I have no idea, well not a lot.
I would like access to ABC2, and so want to get a digital set top box.
I'm pretty sure I don't want a HD one, as I'm pretty sure our TV is too old to be HD compatible? Do I need to check the cable options at the back of the TV to make sure I can use a set top box? do they interefere with DVD and video?

Anyway - is there anything I need to make sure that the set top box has? For example :With digital cameras you know that optical zoom and digital zoom are totally different and digital zoom is irrelevant with respect to quality of pix

Anything like that I should know about set top boxes? IYHO?

thanx stax,

perhaps my forum name should have been noidea...

A basic STB can connect to older TVs with what is called a composite cable (red and white -audio, and yellow -video) RCA plugs. It wouldn't matter if the STB was SD or HD, you would still get the picture on your TV.

Does your TV have the red, white yellow connectors? Typically used to plug in a DVD or camcorder. If you only have one set of these connectors, you can get adapter boxes that let a few share the one set.

..dbl post

on top of what charlesc has said, if all your tv has is an antenna input, a HD STB can be connected if you connect the composite (yellow, white, red) leads to an RF converter and have the RF Converter modulate it onto an unused channel that doesn't have interference and doesn't cause interference to any already used.

STBs actually are convertors. They convert digital image into an analogue one so any TV can understand it. As Charles says either a SD or HD STB will plug into just about any TV.

Do you use a VCR? If so then connecting a STB to a TV and VCR can be a little interesting (quite doable though). You might also like to consider getting a 'cheap' SD PVR ($250 or so). These both act as STBs and have a harddrive to record shows and everything is integrated and easy to use - most people retire their VCRs shortly after getting one. Best suited to people that record, watch and delete TV.

Note that HD channels now have some different content than the SD channels, not anything critical but worth considering.

Have a read of this PVR FAQ - it hopefully doesn't confuse and has some general info on digital TV.

Note that you might hit some unscrupulous sales staff that try sell you expensive cables (esp the Monstor brand). Basically any $20 set will do 95% of the job if not more.

As a final tip if you get a STB from Dick Smith they have a 14 day no questions asked money back deal so you can have a tinker at no risk.

Regards

Peter Gillespie

Have another attempt at reading it.

Nope. Missed it the second time around too. i presume 'it' is the sentence quoted? A bit of a clunky syntax I admit but reasonably understandable. Whilst there are additional nuances, like HDMI outputs, they don't seem relevant here. Are you saying the statement is in error?

Regards

Peter Gillespie

?



I think the above is fine as a simple layperson description of what STBs do.

They take the digital TV signal and convert it into a simpler analogue output that can be displayed on old TVs.

Either via the basic red, white, yellow cables, or (as correctly pointed out) the even older coax RF (radio frequency) inputs that some of the very old TVs have as their only input.

what was wrong was your interpretation of "converter", I wasn't referring to digital "converter", I was referring to composite to analogue RF "converter".

Here's an example: http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?I...mp;SUBCATID=372

I've answered your first question just above.

btw, not "every" STB is able to convert a digital signal to an analogue RF signal, hence why I mentioned the RF Modulator, otherwise people with very old TV's wouldn't have a great choice.

Ok - just a little bit lost with the stuff about modulation etc!
My TV is about ... 5 years old and has about 3 different spots where you can plug in red, white and yellows of cables. 2 or 3 at the back (currently DVD, video) and one spare at the front.

Thanks for the tip re. the Monster brand of cables.
Don't the cables come with the set top box then? ok additional cost then.

I'd love the HDD video thingy/SD PVR but at $200 plus I was just going to start with the Dick Smith $49 model of STB thingy. It's mainly to get ABC2 (for the kids) but it would be shame to discover if I'd just spent $20 bucks more I would have some important feature that I'm missing! If I'm just missing out on 7 and 10HD I really couldn't give a rodent's bottom, but if it's other stuff then it could matter.

OK, reread re. the antenna input bit - not sure about that will have to check with the bloke of the house to see what's going on behind the telly (so to speak!)

don't bother with monster brand cables, they are a rip-off as they hardly provide any benefit over the standard version, the best way to improve quality is with S-video or component (Red, Green, Blue plugs for video, white and red plugs for audio)

Ah understand. The digital the timestamps are 3:09 and 3:15 - ie I wasn't referring to your post.

Basically WIWG you're sorted. Grab the STB you're looking at and a $5 "composite" cable and you're a digital household

Regards

Peter Gillespie

very sorry to use this thread, but I had no permission to start a new one?!
here is my question:

Dear All,

I would appreciate if someone could pls help with the below. I am in Sydney. My foxtel wall socket (type F ??) is in a much better location than my “normal TV connection” (coax?).

I do not have Foxtel by choice. I have the Foxtel satellite dish on our roof (from previous owner) and I think the Foxtel socket is connected to it.

I would like to connect my old TV to the foxtel socket to watch Free To Air TV.


1) I went up the roof and tried to disconnect the cable (which I think goes to foxtel socket) from the satellite dish and connect it to the aerial antenna. Unfortunately this was not possible, because the space was so narrow under the roof and I think the cable is directly connected to the dish outside the roof? Would this work?


2) A friend told me I could buy a cheap SD set top box and connect it to the foxtel socket. And leave it connected to the sat dish. And then I could watch the free FTA channels that way. Is that true?


Thanks for your help!

You have to build up a number of posts before you can start a new thread. There is a note in my sig below for more details.

Also this post should probably be in the Sydney Viewers forum, as it relates to reception (as well as, in a way, to STBs).



It may work (a cable is a cable), but I believe you are not allowed to interfere with the Foxtel installation on your premise. They put it in, it worked, if someone else needs it later, it still needs to work.


No, that is very unlikely to work. The only way something would come through like that is simply if the cable and satellite dish were acting a a very basic antenna, so bringing in some FTA reception. As the satellite system is most likely installed with good quality shielded coax, 'accidental' pickup is unlikely.

Your best option is to try and use the roof antenna (television antenna); you may be able to try with an indoor antenna, but you would need to be close to the transmitters.

Where are you located?

I really think you should get your post count up to 5, then make a new thread on this under the Sydney Viewers Forum. Copy and paste your existing text over to the new post. And make a New Topic, rather than just tagging this to the end of the large existing 'Get The Best Reception' post.