Most summer cottages are located at a considerable distance from settlements, many of them are cut off from some of the benefits of civilization, mainly from digital television. Many of us, going out of town for the whole summer, are not ready to give up watching our favorite TV shows, so we take a digital TV receiver with us to the country house.
However, upon arrival, they find out that its power and technical characteristics are not enough to receive a signal and watch channels in high definition. To prevent a similar situation from happening to you, choose your set-top box wisely.
Subtleties of choice
Before you buy a digital receiver for your TV, you need to decide on the type of receiving device. It can be a satellite dish, home or outdoor TV antenna. The choice of this or that equipment depends on a number offactors. In order not to make a mistake with the choice, it is worth answering for yourself a few of the most important questions:
- How many TV channels do you want to watch? If their number exceeds 10, or their list does not include government programs, then you'd better choose a TV receiver for your country house along with a satellite dish.
- How far is the dacha from the city? The farther your hacienda is from a populated area, the lower the chance that a conventional antenna will be able to receive a TV signal.
- Are there television towers in the holiday village? Most modern TV towers broadcast digitally. In this case, a combination of a conventional set-top box and a home antenna will be enough to receive a signal.
Home budget will also have a significant impact on the choice of device. If you are ready to spend a certain amount on watching TV channels, then you can safely choose a satellite TV set. When this option is not possible, you will have to put in a lot of effort and spend some free time.
Satellite dish receiver
After weighing all the pros and cons and deciding that the receiver for a TV in the country for a dish is the most acceptable option for you, you need to answer one more question: which set-top box to choose, independent or attached to a specific operator? In the first case, you can tune your "dish" to different satellites and watch any free channels supplied by any provider. But the qualityimages and signal stability can be significantly affected. If you choose a satellite dish of a certain company, you will only have access to the channels of this provider. However, the image quality and signal stability will be much better. Plus, you don't have to set up the hardware yourself.
Besides this, you need to decide whether you are ready to leave the receiver for the TV in the country for the winter? If not, then opt for independent devices - they are more mobile.
Review of independent satellite receivers
The most affordable option is the Openbox S1 TV box. The technical characteristics of the device allow you to receive a signal from most domestic satellites, such as Tricolor-TV, NTV + or Telekarta. Additional functionality, support for the CI module and the ability to install access cards will allow you to watch most Russian TV channels.
The Openbox S1 receiver received positive feedback from users for its cost, ease of setup and channel search, as well as versatility. The only negative noted by buyers is the inability to watch channels in HD format.
To watch HD-programs you need a digital receiver for your summer cottage Openbox S9 HD PVR. In addition to watching the programs of your favorite operators, you can record them on the built-in hard drive, as well as listen to music and watch videos, photos from flash cards. Minus - rather high price.
Traditional antenna and receiver
Today, TV towers broadcast a digital signal in the decimeter range - the same as analog television. Therefore, to watch TV channels, you can choose any antenna. It remains only to decide which one: passive or active?
In the first case, the amplifier block will be located separately from the receiving structure itself, and in the second case, the amplifier block will be combined with the “horns” receiving the signal. Passive antennas are more durable, but interfere with interference. Active devices are not weatherproof, but are more compact and better at signal reception.
It is worth saying that anyone can choose a receiver for a TV antenna in the country, because the set-top box is suitable for both active and passive devices. In some cases, even an indoor antenna will do. It all depends on the distance of the TV tower from your country house.
Receiver parameters for antenna
You will only need an antenna receiver if your TV does not have a built-in digital signal processing module. As a rule, it is absent from all old CRT TV boxes. For modern models marked with DVB-T2 symbols, the prefix is not needed.
When choosing a receiver, you need to make sure that the received signal format complies with DVB-T2, and that the equipment is capable of processing MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 video. Additionally, you can require the receiver toTV to the country house received an HD signal.
Overview of digital receivers
Rolsen RDB-507N TV box may be an acceptable option. Low cost corresponds to a small set of features, but it does its job perfectly well. According to customer reviews, the receiver heats up during operation, but this does not affect the durability. Another inexpensive receiver, the Mystery MMP-71DT2, is very similar to the previous one. Among the advantages, it should be noted a simple channel setting, an intuitive interface. Some users complained about the inconvenient remote control, but it just takes some getting used to.
BBK SMP127HDT2 is an inexpensive receiver for a TV in the country, reviews of which speak in favor of its functionality and reliability. With proper tuning, it will be possible to “catch” all state channels, and if you are near the state border, you will also be able to catch the channels of a neighboring country. The interface can scare you, but you can figure it out with the instructions.
Internet TV
Few people know about the possibility of watching TV channels via the Internet due to the non-proliferation of this broadcasting technology. Unfortunately, even today the quality of cellular communication leaves much to be desired in many regions of Russia. However, if there have never been problems with mobile communications at the summer cottage, then this option promises to be the most optimal.
To watch TV channels, you need to purchase a special receiver from a mobile operatorcommunications - MTS, Beeline, TELE2 or from other providers, connect a subscription to channels and buy an access card - an analogue of a SIM card in a phone. After connecting, the set-top box is immediately ready for use - there is no need to configure or search for channels.
How not to miscalculate with the purchase?
In order for the set-top box you purchased to properly “catch” TV channels in digital format, before choosing a receiver for a TV in the country, you must carefully study the local conditions. Find out which mobile operator works best in the area, how far the TV tower is from your home, and whether your neighbors have satellite dishes.
When the budget doesn't allow you to sort through the various options, start with the cheapest and easiest - connect a coil of wire to your TV. If you manage to find a transmission, you can get by with an indoor antenna. If there is no signal at all (there is not even interference), then even a street receiver will not cope here. Experiment and you will surely find something that suits you.
