Price : Too low to display
Digital converter boxes receive over-the-air digital TV broadcasts for viewing on TVs that do not have built-in digital tuners. If you wish to keep using your analog TV set, you must purchase a digital converter box. This box receives over-the-air digital TV broadcasts for viewing on a TV that does not have a built-in digital (ATSC) tuner. Additional features include EPG (Electronic Programming Guide), RCA output, antenna RF input (F-type connector), RF output, Closed Caption, and remote control.
This review is from : iview 2000STB 480i TV Tuner/Receiver -Black
Dual Purpose STB clear QAM/ATSC digital converter . Local over the air broadcasters went through the digital transition 2 years ago. At that time cable users didn't have to concern themselves with the digital transition. Now that the cable companies are going through their own digital transition, there is no denying it, all our old analog equipment needs to be equipped with a digital to analog adapter (DTA) to continue to be useful. Most digital set top boxes were designed to meet the government standard for the coupons that were available in 2009. Those boxes only tune in Over The Air signals (OTA). Cable signals are sent in a different format. Digital cable signals are sent in either clear QAM or scrambled QAM. Digital OTA signals are sent in ASTC format. This converter is capable of receiving CLEAR QAM and ATSC signals. Finding a box that does both QAM and ATSC is tricky. There isn't a lot of call for QAM/ATSC tuners since after converting to digital most cable providers scramble everything they legally can. This means that most cable providers only send local channels in clear QAM. My provider,WOW, was different. My provider sends basic cable (65 channels) in CLEAR QAM, so you don't need to use a box for basic standard definition cable, if you have digital equipment. In my search I found that most QAM/ATSC tuners are designed for use with a Home Theater PC and don't have output options for older TVs. I was looking for something that would output Analog RF (channel 3/4) and composite line out . Price was a big issue since some of the ATSC/QAM tuners were more expensive than buying new digital TVs and I could rent an extra DTA for a mere $2 a month. I decided to purchase the iview-2000STB instead of renting another digital to analog adapter (DTA). In two years the iview will pay for itself in DTA rentals, and if I decide to drop cable, I can use this unit with my OTA antenna. For purposes of writing this review, I briefly hooked this up for use with an antenna. The box quickly tuned in all the channels and seemed to work okay. I have other ATSC boxes, and this one is not nearly as good, but then, this one cost half as much and does QAM which the other ATSC boxes can't decode. The cable installation was very time consuming. Any digital tuner takes up to 30 minutes to scan the digital cable channels, and this one is no exception. This unit has trouble finding all my QAM channels. Each time I scanned I had different results. I had to go through this scanning procedure 3 times before I got all the channels I was interested in. Each time I scanned, some channels were added and others were lost. It was very frustrating. I'm still missing a few channels that I should be receiving. Once I got all the channels I was interested in, I stopped scanning for fear that I'd end up losing the desirable channels in the process of trying to get a complete list. I've had minor changes in my cable system lineup about every 45 days, and each time I have to go through this painful process.A really nice feature, this unit does save both your ATSC and your QAM settings so you can switch from one to the other with the press of a button. If you switch between both kinds of hookups this is very helpful.
Once up and running the picture quality on the SD channels was noticeably better than the picture from the cable company DTA, especially when using the line out features. There are many channels available to digital equipment that were not available through the DTA, including the local HD channels. Unfortunately, this box has trouble with those QAM HD signals. The QAM HD channels pixelate every time there is any motion, so those channels are not watchable. This is really not much of an issue since for me since all the channels are also sent in standard definition and I'm working with 4:3 anyway, but if you had a 16:9 "HD ready" TV this might be a show stopper. I'm still happy to have the extra SD channels.Many QAM tuners use raw cable numbers instead of the aliases sent by the cable company. This unit uses the aliases, so the cable numbers make sense. What this means is that for example USA is channel 13 on the cable box, and 60.1 in the raw numbering. My company is sending 13 as the alias, and for a while they were sending 60_13 as the alias, but its really transmitted on 60.1. It can get really confusing. The good news is if the company uses good aliases the channel numbers will be the 3 digit numbers used by the cable company, instead of 5 digit decimal numbers! Once a channel has been tuned in, you can go in through the menu system and set the skip for channels you don't want to see when cycling using the channel+ and channel- buttons. Try that with a cable supplied DTA! You can also assign channels to a favorites list for tuning ease. Another tuning feature is the "prog" option. The prog option lets you page through the channel list. The list includes both the channel number and the identifying info letters, like NBC, ABC, WTVS.... Very helpful if you need to tune in ESPN, or the SPEED channel and don't know the number. This unit has closed captioning, so if your older TV doesn't have CC, this unit will supply it. There is a menu entry with adjustments you can make to the CC appearance. The remote control was small and crowded and has an odd layout. The unit doesn't always respond to signals from the remote. It is a problem with the remote, not the unit itself. The unit responds perfectly to my universal remote. The unit ships without the 2 AAA batteries needed to operate the remote. The screen prompts were unclear. Little things like figuring out how to directly enter a channel were a challenge. I had to read the 23 page manual to figure out how to do things with the remote.
The unit boasts of an electronic programming guide (EPG), but they should probably not even mention it at all. It is a terrible excuse for an EPG. Of course I have Dish Network and Echostar ASTC adapters, so any other EPG is going to pale in comparison. I was curious and hoping that this unit would give me some info on the cable side, but my provider doesn't send any program guide information, so the EPG doesn't work with my cable.
Pros
- Price, the price on this unit is approximately the cost of a 2 year rental of a cable company DTA. The price was also about 1/2 to 1/4th the price of any other qam/atsc tuner that I could find.
- Handles clear QAM (unencrypted digital cable channels) as well as ATSC (over the air digital)
- Has an on/off and ch+/ch- buttons on the front of the unit (see picture I submitted) which is great because remote is so small its easily lost.
- output options are good for older analog equipment. I found that most ATSC/QAM tuners are geared more towards PC use instead of for use with analog equipment and had output that was geared towards newer equipment.
- outputs analog RF channel 3 or 4 output, just like a VCR, and has the ability to allow the RF to pass through untouched, I believe this is called loop through.
- outputs composite AV (Yellow/Red/White connectors)
- Stores both the OTA and QAM cable channel settings, so you can switch back and forth with the cable/air button without having to rescan.
- Allows you to skip the channels you don't want. I sure wish the cable company DTA would do the same.
- has a Favorite function
- has the "prog" feature for tuning while paging through the list
- Gets more local channels than the cable company rental DTA box, even when you ignore the HD channels that were found.
- This unit does not use raw cable numbers
- Better picture than the cable company DTA.
- More output options than the cable company DTA
- This unit has closed caption (CC) feature Cons
- remote is crowded and poorly laid out and unintuitive. (See the image I submitted.)
- remote is unreliable
- it takes a long time to change a channel. The screen goes blank for about 5 seconds.
- it takes a long time to turn on, before you see the iview logo and longer still for the unit to actually start tuning.
- it is tricky to get all your cable channels
- poor excuse for an EPG (electronic program guide) for OTA.
- pixelates when picking up the local QAM HD channels. It basically doesn't work on my High Definition clear QAM. Even though this was not a glowing review, I did buy a second unit, because this unit is definitely better than the cable DTA. I would have tried something different, but I couldn't find anything else that compared. I have very nice analog equipment that I am not ready to retire. This unit gave my analog equipment a new lease on life.Please let me know if this was helpful to you.
Dual Purpose STB clear QAM/ATSC digital converter . Local over the air broadcasters went through the digital transition 2 years ago. At that time cable users didn't have to concern themselves with the digital transition. Now that the cable companies are going through their own digital transition, there is no denying it, all our old analog equipment needs to be equipped with a digital to analog adapter (DTA) to continue to be useful. Most digital set top boxes were designed to meet the government standard for the coupons that were available in 2009. Those boxes only tune in Over The Air signals (OTA). Cable signals are sent in a different format. Digital cable signals are sent in either clear QAM or scrambled QAM. Digital OTA signals are sent in ASTC format. This converter is capable of receiving CLEAR QAM and ATSC signals. Finding a box that does both QAM and ATSC is tricky. There isn't a lot of call for QAM/ATSC tuners since after converting to digital most cable providers scramble everything they legally can. This means that most cable providers only send local channels in clear QAM. My provider,WOW, was different. My provider sends basic cable (65 channels) in CLEAR QAM, so you don't need to use a box for basic standard definition cable, if you have digital equipment. In my search I found that most QAM/ATSC tuners are designed for use with a Home Theater PC and don't have output options for older TVs. I was looking for something that would output Analog RF (channel 3/4) and composite line out . Price was a big issue since some of the ATSC/QAM tuners were more expensive than buying new digital TVs and I could rent an extra DTA for a mere $2 a month. I decided to purchase the iview-2000STB instead of renting another digital to analog adapter (DTA). In two years the iview will pay for itself in DTA rentals, and if I decide to drop cable, I can use this unit with my OTA antenna. For purposes of writing this review, I briefly hooked this up for use with an antenna. The box quickly tuned in all the channels and seemed to work okay. I have other ATSC boxes, and this one is not nearly as good, but then, this one cost half as much and does QAM which the other ATSC boxes can't decode. The cable installation was very time consuming. Any digital tuner takes up to 30 minutes to scan the digital cable channels, and this one is no exception. This unit has trouble finding all my QAM channels. Each time I scanned I had different results. I had to go through this scanning procedure 3 times before I got all the channels I was interested in. Each time I scanned, some channels were added and others were lost. It was very frustrating. I'm still missing a few channels that I should be receiving. Once I got all the channels I was interested in, I stopped scanning for fear that I'd end up losing the desirable channels in the process of trying to get a complete list. I've had minor changes in my cable system lineup about every 45 days, and each time I have to go through this painful process.A really nice feature, this unit does save both your ATSC and your QAM settings so you can switch from one to the other with the press of a button. If you switch between both kinds of hookups this is very helpful.
Once up and running the picture quality on the SD channels was noticeably better than the picture from the cable company DTA, especially when using the line out features. There are many channels available to digital equipment that were not available through the DTA, including the local HD channels. Unfortunately, this box has trouble with those QAM HD signals. The QAM HD channels pixelate every time there is any motion, so those channels are not watchable. This is really not much of an issue since for me since all the channels are also sent in standard definition and I'm working with 4:3 anyway, but if you had a 16:9 "HD ready" TV this might be a show stopper. I'm still happy to have the extra SD channels.Many QAM tuners use raw cable numbers instead of the aliases sent by the cable company. This unit uses the aliases, so the cable numbers make sense. What this means is that for example USA is channel 13 on the cable box, and 60.1 in the raw numbering. My company is sending 13 as the alias, and for a while they were sending 60_13 as the alias, but its really transmitted on 60.1. It can get really confusing. The good news is if the company uses good aliases the channel numbers will be the 3 digit numbers used by the cable company, instead of 5 digit decimal numbers! Once a channel has been tuned in, you can go in through the menu system and set the skip for channels you don't want to see when cycling using the channel+ and channel- buttons. Try that with a cable supplied DTA! You can also assign channels to a favorites list for tuning ease. Another tuning feature is the "prog" option. The prog option lets you page through the channel list. The list includes both the channel number and the identifying info letters, like NBC, ABC, WTVS.... Very helpful if you need to tune in ESPN, or the SPEED channel and don't know the number. This unit has closed captioning, so if your older TV doesn't have CC, this unit will supply it. There is a menu entry with adjustments you can make to the CC appearance. The remote control was small and crowded and has an odd layout. The unit doesn't always respond to signals from the remote. It is a problem with the remote, not the unit itself. The unit responds perfectly to my universal remote. The unit ships without the 2 AAA batteries needed to operate the remote. The screen prompts were unclear. Little things like figuring out how to directly enter a channel were a challenge. I had to read the 23 page manual to figure out how to do things with the remote.
The unit boasts of an electronic programming guide (EPG), but they should probably not even mention it at all. It is a terrible excuse for an EPG. Of course I have Dish Network and Echostar ASTC adapters, so any other EPG is going to pale in comparison. I was curious and hoping that this unit would give me some info on the cable side, but my provider doesn't send any program guide information, so the EPG doesn't work with my cable.
Pros
- Price, the price on this unit is approximately the cost of a 2 year rental of a cable company DTA. The price was also about 1/2 to 1/4th the price of any other qam/atsc tuner that I could find.
- Handles clear QAM (unencrypted digital cable channels) as well as ATSC (over the air digital)
- Has an on/off and ch+/ch- buttons on the front of the unit (see picture I submitted) which is great because remote is so small its easily lost.
- output options are good for older analog equipment. I found that most ATSC/QAM tuners are geared more towards PC use instead of for use with analog equipment and had output that was geared towards newer equipment.
- outputs analog RF channel 3 or 4 output, just like a VCR, and has the ability to allow the RF to pass through untouched, I believe this is called loop through.
- outputs composite AV (Yellow/Red/White connectors)
- Stores both the OTA and QAM cable channel settings, so you can switch back and forth with the cable/air button without having to rescan.
- Allows you to skip the channels you don't want. I sure wish the cable company DTA would do the same.
- has a Favorite function
- has the "prog" feature for tuning while paging through the list
- Gets more local channels than the cable company rental DTA box, even when you ignore the HD channels that were found.
- This unit does not use raw cable numbers
- Better picture than the cable company DTA.
- More output options than the cable company DTA
- This unit has closed caption (CC) feature Cons
- remote is crowded and poorly laid out and unintuitive. (See the image I submitted.)
- remote is unreliable
- it takes a long time to change a channel. The screen goes blank for about 5 seconds.
- it takes a long time to turn on, before you see the iview logo and longer still for the unit to actually start tuning.
- it is tricky to get all your cable channels
- poor excuse for an EPG (electronic program guide) for OTA.
- pixelates when picking up the local QAM HD channels. It basically doesn't work on my High Definition clear QAM. Even though this was not a glowing review, I did buy a second unit, because this unit is definitely better than the cable DTA. I would have tried something different, but I couldn't find anything else that compared. I have very nice analog equipment that I am not ready to retire. This unit gave my analog equipment a new lease on life.Please let me know if this was helpful to you.
iview 2000STB 480i TV Tuner/Receiver -Black Reviews
Value-priced clear-QAM cable box . I just bought and installed two of these. The main claim to fame for this box is that it decodes clear QAM on cable in addition to off-air ATSC. Most Digital to Analog converter boxes are off-air ATSC only.
pros:
-demodulates clear QAM
-picture quality is good
-RF and baseband outputs
-allows you to delete unwanted channels from the scan list
cons:
-poor remote control range, especially off-axis
-user interface for deleting unwanted channels is painful to use
-daylight savings feature doesn't work
-audio level on RF output is undermodulated (volume is very low, so hum is a problem)
-autoprogramming is very slow, about 20 minutes.
Value-priced clear-QAM cable box . I just bought and installed two of these. The main claim to fame for this box is that it decodes clear QAM on cable in addition to off-air ATSC. Most Digital to Analog converter boxes are off-air ATSC only.
pros:
-demodulates clear QAM
-picture quality is good
-RF and baseband outputs
-allows you to delete unwanted channels from the scan list
cons:
-poor remote control range, especially off-axis
-user interface for deleting unwanted channels is painful to use
-daylight savings feature doesn't work
-audio level on RF output is undermodulated (volume is very low, so hum is a problem)
-autoprogramming is very slow, about 20 minutes.
iview 2000STB 480i TV Tuner/Receiver -Black Opinions
Does what it needs to supports both ATSC + QAM remote is adequate. . This is my first try at a digital to analog converter.... I missed the original cross-over, and didn't get to use my coupons. We have old analog TVs in the guest/kids rooms and are pondering either cutting cable or at least ditching the cable boxes since they get used so rarely. It worked right out of the box. I didn't have rabbit ears so I used an old loop 'AM radio' antenna from my stereo. Picked up a few OTA channels (more than I expected since we really need a stronger antenna according to my homework). The manual is almost useless, but I was able to figure most things out. Next I tried the FIOS cable right from the wall to see what unencrypted QAM channels I might see. It looks like it picks up ALL of the QAM channels, so at some point I'll have to prune the list (use the skip feature). It was very helpful to use silicon dust com (add the dots in between) to find out where the FIOS channels live -- they are not the same as OTA. I can see why someone might think there is not a QAM tuner here, but if you look at the right range, you'll find the channels. I was surprised to see a few more than just plain local broadcast. The remote is clunky, doesn't beam well to the box, and the number layout is particularly annoying. Since the whole thing works, and is bringing life back to my old analogs I won't complain too much; from what I've read most of these converter boxes don't have the best remotes. Slight ding here also because only some of the functionality is accessible via the physical device (w/o remote); if you lose the remote you are largely stuck. For what it's worth I also hooked it up to my 32" HDTV-ready Toshiba monitor (720p but no built-in tuner) and it was adequate and even okay. I couldn't find any cheap external digital tuners so this is my current backup if/when needed. (I'll be looking at other devices to fill that role.)In summary, this box does what it needs to do and I appreciate that it has both ATSC and QAM. If you want the QAM channels find out where your local provider tends to put them, and remember that they may change over time. If a channel has a strong signal (you can check it on the AutoScan screen via the menu) but a black screen it means that it's encrypted. As an aside, I received an email about delayed shipping (I expected 2-day prime), but it arrived on time.
Does what it needs to supports both ATSC + QAM remote is adequate. . This is my first try at a digital to analog converter.... I missed the original cross-over, and didn't get to use my coupons. We have old analog TVs in the guest/kids rooms and are pondering either cutting cable or at least ditching the cable boxes since they get used so rarely. It worked right out of the box. I didn't have rabbit ears so I used an old loop 'AM radio' antenna from my stereo. Picked up a few OTA channels (more than I expected since we really need a stronger antenna according to my homework). The manual is almost useless, but I was able to figure most things out. Next I tried the FIOS cable right from the wall to see what unencrypted QAM channels I might see. It looks like it picks up ALL of the QAM channels, so at some point I'll have to prune the list (use the skip feature). It was very helpful to use silicon dust com (add the dots in between) to find out where the FIOS channels live -- they are not the same as OTA. I can see why someone might think there is not a QAM tuner here, but if you look at the right range, you'll find the channels. I was surprised to see a few more than just plain local broadcast. The remote is clunky, doesn't beam well to the box, and the number layout is particularly annoying. Since the whole thing works, and is bringing life back to my old analogs I won't complain too much; from what I've read most of these converter boxes don't have the best remotes. Slight ding here also because only some of the functionality is accessible via the physical device (w/o remote); if you lose the remote you are largely stuck. For what it's worth I also hooked it up to my 32" HDTV-ready Toshiba monitor (720p but no built-in tuner) and it was adequate and even okay. I couldn't find any cheap external digital tuners so this is my current backup if/when needed. (I'll be looking at other devices to fill that role.)In summary, this box does what it needs to do and I appreciate that it has both ATSC and QAM. If you want the QAM channels find out where your local provider tends to put them, and remember that they may change over time. If a channel has a strong signal (you can check it on the AutoScan screen via the menu) but a black screen it means that it's encrypted. As an aside, I received an email about delayed shipping (I expected 2-day prime), but it arrived on time.
works well so far . The iview 2000STB 480i TV Tuner/Receiver works well. I was looking for an inexpensive solution to tune in clear QAM programming. This unit does the job. Keep in mind the unit must be set to cable input (on remote) to search for cable digital programming. Once set, searching for digital stations was a breeze. As stated by other reviewers, the remote is below average in performance. If the remote is pointed directly at the 2000STB and the buttons are pressed carefully, it works fine. If offline or pressed too quickly, the 2000STB may not respond. I plan on programming my universal remote to control the 2000STB. No big deal.
The box works some features lacking. . Overall, the tuner was pretty easy to set up. It allows me to watch digital cable on my old TV, which is great! The picture quality isn't the greatest, and the menu/ remote control are a bit clunky. But for $40, this was a cheap fix to my problem. The worst part is needing 2 remotes, one to control the TV and the other to change the channels on he tuner.
Works great! . I needed an external tuner to use my tunerless dvd recorder with my new TV that already had a built-in tuner. This little gadget works great! I had to try the different settings (ch 3, ch 4 or loop through) to find the one that worked with my setup, but once I found it, setting the TV to ch 4 and setting the tuner to ch 4 (just like an old time VCR) and then using autoscan, it started picking up channels right away! I did have to scan a couple of times to find all the channels I wanted, but it only took about fifteen minutes each time. The only reason I didn't rate it a 5 is because the user guide that comes with the product is pretty useless. It doesn't explain things clearly. But using the guide that came with the TV and the dvd recorder, I was able to figure things out. The programming guide and the channel selection list that saves favorites and skips channels not visited are great features!
Highly Recommended! . I'm more than happy with the Iview 2000STB. I'm using it to pick up digital channels broadcast via cable television. My cable provider actually has 72 digital channels available and the Iview 2000STB found them all on the very first scan. It's very simple and compact, but an extremely powerful piece of equipment. And the "favorite channels" option is something I use on a daily basis. I definitely would recommend this unit for anyone trying to pick up digital cable channels.
Does what it says but not the slickest technology . I was looking for a cheap alternative to 'renting' yet another cable box for my garage - since most of the time I don't watch television there, but do enjoy listening to some noise in the background while working in the shop late at night. The challenge was finding a decoder that works with cable signal (not over-the-air) for a reasonable price. This one works fine, and pays for itself after 6 months. The only thing I don;t like is the remote. Buttons are small and poorly placed poorly. For occasional usage, this is just fine.
Good Cheap Alternative to Cable DTA Boxes . WOW CATV recently went digital on their basic cable channels, but unlike Comcast, they send signals in Clear QAM so the newer televisions with a Digital QAM tuner can avoid the fees for DTA boxes on these newer TV's/ Unfortunatly, some of us have not converted all our tv's to the digital flat screens. After a long search, I found the iView 2000STB and ordered one to try so I would not have to rent additional boxes (WOW gives you two DTA's for free until January, 2013 at which time they will cost $1.99 per month). I ordered the free boxes and they work fine (but with limited capabilities) but still needed a third box. I started my search and there are few boxes in the affordable range. Several were over $120 so the payback would be 5+ years vs. renting the box from WOW. I was looking for a payback in 2 years or less. I got this iView for aaround $38 including shipping.It works fine. The remote is a little cheap and hard to navigate, but I'm getting used to it. It has a good picture on my old JVC TV, but we will have to wait and see how well it holds up. I have until January, 2013 before I have to pay WOW for their DTA boxes. If this iView holds up, I will be replacing WOW's boxes before they start charging me. If this box continues to provide a good reliable picture, I will be replacing the WOW DTA's with two additional iView 2000STB boxes (or a newer model if available then).
Cons Review
It does not work with cablevision system . It does not tune in any station. Amazon web site said this unit came with qam tuner, but the box did not mention anything about qam tuner. On the remote has a setting for cable,but still can not tune in any station. I have a samsung tv with qam tuner, it can view the digital station with no problem. If you read the manual, the cable system must comply with atsc system.I'm not sure if this unit really come with the qam tuner. I'm returning it back to amazon.
Product Image
Feature iview 2000STB 480i TV Tuner/Receiver -Black
- HD-ready, Integrated ATSC Tuner
- Enjoy over the air broadcasts in digital clarity
- Built-in QAM tuner
- Set Favorite Channels
- Integrated ATSC Tuner
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Product Details
EAN : 0880010006403UPC : 880010006403
MPN : 2000STB
Brand : RJ Tech
Color : Black
Weight : 3 pounds
Height : 4 inches
Length : 10 inches
Width : 9 inches
Binding : Electronics
Manufacturer : RJ Tech
Model : 2000STB
Publisher : RJ Tech
SKU : C-B003OQGJV6-MEGAIVIEW-2000STB
Studio : RJ Tech
Where To Buy
You can buy iview 2000STB 480i TV Tuner/Receiver -Black on Amazon . Click here to Read More
