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: Excellent for the price, very satisfied
Summary: 5 Stars
I ordered this with the government coupon, cost $10.00, & I also got a Tivax DT-01 indoor antenna. Amazon service is great & I'm very pleased. The digital conversion is entirely different from broadcast analog. The digital signal is evidently weaker. My friends have digital boxes, & evidently your geographic location has a tremendous effect upon reception, even a few hundred feet can have dramatic effects, including tree limbs. That seems to be the reason for some of the excellent reviews I read here compared to dismal ones regarding reception.
I live in Middletown, Ohio, midway between Cincinnati & Dayton. With analog and the TV's own rabbit ears, I got 3-4 stations of varying degrees of reception, with snow. I don't like much of what is on broadcast TV, so that was OK for me. What a surprise with the Tivax! Picture quality is identical with what I had in Dayton with cable. Sound is fine. I now get 24 channels, including all networks, from both Cincinnati & Dayton, plus Oxford now. The Tivax has found an additional 15 channels for which the signal is too weak to actually get a picture. Perhaps with the correct weather & the final conversion to all digital programing here in April, I may get some of these too.
Digital reception in my area is weak generally. Even cell phone reception is poor where I live, next door to a "no service area" according to Cincinnati Bell. With that said, about the Tivax performance: Much of my signal strength is in the "poor" range, with some "normal" on my best channels. I have yet to get any "best" signal strength per the Tivax indicator. Even with poor signal strength, the picture received is excellent, with some freeze framing & missing dialogue encountered just before the signal is lost entirely, there is little in between with digital signals. I like the many features; from signal strength, volume control, mute & standby from the remote, which I find is just the right size & very easy to use. While some reviewers lambasted the channel guides and info. features, I find them very useful, not having anything prior. If you are getting a converter box, please get one with an aspect ratio feature. Tivax does a nice job at eliminating the annoying dark bands along the screen image. I have a 19" TV, & elimination of the bands is important on a small screen. Tivax has 4 aspects, which allows you to view in any aspect you want. I have found that in my location, an augmented antenna is important, turning up the gain signal strength does stabilize a weak signal on some channels, eliminating the freeze framing problem.
In summary, digital broadcasting is very different from analog. Reception will be somewhat more irregular & more susceptible to variation than analog, but the picture quality is undeniably better. Lets hope the programming improves to once again make TV viewing worthwhile. This box is an excellent buy & I recommend it.
Customer Review: Very pleased!
Summary: 5 Stars
We own two APEX DT502 converters but needed another converter for another TV. I went with the Tivax brand after reading the comparisons and features it has and I'm so glad I did.
The Tivax model STB-T8 is a snap to set up and the silver box matches our Philips VCR/DVD Combo and DirecTV satellite box. The initial setup onscreen menu display is easy to understand and follow. It found just as many channels as the Apex converter: 21 channels here in SE Portland, Oregon. I live near Mt Scott, and in line to the the PDX international airport located 8 minutes away along with huge fir trees nearby my house of over 100 ft high. However, the Tivax found all 21 channels without difficulty or having to rescan as what we went through with the Apex converter.
I love how you can press the INFO button or the SIGNAL button on the Tivax remote and it will show you the signal strength of the channel you are watching (unlike the APEX) AND the EPG (electronic program guide) is much nicer to read, access, and use compared to the Apex. Another great thing about the Tivax is that if you are unable to locate the remote, you can easily use the on board buttons on the Tivax converter box - not so with the Apex.
Both the Tivax STB-T8 and Apex DT502 converters have a way to utilize a Smart Antenna. So I bought two APEX Smart Antenna's from Best Buy ($45 bucks each)- a bit odd though as they also have rabbit ears. But they are were the only Smart Antenna's I could find online and locally. Even though the Apex Smart Antenna's look very nice with a digital clock and can work amplified or not, they are horrible to deal with all around. Naturally I rushed the antenna's back for a refund right away. A lesson learned: Just because something is more expensive, doesn't always mean it's better.
The simple inexpensive rabbit ears Philips antenna model SDV2210/17 found online with Amazon and at Walmart for $9.86 works so much better and without frustrations for both converters. Also the RCA model ANT1450 Multi-Directional digital flat amplified antenna found on Amazon (and Walmart) works quite well with the Tivax (and the Apex).
We've used both government coupons, but we absolutely love this Tivax converter so much that we plan to buy two more to replace the Apex converters.
Now if only I can find a decent digital FLAT Smart Antenna, we'd have it made!
Side note: Both the Tivax and Apex converter get VERY WARM when placed horizontally as how they should be placed. However, I found that when they are placed on one side in a vertical position, they run much cooler and work just as well in that position. I figure if they run cooler, they will last longer too.
Customer Review: Tivax STB-T8 vs Channelmaster CM-7000
Summary: 5 Stars
After extensive online research. These 2 boxes consistently came up top in ratings and reviews. I knew I would not be happy with a unit that could demonstrate any compromise in video quality vs getting a unit with a programmable (VCR) timer, best program guide, or universal remote to simply turn my TV on. I could not decide which of the 2 boxes to purchase so I purchased both. Upon receipt - I tried both units. For all practical purposes both units have similar performance characteristics. The CM-7000 had the slight edge with S video output being slightly better. Features between the units were basically the same, even the size, feel and functions on the remote felt the similar. Both are great units and are recommended. If I had to pick one, I would select the CM-7000 because it had slightly better video quality with S out, channel changing seemed a tiny bit faster, and the one marginal station in my area seemed to lock in better - though different atmospheric conditions at the time may be the only reason for that. Note that all the stations in my area are all broadcasting in digital so the analog pass thru feature of the Tivax was not needed.
Both units have buttons on the converter box so you can power up and change channels without your remote. On either unit there was no instructions on if or how you get access the menu from those buttons - so I do not know if that is possible or not.
One more thing to mention: I purchased 2 units (one CM-7000 & one STB-08) to have one as a backup. Using govt coupons and low priced shipping, paying a total $7 out of pocket is a cheap backup and is cheaper than paying postage and handling in 2 directions should one unit fail in the future. I read stories on how hard it was to exchange broken units. I purchased the Tivax form Amazon. The first Tivax unit I received did not power up. It was ONE email to Amazon and a replacement unit was at my door the very next day - plus Amazon emailed me a return prepaid shipping label to return the unit to them via USPS. Zero extra cost. What a pleasurable surprise.
So for everyone grinding over the reviews and features and trying to figure out which one to get -- you can purchase either of these two units and know it was a smart choice with no regret.
Customer Review: BEST converter box overall compared to all others!!!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I have really researched the different models for several weeks before choosing this one. It was at the top of my list but was unable to find it, as was the Zenith DTT 901 and the Insignia. The Insignia was impossible to get, the zenith was hard to find from a reputable company which honored the warranty and defects that can occur in any model. When I noticed that the Tivax STB-T8 was overall superior to any other brand and model with its smart antenna connection (great option), analog pass though, power and channel buttons on front of device (a must just! for the just in case situation), does not get hot (don't put on other machines like others have and surprisingly find any electrical device too hot), great remote that controls channels, volume, aspect ratio, signal check, awesome guide display that shows several hours ahead of programming, easy and quick connect and setup. It is well worth the money, I bought it through Amazon for 79.99 and with coupon only cost 39.99 (they are trustworthy and honor defected boxes and will replace it) and signed up for the Amazon prime free trial, upgraded from free 2 day to one day shipping for 3.99 (i placed order on Saturday and received it on Monday which was one business day as estimated). I am buying a second box and now that I have the Amazon prime free trial it is $30 cheaper (that's awesome!). I decided to buy the RCA smart antenna passive multi directional version to see if i can pick up more channels than my current outdoor antenna. Will have to see if it works. Overall I am extremely pleased and satisfied with this device and highly recommend it to everyone wanting a converter box that is well worth paying for. Also, for those viewing reviews to decide what to get. Pay the extra 10 or 20 dollars (better than buying cheap, having it break down and then buy this one anyway) and choose a reputable seller, many had poor customer service and return policies and shipping costs that run up the price. I was dis-satisfied very much with MANY of the companies that i googled when searching for coupon eligible boxes, definitely read the reviews, if they can offer you a too good to be true offer, it probably comes with a cost. Amazon gave me an ease of mind knowing i was buying from them directly and their policy on returns and defects.Customer Review: GREAT DVD Quality Pictures! Got ALL 62 Digital Channels!
Summary: 5 Stars
Ok,
I have been researching on a very good to top of the line converter boxes out there. After months of research, I ended up buying the Tivax STB-T8 Digital to Analog TV Converter Box & Zinwell ZAT-970A Digital to Analog TV Converter Box (Programmable Timer).
Most of the Negative reviews here on Amazon and other site all point out to these...
1) Quality materials used to construct this unit.
2) Doesn't allow you to turn TV on (need to use your own TV control)
You have to be extremely anal (excuse me) or just plain out lazy, but I don't mind having to used 2 remote controls. The box itself performs GREAT! and the picture quality is of DVD. You also have to remember that with an indoor antenna, you won't get all the channels and the picture quality might not be that good, plus you get might a 'freeze' on the screen while watching your shows.
I have a small outdoor amp. antenna (small white amp. antenna) that I purchase from [...] (item 4730). With this converter box, I did that 1st auto scan and it only pickup about half of all the channels (32 channels) and the signal is at 100% (remember to point your antenna in the right position according to [...] and [...]) Then I did a 2nd scan 'add on scan', and that pickup ALL of the 69 channels that I have within my area. WOW! I never knew that there were shows that I have never seen of heard of before the switch to digital.
So if you are a very picky person, and just can't stand having a plastic built unit and can't stand having to use more then 1 remote control to control the converter box and your own TV, then this unit is NOT for you.
But if you can live with 2 remotes and have the proper antenna hookup, then this unit if for you and you will NOT regret the purchase. I prefer to have a great unit then having to worry about using more than 1 remote control.
Just remember, a OUTDOOR amp. antenna mounted on a 4'-6' feet mask on top of the roof will out perform any indoor antenna. So do your research on the antenna you want, I prefer the Monoprice one (item 4730).