Which DVB-T2 set-top box to choose in 2021 - ranking of the best

Hello. I offer a review of a DVB-T2 receiver with a VGA output, to which you can connect an old unnecessary monitor, be it a CRT or an LCD, it doesn’t matter. As a result, with minimal labor costs, you get a TV with the ability to receive digital terrestrial television. If you are interested... I think many people remember reviews of conversions of old monitors into TVs using special boards that were inserted into these same monitors in various ways. Some did it beautifully, some not so much, but it doesn’t matter, the main thing is the result. I also remembered this when I came across a 17-inch LCD monitor lying around at home. But then the thought came, what if you don’t have to redo anything, but choose the right digital receiver and that’s it? And yes, it turns out they exist!

The receiver arrived without a box, just in a package. The photo of the parcel has not survived, but there is nothing to see there. Includes receiver, power supply and remote control.

Let's start with the remote control:

Nothing unusual, the remote control is very standard, powered by 2 AAA batteries, which were also not included.

Receiver:

At first glance, it is also the most standard digital television receiver. On the top surface there are control buttons, on the front end there is a window for an indicator and an infrared receiver, on the right side there are three sockets for “tulip” connectors (1 video and 2 audio), on the rear end there is an antenna input, a power socket, USB, HDMI, VGA. It’s the last connector that makes the receiver under review stand out from the huge team of its brothers.

Disassembly:

To disassemble the case, you need to tear off the legs, under which the screws are hidden. Next, the case is easily separated into 2 parts. The main receiver chip is hidden under a glued heatsink. I didn't tear it off for fear of damaging it. The high-frequency part is assembled on the fairly popular MXL608 chip:

Also on the board there is a 32MBit serial Flash memory chip MX25L3206E

The most interesting thing is the presence of the EP94Z1E chip, which is an HDMI to VGA + audio converter. HDMI-2-VGA converters are produced using these chips. Those. in this case, there is a hybrid of a conventional DVB-T2 receiver and an HDMI to VGA converter.

Device operation:

After connecting the antenna, power supply and monitor to the receiver, a menu for selecting a language and searching for channels appeared on the latter. There was no Russian among the languages ​​present in the firmware, so English was left. In the process of searching for channels, signals from two multiplexes were discovered, consisting of 20 TV channels and 3 radio channels.

The picture is quite watchable.

Below I will give a photo of the menu pages; I see no point in describing them in detail, because... they are no different from similar samples without a VGA output. Everything is standard. You only need to note the need to also connect a device for sound output (speakers). If the receiver is connected to a TV via HDMI, then both image and sound are transmitted through this interface, but when using the receiver together with a monitor, the sound must be output through something. You can use computer active speakers by connecting them to the “tulips”. I used a speaker with a built-in amplifier, which I once pulled out of an HP system unit. The built-in amplifier is powered by 5 volts, so I decided to power it from a USB receiver, for which I soldered a USB connector to the end of the cable for power and a “tulip” for connecting to the audio output.

How to choose the best DVB-T2 set-top box

DVB-T2 is a European standard for terrestrial digital television, belonging to the second generation. This is now the most common broadcast format.

Almost any digital set-top box supports the DVB-T2 format. Therefore, the question arises: which device is better to buy?

To choose the model that is right for you, you should pay attention to the technical specifications.

What criteria should be followed?

• See what information encoding methods your chosen device supports. Everything is simple here - in the best case, the receiver should support the maximum number of video and audio compression formats.

Note! The set-top box must support MPEG-4 signal encoding.

• What is the screen resolution of your TV?

The peculiarity of receivers is that they can only support HD and higher. And the broadcast standard for too old TV models is SDTV.

Important! If your TV is outdated, the picture quality will not change after installing the device.

• Connector type.

TVs may have different types of connectors. More often it is (RCA) “tulip” or SCART, for more modern HDMI models. However, there is always the opportunity to purchase an adapter if the selected set-top box does not fit only the type of connector.

Important! The presence of an HDMI connector allows the picture quality to improve significantly.

• Sensitivity parameter.

This criterion determines how high quality the image on your screen will be. In the characteristics of the model, this item is designated as “input signal level”.

• What media formats are supported.

The set-top box can be used to view photos, audio and video files. To do this, it must support the appropriate formats:

Video – MKV, AVI, AVC/H.264, DivX, MPEG4

Audio – MP3, WMA, AAC, AC3

Photo – JPEG, JPG, RAW

These parameters can be seen in the model characteristics.

• Cartographer.

It happens that the standard set of channels, of which there are more than 30, is not enough for the user. In this case, it is worth paying attention to the presence of a card reader in the device. This thing allows you to catch additional channels.

• Availability of additional features.

Using the receiver, you can watch not only TV programs in real time. The great functionality of modern devices allows you to surf Internet sites, connect external media and record broadcasts.

When studying the characteristics, you should pay attention to the TimeShift function and the number of USB connectors.

To ensure you are completely satisfied with your purchase, think about what exactly you want from a DVB-T2 set-top box.

Ugoos AM3

easy to install;
works quickly;

supports installation of memory cards;

many connectors.

not all functions are described in the instructions;

outdated OS.

3rd place ZIDOO Z9S

RUB 12,000

A set-top box in a gray case with Android 7.1 OS and a maximum resolution of 4K UHD. Can be controlled from a smartphone. The set-top box works with any subtitles; it can search for and enable suitable subtitles online.

Includes: remote control, batteries, cable, instructions.

Specifications:

• RAM 2 GB;
• internal built-in memory 16 GB;
• outputs: Ethernet 10/100/1000, RS-232, stereo audio output, optical audio output, composite, HDMI, USB 2.0 Type A x 2, USB 3.0 Type A x 2;
• additional functions: Internet services, support for microSD, microSDHC memory cards.

Lots of connectors

What is the difference between receivers of different price categories?

There is quite a large selection of digital set-top boxes on the market. All of them can be divided into groups according to price category. The functionality and additional features depend on the price. The more expensive the device, the more functions it has.

The price of receivers starts from about 700 rubles and up to 17,000. The cost of an auto tuner is influenced by certain characteristics:

1. Possibility of Internet connection
2. Number of connectors
3. Country in which the device was manufactured. The cheapest models are made in China.
4. Ability to control the set-top box using buttons on the display
5. The ability to record your favorite TV show or series to watch it at any convenient time

All the devices that the market offers us can be divided into four categories.

• Budget series

The peculiarity of budget options is their limited functionality. They can only be used for watching TV. Such models cope well with basic tasks, but they do not have any additional functions. Budget segment devices will be a good option, for example, for a TV in the country.

• Economy options

Economy class is located a little higher. Such set-top boxes have the ability to expand the number of channels. This is done using a special card reader. Another nice feature is that receivers of this class have the ability to record various documents on external media.

• Average price category

The best option for active use. Their main advantage over cheaper models is particularly high-quality sound and video transmission. In addition, they have all the additional features listed above. A good option for those who want to purchase a quality device without spending a lot of money.

• Premium class

These are the most advanced devices on the market. Set-top boxes of this class have a powerful operating system. Because of this, the functionality improves. Their main advantage is a wide range of additional capabilities. These models are equipped with an Internet browser. This allows you to view any pages from your TV, listen to music and watch videos from the World Wide Web through the YouTube and Megogo applications.

Attention! If you are sure that you only need a set-top box for watching TV programs, you can safely go for budget or economy options.

ZIDOO Z9S

can be controlled from a smartphone;
supports installation of memory cards;

many connectors.

high price;

does not always read the AVI format.

2nd place Vontar X3 4/128 Gb

RUB 5,700

A set-top box in a black and orange case with Android 9.0 OS and a maximum resolution of 4K UHD. Supports different subtitle formats. Supports 4K and 8K decoding.

Includes: remote control, batteries, cable, instructions.

Specifications:

• RAM 4 GB;
• internal built-in memory 128 GB;
• outputs: USB 2.0 Type A, USB 3.0 Type A, Ethernet 10/100/1000, audio optical, composite, HDMI;
• additional functions: Internet services, Internet radio, support for microSD, microSDHC memory cards.

Large memory capacity

Comparative table of characteristics of digital set-top boxes

To make it easier for customers to choose a DVB-T2 set-top box, a special table has been compiled. Below is a list of popular devices and their characteristics. Here you can clearly see the difference between the models. The main difference lies in the installed processors and the number of USB connectors. Experts advise giving preference to those devices that best suit your needs. The average price indicated in the table will allow you to understand which models fit into your budget.

What to look for when choosing a TV tuner

Broadcast Standards

There are three types of television broadcasting:

• ethereal;
• cable;
• satellite.

All of them are presented in two varieties: DVB-T and T2 for terrestrial, DVB-C and C2 for cable, DVB-S and S2 for satellite. But if in the first and last cases the more modern standards DVB-T2 and DVB-S2 supplanted their predecessors, then cable television still has enough capabilities of the first version.

Please note that it is very rare to support all three standards at the same time.

Number of USB ports

It is extremely rare for modern tuners to do without USB at all. External drives are connected to such connectors to play video, music or other digital content. The USB port is also useful if the device supports Wi-Fi modules. The latter give the tuner access to Internet services.

Teletext

A function that allows you to display useful text information on the screen. This could be a TV program, descriptions of TV shows, short news, jokes or other interesting content. Initially, this option appeared in analogue broadcasting, and digital greatly expanded the capabilities of teletext.

Equipment

Simpler devices are equipped with only RCA cables. They are sufficient to connect to most TVs. But to connect the tuner to a regular monitor you need an HDMI cable. Make sure it is included in the kit or purchase it additionally.

Tanix TX9S 2/8 Gb

many additional functions;
low price;

compact sizes.

complex setup;

the signal is unstable;

inconvenient remote control.

1 place Apple TV 4K 32GB

RUB 16,500

Set-top box in a black square case with tvOS OS. Supports Dolby Vision and HDR10, can be controlled via the Siri voice assistant. Works in the Smart Home system.

Included: remote control, batteries, Lightning cable, instructions. The model supports iTunes, Apple Music, Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Showtime applications.

Specifications:

• RAM 3 GB;
• internal built-in memory 32 GB;
• outputs: Ethernet 10/100/1000, HDMI;
• additional functions: IPTV support, Internet radio, IPhone support.

Large memory capacity

Ugoos X3 PLUS

easy setup;
works smoothly, does not freeze;

large amount of memory;

many outputs on the panel.

inconvenient remote control;

the body heats up.

3rd place Google Chromecast Ultra

RUB 6,900

The set-top box can be controlled from a smartphone; it has three built-in Wi-Fi antennas. The model has a round gray case and supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision.

Includes: remote control, batteries, cable, instructions.

Specifications:

• outputs: USB 2.0 Type B, HDMI output;
• additional features: support for iPhone, support for Internet services Netflix, YouTube, Hulu Plus, Google Play Movies, Chrome.

Original design

MECOOL KM9 Pro Classic

easy setup;
convenient remote control;

remote control with voice function;

many outputs on the panel.

sometimes freezes;

weak wireless connection.

Models in the line:

• MECOOL KM9 Pro Honor is a media player.

4th place Ugoos X3 PLUS

RUB 8,000

The model in a black rectangular case with a bright logo has Android 9.0 OS.

Includes: remote control, batteries, HDMI cable, power supply, instructions, removable antenna.

Specifications:

• RAM 4 GB;
• internal built-in memory 64 GB;
• outputs: USB 2.0 Type A, USB 3.0 Type A, Ethernet 10/100/1000, stereo audio, optical audio, composite video, HDMI;
• additional functions: Internet service, Internet radio, support for microSD, microSDHC memory cards.

Easy setup

Vontar X3 4/128 Gb

large amount of memory;
stylish design;

supports installation of memory cards;

affordable price.

The remote control has little functionality.

1st place Xiaomi Mi Box S

RUR 5,800

The console has a black square case with Android 8.0 OS and a maximum resolution of 4K UHD. Support for Google Play Internet services. Works in the Smart Home system.

Included: remote control, batteries, instructions. The remote control is Bluetooth powered and has buttons for calling video services Netflix, Live TV and others.

Specifications:

• RAM 2 GB;
• internal built-in memory 8 GB;
• outputs: USB 2.0 Type A, stereo audio output, HDMI output;
• additional functions: IPTV support, Internet radio, IPhone support.

Affordable price