ANACOM - Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações, as the body responsible for coordinating the transition process from analogue to digital terrestrial television transmissions, has signed a protocol with DECO - Associação Portuguesa para a Defesa do Consumidor (Portuguese Association for Consumer Protection) under which the association makes a commitment to carry out ongoing comparative tests on the DTT set-top-boxes which have been coming onto the market.
The boxes are needed by anyone who wants to receive terrestrial digital television but doesn't have an integrated digital television set.
The results of tests conducted by Deco in January are now available both on the association's website (www.deco.proteste.pthttp://www.deco.proteste.pt/) and on ANACOM's website (www.anacom.pt).https://www.anacom.pt
According to Deco's study, the performance of the set-top-boxes and their prices vary widely, but in no case does the image disappoint, even when displayed on conventional television sets (CRT). The cheapest set-top-box included in the test can be bought for a price between 34.90 euros and 37.95 euros. It is the BestBuy Easy Home TDT HD Nano and can be purchased at the lowest price in the Box stores in Castelo Branco, Maia and Vila Nova de Famalicão. On its website, Deco has a price tool that finds the cheapest shop in each area.
According to Deco, choosing the "Right choice", the Denver DMB-105HD, saves up to € 40 compared to lower quality devices. When choosing the Best of Test, the Televes TDT 7151, you can save €114 if you buy in the right store.
There are five devices which Deco does not recommended due to unacceptable consumption while on stand-by: between 10.2 W (CGV Premio HD-W) and 17.4 W (Univers by FTE U6000). The European Commission has set a limit of 2 watts for stand-by consumption for appliances on sale from January 2010.
With this test, the number of analyzed devices increases from 16 to 29. The tests will continue until the end of analogue transmissions - in April 2012.
The digital terrestrial television service enables better picture and sound quality. It also enables transmission in high definition and new features such as the electronic programming guide.
| Make and model | Prices (€) December 2010 |
Overall quality (%) 1 |
 Televes TDT 7151 |
101 - 215 | 70 |
Denver DMB-111HD  |
59.99 | 68 |
| Ibersosat TDT-6000 |
59.90 - 85 | 68 |
 Denver DMB-105HD 2 |
49.90 - 55.49 | 67 |
| BestBuy Easy Home TDT HD | 89.99 - 95.49 | 64 |
| Sigmatek DVBR-520 HD | 68.99 | 63 |
| Strong SRT 8110 | 55 - 99.90 | 59 |
| Maximum T-102 FTA 3 | 55 - 118.41 | 54 |
| Peribsen TDT4HD USB | 69 - 97.50 | 53 |
| Peribsen TDT4HD | 69 - 100 | 53 |
| BestBuy Easy Home TDT HD Nano 4 |
34.90 - 37.95 | 51 |
| Technisat DiGYBOXX T4 | 75 - 136 | 51 |
| Metronic Zapbox HD-Z2 | 89 - 99.99 | 45 |
| Iberosat TDT-3000 5 | 65 - 89 | 43 |
| CGV Premio HD-W 6 |
79.99 - 169 | 39 |
| Teka TK2000 THD | 72.60 - 179 | 38 |
| Strong SRT 8150 7 | 79.90 - 140 | 34 |
| Metronic Zapbox HD-Z1 8 | 89 - 101.95 | 29 |
| Univers by FTE U6000 9 | 92.60 - 140 | 28 |
| Astrell 11112 |
52.6 | não testado |
| BestBuy Easy Home TDT HD'10 |
54.95 - 56.95 | não testado |
| EMTEC Movie Cube N150H |
59.99 | não testado |
| Mvision HD-300T |
120 - 145 | não testado |
| Not Only TV LV6TMPVR4 |
79.9 | não testado |
| NPG DHT 602AP |
55 - 80.95 | não testado |
| Shop+ T2000 HD |
70 - 79 | não testado |
| Sunstech DT4500HD |
69.90 - 73.40 | não testado |
| Televes 7143 |
187.60 - 304 | não testado |
| Televes ZAS HD 5124 |
74.99 - 92.60 | não testado |
Key Best of test Right choice
Economic choice
Very good
Good
Average
Mediocre
Poor
n.a. Not applicable
New models
Legend:
Only devices with the most recent firmware (November 2010) reproduce DivX HD and MKV files. This may not be the case of models on sale, which are updated by USB, downloading the file from the manufacturer’s website.
1 More than 65: good quality; 40 or less: don’t buy.
2 In final phase of commercialisation.
3 In final phase of commercialisation.
4 In final phase of commercialisation.
5 In final phase of commercialisation.
6 In final phase of commercialisation.
7 In final phase of commercialisation.
8 In final phase of commercialisation.
9 In final phase of commercialisation.
