SD STB comparisons

[Ext User(thecommentator)]

I have the DGTEC 1301, picked it up at JB's for what was a decent price
back then (mid last year), mainly for the DD output.

Not quite prepared to go to a HD box yet (still think price is main
factor) but will give serious consideration regardless but I know the
DGTEC is slow for channel change, menu is average and remote needs to
be spot on to work.

I run an LG 76cm WS tube tv, LG DVD recorder, Pioneer 676 dvd and
Yamaha 6.1 receiver.

Should I save the sheckels and get a sd box with hard drive, is there a
better SD box (without hard drive) with DD output or just wait for the
new range of HD DVD HDMI hard drive and dvd recorders to come down a
bit in price?,

[Ext User(Netmask)]

"thecommentator" <daveconmedia@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1145409906.697389.288960@v46g2000cwv.googlegr oups.com...
>I have the DGTEC 1301, picked it up at JB's for what was a decent price
> back then (mid last year), mainly for the DD output.
>
> Not quite prepared to go to a HD box yet (still think price is main
> factor) but will give serious consideration regardless but I know the
> DGTEC is slow for channel change, menu is average and remote needs to
> be spot on to work.
>
> I run an LG 76cm WS tube tv, LG DVD recorder, Pioneer 676 dvd and
> Yamaha 6.1 receiver.
>
> Should I save the sheckels and get a sd box with hard drive, is there a
> better SD box (without hard drive) with DD output or just wait for the
> new range of HD DVD HDMI hard drive and dvd recorders to come down a
> bit in price?,
>

99% of SD transmissions are only DD 2 . Only a 6 or 7 in 5.1 over the last
18 months.
Anyway you can't go wrong with a Topfield 5000 PVRt - haven't watched a
commercial in 12 months and has a real 7 day epg via a TAP.

[Ext User(Psychonaut)]

"Netmask" <netmask56NOFLEAS@geemail.com> wrote in message
news:Cgk1g.9924$vy1.419@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>
> "thecommentator" <daveconmedia@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1145409906.697389.288960@v46g2000cwv.googlegr oups.com...
>>I have the DGTEC 1301, picked it up at JB's for what was a decent price
>> back then (mid last year), mainly for the DD output.
>>
>> Not quite prepared to go to a HD box yet (still think price is main
>> factor) but will give serious consideration regardless but I know the
>> DGTEC is slow for channel change, menu is average and remote needs to
>> be spot on to work.
>>
>> I run an LG 76cm WS tube tv, LG DVD recorder, Pioneer 676 dvd and
>> Yamaha 6.1 receiver.
>>
>> Should I save the sheckels and get a sd box with hard drive, is there a
>> better SD box (without hard drive) with DD output or just wait for the
>> new range of HD DVD HDMI hard drive and dvd recorders to come down a
>> bit in price?,
>>
>
> 99% of SD transmissions are only DD 2 . Only a 6 or 7 in 5.1 over the last
> 18 months.
> Anyway you can't go wrong with a Topfield 5000 PVRt - haven't watched a
> commercial in 12 months and has a real 7 day epg via a TAP.


Can you tell me what TAP gives a 7 day EPG? If it is PBK I have literally
just installed this today (and paid for it) so if it is this TAP I
apologise. A 7 day EPG sounds great.

By the way I also have a TF5000PVRtMP and it is one of the best things I
have EVER bought.

Thanks
Brad

[Ext User(Netmask)]

"Psychonaut" <psychonaut@bigpond.com> wrote in message
news:Gtk1g.9930$vy1.1991@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> "Netmask" <netmask56NOFLEAS@geemail.com> wrote in message
> news:Cgk1g.9924$vy1.419@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>>
>> "thecommentator" <daveconmedia@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:1145409906.697389.288960@v46g2000cwv.googlegr oups.com...
>>>I have the DGTEC 1301, picked it up at JB's for what was a decent price
>>> back then (mid last year), mainly for the DD output.
>>>
>>> Not quite prepared to go to a HD box yet (still think price is main
>>> factor) but will give serious consideration regardless but I know the
>>> DGTEC is slow for channel change, menu is average and remote needs to
>>> be spot on to work.
>>>
>>> I run an LG 76cm WS tube tv, LG DVD recorder, Pioneer 676 dvd and
>>> Yamaha 6.1 receiver.
>>>
>>> Should I save the sheckels and get a sd box with hard drive, is there a
>>> better SD box (without hard drive) with DD output or just wait for the
>>> new range of HD DVD HDMI hard drive and dvd recorders to come down a
>>> bit in price?,
>>>
>>
>> 99% of SD transmissions are only DD 2 . Only a 6 or 7 in 5.1 over the
>> last 18 months.
>> Anyway you can't go wrong with a Topfield 5000 PVRt - haven't watched a
>> commercial in 12 months and has a real 7 day epg via a TAP.
>
>
> Can you tell me what TAP gives a 7 day EPG? If it is PBK I have literally
> just installed this today (and paid for it) so if it is this TAP I
> apologise. A 7 day EPG sounds great.
>
> By the way I also have a TF5000PVRtMP and it is one of the best things I
> have EVER bought.
>
> Thanks
> Brad
>

Up2Date(free program) is the EPG harvester and I use JustEPG (Free TAP) to
display ABC, ABC2 SBS, 7, 9 and 10.
Basically you just run Up2Date it goes away and gathers the EPG info and
converts it into TGD files that you upload to the Toppy either manually or
you can configure it to do it automatically if you have a permanent USB to
Toppy. Tends to be a Sunday morning exercise...

PBK adds a whole lot of other functionality and is well worth the 20 bucks.

Log into the Topfield Forum for helpful info and read the AQA section
especially
http://www.topfield-australia.com.au/product.asp?SKU=TF5000PVRT

[Ext User(Psychonaut)]

"Netmask" <netmask56NOFLEAS@geemail.com> wrote in message
news:QPk1g.9948$vy1.6348@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>
> "Psychonaut" <psychonaut@bigpond.com> wrote in message
> news:Gtk1g.9930$vy1.1991@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>> "Netmask" <netmask56NOFLEAS@geemail.com> wrote in message
>> news:Cgk1g.9924$vy1.419@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>>>
>>> "thecommentator" <daveconmedia@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>> news:1145409906.697389.288960@v46g2000cwv.googlegr oups.com...
>>>>I have the DGTEC 1301, picked it up at JB's for what was a decent price
>>>> back then (mid last year), mainly for the DD output.
>>>>
>>>> Not quite prepared to go to a HD box yet (still think price is main
>>>> factor) but will give serious consideration regardless but I know the
>>>> DGTEC is slow for channel change, menu is average and remote needs to
>>>> be spot on to work.
>>>>
>>>> I run an LG 76cm WS tube tv, LG DVD recorder, Pioneer 676 dvd and
>>>> Yamaha 6.1 receiver.
>>>>
>>>> Should I save the sheckels and get a sd box with hard drive, is there a
>>>> better SD box (without hard drive) with DD output or just wait for the
>>>> new range of HD DVD HDMI hard drive and dvd recorders to come down a
>>>> bit in price?,
>>>>
>>>
>>> 99% of SD transmissions are only DD 2 . Only a 6 or 7 in 5.1 over the
>>> last 18 months.
>>> Anyway you can't go wrong with a Topfield 5000 PVRt - haven't watched a
>>> commercial in 12 months and has a real 7 day epg via a TAP.
>>
>>
>> Can you tell me what TAP gives a 7 day EPG? If it is PBK I have
>> literally just installed this today (and paid for it) so if it is this
>> TAP I apologise. A 7 day EPG sounds great.
>>
>> By the way I also have a TF5000PVRtMP and it is one of the best things I
>> have EVER bought.
>>
>> Thanks
>> Brad
>>
>
> Up2Date(free program) is the EPG harvester and I use JustEPG (Free TAP) to
> display ABC, ABC2 SBS, 7, 9 and 10.
> Basically you just run Up2Date it goes away and gathers the EPG info and
> converts it into TGD files that you upload to the Toppy either manually
> or you can configure it to do it automatically if you have a permanent USB
> to Toppy. Tends to be a Sunday morning exercise...
>
> PBK adds a whole lot of other functionality and is well worth the 20
> bucks.
>
> Log into the Topfield Forum for helpful info and read the AQA section
> especially
> http://www.topfield-australia.com.au/product.asp?SKU=TF5000PVRT


Thanks a heap for that. I'm off to get it.

[Ext User(Justin)]

thecommentator wrote:
> I have the DGTEC 1301, picked it up at JB's for what was a decent price
> back then (mid last year), mainly for the DD output.
>
> Not quite prepared to go to a HD box yet (still think price is main
> factor) but will give serious consideration regardless but I know the
> DGTEC is slow for channel change, menu is average and remote needs to
> be spot on to work.
>
> I run an LG 76cm WS tube tv, LG DVD recorder, Pioneer 676 dvd and
> Yamaha 6.1 receiver.
>
> Should I save the sheckels and get a sd box with hard drive, is there a
> better SD box (without hard drive) with DD output or just wait for the
> new range of HD DVD HDMI hard drive and dvd recorders to come down a
> bit in price?,
>

I got sick of the endless boxes under the TV, so now I have 2. Foxtel iQ
& an Xbox 360. The Xbox is connected to my Windows Media Center PC (that
sits in my office) via ethernet. The MCPC has dual HD tuners in it & the
Xbox can watch live TV or recorded TV streamed from it. I use a free
program called EPGRunner to pick up my EPG from the NineMSN site (I
think - don't really know where it comes from).

I can edit recorded programs & stick them on a DVD via the burner. As
the files are on the PC, there is no transferring them & editing &
prepping them for DVD burning only takes a few minutes (check out this
app for MPEG2 editing: http://www.videoredo.com/ - it even has a pretty
good shot at removing the ads).

The Xbox also acts as a DVD player. Apparently you can play games on it
too....

To be honest, getting the above setup just right (not the Xbox - that
was the easy part) took plenty of effort & trial & error, but once it's
done, it's fantastic. I've also hooked the iQ up to an AV sender to
capture anything from that on the PC too (although, this happens outside
the Media Center interface & just in Windows XP as it can't do a mix of
digital & analogue sources).

Justin

[Ext User(Saus29)]

"thecommentator" <daveconmedia@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1145409906.697389.288960@v46g2000cwv.googlegr oups.com...
>I have the DGTEC 1301, picked it up at JB's for what was a decent price
> back then (mid last year), mainly for the DD output.
>
> Not quite prepared to go to a HD box yet (still think price is main
> factor) but will give serious consideration regardless but I know the
> DGTEC is slow for channel change, menu is average and remote needs to
> be spot on to work.
>
> I run an LG 76cm WS tube tv, LG DVD recorder, Pioneer 676 dvd and
> Yamaha 6.1 receiver.
>
> Should I save the sheckels and get a sd box with hard drive, is there a
> better SD box (without hard drive) with DD output or just wait for the
> new range of HD DVD HDMI hard drive and dvd recorders to come down a
> bit in price?,
>
the topfield is great if you actually like watching tv!
if you can stretch your budget to even the cheapest topfield twin tuner HDD
you wont be disappointed.
I have the 5000 model but don't use any of the EPG or TAP things so the
entry model would do fine.