Has anyone who has brought a usb freeview for their computer, can suggest one that actually works well!
The last two i got where complete crap!
So if any one has got one that works i'd like to know what you have!
I'm in the UK!
2006-12-16 11:39:16 · 6 answers · asked by fez0 2 in Consumer Electronics ➔ Other - Electronics
I have a KWorld DVB-T 355U Dongle USB Freeview device (Maplins £30) but I warn you now, you will need to connect it to a proper roof mounted digital aerial.
A regular roof-mounted aerial might do but the digital version is specifically manufactured to capture digital Freeview signals.
I tried connecting mine through an aerial amplifier at home - it works fine on a cheap ALBA set-top box with an analogue TV card but the USB signal is rubbish.
So I connected it to it's own roof top aerial and the picture is superb. It capture video at around 6MB/s and it's more sharp than my analogue captures.
You should also check the Freeview website to see what they recommend for your area.
I was advised that Freeview was available but that I'd have to upgrade my existing aerial.
Works a treat now.
The little aerials that come with the USB Freeview devices are rubbish as are the normal set-top aerials.
If you can try it on a roof mounted aerial, on it's own (i.e. not shared with your regular TV or VCR - just as a test), you'll probably find you'll get far better results.
If you don't have a roof-mounted aerial, consider having a professional fit it. Aerial and fitting cost me 80 quid. The engineer was able to point the aerial directly at the local transmitter and the signal went from about 40% to about 90%.
Not only that, it vastly improved the quality of the 5 analogue channels and I managed to find two more as well. A local Public Access channel and TG4 from the Republic of Ireland.
2006-12-16 12:01:31 · answer #1 · answered by Rob K 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hauppage HVR900 USB seems to work OK
however its used in a desktop, connected to a standard house ariel. I think it cost £20 from PC world.
The only monor glitch Ive seen so far is that the software isn't smart enough to handle the Freeview channels which are intermittant.
Its only really a problem with ABC, BBC3, BB4 & ITV4. You can get ABC & the daytime BBC channels or the evening channels but not both without retuning. you may be able insert the channels into the applications database file
It does help looking elsewhere if you do your initial tuning connected to a good wuality areiel connection... dont use the supplied magnetic base one
2006-12-16 19:56:38 · answer #2 · answered by Mark J 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have not got the USB Freeview yet but I've heard good things about it.
2006-12-16 19:48:58 · answer #3 · answered by Mr Brightsides 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my daughter has one but shes asleep ;-) sorry but its good and she got it from amazon i think but you need a better aerial than the one that comes with it she bought a booster TV aerial and it works fine now this may be the problem try it on your existing outside aerial first and check if it works then
2006-12-16 19:42:55 · answer #4 · answered by julie t 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Miglia TVMini is very good (progressive scan, iPod compatible, HD compatible, etc), but as far as I know, it is only available for the Mac.
2006-12-16 19:55:50 · answer #5 · answered by Máirtín 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A friend of mine bought 1 and she said it was crap also
2006-12-16 20:05:26 · answer #6 · answered by animallover 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋