I know this a question that has been asked before but I honestly couldn't be bothered using that annoying search engine.
I'm looking for a cheap but reliable HD/SD STB for an old Teac 4:3 TV. It has a scart and S-video connection. Which gives a better picture quality? Somewhere under $200 would be good.
If anyone can help it would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Rava

Don't bother searching, just scroll through the last 5 pages of posts (you'll find the exact question repeated several times).

By HD I presume you mean HiDef? No point hooking such an expensive box up to your TV as your TV only displays SD. HD is better than SD (on a set that can show it) but SD is slightly better than DVD quality to give you some idea.

You can by a perfectly good SD STB for around $130 at any major store (Dick Smith, Megamart, etc.) and they're all pretty much the same. I'm sure some one can give you a brand or two that they like.

I would also suggest maybe getting a cheap PVR instead. These are STBs with a harddrive inside . They allow you to record digital TV, skip adds and pause live TV. The simplests (and cheapest) are something like the Wintal:

http://wintal.com.au/set_top_boxes/43121058.html

Sold here for $270 although a bit cheaper on EBay or other places:

http://www.smartstore.com.au/product_info.php?products_id=51

Regards

Peter Gillespie