Gadget User Blog

High definition television. It really is a better viewing experience. While HD PVRs (high definition personal video recorders) are still a way a ways from being an economical purchase, you can still watch HD television using a HD STB (set top box). And as someone pointed out to me the other day, you don’t have to place the unit on ‘top’ of the television ’set’. Well, duh!

Anyway, I’ve been using the Strong SRT5400 for some time now, and we really haven’t had any trouble with it. The picture quality is great (on a Panasonic HD ready television).

The only thing that is annoying, as mentioned in a previous DSE Review for a set top box, is the dreadful EPG (electronic program guide). It is truly absolutely no use at all. This in fact, is a good reason to shop around and try and find which company is providing the best EPG.

Although it is very difficult to get your head around just what is happening in the EPG world. Is it the fault of the TV stations that EPGs are so appalling? Or is it the fault of manufacturers of STBs? Whatever is the problem, it seems amazing that they can’t get their act together on this one.

Anyway, EPG aside, the Strong STB is a reasonably good unit. GUB is looking forward to the day that HD television is more common on the networks, but there is ample content at the moment to justify some expense to get a STB.

The menu system on the unit is okay, but again it can be over-complicated to set the unit up to exclude particular channels or to find and choose favourites. There seems to be too many additional extras that one will never use in menus that confuses the issue.

I hope that in future manufacturers do some editing of functions so the most used ones are easy to find and the less used tweaks and fiddles are deeper in the menu choices. At the moment, you need to flick through too many options for relatively simple functions.

It is possible to tape from the STB, it’s just not possible to set it up for a particular program so you need to have it on the channel you wish to tape. You also can’t tape in HD, but the quality to a VCR or hard disk or DVD recorder should be very good.

The HD STB will really come of age when we start to see the first sub-$500 PVRs, because obviously viewing pleasure is increased if one can flick through or even skip the ads (although again television stations are intent on blocking such technology in Australia).

In the meantime, you can get a sub-$300 HD STB at the moment. While the Strong SRT5400 is a little more expensive, for the quality it may well be worth is. We were able to find our unit for just over $400.