outdoor antenna, but a small piece of wire may be enough.

Connecting and setting up a digital tuner

Digital set-top box connects to TV using "tulips" or via scart and HDMI connectors, the latter provides a higher quality of signal transmission. Not always with the tuner are all the necessary cables, their presence must be clarified with the purchase or purchase separately.

Setting up the receiver is quite simple. The antenna cable connects to the tuner via any output.auto scan mode will independently find all channels, it is enough to save the selected settings. The signal level can be adjusted using visual tracks, they are displayed on the screen and clearly show the quality of wave capture.

Cost overview

The price of digital set-top boxes varies in a large range, from 800 rubles to 16,000 rubles. The most expensive, as a rule, smart tuners with a wide range of functions. If the choice is limited to conventional receivers, here the price determines the number of different connectors and slots, functions, signal transfer speed.

Which prefix will be better depends on individual needs: budget is designed for a limited set of options, but for the garden or the garden is a good solution. More expensive and multi-functional need when all the features of the device will be used.Choosing a suitable model, it is worth determining what result the user needs.

For any technology, it is important to have a service center in your city or nearby, technical support. The user must be protected from possible manufacturing faults or problems with fine-tuning.

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