Tivax STB-T8 Digital to Analog TV Converter Box
by Tivax
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List Price: Category: Home Theater See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Tivax STB-T8 Digital to Analog TV Converter Box
Customer Review: Worthless
Summary: 1 Stars
The Tivax is the third digital converter box we've owned, and let me tell you they are all worthless, but this one takes the cake. We had high hopes based on the Consumer Reports information and a recommendation from a family member. These were shattered when we disconnected box number two (an Insignia with sound that goes in and out whenever it has been on a few hours), and replaced it with our new Tivax. The fancy digital antenna was in the precise same position as with the previous box, but we were only able to pick up about half the chnnels the Insignia recieved, or the Magnavox we had before the Insignia.
Our best channel didn't come in at all with the Tivax box until we played with the antenna quite a bit, and then it came in with lots of blipping out and random pixels from other channels interfering. This was a channel that we could get with both our previous boxes, crystal clear. Once we got said channel in, we lost all other channels. In short, we had to play with the antenna for each individual channel to come in, and even then the signal is bouncing wildly from 100% to nearly 0%.
Windy day? Lots of traffic on the adjacent road? No signal at all. This whole digital conversion thing is poorly thought out, an incomplete technology. Is it just a plot to get us all to switch to cable, I wonder?
The Tivax box may work for some just fine. For others it won't. There probably isn't any logical explanation as to why it doesn't work for some of us as well as another box, because so far everything about digital conversion defies logic. We've reseached ad nauseum how to get good digital reception, but each box seems to interpret signals differently, and even recieve the signals from vastly different directions.
However, if you want another reason to skip the Tivax box, the miniscule and unreadable captions are another point against it.
Customer Review: Garbage. Zero stars. Buy one from a known electronics manufacturer.
Summary: 1 Stars
Because this unit was rated so highly by Consumer Reports, I bought it -- and soon discovered that its many flaws weren't mentioned in CR's comparative ranking of various units. It's easy to install, but that's the only plus. Problems: [1] Reception is so-so, and I get fewer channels than I did before the conversion (I live in Baltimore, only a few miles from all local TV towers, in an unobstructed 5th-floor apartment; I lost three DC channels and am dissatisfied with the spotty, stuttering reception of the few Balto. channels I do get). [2] My major complaint is that the remote is garbage: You must aim it at a tiny, exact spot on the unit or the remote won't work -- I'm now sitting two feet away from the unit but at a 45-degree angle, and the remote doesn't work. And, [3] the unit takes several seconds to register a channel change or an on/off command, and the lag is irritating -- every other remote-controlled device I own, including two ancient TV sets, registers commands instantaneously. And, [4] the channel-control buttons on the units themselves are backwards: The left-hand button is "up"and the right-hand is "down," but that's the reverse of every other device I own, and it's counterintuitive to anyone whose language is read left to right (think of a ruler or a number line, where the smallest numbers are at the left and the increasing values move rightward). I'm certain that this unit was designed in a hurry and on a dime, by a no-name co. that wanted to capitalize on the conversion and that spent virtually no money on a bright designer/engineer who would give some thought to what users actually need. A friend who bought the same unit has exactly the same complaints. This unit is of the poorest quality and it's far too expensive for crud; I wish I'd gotten the RCA model that my mother bought.Customer Review: Converter works very well, but what a crappy remote
Summary: 3 Stars
This box is attached to a 30 year old RCA, and has given this set the BEST PICTURE its ever had. No clue as to what picture quality would be, attached to an HD monitor.
Signal is fed from an 8 foot mast type multi-segment antenna placed in a single story home attic. 45 to 65 miles from transmitters.
I get dozens of clear channels, where there used to be only about 2 clear and 6 fuzzy-to-worse, analog channels. I believe this box pulls in MORE CHANNELS than other receivers used in my area. I'm sure a good antenna helps greatly.
Cons: The INFO GUIDE is limited to four lines and is not scrollable to access full descriptions of programming. (Is this common?)
By far, the WORST feature of this converter box is the REMOTE CONTROL. It's the size of a shirt-pocket remote that would come with a boom box or your car stereo. One needs considerable light, dexterity and possibly glasses to find the tiny buttons. Most can eventually be remembered, I suppose. What is really unacceptable is the remote's Very Narrow Angle of operation. You have to hold this little puppy practically 90 degrees in BOTH Horizontal and Vertical axis to the front of the converter box to get the IR signal to trigger any command. What a pain in the wrist.
Customer support only said that it must be weak batteries. Yet, replacing them did not help.
All these converter boxes seem to have flaws or shortcomings. This box has garnered high ratings, and I concur with excellent picture quality and ability to pull in marginal stations. It's remote is the absolute worst I have ever encountered, unfortunately.
I recommend this converter with serious reservations.
You pays your money and you takes your chances.
Customer Review: Clear digital channels, but quality is nothing to be excited over
Summary: 2 Stars
So I bought this dtv box with the govt. coupon, costing me a total of 10.83. Amazon managed to ship it to me in quality time, although to save on shipping [free] I apparently agreed to a later shipping out date. Oh well.
As I opened the package, the box is small, like others have stated. It comes with 2 separate cables. It literally took me a few long minutes [too long] to figure out the instructions. The first thing I want to note is that the instructions are horrible. The manual displays a picture of where which cable goes and where it needs to be plugged on the TV, not literally. Sure the picture displays red, white and yellow goes to Audio In R, L, and Video but if you're not familiar FAMILIAR, or just not familiar in general with instructions, you`ll be confused for the first few minutes. ALSO, after some assistance, our TV was only showing up a fuzzy screen. There were no step by step instructions, that you have to switch to VIDEO 1 [at least in my location] to set the menu. I just played with it and thought to try it out. After waiting for it to scan the available channels, excited to see more channels than I had hoped, it was the exact same local channels. I don`t know why, or maybe it`s new york, or my tv. Anyhow, the choice of caption is available, although the words are tiny. There is a GUIDE, but limited to a basic title of the shows coming up, but sometimes gives a description.
Overall, I`m not satisfied with it b/c there are not as many digital channels as I had hoped. A side note, I believe everytime you want to search for more digital channels, it does the whole search all over again, back to square one, very inconvenient and time consuming.
Customer Review: So far, very good...Updated
Summary: 4 Stars
Tivax STB-T8 Digital to Analog TV Converter Box
I just got this converter a couple days ago. It is extremely easy to hook up and scan channels. The remote is a little small, but adequate. it has buttons for direct access to channels, aspect and program guide. There is a volume control, but it has very little effect. The program guide does not give a lot of information. None of this is important unless you get a good picture, and the picture was excellent. This is the best my old CRT set has looked in years.
At 49.95 it is a great box and as soon as I tried it, I went to Amazon to order another, but they were out. Today they are back in stock at 79.95 and at that price, there are a lot of other choices. If they drop the price to where it was, I will buy another.
UPDATE:
I complained in my review and to Amazon's customer service about the $30 price increase after I bought my first unit for $49 and waited for a restock when they were out. Well, they seem to have seen the light and lowered the price. Too little, too late. I just ordered one from another supplier at a lower price also with free shipping.
My previous review stands. It is an excellent receiver and probably worth the price they are now charging.
A lot of reviewers complained that it is slow to change channels. That is true if you use the channel up/down buttons. You can key in the channels directly by keying in 5 - 1 enter for channel 5.1 or whatever channel you desire. It changes channels much faster that way.