Posted: October 03, 2003
By: Anonymous


This receiver takes both OTA and DTV HDTV signals into the same menu. But changing channels and conversion to HDTV from STV slow and cloogy. Seems like it is always downloading the latest prgram guide also.

Sony has recalled this and released the HD200. With good reason cause this one had issues. My sound also dies after 2 years so it is sitting in my garage broken right now. Grabbing the Hughes e8 since I need to run an HU card and the newer ones one take it (p4 only). Otherwise, would have gone with the new Samsung ts-160.

Posted: February 05, 2003
By: Anonymous


I have had this unit for a year. The integrated tuners are great, picture great, sounds great. I read all the other reviews and think the Sony owners are just overly critical.

Posted: December 17, 2002
By: Anonymous


1. Sony Guide: I personally hate the Sony guide system when compared to other DirecTV reciever/tuners. If this feature doesn't matter to you, disregard this portion of the review.

2. Outputs: This tuner does have digital optical audio, component video and VGA outputs as a HDTV tuner should. Having said that, the most annoying thing about this tuner is the inability to use two of the video outputs at the same time. For example, I wanted to use either the VGA out or the component out as my input to the monitor. At the same time I wanted to connect the s-video out to connect to the the TIVO or vcr. It turns out that no two outputs can be used at the same time. This was a little annoying.

3. Picture Quality: When compared to a non high definition signal the picture quality of the Sony was good. However, when compared to the signal of another high definition tuner, like the Zenith, the picture quality of the Sony was nowhere close to the Zenith.

Comments: This tuner was given to me as a gift two years ago when there were only two other models available. Given the choice, I would have chosen the Zenith. Even the RCA was a better buy at that time given that it cost less than the Sony and performed about the same.

Bottom Line: It's just not worth the money. Buy this tuner only if you're getting a great deal on it(less than $250), otherwise look to a different model or manufacturer.

Posted: July 26, 2002
By: Anonymous


Let's start this out blunt. I hate the sony guides. I perfer the transucent guides on the Hughes Hd receiver.i don't like the channel changing while i surf the guide. The picture out of this receiver is excellent better then the Hughes on upconverts...720p to 1080i. There r more grips the up but for a early hd receiver it was sufficient.