Not really a fan of apple products, but not to say that we sold out, I'll write a couple of lines and about their models. First of all I want to mention the pros. First of all, very user-friendly and intuitive interface. There is support for 4K. The remote control is very handy. It works with Bluetooth 5.0 and supports MIMO. Wi-Fi is a little better than the Chinese competitors – it supports 802.11ac. I can only recommend it to those who already have at least some Apple products, then it will fit perfectly into your ecosystem. If you have an Android phone, however, there is no point in taking it.
Digital TV set-top boxes with Wi-Fi: Top 3 budget models
Digital set-top boxes are no longer enough only to receive and decode the on-air signal – now they connect to other devices wirelessly. Let's consider what is a DVB-T2 set-top box with Wi-Fi, what is important when choosing and the top 3 models according to our editorial.
Since 2017, models that supported additional features have appeared on the receiver market (which is noteworthy: the price for them has not increased much). These devices offer their owners:
- access to IPTV and content from remote servers ("virtual cinema halls", etc.);
- receive terrestrial and/or cable digital channels;
- View online movies in Full-HD quality;
- work with online services (Youtube, Skype, etc.);
- Use of interactive maps.
The range of supported file formats is expanded by default. If you want you can watch through the set-top box anything you like on your computer, but with the correction for a more advanced audio and video playback.
Wi-Fi adapter is an essential part of the set-top box
Divisat Uno+, Divisat Unit II and similar models use Wi-Fi, but the adapter itself is still not included in the kit, but is purchased separately (which is true: the standards of this type of wireless communication are diverse and, while compatible with each other require additional configuration).
Externally, the Wi-Fi adapter looks like a decorative plug or a flash drive with an antenna that is inserted into the USB port on the set-top box.
Ideally, there should be no obstacles between it and the transmitting and receiving equipment (e.g. the router). In reality at the distance of up to 10 m (average value of a city apartment) the adapter transmits and receives the signal without any problems, if it is not specially shielded by a sheet of solid metal.
DVB-T2 and Wi-Fi
Just a little bit of theory, because initially I did not understand the problem with the question. I will explain in more detail:
Now pay attention! Today I have not seen any clean solutions that allow you to take the signal of digital terrestrial TV out of the air and immediately transmit it to the TV. I.e. you will definitely have to get an antenna to this set-top box, and from it all the same, you will have to install a cable to the TV. Connection via wire will be like this:
What does Wi-Fi have to do with it? Initially it had nothing to do with it. The first receivers had the only function: to receive a signal from the antenna and somehow transmit it to the television. At the same time, another competitor was developing.
Media players
Media players… Or whatever you want to call them: just a media console, Android console, media center, media server, etc. Its essence is a device, usually Android-based, which displays images on the screen and allows you to do everything Android can do – connect to the Internet, play games, watch photos and videos, even those formats that are not supported by TV.
I.e. by buying such an inexpensive media player, we could extend the functionality of even the most prehistoric tube TV to a modern level. For example, it is like using a TV as a monitor for a computer, i.e. leaving the functions on it solely for image output, and transferring all the brains to a digital set-top box. And now the developers have found another segment.
TOP Models
I have decided to give you a small rating of SMART TV set-top boxes, which was made personally. I was guided by my experience when choosing, as well as from customer reviews on online shopping sites. Here you can find both expensive models and good budget ones.
NOTE! This is a portal, not a store, all prices are in rubles and just show the average value in different online stores.
THL BOX1 PRO EPLUTUS
It is possible to connect a SATA 2.5 or SSD external drive and have access to it through a special application that works with both Android and iOS. Works great with the image in 4K. Supports 4K Ultra HD, Full HD 1080p, HD 720p, etc. Processor with 8 cores, 2GB RAM and 16GB extra memory. It is possible to play.
| The processor | 1.5GHz |
| OS | Android 6.0 |
| Video formats | VC-1,H.265,MPEG-2,MPEG-1,MPEG-4,DIVX,REALMEDIA |
| Resolution | 3840*2160 |
| RAM | 2GB |
| Maximum flash memory | 16GB (microSD) |
| Connectors | 2 USB, HDMI, AV, DC Power Port, RJ45, TF Card Slot |
| Average price | 3750 |
Xiaomi Mi Box 3
Global version, which supports many languages. Works with Android 9. Supports 4K resolution movies (3840 x 2160). Has a wide pool of format support, both video and audio. Works with 2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi on the 802.11n standard. Processor model Cortex-A53 Quad-core 64bit with 4 cores. One of the most popular and high-quality Chinese models.
Connecting
I would say that almost all boxes support multiple connections:
Now we go to the TV and put the set-top box next to it. Don't plug it in yet, let's connect all the wires first. Connect the HDMI wire as shown in the picture below. Some set-top boxes have two ports: AUT and IN – you should connect to the AUT port. If there is one, then plug it into it.
There is also nothing complicated about connecting the tulips. Insert the three tulips into the corresponding sockets on the TV. Yellow is for video output, and red and white are for audio.
If you have a wired connection to the router network, insert one end of the network cable into the set-top box and the other end into one of the yellow connectors on the router.
With a wired connection you will immediately have access to the Internet and your router's local network. But the wireless connection will have to be set up:
