DVB-T2 receiver with VGA output, or a second life for an old monitor

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TV tuner is a device that is used to receive signals from television antennas (cable, satellite).

Attention! Using these devices, you can watch television programs and record them (no personal presence is required). They can also receive signals from FM radio stations.

Types of TV tuners

There are 3 types:

• internal - is a board that is installed inside the equipment. This board comes with software and drivers;
• external – can connect to a TV or computer screen. In this case, the computer or TV may be turned off. It is believed that the external one is the most multifunctional, and in terms of price, it is the cheapest of all types;
• hardware – external, connected into the gap between the video card and the monitor.

There are 3 types of tuners

Digital

A digital tuner is a device used for reception and conversion. Called a receiver or set-top box.

Delivery occurs in 3 ways:

• ethereal;
• satellite;
• cable

Depending on the method, it is marked:

• terrestrial – DVB-T and DVB-T2;
• satellite – DVB-S and DVB-S2;
• cable – DVB-C.

More often there are DVB-T/C, but if DVB-T/C/S, then such a TV is capable of receiving signals in all ways.

There is a broadcast standard. Currently it is DVB-T, there is a transition to the DVB-T2 standard.

In this video you will learn more about the monitor tuner:

Analog

TV tuners for standard broadcasting are most often located inside. They are presented in the form of a built-in expansion card. But there are also external ones.

They are more in demand, since devices for digital and satellite broadcasting are more expensive and not so common. The work consists of decoding an analog signal that is transmitted via radio frequency waves.

They can show SD image quality (unlike digital ones, which have HD images that are clearer). Proneness to interference is the main disadvantage of analog tuners.

Hybrid

Currently, hybrid tuners are produced that are capable of simultaneously decoding not only digital but also analog signals (analog and DVB-T). The production of mega-hybrid devices is spreading.

Satellite

A satellite receiver or receiver is a device for transmitting a signal from a satellite. Reception occurs through a cable that is connected to a converter on the satellite antenna.

Carried out in MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 formats. Used for HDTV transmission.

There are 2 transmission channels:

• DVB-S. An inexpensive receiver is suitable for reception here.
• DVB-S2 broadcasts MPEG-4 with clearer quality. You need an expensive receiver.

When choosing a satellite receiver, you need to pay attention to the presence of a card reader, which is needed to watch paid channels.

There are receivers with a Linux system with greater capabilities than usual (Internet access, video recording, and others).

Don't forget that the tuner has a card reader

Reviews

Vadim, 30 years old, Surgut. I would like to share my impressions of purchasing and using a receiver with a VGA output. I bought it in an online store, it was delivered quite quickly in 2.5 weeks. The packaging is civil, nothing is damaged. The kit includes the receiver itself, a control panel, and a power supply. The panel has buttons with direct access to the menu, switching channels, and adjusting the sound. The LED is working, showing that it is working. All connectors are located on the rear: antenna, HDMI, VGA, USB, input of the power supply itself. I connect the speakers via USB. The interface is intuitive, it’s a pity there is no Russian language. If the signal is weak, it may reboot itself several times, this is the only drawback. Operated with a regular indoor antenna. I want to connect the street one, I’ll write about the result later.

Mikhail, 45 years old, Suzdal. The only downside is that there is no Russian language. There is a remote control, power supply and a booklet with technical characteristics. Suitable for use with almost any monitor. I use speakers to play sound. Some users write that they encountered difficulties when connecting for the first time due to the maximum format expansion. I personally didn't have such problems.

Connection

You can connect this device yourself.

But first you should find out what equipment you need:

1. Console. To watch digital television channels you need a DVB-T2 set-top box. Based on what you need to know about external TV tuners, what characteristics can be selected with the necessary functions.
2. Cable. You need 2 types of cable - television (connection between antenna and set-top box) and special HDMI (set-top box and TV).
3. Antenna. It can be indoor or outdoor. The choice of the right one depends on the distance of the television tower.

It is also possible to connect a tuner:

• via PCA cable. To do this, you need to insert the wires on the back of the set-top box depending on the color marking (white, red - audio signal, yellow - video signal);
• then connect the TV and antenna;
• set up channels.

HDMI, VGA and RCA connector

First, a little introduction to the topic of computer connectors. HDMI is a digital interface and, one might say, appeared relatively recently. VGA is an analog data transfer method. They are incompatible. The transfer of a signal from one type to another is realized using an electronic circuit. We won't go into details.

The receiver always has an HDMI connector

RCA connectors are an even earlier method of transmitting video and audio data. Used to transmit an analog signal in early model televisions, VCRs, CD players, etc. This connector is also present on many set-top boxes. Here, on the contrary, it is necessary to transform the signal from analog to digital.

Analog VGA connector

Connecting to an LCD monitor

You can watch TV programs by connecting a TV tuner to your computer monitor.

Old LCD displays have no output. However, the old monitor has a VGA plug. And by connecting an adapter from HDMI to VGA with audio output, connect to the network and to the receiver, you can use the display to watch TV.

New displays already have an HDMI connector, making things easier. To connect to the set-top box you need an HDMI to DVI-D adapter.

If DVB T2, to connect and set up television, you need a YPbPr-VGA cable.

To connect a TV to an LCD monitor, you can use a converter such as AV to VGA.

Connection options

There are certain types of connectors on the receiver and TV, on which the option for connecting the equipment will depend.

Options for combining connectors and ports

Antenna

For a long time, most tuner users used exclusively antenna inputs. For this reason, almost every receiver model has a corresponding input. As a result of this feature, each subscriber had the opportunity to connect an analogue television antenna, satellite receiver and video player. Today, for modern broadcasting, an external antenna with decimeter power is used.

DVI

DVI technology is considered an attempt to modernize the VGA interface. In this case, the connector makes it possible to transmit only the image; additional cables and ports are used for voice acting. DVI and HDMI are compatible ports, so the user has the opportunity to combine them.

ESATA

ESATA is a connector that is used when connecting external devices that support hot-swappable mode. The interface is considered to be quite durable and is designed to support a variety of connections. During the procedure, it needs two wires: a bus and a separate power cable. File transfer speed exceeds USB 2.0.

Video OUT

The Video OUT connector is used if it is necessary to connect a TV model with an outdated data transfer option to the monitor. This is the best option for people who have old equipment at home.

HDMI

The HDMI connector is considered a significant multifunctional multimedia service of the present time. With its help, a signal is transmitted through one cable - video and audio signals. Due to the joint transmission, the quality of the image and voice acting does not deteriorate, and the data is also not lost. After connecting the set-top box via HDMI, modern files are played, Full HD pictures are played, and the sound is clear.

Euro Scart

The Scart connector makes it possible to connect older models of set-top boxes to modern TVs. This interface is an excellent option for equipment that does not have HDMI.

Ethernet LAN

A local network connector is needed when connecting equipment to the Internet. Using this interface is the ability to use a wired connection for search engines, applications, services and other online tools that are provided by Smart TV.

Optical Digital Audio

Optical audio output is a modern way to transfer sound files without distortion. The end result is excellent quality sound and original voice acting. This connector is considered standard for modern TV models and mandatory for acoustic systems. To organize a speaker system, the user will need to additionally purchase not only cords, but also other equipment.

USB

A multifunctional USB connector is present on different types of equipment. They are equipped with cameras, web cameras, MP3 players, and other gadgets. The speed of information transfer is directly affected by the interface version. The higher it is, the better the quality of file playback. Many new models of DVB set-top boxes are equipped with USB 3.0, as are televisions. When connecting the receiver to a monitor, USB is not needed, but it is difficult to do without it when installing speakers.

VGA

Thanks to the VGA input, image transmission from an external device is ensured. A few years ago, the connector was used to connect a monitor to a computer, but nowadays it has been replaced by more modern devices. This interface is considered a useful option for users of outdated technology. One of the advantages of VGA is the ability to combine with outdated models of equipment.

Component input

Thanks to the component input, the subscriber has the opportunity to receive a high-resolution analog image from other devices on the screen for viewing.

Connecting to an old TV

How to connect and set up an old TV.

You can connect in 3 ways:

• solder the adapter from the A/V input to scart;
• buy the appropriate adapter and connect;
• For very old TVs, purchase a special modulator with RCA connectors.

You can use the TV as a computer monitor if the screen resolution is 1920x1080.

Don't forget to set up the tuner

How to implement sound

If the monitor had an RCA connector for connecting via AV there would be no problems at all. HDMI and DVI-D are digital outputs with appropriate signal quality and support for audio signal transmission. From here it is clear that if the monitor has speakers, then you can immediately get sound. However, their sound quality leaves much to be desired, so when connecting a computer monitor to a digital set-top box, it is better to send the sound through the speaker system.

Speaker system for connecting to a set-top box

In general, it is better to use an external system and connect it to the outputs on the TV receiver.

Frequent problems and solutions

A common situation is when, after connecting two devices, no image or sound appears. In this case, take the following steps:

1. Make sure you insert the cable well into the connectors.
2. Check the integrity of the connecting wire.
3. Try using a different cable (if possible).
4. Please note that the monitor supports the HDCP protocol. If you didn't check for support before connecting your devices, this is most likely the problem.

Knowing how to connect a monitor to an Android TV set-top box, you can watch your favorite TV, movies or other content on any display. All that is needed for this is the presence of special connectors or adapters. In the comments, share what difficulties you have encountered and what connection methods you use most often.

AverTV DVI Box 1080i inside

The TV tuner case opens easily, giving us the opportunity to get acquainted with the model's structure.

Traditionally neat installation of the printed circuit board, a modern single-chip RF unit Xceive XC2028ACQ, which we have already seen in the AverTV MCE116 Plus model, and DVI ports give the board a very modern look. Let's look at the chips used in the TV tuner. We won’t repeat ourselves about the RF unit - it performed very well in the AverTV MCE116 Plus tests.

The heart of the TV tuner is the NXP SAA7136AE/1/G chip, which is responsible for converting the high-frequency signal from the Xceive RF unit into a picture. In terms of functionality, this is a variation of the well-known Philips (NXP) SAA7135, only without a PCI bridge. This chip also supports stereo audio decoding and has built-in sound effects.

The Silicon Image SiI1161 receiver is responsible for receiving the signal from the video card, which is necessary for the “frame in frame” functions. This chip has an automatically adjustable bandwidth from 25 to 165 MHz, allowing it to support resolutions up to 1900x1200. The SiI164 DVI transmitter is responsible for displaying the image on the screen. To the left of it is an NTS/PAL video decoder ActVision AV3005-A with 16 MB of memory.

On the reverse side of the board there is a Micronas SDA 5550M chip installed - a teletext decoder that also works with services such as Video Program System, Program Delivery Control and Wide Screen Signalling.

But enough talking about the microarchitecture of the TV tuner, it's time to check how it works.

conclusions

The AverTV DVI Box 1080i TV tuner is a niche model that should have appeared a long time ago. It supports high resolutions of modern LCD monitors, does not spoil the quality of the signal from the video card when you are working on a computer, and allows you to use your computer monitor to also connect an HD game console or DVD player.

The time comes when users replace their old LCD monitors with newer ones. In this regard, AverTV DVI Box9 looks great: it can find use for both an old monitor and a new one, even a widescreen one.

And although the AverTV DVI Box 1080i cannot boast of any innovative functions, design from a well-known brand or a dumping price, this model will definitely be popular, if only because such a solution has been awaited for a long time and there are no competitors. Well, those users who are not yet in a hurry to buy a standalone TV tuner can wait until two more “standalone” TV tuners from Aver go on sale: the BoxW9 Plus model, similar to the DVI Box9, but with VGA ports, and the HybridTV STB9, which supports digital television and radio.