Televisions have become an integral part of the interior of any apartment, they create their own special, homely atmosphere in the home. With their help, we entertain ourselves with long evenings, learn about the latest events in the world and relax with a group of friends. And now, when LCD and plasma TVs appeared, we can not just watch our favorite program, but enjoy it thanks to the high-definition image.
However, not all “TV boxes” are able to please us with a clear picture. Even if you have a plasma or LCD device, you may need a TV receiver, without which you simply can’t receive a digital signal. In this regard, the obvious question is how to choose a receiver. So that the purchase does not disappoint you, you need to study all the nuances.
What is the receiver for?
The receiver is a multi-channel amplifier with digital audio and video stream decoders. Previously, when CRT televisions were the most common, broadcasting was analog - information was transmitted from the nearest television tower. For such "TV boxes" the signal quality was acceptable and sufficient to obtain a more or less high-quality image. There was no point in improving the broadcast of audio and video stream using the receiver for a TV, since it was impossible to provide better image reproduction.
But today, with the advent of LCD and plasma TVs, everything has changed. Firstly, the diagonal of the screen has increased, and the noise, the very gray-black stripes that were previously barely noticeable, began to seriously spoil the picture. Secondly, they began to present information in binary code - with the numbers 0 and 1. Hence the concept of “digital television”. All this required the creation of a new broadcasting technology - digital, which only the receiver is capable of perceiving.
How to choose a receiver?
Now the most popular and profitable is a digital receiver for TV DVB-T2 format. Most modern TV boxes already have built-in equipment of this type. Such models are marked with the corresponding logo - the abbreviation DVB-T2 on the device itself or on the box, or the image of a butterfly. In all other cases, you will have to acquire additional equipment.
When choosing a
digital set-top box, the main thing is that its data sheet states that it accepts the DVB-T2 format, because there are several outdated broadcast technologies (DVB-C, DVB-T, DVB-S). In addition, make sure the equipment supports MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 formats, the main and progressive methods for presenting video information. These are the two most important nuances that you need to make sure before buying.
Paid or free channels?
Today, television channels are divided into coded (available to the subscribed circle of persons) and free, for which any receiver for a TV is suitable. How to choose a console with support for paid channels? To do this, you need to make sure that there is a slot for a card of various encodings such as Viaccess, Conax, DRE Crypt and other providers. It must be remembered that a certain card gives access only to certain channels.
If you plan to change the provider after a while and make other paid channels available for viewing, you should get a receiver equipped with a slot for the CI module. In this case, you don’t have to change the prefix every time you sign up for a new subscription. If you do not feel the desire to pay money for watching closed TV channels, then purchase a digital TV receiver without such modules. The cost of such consoles is one to two thousand lower.
Availability of interfaces
The presence of additional connectors, such as USB, E-sata, Sata or HDMI, can significantly increase the functionality of your set-top box. To determine whether additional connectors are useful to you, we suggest exploring why they are needed:
- USB is used to connect flash cards, a mobile phone and other devices via a USB cable directly to the receiver. As a rule, such consoles are capable of playing music, video and other files from your media.
- HDMI is used to connect a TV receiver for a TV to a laptop or PC, which will make it possible to view video without an intermediate link in the form of a flash card. In addition, this connector can be used to connect an additional screen to the computer.
- E-sata, Sata are required to connect a hard drive. It is advisable to buy a set-top box with such an interface when you plan to often record TV broadcasts.
In some cases, such interfaces are simply not necessary, for example, if you purchase a receiver for the office.
Additional features
Some consoles may connect to the Internet. Buying such a digital TV receiver for a TV is only worth it if you intend to do card sharing - gaining access to encoded channels. In addition to the fact that your “hacked” channel may stop broadcasting at any time, you may be prosecuted. A common additional feature is video recording. Typically, such devices have a built-in USB or E-sata connector for connecting portable storage media.
Functional Features
In addition to the remote control, additional functions built into the receiver for the TV can be:
- Child control - you can block certain channels with a password known only to you.
- Delayed viewing - you will have the opportunity to “rewind” the broadcast to view the broadcast at another time.
- Pause mode - stop broadcasting and its subsequent continuation.
- TV Guide - you will receive a program guide, as well as the announcement of any film and program.
Some devices may be equipped with a high frequency modulator. This additional element in the set-top box is used to view the same channels simultaneously on two televisions.
Connecting the receiver to the antenna
There are a lot of ways to connect the console, and all thanks to a variety of connectors on the back of the device. They can also be used to connect the receiver to two televisions at the same time. But before that, you need to connect the console itself to the antenna or satellite dish. As a rule, this is done through a regular television cable, in which there is a copper rod and a metal mesh.
This is done as follows:
- The insulation is cut off from the cable with an indent of 1-1.5 cm from the edge to completely free the copper rod.
- The metal mesh is bent and evenly distributed over the cable.
- An f-nut is screwed to the prepared wire.
- Connect the cable to the console.
- The reverse end of the cable is connected to the tuned antenna.
After that, you can assume that your TV receiver is ready to go. It remains only to connect it directly to the "TV box".
Connecting a digital set-top box to a TV
There are several ways to connect the receiver directly to the TV. Most often, users resort to a SCART cable. Usually a set of wires comes in one box with the console. The principle of combining devices is very simple - the plug is connected to the receiver, and the plugs are inserted into the connector on the TV. If both the receiver and the TV have an HDMI interface, then they can be combined using the cable of the same name. In this case, you need to switch the TV box to the appropriate mode. Using both of the presented connection methods at the same time, you can use one receiver for 2 TVs.
After the prefix is ​​connected, you will see its interface on the screen. Usually it is presented to users in the form of the inscription "No signal". Do not be alarmed. If the antenna is configured, and you did everything right, then you only need to find the channels. To do this, go to the receiver menu and select automatic search. After 5-10 minutes, you can watch your favorite channels in digital format.