Who needs this?
- You watch free-to-air Mediacorp shows but do not subscribe to Starhub TV or Singtel Mio programmes.
Sooner or later the antenna from your HDB block is not going to give you the free-to-air shows any more. The whole of Singapore is switching to solely digital by end-2017.
- You have a show at 10pm but you only reach home at 11pm.
With this box, you can now record the show first and once you reach home you can start watching it whilst it is still being recorded.
- You like to record some shows that are not available from Catch-up TV on Toggle. Besides, it’s much nicer to watch over a large TV screen than on your tablet's or phone's small screen.
- You like to keep some recorded shows and maybe even pass them around to others.
It all started when my old VCR recorder broke. I reviewed the available options then and realized that the slightly newer options then of DVD recording or Hard Disk recording of the Mediacorp shows will also be obsolete soon. The entire Singapore is switching to digital. The current analog signals will be gone by Dec-2018 (was end 2017 but authorities extended dateline by a year). With that, one needs these DVB-T2 set-top boxes to watch Mediacorp shows, and they can be used for recording too, and in HD as well.
There has been a fair bit of advertisement on this digital thing. What it means to the layman is this:
Starhub TV/Singtel Mio subscribers – do nothing, for those TVs connected to your subscription box. For those TV not connected to the subscription boxes, you still need to get a DVB-T2 set-top box and/or anntena like everyone else.
Everyone else who watches Mediacorp shows:
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Existing TV –> get a set-top box + Antenna (can watch and record shows)
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Newest Digital TV -> just get Antenna. But you can’t record shows. |
But I can still get MediaCorp shows without subscription TV or these set-top boxes or antennas...
Well, that's because the analog signals are not completely shut off yet. But come end 2017, the HDB antennas in each HDB flat won't work any more as they are meant for the old analog signals. Even with a new TV set, you will need at least a new digital antenna. If your TV set does not have either of these stickers, then you need a set-top box too.
| No need for set-top box if TV has either of these stickers, but a digital antenna is still required |
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Even if your existing TV may have a built-in "Digital" mode, if those stickers are not present, you will still require a set-top box. That "Digital" mode is meant for an older format of digital signal (DVB-T). The new digital signals are DVB-T2.Earlier this year, those households using the old digital channels saw this warning:
But I don't watch Mediacorp shows...Well, maybe you don't watch them in general. But do you have parents, friends, or relatives who visit and may want to watch them? How about if someone tells you about an interesting programme on TV, but your existing TV is useless as it can't receive these programmes any more. Gone are the days when we buy a TV set, bring it home, plug it in, and voila, we can watch all the free TV shows. Not any more. Don't wait until you have absolutely have no option to watch local live programmes from your TV. Prep it for DVB-T2 today.
Is This Legal?
Absolutely! This DVB-T2 set top box does not allow streaming of free movies and TV shows all over the world. That kind of box is illegal. But this box just helps you to tune in to the free-to-air shows available in Singapore.
We have the DVB-T2 set top box AND the antenna available. [Note that in order to store the recordings, you will need a large capacity Flashdrive. 1 hr of HD recording takes a little over 4Gb of space. So a capacity of 64 or 128Gb is recommended.]
Specifications:
- Fully compliant with DVB-T2 and H.264, MPEG-4, MPEG-2 Standard
- 1.3'' LED display
- Tuner input frequency: 48~862MHz
- RF input level: -25~82dBm
- IF Bandwidth: 6~8MHz
- Video decoder format: MPEG4 AVC/H.264 HP@L4, MPEG2 MP@ML/HL
- Video output format: 576P, 720P, 1080i, 1080p 50Hz
- Output port: HDMI (V1.3C), YPbPr, CVBS
- Audio decoder format: MPEG-1 (LAER1&1&2&3), WMA, AC3
- Audio output: S/PDIF (Coaxial), RCAx2 (L/R)
- USB 2.0: Support MP3, WMA, JEPG, BMP, AVI, MKV
- Voltage: 100~240V 50/60Hz
- Maximum power consumption: 10W
- Standby power consumption: <0.8W
- Supports logic channel number
- EPG (Electronic Program Guide) with now and next 7 days events
- Channel search with automatic/manual scan
- Various channel editing function
- OSD language: English, Russia , Czech, Danish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, etc
- Dimensions: 8.66 in x 5.31 in x 1.38 in (22.0 cm x 13.5 cm x 3.5 cm)
- Weight: 18.41 oz (522 g)
PLUS: Powerful 50-mile Digital Antenna with amplifier
Package includes:
- 1 x DVB-T2 Digital receiver (EU 3-pin plug)
- 1 x Remote controller (2 x AAA battery, not included)
- 1 x English user manual
- 1 x AV cable
- 1 x Digital Antenna with amplifier
All sets will be pre-tuned for SG Free-to-Air channels!
