View Full Version : USB External Freeview Adapter (for PC) £29.99
PCNextDay (http://www.pcnextday.co.uk/product_detail.asp?stype=5&productcode=1513-2115) have this on offer at £29.99 inc VAT but plus P&P.
This superbly designed compact external USB TV tuner box provides high quality Digital terrestrial TV & Radio via a spare USB port on your PC. With this box you can watch and record video and digital TV as well as receive digital radio programmes on your PC. It is also possible to time shift and pause live TV and you can even capture and save still images from the TV. This box is fully compliant with DVB standards and is easy to install and configure.
Key Features:
Connects directly into your USB port
View all Digital Free View Channels
Supports DVB Protocol (ETS 300 744)
Digital Terrestrial TV and Radio programs can be received
Real Time Digital Video Recording (DVR) and Scheduling Recording
Time Shifting
Still Frame Capture
AVI Capture
Multi Channel Preview
Channels Auto Scan
Viewing and Recording different DTV Channels simultaneously
MPEG-II Software Decoding
Driver software for Windows XP is Microsoft WHQL certified
Software Upgradeable
System Requirements:
Microsoft Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP
500MHz CPU or above
128MB RAM or above
VGA Card with at least 8MB Memory
Sound Card
Microsoft Direct X 8.1 or above
Includes Remote Control
You will need two receivers for Viewing and Recording different DTV Channels simultaneously
Dave
Been tempted to get one of these for those lonely nights while working away. If anyone finds a review, post it here as can't find anything myself.
letuongthuy2000
25-11-2005, 13:04
I'm very tempted, wait for some reviews before decide to get one for myself
I'm very tempted, wait for some reviews before decide to get one for myself
I have a Magic Box and would generally recommend it. As with all DTT boxes, you need a stonking good signal to appreciate it.
With a good signal, a stable software release and a tail wind, it is well worth the money. The only thing I would like to see is the ability to use alternative PVRs with it, so that you can record in DiVX etc. as 2Gb per hour is a bit hefty.
Manufacturer is Twinhan and they are here;
www.twinhan.com
Hope this helps :)
Nice find, DaveJP !!
@Sarek: does it have BDA drivers ? Can it be used with GBPVR ?
Thanks.
Edit: shame ! Just read a bit further. It is NOT USB2 :(
I have a Magic Box and would generally recommend it. As with all DTT boxes, you need a stonking good signal to appreciate it.
With a good signal, a stable software release and a tail wind, it is well worth the money. The only thing I would like to see is the ability to use alternative PVRs with it, so that you can record in DiVX etc. as 2Gb per hour is a bit hefty.
Manufacturer is Twinhan and they are here;
www.twinhan.com
Hope this helps :)
Nice find, DaveJP !!
@Sarek: does it have BDA drivers ? Can it be used with GBPVR ?
Thanks.
Edit: shame ! Just read a bit further. It is NOT USB2 :(
I have been fiddling with it for months and the only drivers I can get working are the ones supplied for the supplied PVR.
The USB1.1 seems not to be an issue though. When you have a good signal, the throughput is fine..
Been tempted to get one of these for those lonely nights while working away. If anyone finds a review, post it here as can't find anything myself.
Not much of a review, but might help you decide
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer-labs/58012/twinhan-dvb-vision-plus.html
and here
http://www.trustedreviews.com/article.aspx?art=711
Just found a review here
http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=953&redirect=yes
My new dell PC is a bit short on PCI slots so had no idea where to put my existing TV Card...£30 for a USB seems ideal! Cheers OP (and tcs for that review) :thumbs:
hmm.. i'm guessing this wouldn't work with an apple ibook... would it?
iamtheboogieman
02-12-2005, 23:48
Tried to buy one and it says £14.99 postage as the only option, probably cause im in Northern Ireland. Pity cause i would love to get one for my girlfriend for xmas. Im not paying 50% of the item price to get it here. thats insane.
Anyone got this running under Linux / Debian?
Tried to buy one and it says £14.99 postage as the only option, probably cause im in Northern Ireland. Pity cause i would love to get one for my girlfriend for xmas. Im not paying 50% of the item price to get it here. thats insane.
Thinking of getting one of these.
If I get 2 maybe I could help you out on that shipping problem ;)
Doublespresso
03-12-2005, 16:16
any opinions on this? A bit dearer I know but has good ratings..
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=94486&_LOC=UK
It's a good piece of kit.
Check out the reviews on Ebuyer site as well.
Fat Bloke
03-12-2005, 20:57
I bought the one from PCNextDay and am impressed. Lucky had a spare Aerial lead in the room, so not sure what it's like just on a loop aerial.
iamtheboogieman
04-12-2005, 00:10
tcs that would be amazing mate, could send you a cheque for £35? would just need it send stanard parcels, would only be like £3 max and then £2 towards your postage ;)
You'd definatly be put on my christmas card list :P lol
nwgarratt
04-12-2005, 02:16
any opinions on this? A bit dearer I know but has good ratings..
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=94486&_LOC=UK
I have got one and it is great. It does need a decent signal from a good aerial though. Otherwise, bad lip sync can happen as well as a blocky picture. This is true for all TV cards devices though.
It records directly to a mpeg which I can create a DVD from using TMPGEnc DVD Author. The quality is pretty good and it is somwhere betweem LP and SP mode quality of a TV DVD Recorder (nearer to SP).
tcs that would be amazing mate, could send you a cheque for £35? would just need it send stanard parcels, would only be like £3 max and then £2 towards your postage ;)
You'd definatly be put on my christmas card list :P lol
iamtheboogieman...if you could make it £38 then that would cover all my expenses as they send by courier and I'll probably have to go to pick it up.
Let me know either way :thumbs:
what about this one - ?
Hauppauge Win Tv Pvr-500 Mce Single Pack Dual Tuner on ebuyer ?
iamtheboogieman
I take it you're not interested as I haven't heard back from you.
jonorigin
06-12-2005, 09:26
anyone know if these are compatible with windows xp x64?
Got one of these today and can't get the damn thing to work - it only shows up a few channels and then keeps saying "Time-out " when I try and view one of the channels. I have upgraded to the latest drivers and now it can't detect any channels at all!!!
And the package didn't come with the free arial as advertised.
Not at all impressed. I think this is going back.
I received one today.
Like you, KeithHx I am extremely disappointed.
My box is NOT brand new.
No aerial, marks on CD, batteries already in remote(they wouldn't be if it was new!)
It's clearly second hand and I have e-mailed them twice but no replies.
Considering contacting Trading Standards about supplying second hand goods.
At least it does work ok...
KeithHx and tcs - Which one have you received? Just wondering as you mention not having an aerial but the one whos this thread is about doesn't specify coming with an aerial (not that i can see anyway!)
nwgarratt
07-12-2005, 14:09
The one from PCNextDay does not come with a aerial. The Freecom one does have an aerial (but how good it is depends on where you are). I did manage to pick up all stations on the small serial but it had reception blocking/artefacts problems.
It really needs a proper roof/loft aerial.
Well it should come with an aerial as on the box it says
"Free outdoor antenna for outdoor use"
I received the MagicBox Model 7041B
nwgarratt
07-12-2005, 14:44
Well it should come with an aerial as on the box it says
"Free outdoor antenna for outdoor use"
I received the MagicBox Model 7041B
Oh, ok. There is no mention on the webpage though.
Well it should come with an aerial as on the box it says
"Free outdoor antenna for outdoor use"
I received the MagicBox Model 7041B
That's what mine says on the box too. tcs, can you get yours to work?
Hi KeithHx
Yes I got mine to work ok.
I used the software on the CD and also the new software on the Twinhan website (that's better)
Are you on XP? Does it install ok?
What condition was the box and contents like on yours? Was the box sealed?
I have received a reply saying mine was one they probably used for testing.
To me that's then second hand!
Yeah, I've tried both the supplied software and the updated version on the website. They install OK but I keep getting a "time-out" error when trying to view a channel. It could be due to reception I suppose (I live in a valley)
The box was sealed and it looks brand new - just a shame about the arial though.
nwgarratt
07-12-2005, 19:41
Yeah, I've tried both the supplied software and the updated version on the website. They install OK but I keep getting a "time-out" error when trying to view a channel. It could be due to reception I suppose (I live in a valley)
The box was sealed and it looks brand new - just a shame about the arial though.
Are you in a Freeview area?
http://www.freeview.co.uk/
Yeah, I've tried both the supplied software and the updated version on the website. They install OK but I keep getting a "time-out" error when trying to view a channel. It could be due to reception I suppose (I live in a valley)
The box was sealed and it looks brand new - just a shame about the arial though.
I'd write them an e-mail about the aerial not being in the box.
Did you get all the channels scan in ok?
Are you in a Freeview area?
http://www.freeview.co.uk/
Yes, I checked and it said I should be OK.
The channels seem to scan in (some anyway) but it wont let me connect to any of them.
Try uninstalling everything then install the latest software.
Once you've installed it then restart the computer.
After you open the Twinham program from the desktop click on the heart icon on the player.This will open up another box showing the channels.
Click on a channel and it should start.
Good luck!
Try uninstalling everything then install the latest software.
Once you've installed it then restart the computer.
After you open the Twinham program from the desktop click on the heart icon on the player.This will open up another box showing the channels.
Click on a channel and it should start.
Good luck!
I have tried all that - everything seems Ok until I get to the last step, when it simply hangs for 20 seconds or so then says "Time Out - Please try again". I've tried an indoor arial and the main arial on the roof and neither make any difference.
I'm just going to send this back - I've spent nearly 10 hours trying to get this thing running and have had enough. Anyone know what PCNextDay's returns policy is?
One MUST be have good reception otherwise it wont work . Forget indoor ariels!
nwgarratt
08-12-2005, 08:29
One MUST be have good reception otherwise it wont work . Forget indoor ariels!
I agree. However, I do have a digibox on a plug in amplified indoor aerial that works.
I have tried all that - everything seems Ok until I get to the last step, when it simply hangs for 20 seconds or so then says "Time Out - Please try again". I've tried an indoor arial and the main arial on the roof and neither make any difference.
I'm just going to send this back - I've spent nearly 10 hours trying to get this thing running and have had enough. Anyone know what PCNextDay's returns policy is?
Sorry to hear you haven't had any luck with it.
Send it back within 7 days and they will refund you.You have to pay to send it back to them though (around £2 I reckon)
They are starting to ******* me off with their replies to my mails.
Not impressed with their customer service at all.
Going to get Trading Standards involved if I get no joy at this rate :mad:
Fat Bloke
08-12-2005, 11:36
On the aerial subject. A quick look on Twinham's website shows the Aerial is not always in the box, it's only an option.
The one I bought from pcnextday was brand new and sad to say for those having problems, I have had no problems whatsoever.
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