Coles Digital Set Top Box

[Dave Goldfinch]

I have just bought a "Music Television" Model MTV-540STB set top box
from Coles for the incredible price of $75.

I am in WA so I don't know if this is available nationally or just in
WA.

It is a nice neat unit & setting it up is a doddle. Reception appears
to be excellent - but then my analogue reception is also very good so
YMMV.

It even has a RS232 port for firmware upgrades !

Dave

 

[Stuart Palmer]

I have just bought a "Music Television" Model MTV-540STB set top box
from Coles for the incredible price of $75.

I am in WA so I don't know if this is available nationally or just in
WA.

It is a nice neat unit & setting it up is a doddle. Reception appears
to be excellent - but then my analogue reception is also very good so
YMMV.

It even has a RS232 port for firmware upgrades !

Dave

Hi Dave,

It's here in Victoria at least - was looking at it myself.

Thanks for the info.

Does it have aspect ratio control on the remote, or do you have to fish
through menus to adjust it?

Thanks again.

 

[Dave Goldfinch]

Hi Dave,

It's here in Victoria at least - was looking at it myself.

Thanks for the info.

Does it have aspect ratio control on the remote, or do you have to fish
through menus to adjust it?

Thanks again.

It has an 'ASPECT' button on the remote - THe manual quotes it as
offering 'Full Screen, Letter box or Pan Scan'.

It even has 3 games built in ! (Tetris, Boxman and Happy Snake)

Dave

 

[Stuart Palmer]

It has an 'ASPECT' button on the remote - THe manual quotes it as
offering 'Full Screen, Letter box or Pan Scan'.

It even has 3 games built in ! (Tetris, Boxman and Happy Snake)

Dave

Cheers again Dave, thanks.

 

[Mr.T]

It even has a RS232 port for firmware upgrades !

If any are ever released!
See http://www.tinshed.com/STB.htm for a list of available updates, for all
models.

So the important question is, have you found any firmware glitches yet?

MrT.

 

[Phil Allison]

"Dave Goldfinch"

I have just bought a "Music Television" Model MTV-540STB set top box
from Coles for the incredible price of $75.

I am in WA so I don't know if this is available nationally or just in
WA.

It is a nice neat unit & setting it up is a doddle. Reception appears
to be excellent - but then my analogue reception is also very good so
YMMV.

It even has a RS232 port for firmware upgrades !

** What are the video options ?

Has it got S-Video or Component Video ( 3 x RCAs) ?

Has it got a SCART socket or a mini-DIN for S-Video ?




......... Phil

 

[Mr.T]

** What are the video options ?

Has it got S-Video or Component Video ( 3 x RCAs) ?

Has it got a SCART socket or a mini-DIN for S-Video ?

You need to establish if there are any still available first. When Coles say
"no rainchecks" it means they don't intend to have much stock.

MrT.

 

[Dave Goldfinch]

"Dave Goldfinch"


** What are the video options ?

Has it got S-Video or Component Video ( 3 x RCAs) ?

Has it got a SCART socket or a mini-DIN for S-Video ?




......... Phil

Hi Phil

Video is limited to Composite and S-VHS.

Audio is analogue stereo and Digital audio.

HTH

Dave

 

[Dave Goldfinch]

Hi Phil

Video is limited to Composite and S-VHS.

Audio is analogue stereo and Digital audio.

HTH

Dave

The S-VHS socket is a mini-DIN.

Dave

 

[Phil Allison]

"Mr.T" T = Turd.

** CRIMINAL context snipper !!!!

& CRIMINAL idiot assumption maker !!!!

You need to establish if there are any still available first.

** What the **** for ????????




.......... Phil

 

[Phil Allison]

"Dave Goldfinch"

"Phil Allison"

Video is limited to Composite and S-VHS.

Audio is analogue stereo and Digital audio.

** Excellent.

Are you using the S-Video ?



........... Phil

 

[Phil Allison]

"Dave Goldfinch"

The S-VHS socket is a mini-DIN.

** Cool.

That makes it one up on the DSE budget STUB.



......... Phil

 

[David L. Jones]

"Dave Goldfinch"


** What are the video options ?

Has it got S-Video or Component Video ( 3 x RCAs) ?

Has it got a SCART socket or a mini-DIN for S-Video ?

My Thomson STB has a 3.5mm stereo socket for the S-Video connection.
Not uncommon these days.

Dave

 

[Dave Goldfinch]

"Dave Goldfinch"


** Excellent.

Are you using the S-Video ?



.......... Phil

Unfortunately not - my aging TV doesnt have that option.

Hopefully the price of widescreen sets will drop enough for me to
contemplate buying one soon.

Dave

 

[Phil Allison]

"Dave Goldfinch"

Unfortunately not - my aging TV doesnt have that option.

** Nearly all sets have it now.

A very decent 68cm with full AV can be bought for under $400.

Hopefully the price of widescreen sets will drop enough for me to
contemplate buying one soon.

** No need for that expense to appreciate the HUGE improvement S-Video
makes.

Use it with your DVD player too.

Digital TV and typical DVD quality are practically the same.



.......... Phil

 

[Mr.T]

"Phil Allison" = Turd.
CRIMINAL idiot !!!!



** What the **** for ????????

Pardon me for assuming your questions had some point to them.

MrT.

 

[Phil Allison]

"Mr.T" T = TURD

Pardon me for assuming your questions had some point to them.

** **** YOU for PIG ARROGANTLY assuming YOU knew the reason.





.......... Phil

 

[David L. Jones]

"Dave Goldfinch"



** Nearly all sets have it now.

A very decent 68cm with full AV can be bought for under $400.





** No need for that expense to appreciate the HUGE improvement S-Video
makes.

IMHO a widescreen set with composite is better than a 4:3 with S-Video
any day. Hang out for the widesreen set Dave, I think a 76cm can be had
for around $600 or so these days. 100Hz is worth paying the extra for
though.
The majority of digital TV content is widescreen, so doesn't look
nearly as good on a 4:3 set. You can zoom in of course, or fit to
screen, but then you either lose content or have a distorted image.

Use it with your DVD player too.

Digital TV and typical DVD quality are practically the same.

Yep, much better than analog.
Although I still find that you can see the compression artefacts in
high speed sports footage which I find a bit annoying sometimes.

Dave

 

[Phil Allison]

"David L. Jones"

IMHO a widescreen set with composite is better than a 4:3 with S-Video
any day.

** Absolute bullshit.

Using composite blurs the pic and colour quality on any screen.

Hang out for the widesreen set Dave, I think a 76cm can be had
for around $600 or so these days. 100Hz is worth paying the extra for
though.

The majority of digital TV content is widescreen,

** The vast majority of SD TV is in "letterbox " mode.

Plus nothing looks WORSE than a 4:3 image on a wide screen set - that
means many movies and even some commercials.

You can zoom in of course, or fit to
screen, but then you either lose content or have a distorted image.

** Neither is true.

Yep, much better than analog.
Although I still find that you can see the compression artefacts in
high speed sports footage which I find a bit annoying sometimes.

** Not inherent in the SD format - but a result of deliberate limiting of
bit rates by the networks.

An SD signal can have a higher bit rate than a DVD.



......... Phil

 

[Mr.T]

** **** YOU for PIG ARROGANTLY assuming YOU knew the reason.

Yes, it was stupid of me to assume you would ever have a point to your
arguments.

MrT.