 Dick Smith Electronics STB, A Short Review: DSE DTR - 7000 |
DTV Forum Australia - Australia's Leading Digital TV and AV Forum > Digital TV Receivers & Related Products > Digital TV Set Top Boxes > SD Set Top Box Receivers
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  Nov 25 2004, 10:21 AM
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#1
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DTV Forums Member  Group: Senior Member Posts: 3,161 Joined: 13-October 03 From: Mount Coot-tha Member No.: 1,205  |
Alright guys, here's a short review of the DSE box that i have just purchased.
I'm here on holidays in Grafton and decided i needed a box for the "Beastette" (bedroom tv). Looking at the current cheap STB options, i was not happy with the options avalible (TEACS didn't do svid, and o couldn't find a strong SRT5000). So i pulled up at Tandies, and bought a DSE STB. Took it home and opened the box. Comes with an instruction manual, power cord, remote and the box itself. THATS IT. It doesn't come with a loop cable, RF cable or AV cable (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) . But I am not really complaining about that as it was only $149 so what you get is what you pay for i guess. I've got it plugged in to my Gramps tv via S-VHS. All i can say is that im impressed with the image quality. No composite artifacts to be seen. I set the time and the date and the location (NSW/ACT). I performed a auto tune to set in the ABC and SBS services that are currently running in Grafton. All i can say is WOW. 10 seconds it took to tune all stations. Thats including storing them. This thing is fast with tuning. The tuner isn't as sensitive as the Strong (only has 80% strength and 98% quality) but it still produces a reliable signal on both stations. It is set to 4:3 full screen as it is a 4:3 TV that im viewing it with. It also has a nifty feature to turn the LCN off. This is great for people who are used to the presets of there analog viewing device. The composite and the RF outputs also include superior image quality. Now theres not much i don't like about it, except that there is no option to select a mono output of sound, but as i said that doesn't bother me at the slightest. Also, you may need a strong signal to recieve DTV with this box. I highly recommend this box to anybody, and at $149 it is prooving competitive in the market. Cheers for now datvman |
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Nov 25 2004, 05:00 PM
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#2
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DTV Forums Member  Group: Member Posts: 2,091 Joined: 15-September 04 Member No.: 5,707 |
What TV is it on? Mine looked quite horrid on a Sony WEGA 59cm KVXA25M31 (and thats with SVM disbled, DYC removed and a geometry fix).
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Nov 25 2004, 07:30 PM
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#3
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DTV Forums Member  Group: Member Posts: 657 Joined: 4-January 04 From: Sydney Member No.: 2,163 |
QUOTE (datvman @ Nov 25 2004, 10:21 AM) I've got it plugged in to my Gramps tv via S-VHS. All i can say is that im impressed with the image quality. No composite artifacts to be seen. Your not going to ever get composite artifacts when using an Svideo output (at least you shouldn't). |
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Nov 26 2004, 09:24 AM
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#4
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DTV Forums Member Group: Senior Member Posts: 3,161 Joined: 13-October 03 From: Mount Coot-tha Member No.: 1,205 |
it connected to just your ordinary everyday TV, its an NEC from memory. I have never seen a S-VHS picture, and I wasn't expecting the image quality that good from SVHS.
Ikari - were you using a good quality SVHS cable. I am using the $30 harmony gold cable from tandies as well. Edit: I have had this unit for a day now, its running a little warm, but that is cured but putting those magic milk bottle caps underneath it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) . I watched a few SBS and ABC programs last night (world news, Little Britan, Kath and Kim) and it never skipped a beat. I am loving this new feature on turning the LCN off. I have programed it so ABC is 1 and SBS is 5, just like my current TV. This will be great for people who are used to there TV presets, who can just reprogram the box to there desired channels. Again, i recommend this box to anybody. This post has been edited by datvman: Nov 26 2004, 09:43 AM |
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Nov 26 2004, 11:41 AM
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#5
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DTV Forums Member  Group: Member Posts: 172 Joined: 8-July 04 From: Hobart, Tasmania Member No.: 4,551 |
Good to hear a review of this DSE generic unit. I nearly bought it the other day for a chrissy present for the inlaws. We decided to spend an extra $52 and went for the new Nextwave TDR-3190.
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Nov 27 2004, 02:53 PM
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#6
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DTV Forums Member Group: Member Posts: 2,091 Joined: 15-September 04 Member No.: 5,707 |
QUOTE Ikari - were you using a good quality SVHS cable. I am using the $30 harmony gold cable from tandies as well. nah I was just using a standard cable. Could be the reason. THey should've put a SCART on this box, it would've been cheaper probably. |
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Nov 28 2004, 12:52 AM
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#7
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DTV Forums Member Group: New Member Posts: 22 Joined: 26-May 04 Member No.: 3,938 |
QUOTE (datvman @ Nov 25 2004, 10:21 AM) TEACS didn't do svid  The DV-B350 certainly does do Svideo (with scart breakout connector). |
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Nov 28 2004, 03:30 PM
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#8
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DTV Forums Member Group: Senior Member Posts: 3,161 Joined: 13-October 03 From: Mount Coot-tha Member No.: 1,205 |
I heard you needed a special S-VID to scart cable that was wired differently than your standard scart to svhs cable
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Nov 28 2004, 03:34 PM
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#9
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DTV Forums Member Group: Senior Member Posts: 3,326 Joined: 16-August 03 From: Perth, WA Member No.: 6 |
It goes like this:
SCART-> S-video (out) S-video -> SCART (in) Yes, they are different, just like boys and girls. |
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Nov 28 2004, 04:45 PM
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#10
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DTV Forums Member Group: New Member Posts: 22 Joined: 26-May 04 Member No.: 3,938 |
QUOTE (datvman @ Nov 28 2004, 03:30 PM) I heard you needed a special S-VID to scart cable that was wired differently than your standard scart to svhs cable The DV-B350 doesn't require anything special. |
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Nov 28 2004, 04:56 PM
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#11
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DTV Forums Member Group: New Member Posts: 7 Joined: 27-November 04 Member No.: 6,870 |
I reckon it's nudging 40 degrees in Sydney today. Inside it's about 31 degrees.
Been watching tele with the dickies STB and the box is damn HOT. I turned it off (standby) for at least an hour and it's still really hot to touch. Not quite hot enough to fry an egg but hot enough to get a fan blowing onto it. Anyone else notice this? Any idea why it is so hot while on standby? Cheer BF |
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Nov 28 2004, 05:22 PM
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#12
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DTV Forums Member Group: Senior Member Posts: 3,161 Joined: 13-October 03 From: Mount Coot-tha Member No.: 1,205 |
This is really a characteristic of some STB. I have noticed mines running a bit hot. Just put some milk bottle caps at the bottom for some ventilation underneath. It cools it down. The heat is caused by the internal power supply, and the metal casing
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Nov 28 2004, 05:33 PM
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#13
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DTV Forums Member  Group: Member Posts: 366 Joined: 21-August 03 Member No.: 309 |
QUOTE (datvman @ Nov 28 2004, 05:22 PM) Just put some milk bottle caps at the bottom for some ventilation underneath. Macgyver! You are an ideas man... he he...seriously, a good idea. cheers, |
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Nov 28 2004, 05:33 PM
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#14
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DTV Forums Member Group: New Member Posts: 7 Joined: 27-November 04 Member No.: 6,870 |
QUOTE (datvman @ Nov 28 2004, 06:22 PM) This is really a characteristic of some STB. I have noticed mines running a bit hot. Just put some milk bottle caps at the bottom for some ventilation underneath. It cools it down. The heat is caused by the internal power supply, and the metal casing Oki-dok thanks, I'll do that. I noticed it's nearly flat on the bottom with no "feet" and yet it has small vent holes! Cheers BF |
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Nov 29 2004, 03:01 PM
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#15
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DTV Forums Member Group: New Member Posts: 13 Joined: 28-November 04 Member No.: 6,880 |
I am slowly loosing hair today I need some help
I have a DSE Set Top Box STB- (Set top box) stereo out (red/white) picture out (yellow)---- svideo,tv aerial,tv/vcr,ant in, tv out Video- machine MONO in /out RF etc (red/white)------- DVD- stereo sound/picture (red/white/yellow)------svideo TV- av1 av2 stereo sound /picture --- (AV1 AV2 red/white/yellow) ------svideo I want to be able to watch a TV station whilst record another TV station. I have set up the system the way the STB manual says but i can only see Digital TV when in REC modeon the video, which is not what I want. ANy help would be greatly appreciated |
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Nov 29 2004, 03:15 PM
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#16
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DTV Forums Member Group: Senior Member Posts: 3,161 Joined: 13-October 03 From: Mount Coot-tha Member No.: 1,205 |
okie dokie, here how you record off the analog tuner and watch DTV
antenna into back of STB loop from loop out loop into loop in rf from rf out into antenna in on VCR tune your vcr to UHF69 connect the yellow/red/white OR if you tv takes svideo - SVIDEO/red/white to tv. Same for DVD. Hope this works?? |
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Nov 29 2004, 03:18 PM
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#17
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DTV Forums Member Group: Senior Member Posts: 3,161 Joined: 13-October 03 From: Mount Coot-tha Member No.: 1,205 |
also, what is you make/model of tv and what inputs does it have, ill do a graphic diagram because i know that the words i just typed can seem confusing
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Nov 29 2004, 03:23 PM
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#18
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DTV Forums Member Group: New Member Posts: 13 Joined: 28-November 04 Member No.: 6,880 |
cool thanks
Panasonic TV TC68V80A... It has AV1 AV2 s video 1 antenna thats it as far as i can tel also known as CTV TC-68V80Al |
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Nov 29 2004, 03:37 PM
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#19
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DTV Forums Member Group: Senior Member Posts: 3,161 Joined: 13-October 03 From: Mount Coot-tha Member No.: 1,205 |
ok im now working on it
datvman |
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Nov 29 2004, 03:38 PM
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#20
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DTV Forums Member Group: New Member Posts: 13 Joined: 28-November 04 Member No.: 6,880 |
to say you roool datvman is an understatement!
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