How to choose a smart set‑top box?

Today cable TV is an outdated method of broadcasting TV channels. By connecting a Smart Set-Top Box, you get access to a variety of video content over the Internet.

What is a smart box and what is it for?
 

A TV box is a device that runs on an operating system and provides access to the Internet. What is a TV box for? It will be the ideal solution for those who do not plan to purchase a new TV with built-in SMART TV yet, but want to use the smart TV functions. Internet connection can be via cable and Wi-Fi.

What types of smart consoles are there?

The main question is: how to choose a smart TV set-top box for your TV? To make the right choice, first familiarize yourself with the types of devices.

A stick is a compact set-top box that looks like a USB flash drive. Thanks to it, you can easily display high-quality video on your TV screen, or you can access the Internet.

Windows set-top boxes are a high-performance device that can easily replace a laptop or desktop computer. The cost of the device is quite high.

An Android TV set-top box is one of the most popular devices with the simplest control and a fairly diverse selection of applications.

An iOS-based set-top box is a device that connects exclusively with Apple technology. Most of the content will be paid.

A Smart TV box is a kind of mini computer that will become an ideal conductor for accessing the Internet.

Models from Google - set-top boxes, which contain proprietary Google services, which provides more opportunities for synchronization with other devices, for example, for work or educational purposes.

Here are a few guidelines to follow in order to know how to choose the right media player:

1. Operating system

Popular TV boxes run on Android, Linux, Windows OS.

2. Built-in memory

We recommend choosing at least 8 GB of memory for the Android system, 12-14 GB for Windows, and 4 GB for Linux.

3. The amount of RAM

It is also important that the amount of RAM is suitable:

- Android - 2 GB;

- Windows - 3 GB or more;

- Linux - 1 GB.

4. Bluetooth

We recommend choosing a device with version 2.0 or higher to be able to connect all the necessary functions.

5. HD support

Choose a smart set-top box with support for Full HD and higher resolution.

The main mistakes when connecting and configuring smart set-top boxes

To understand the basic principle of smart TV, you need to familiarize yourself with the errors that may occur when setting up the device.

No picture is displayed on the TV screen

First, make sure that the set-top box is working exactly and the green indicator is on. If the set-top box is connected using an RCA cable (popularly called "tulips"), make sure that they are connected to the input of the TV, and not to the output. Usually such a cable is used on older models, and on newer ones, an HDMI cable is already used, which allows you to get a clearer picture with high-quality sound.

If all of the above are connected correctly, make sure the correct video input is turned on. It is necessary to understand that the TV, when the set-top box is connected, will not play the picture until you switch the TV to the video input mode using the following buttons on the TV remote: SOURCE, AV, AV / TV, INPUT (each TV model has its own).

Automatic search did not find all channels

First, make sure that the antenna is accurately connected to the set-top box and the quality of the contact in the antenna plug is good. If everything is connected correctly, check that all channels are accurately available in your location.

Channels work intermittently

Here you need to pay attention to the signal level - press twice on the INFO button on the remote control on the channel that does not work well. After pressing, the "quality" scale will be displayed on the screen, if it shows less than 50%, then it is necessary to check the cable.

An online TV set-top box is an excellent solution for those who have a TV that does not support the Smart function. You can select a popular device on our website under the "Equipment" section.