Tivax STB-T8 Digital to Analog TV Converter Box
by Tivax
(Click here)
Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: TivaxBrand: Tivax
Edition: Electronics
Model: STB-T8
Color: Silver
Publisher: Tivax
Studio: Tivax
Music Label: Tivax
Product features:
- Receive free on air high definition tv broadcast
- Analog pass through for easier connection to tv antennas
- Supports both 4x3 and 16x9 tv aspect ratios
- Dolby Digital
- NTIA certified and qualified for government coupon program
- RG6 Premium Solid Copper Quad-shield Coaxial Cable
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Tivax STB-T8 Digital to Analog TV Converter Box
Customer Review: Better than the others in general price range - default power off
Summary: 5 Stars
-Better than the others in general price range
-tivax, converter box, stb-t8
ADDED TO ORIGINAL REVIEW BELOW
TIVAX converter followup - default power-off timer
After we put up a positive review today (4/19/09), we noted several reviews about the TIVAX turning off on its own and wanted to add this.
All three converter types we tested had the AUTO POWER-OFF set for 2 or 4 hours as a default. Really for no obvious reason other than to mystify users.
Users must go through the entire menu and see what the various setting defaults are after the initial setup and fix this by selecting the auto power off to OFF.
We had been alerted to this default "feature" by another converter rerviewer's flagging the issue on Amazon.
The TIVAX is also physically larger than the other two tested -because the AC to DC transformer is inside the unit, not dangling on the AC end of the power cord.
ORIGINAL REVIEW
The TIVAX ST-8B digital to ATSC converter was easy to set up as the other reviews indicated. It also had the best color & video image.
COMPARISONS
The other two tested and rejected (Sunkey & Kingbox) also have the multiple Aspect Ratio button on the remote to find the least distorted picture on the NTSC non-digital TV screens (Panasonic & Daewoo).
Only the Kingbox & TIVAX had the ability to not display unwanted dash# digital channels.
The remote control layout for the TIVAX was the most logical, with reasonable-sized keys & groupings.
All had a signal strength display button.
On STANDBY, all passed the antenna analog signal through to the TVs,
as advertised.
BASIC SETUP COMMENTS
Since we had no near-term plans to abandon Direct-TV NTSC and the 3 still functioning 70 hour UTV receiver/DVRs until one or two die, we elected to stick with the coaxial cable and A-B-C switches and RF amplifiers currently connecting our 2 large screen TVs and the 3 back bedroom smaller TVs to the 3 DVRs and the external antenna.
These are also connected to 3 medium screen HDTVs that can view either the antenna's analog/digital signal or the signals from any of the 3 Direct-TV receivers/DVRs.
After June 12 - assuming no more delays, the DAEWOO TVs and converters will be superfluous. But, in the interest of understanding the converter setups. we kept them in the coax network - mostly since they have built-in VCRs that could tape anything they display.
Spare short coax from a wire bag were used to insert each converter between the external antenna - a large Yagi that we'd kept connected via
manual A-B-C coax switches as an option in case we ever wanted to use the old Panasonic VCRs - which we never did after seeing the image quality on the DVRs many years ago.
The similar setups were via the startup menu and the full menu button screens.
No vast differences were noted on any of the 3 - other than the better TIVAX image and the ability to de-select dash# digital channels not wanted so the channels were subsequently skipped.
The TIVAX EPG (programming guide) button calls up a guide for the station that is similar to that of the Direct-TV DVR receivers, though less total info.
The guide can be scrolled forward in time.
INTERNAL ANTENNA
During the setup, we discovered that one of the DAEWOO/HDTV TV pairs had a ratty signal. Troubleshooting determined that one of the inline RF amplifiers/splitters feeding that COAX was turned off. Essentially, they were operating with only about 50 feet of coax as an indoor antenna.
We assume that use of any non-specialized digital indoor antenna would similarly degrade the image immensely.
Go external or smart (indoor?) antenna (on TIVAX) if possible.
RGY RCA COMPOSITE
We did not bother to use these, preferring to use the existing coax network instead. Which is routed throughout the home like the LAN cabling for our multiple computers/laptops.
SUMMARY
TIVAX does the job better than the other two converters tested by us.
We originally only had 2 TIVAX converters, but bought 3 more from Amazon for the smaller back bedroom TVs.
Also to make use of the remotes the same in all rooms - like the programmable remotes currently in use that we will probably eventually add the TIVAX remote commands to.
Description of Tivax STB-T8 Digital to Analog TV Converter Box
The STB-T8 from Tivax is a Digital TV Set Top Converter Box with Analog pass through for connection to a TV antenna. Main features of the STB-T8 include receives free on air high definition TV broadcast, analog pass through for easier connection to a TV antenna, auto scan, electronic program guide and program information, parental control, supports both 4:3 and 16:9 TV aspect ratios, closed-captioning, Dolby digital, full operation by remote control, energy star compliant, NTIA certified, qualified for $40 coupon, and english, spanish, and french on-screen display. Inputs include Antenna/RF Coaxial and Smart Antenna interface, composite video, stereo audio left and right and one antenna/RF output. The box comes with a remote control and two AAA batteries.Digital Cameras & Photo Categories
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