Advantages: Cheap, feature packed
Disadvantages: Too powerful for Windows users

...I bought the Afatech AF9005 card of e-bay for £9 and to be honest it is the best USB device I have ever seen for bringin in digital TV. The adapter is a generic one built around the afatech chip in its name. A bit like Renault calling a car an Elf after the engine. I used to have a Freecom DVB-T adapter for the same thing but this Afatech one does a much superior job for a quarter of the price. OK down to basics. First and for most I am a Linux user, so getting cheap hardware to work is no small matter.... usually. But this adapter worked straight away after I copied the generic firmware into /lib/firmware. ( linux users, email me if you need this), then scanned for channels on Kaffeine and found 44 TV and 38 radio, this is well impressive for Freeview in my area. The Freecom one could only bring in 30 channels for the TV. Under... Read review

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Advantages: High quality image/internet via sat
Disadvantages: price, installation, PayTV

...Hauppauge specialises in TV reception cards for your PC, and so naturaly they also propose SAT-TV solutions. A Sat-reception card is really usefull beacause it allows you to do a great many things: time-shifting, digital recording, internet, multiple satellites, etc. Now, what is Time-Shifting you say: well you are watching your favorite football team at the finals. A pressing need occurs; you simply press pause, do your thing and return to the match where you left it. An on demand commercial break if you like, but this can also be used to skip commercials. for example As for digital recording the big plus is that it's digital and the copy IS as good as the original, if you are a movie buf it's a big plus. about the card: The WinTV DVB-s (DVB-s for Satellite, a DVB-t card exists for digital terrestrial) is based on a NEC DVB chip... Read review

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Advantages: Small, portable, cheap
Disadvantages: Supplied aerial is effectively useless, temperamental

...I got this DVB-T stick as the one of the cheapest digital receivers for my computer so that I could watch and record TV in my bedroom. Installation and setup are relatively straight forward, with autoscanning for all available channels being one click away. However, reception was not great, and there were a few problems. First, even though I brought and installed a brand new Digital Aerial for weak reception areas, although my reception isn't that bad (it works with other normal set top boxes perfectly), when watching certain channels the video and audio froze and restarted multiple times making the program unwatchable. Also certain channels were not available, such as channel 5 (some would say no great loss there), and some tuned in but when you turned over to them they didn't play the video, only audio. Second, installation... Read review

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Advantages: DVB TV, Recording, Time shift. Pause Live TV
Disadvantages: Software needs improving

...Introduction I bought this unit from PCWORLD, after first purchasing a DVB Box from ARTEC. The reason I decided to go with this brand is that I already owned a PCI Analogue tuner, and was very impressed with the 3 years I have been using that for. At first I was unsure whether this unit was worth the extra £30 but after getting home and using it for only an hour I was very impressed with the difference, and was comfortable with the extra expense. DVB Unit The unit itself is very well built, with a solid looking construction. The actual casing appears to be metal with some plastic “bumpers” on the front and back. It is also noted at just how small this unit is, it can easily be hidden at the side of my monitor. The Infra Red remote receiver is built into the unit which saves the need for another external receiver. The back... Read review

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Advantages: Watching several channels at once.
Disadvantages: You may need a new aerial

...decided to try my old computer with the DVB T stick and lo and behold it worked. Still don't have a clue why this one never worked but anyway it was working. The device is no larger than a cigarette lighter and comes complete with driver software and a tiny digital aerial which frankly is just for show since you really need a decent signal for the USB powered DVB T stick to work. Using the aerial provided I kept getting the No Signal message. Installation and usage of the DVB is simplicity in itself, simply load the drivers plug it into a vacant USB slot and the viewing software automatically starts up. The next step is simply to scan and save channels and view at your convenience. The picture is quite good now although I may need to re-position my digital aerial for optimal picture quality. I can now work with my Office documents... Read review

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Advantages: huge screen and great picture quality
Disadvantages: needs lots of space

...to the best possible viewing quality. the tv`s specs --------------------- Built-in Sat-Tuner: No Compact Flash Card: No Contrast Ratio (X:1): 3000 DVB-C: No DVB-S: No DVB-T: No DVD Player / Recorder: No DVI Interface: No Digital Tuner: No Electronic Program Guide (EPG): No Energy Savings Trust Feature: No Frequency: 50 Hertz HD ready: Yes HDMI Interface: Yes Horizontal Resolution in Pixel: 1366 Loudspeakers: Yes Memory Stick: No Multimedia Card: No Number of Scart Interfaces: 2 PCMCIA Interface: No Reflection Angle: 170 Screen Format: 16:9 Screen Size in Inch: 46 Screen Size in Inches: 46 Screen Size in cm: 117 Secure Digital Card: No Smart Media Card: No Type of Monitor: LCD USB: No Vertical Resolution in Pixel: 768 YUV Interface: Yes xD-Picture Card: No The sound on the tv is not of the highest quality but there is of course the option to add... Read review

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Advantages: Small design, useful for addition of another TV
Disadvantages: supplied aerial rubbish, supplied software not v good

...up very minimal channels - only the very strong channels. So I bought an extension and coax aerial splitter to bring the main exterior aerial into the spare room - however the TV stick still had trouble finding the same channels as the digi box in the main lounge. I think the signal might be significantly improved when the digital switchover has gone through completely (although that's not until 2009!) Freecom have released DVB drivers to allow you to use the TV stick with 3rd party software (i.e. freeware or Microsoft Media Centre) which does allow you to use the stick with more user-friendly software but does involve a bit of faffing uninstalling the old drivers and getting the new universal ones. Overall though, not a bad little device for around £30, although you do need to be in a strong signal area and would benefit from using... Read review

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Advantages: MCE compatible, good reception, good quality, cheap
Disadvantages: A lot of initial problems

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Advantages: greay hardware, easy to set up, very portable.
Disadvantages: software bundled is dier

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Advantages: More channels, better quality sound and picture
Disadvantages: may need an aerial upgrade.

...I have owned a Freeview digital reciever now for 1year 9months. I bought one of the first boxes available from Dixons for £99.99, it is a Pace DVB1903. I can honestly say it has been one of the best purchases I have ever made. Channels available are :- BBC1, BBC2, BBC3, BBC4 CBBC, CBeebies, BBC NEWS24 BBC Parliament ITV1, ITV2, ITV NEWS Channel 5 Sky Travel, Bid.up.tv Price.drop.tv, QVC The hits, UK LIVING TMF (music), FTN Sky News UK History Sky Sports News For a one off payment... Read review

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