Set top box!

[chesss]

Hey my cable-wallah installed the set-top-box today. SO here's a review about my set-top-box experience for those mystified about stb's

Note that things will be different with different set-top-boxes . My set-top-box is 'in-digital''s

INSTALLATINO
This was easy. The cable-guy came with the set-top-box(which is actually very small), attached a few wires and that was it!

THE GOOD
1. The sound is greattt!! much much better than what I got with normal cable tv. Surround sound really works too! Like in friends, those background laughter sounds 'feel' like background sound.

2. Picture Quality: The picture is also completely clear. Without stb nearly every channel has plenty of 'dots' and the picture is simply crap. With set-top-box the picture magically changes to perfection.

3. Programming guide! : YAhoo!! One button and one can see what the nect movie will be. Depending on the channel they may also give a brief description of the programmes. Note that not all channels provide the program guide- yet!

4. Software is upgradeable: which means things will improve furthur. MY stb has a simple method of upgrading. Just selecting an option from the menu will update the software!

5. hit a button and you get a list of programmes and their channel number. Something like this:

101  Fashion TV
102  Zee trendz
103  Zee MGm and so

This list is standard, so you don't need to remember which channel was where.

6. fashion TV is a free channel - phew!!

The bad
1. My TV switches back to TV mode from AV mode(which is required for STB) when its switched off. So I have to switch it back everytime the TV is switched On

2. STB has its own remote. So it gets lil complicated for our mummy's. and wife's. Ofcourse once setup they can use it normally.

3. If you restart the stb it takes 10-15 seconds to initialize everytime. Ofcourse you can keep it running, but that may consume needless 10W

4.EPG isn't perfect: it takes 20 seconds to begin fetching information about future telecasts and fetches at a very slow speed but most importantly it doesn't store the results!! - But this may change as the software of stb's is upgradeable.

5. My LG tv has excellent and speedy method of changing channels. But now the stb has its own method which is slightly slower than my TV's method, which is . Its not a big thing at-all but I thought I should mention it.

6.Not only will a seperate TV but even a tv-tuner card will require a seperate stb TO WATCH PAY CHANNELS!! free to air channels are still available without stb.


Other Stuff

1.Don't expect any help from your cable-wallah. I asked mine whether the STB had TV-guide and he happiy replied that it didn't when in reality there is a nice EPG.

2. Just read the stb manual and then configure it. Geeks like us should love this

3. Know how to switch to A/V mode in your TV (look for a TV / AV button)

4. If your TV is too old then you will not get the digital sound and improved picture quality. Guess; If your TV has three 'holes' coloured yellow, white & red marked as AV/AV1 ('In' ; 'OUT' ) then it should be good enough. My TV is 5 years old btw

5. Stb needs external power. It Maybe a nice idea to get a connector.

Conlcusion
The increase is sound and picture quality is tremendous and I am really glad for this change.

[pra_2006]

hey man pls tell me will this work in PC with TV Tuner?

[unni]

@ pra_2006
I think no. You will be able to change channels through the STB remote only. No tuning involved. Everything's digital.

@chesss
Here is one more for The Bad, which I think is the worst.
6. You can connect only one TV to the STB.

[chesss]

added! the bad.
btw is it possible for someone to hack the encryption , and make a patch available for a tv-tuner card or something?