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Mediasonic Homeworx HW180STB 3 / 4 Channel HDTV Digital Converter Box with Recording and Media Player (New Version)

3.7 3.7 out of 5 stars 3,689 ratings

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Brand Mediasonic
Mounting Type Coaxial,Surface Mount,Plug Mount
Interface Type USB, HDMI, Coaxial
Number of Channels 4

About this item

  • Receive Over-The-Air Digital Broadcast to your Analog and Digital TV, Projector, and Computer Monitor. Antenna Out Analog Pass Through, Favorite Channel List, Parental Control Function,USB Multimedia Player Function.
  • Auto Tuning, HDMI 1080P Output / Composite Out / Coaxial Output, Closed Caption,Real-Time recording & Programmed Time Recording, Auto, 16:9 Pillar Box, 16:9 Pan G Scan, 4:3 Letter Box, 4:3 Pan G Scan, 4:3 Full, 16:9 Wide Screen. Timing Start Up & Shut Down.
  • Recording require user to connect a USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 2.5" / 3.5" External Hard Drive via USB (Up to 2TB). (USB Flash Drive not recommended). Audio / Video format support- Photo- JPEG, BMP, PNG, Music- mp3, aac, mp4. Video- avi, mpg, dat, vob, mkv, mjpeg (may not work with some video & audio codec format)
  • This converter box is designed to receive Over-The-Air signal, and it is not a replacement of cable box. External Antenna is required to connect to this converter box in order to receive signal. This product does NOT Work with TIVO and cable company such as Comcast, DirecTV, DISH Network, Time Warner Cable, etc. In general, this product does NOT work with encrypted cable signal
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What's in the box

  • HW180STB x 1
  • Remote Control x 1
  • AV Cable x 1
  • User Manual x 1
  • Product Description

    Media sonic HOMEWORX HW180STB is a digital converter box which converts Over-The-Air ATSC digital broadcast to your analog and digital TV. The built-in Media Player function allows user to play back picture and video files via USB connection. The built-in recording function allows user to record their TV programs and play back. Please Note: this converter box is designed to receive Over-The-Air signal, and it is not a replacement of cable box. External Antenna is required to connect to this converter box in order to receive signal.

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    Product information

    Technical Details

    Additional Information

    Warranty & Support

    Amazon.com Return Policy:Amazon.com Voluntary 30-Day Return Guarantee: You can return many items you have purchased within 30 days following delivery of the item to you. Our Voluntary 30-Day Return Guarantee does not affect your legal right of withdrawal in any way. You can find out more about the exceptions and conditions here.

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    Mediasonic

    Mediasonic Homeworx HW180STB 3 / 4 Channel HDTV Digital Converter Box with Recording and Media Player (New Version)


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    From the manufacturer

    HW180STB

    Free Local TV Channel

    Mediasonic HomeWorx ATSC digital TV converter box receive over-the-air ATSC digital TV broadcast to your analog / digital TV, projector, and computer monitor.

    Record and Playback your favorit TV show

    HW180STB allows you to record TV show in USB 2.5" / 3.5" external hard drive and play back on your TV or Computer. USB flash drive is not recommended for recording function.

    Multi-Media Player Function

    Allows you to play back music, video, movie, and recorded TV show from your USB storage device.

    Easy Installation

    You can connect HW180STB to your TV by either HDMI or Composite cable.

    Additional Features

    - EPG (Electronic Program Guide) and program information.

    - Favorite Channel List.

    - Parental Control Function.

    - Closed Caption.

    - EAS (Emergency Alert System) to alert you any emergency information from TV station.

    - Real Time and Schedule Recording (Require USB 2.0 or 3.0 external hard drive).

    Important Note:

    This converter box is designed to receive Over-The-Air signal, and it is not a replacement of cable box. External Antenna is required to connect to this converter box in order to receive signal. This product does Not Work with TIVO and cable company such as Comcast, DirecTV, DISH Network, Time Warner Cable, etc. In general, this product does not work with encrypted cable signal.

    Warranty and Technical Support:

    Please contact Mediasonic Store for warranty and technical support issue before return the product to vendor. User Manual and User Guide are available to download at Technical Specification section below. 18 Month Warranty from Mediasonic Store.

    Package Content:

    • HW180STB x 1
    • Remote Control x 1
    • AV Cable x 1
    • User Manual
    HW-150PVR HW180STB-CR HW130STB HW220STB
    Customer Reviews
    3.9 out of 5 stars
    3,901
    3.9 out of 5 stars
    500
    3.9 out of 5 stars
    8,928
    Case Material Metal ABS Plastic ABS Plastic Plastic
    Power Internal Internal External Power Adapter Internal
    Product Size (inch) 8.7 x 6.1 x 1.6 7.5 x 4.5 x 1.5 5 x 4 x 1.5 8.8 x 6.5 x 1.6
    New or Certified Refurbished New Certified Refurbished New New
    Additional Feature Kareoke Function. 1 x Microphone included

    Customer reviews

    3.7 out of 5 stars
    3.7 out of 5
    3,689 global ratings

    Customers say

    Customers like the picture quality of the electronic signal converter. However, some customers have reported issues with the quality and reliability of the unit. They say that it does not do it dependably, the software is the weak point of the system, and it can't duplicate the programming functionality of a VCR from 1985. Customers also disagree on performance, value, ease of use, recording quality, channels, and remote control.

    AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

    246 customers mention213 positive33 negative

    Customers like the picture quality of the electronic signal converter. For example, they mention the OTA 1080i images are stunning, 720p looks the best, and the picture is great through HDMI. Some say that the picture gets clearer and the channels are true HD.

    "...The menu system is pretty straight forward - nothing to flashy, rather dull, but functional, and easy to figure out - within a few minutes of taking..." Read more

    "...Including the channel called out above. The picture quality is comparable to the best of the others, including for the recorded content...." Read more

    "...I found the OTA 1080i images to be really stunning! They contain sharper detail than their cable/satellite counterparts...." Read more

    "...Newest Comment::I think 720p looks the best; even thought the device goes to 1080p. Most stations in my area top out at 1080i, and 720p is prevalent...." Read more

    1,649 customers mention983 positive666 negative

    Customers are mixed about the performance of the signal converter. Some mention that it works well to pull in HD channels, and as a DVR it works like a charm in recording shows. However, others say that the interface is awkward and a bit buggy. Some say that it has declined in performance over the last several months, with glitches and odd behavior.

    "...The remote is smaller than the original too, performs a few more functions and the buttons are placed differently, so some re-learning there...." Read more

    "I'm editing this review substantially in light of this device's declining performance in the last several months of steady use...." Read more

    "...will be a spectacular unit for anyone with an old TV who wants a very capable and inexpensive tuner/DVR...." Read more

    "...This HW180STB box also makes a great media player. It can play almost any kind of content directly from the flash and/or hard drive(s) attached...." Read more

    657 customers mention347 positive310 negative

    Customers are mixed about the value of the electronic signal converter. Some mention it's inexpensive, and definitely worth the money, while others say it'll never be worth anyone's time. The product is also not smart, and is underpowered.

    "...I've never had one malfunction, and they're reasonably priced. They come pre-formatted in the requisite NTFS format...." Read more

    "...It's a piece of crap, to tell the truth. It's crudely designed and quite a bit frustrating to use. And it seems to degrade in performance over time." Read more

    "...Still worth the price and a 4star review, if only for great HDTV tuner with handy live "Pause" and unreliable recording...." Read more

    "...It is not smart, so you cannot say "Record this TV show", you must say "record this channel at this time"...." Read more

    570 customers mention343 positive227 negative

    Customers are mixed about the ease of use of the electronic signal converter. Some mention that it was really simple, easy to set up, and surprisingly intuitive. The menu system is pretty straight forward, and the scanning picked up most of the local stations. However, others say that it's not intuitive, the interface is not user friendly, and extremely tedious to program recurring events.

    "...'s a bit of a curve involved in learning to use it, but it's surprisingly intuitive, the remote too...." Read more

    "...The box has only Power & Channel Up/Down buttons and most routine operations are complex, so if you don't have the remote or the User's Manual you..." Read more

    "...The menu system is pretty straight forward - nothing to flashy, rather dull, but functional, and easy to figure out - within a few minutes of taking..." Read more

    "...PROS* The UI is fairly simple to navigate, but takes just a bit of patience as you learn about all the little buttons and what they do...." Read more

    367 customers mention147 positive220 negative

    Customers are mixed about the recording quality of the electronic signal converter. Some mention that it does a comparable job of recording, and the recordings are yours to do with as they please. However, others say that the recording feature falls short and the quality is choppy.

    "...I see some reviews here complaining about choppy recording quality...." Read more

    "...In a nutshell, both units do a comparable job of recording (crystal clear), output signals in SD/HD via RF-coax cable, RCA cables (red/white/yellow)..." Read more

    "...* Single tuner means you can only record one show at a time. You can't even watch another channel at the same time...." Read more

    "...Still, it's nice having the option to share recordings with friends or play them on a different device. Especially for short recordings...." Read more

    358 customers mention140 positive218 negative

    Customers are mixed about the channels. Some mention that it picks up the channels in their area fine, and automatically searches for them. They say it has a program guide for channels available for viewing as well as programmed recording. However, others say that the system can only record 1 channel at a time, the strength of those two VHF channels is very weak, and the channels are all scrambled up and unrecognizable.

    "...Worse though, I recorded a weak signal and the breakups trashed the recording file so badly it required reformatting the drive thus losing all..." Read more

    "...Also in this mode, you can delete old recordings, look at any recording while fast forwarding with a time elapsed/time remaining counter on the..." Read more

    "...Not so much....First - It would not pick up the analogue stations - ok fine - it did find all the clear QAM stations -- it also added..." Read more

    "...This HW180STB box also makes a great media player. It can play almost any kind of content directly from the flash and/or hard drive(s) attached...." Read more

    181 customers mention55 positive126 negative

    Customers are mixed about the remote control. Some mention it's better, serviceable, and responsive. They say it has all the needed features. However, some customers find the remote to be awkward, fiddly, and poorly laid out. They also say the buttons and legends are confusing.

    "...This thing just cries out for a smartphone remote option, but at this price that's not likely to happen.Weekly Glitch..." Read more

    "...* The remote is not intuitive at all and the buttons are so small and crowded that it would take a long time to navigate in the dark...." Read more

    "...As noted elsewhere, it can't record from cable.The remote is serviceable, but hardly impressive...." Read more

    "...programming is by numeric day of the month c. remote control is poorly laid-out and requires very small fingers to prevent errors; no one..." Read more

    420 customers mention89 positive331 negative

    Customers are dissatisfied with the quality of the electronic signal converter. They mention that it does not record programs dependably, the software is the weak point of the system, and it can't duplicate the programming functionality of a VCR from 1985. The hardware is great, but the software holds it back. The device starts acting flaky and loses programming. Customers also say that the quality control is awful and the customer service is poor. They also mention that the device started acting flakey and wouldn't tune in a channel unless it has been scanned.

    "...But there's no program name or info, just channel name (not number), date & time, and you have to do another button press (Hold) to actually watch..." Read more

    "...The picture that the device outputs breaks up and looks weak, when the same signal that is Y connected into my TV is rock solid...." Read more

    "...It's important to note that this HW180STB box only has one digital tuner so you will only be able to record one show at a time and you will need to..." Read more

    "...Saves wear and tear on the drive and keeps electric usage to a minimum...." Read more

    Great price, V12.3+ better, unreliable DVR, klunky UI
    4 Stars
    Great price, V12.3+ better, unreliable DVR, klunky UI
    Update 10/21/2016 - NOTE: If you have an Android device with InfraRed output (many have it), get the "Galaxy Universal Remote" app and swipe over to Cable&Satellite, scroll down to HOMEWORX, tap the TryNextModel button and choose ModelsGroup2. This app gives me a lighted remote that's easier to use in some ways. Because several brands are available that seem to use the same internal hardware and firmware, I've ordered the ViewTV AT-263 ATSC Digital TV Converter Box and HDMI Cable w/ Recording PVR Function / HDMI Out / Coaxial Out / Composite Out / USB Input (New Model) because it has front panel buttons, and newer firmware. Possibly less (or no) user support tho, but so far I've had no need for any. I like the ViewTV unit *FAR* better than the HW180 this review is for, so I suggest you read about the ViewTV and consider paying a few bucks more.The 180STB's still working as when new, but I emailed to get the firmware upgrade from their "tech support" (generous term for a terse and uninformative reply email with attachment). My unit bought 1/2016 came with firmware V10.1 but the zip file they sent is the same so I didn't apply it. On their support web page (forum dot mediasonic dot ca slash viewtopic dot php?f=78&t=3334) for the 180STB I found this, which is important for owners to know about: V3, please update to V8.1. Fixes recording bugs. V8.0, please update to V8.1. Fixes recording bugs. V9.0, please update to V9.1. Fixes recording bugs. V10.0, update it to V10.1. Fixes bugs on close caption. (If you don't use close caption then no need to update) V11.0 or V11.1 update to V11.3, fixed bugs on fast forwarding. EPG and recording. V12.0 or V12.1 update to V12.3, fixed bugs on "bad frequency", date and conflict events.So apparently I can't upgrade to their latest v12.3 and that might have fixed some of the glitches in my unit. If so, you'll want to know what version you get when you buy one of these and ensure it's the latest.Problems encountered include loss of all programming if there's a household power surge, loss of all recordings if there's a bad broadcast signal glitch (I have unreliable PBS station KOCE and NBC station), hassles with repeating recordings that "conflict" with others (see below), unreliable time (I see different times based on what channel it's tuned to, making for unreliable timed recordings), channels disappearing from the channel list if their signal has a long glitch, and of course the horrific UI. Still worth the price and a 4star review, if only for great HDTV tuner with handy live "Pause" and unreliable recording.Initial Review:Given all the features it has, great picture & sound, and easy initial setup the price is simply amazing! Very clumsy for extensive scheduled recording, but fine for live viewing and occasional recording by adding a USB stick. This review is for the "new version" (whatever that means), purchased here on Amazon 1/2016. I mention this because older versions apparently had some problems, but the first reviews listed on Amazon are for the old versions and few reviews specify the version.Quick SetupI had it displaying crisp HDTV on my 93" projector about 15 minutes after opening the box, without even a glance at the instructions. That's a Good Thing because the instructions have the double whammy of apparently being written by committee of techies; and they display a weak mastery of English to accompany the fuzzy black and white TV screen pictures. For example you'll find poetic and informative passages like, "When successfully searched CH3/CH4, using remote of the converter box to search TV programs and doing related operation," next to an inscrutable gray photo. Aside from klunky User Interface (UI), the worst aspect I've encountered so far is the Closed Caption font. It's jagged to the point of distracting, and even a little difficult to read at the small setting.Also Great For Old TVsHaving only briefly looked at the Amazon page before purchase, I had the mistaken impression that "3 / 4 Channel" in the Amazon title for this item means it can simultaneously receive three or four channels. Nope. They're talking about the fact that you can select channel 3 or 4 with a switch on the back, for feeding RF output to an old style NTSC 525 scan line "480i SD" TV. The switch is so you can avoid interference with a strong local broadcast station. Local TV is channel 3 in my case, so I set the switch to channel 4 to feed an old VCR as another recording option I'll probably never use. That old-style RF output is by the way sharper than from an old and far less capable Zenith DTT901 HD->SD converter from the early days of HDTV, that a friend gave me when she got a new TV with built-in HD tuner. Bottom line here is, this will be a spectacular unit for anyone with an old TV who wants a very capable and inexpensive tuner/DVR. Even better if you have an HDTV and want a cheap though annoying DVR. For a little over thirty bucks you can "cut the cable" and watch free broadcast TV that's sharper than many cable channels, possibly supplementing that with free internet TV programming on your computer (or phone/tablet).The picture is a little darker than my EyeTV Hybrid running on a Mac Mini but that uses VGA to the projector, and all my other HDMI sources have this same darker (more accurate) look. The tuner is a tiny bit more sensitive (better) than the remarkably good EyeTV but more importantly, on weak stations the dropouts (blocky picture or interruptions in audio) are much more brief so weak stations are actually watchable. Though viewing weak stations is better I found that recording them can crash a hard drive, requiring a re-format (erasing all recordings). Like my older EyeTV USB "thumb drive" tuner this box runs pretty hot so I worry about its long term survival, but reviews seem to indicate that if it outlasts the warranty year you're good long-term.DST GlitchIt looks like you need to set Daylight Saving Time On/Off manually to get the correct time, so that goes on your ToDo list along with any other outdated technology around the house for every annoying DST change.RecordingI plugged in a 32GB USB thumb drive (big enough for about 5 hours of HDTV recordings), still without looking at the instructions, and did some test recordings. To do manual recording you can press the Record button on live TV, or the Timer button for manual setting.Use the EPG button to record a program from the Program Guide though it won't work for programs already in progress unless you manually change the start time to a minute after current time. But by now I was growing annoyed with what my spouse calls the "90s interface." It reminds me of a VCR or those hotel TV menus, where you have to step through several screens to do some routine tasks. You can use the handy Timer button to list programs you've input in the Schedule screen, but it only shows station ID (not channel number), start date, time on-off, any Repeat you selected, and a Status indicator dot that seems to only show orange with no explanation I've found in the manual. Even though the program name & description are in the EPG list, none of that is shown in the Timer program list, nor is it displayed on the USB recordings list. This thing just cries out for a smartphone remote option, but at this price that's not likely to happen.Weekly GlitchOn this "new version" of the HW180STB, the Weekly repeat recording option sometimes gives an error for recordings that span midnight. It says the program conflicts with other weekly programs that are nowhere near the days and times of those it claims to conflict with. To get around this I'm able to split (SNL for example) into two recordings with one ending at 23:59 and the other starting at 00:00 (so an SNL episode is split into 23:30 to 23:59 and 00:00 to 1:03). It worked fine for one time recordings spanning midnight, and (so far) if I delete the "conflict" program and then re-add it after creating the Weekly program.Playing Recordings (klunky)Unfortunately the worst interface is the screen for viewing recordings, where I not only need to select USB and then PVR but then the auto-created folder when I only have or want one folder, then the recording (with scant little info in the list), then a different button on the remote - all just to play a recording. Deleting it is similarly klunky.Note that before recording you may need to first Format the USB device using the menu (menu button, left arrow, down arrow twice for "PVR Configure" item, OK button, down arrow, (wait a couple of seconds), OK button, OK button, (wait). When done you can eventually find your way back out of all the menus or just hold the Exit button two seconds. Klunky would you say? I tried formatting an old 750GB USB-powered external hard drive I had lying around, and it does add essentially unlimited storage space but adds two new problems. First, it takes up to ten seconds to power up and be recognized when you want to record or play. Worse though, I recorded a weak signal and the breakups trashed the recording file so badly it required reformatting the drive thus losing all recordings. I suggest sticking with a USB stick, since startup is a second or two and you won't be able to stand the UI for more than the occasional recording anyway. I've uploaded pix of the recording list, showing the scant additional info you get by selecting a recording and hitting OK (preview screen shows at top-right, with options along the bottom). Among the options are using the remote's Hold button to toggle between this Preview mode and full-screen Play, which you'll find intolerable for frequent use. The other pic I uploaded shows the Rename screen you get with the FAV button, and yes you use it via the remote's arrow cursor keys. Told you this UI was klunky. :)Unless you recall the date/time/channel of a recording, you'll have to preview each recording in your list to figure out what it is or to learn the file size (1080p HD recordings are about 105MB/minute, 6.3GB/hour). But there's no program name or info, just channel name (not number), date & time, and you have to do another button press (Hold) to actually watch the recording full screen. Guess they thought you just wanted to collect anonymous recordings. At least the recordings of strong stations seem to all work so far, but we'll see about the Weekly Repeat ones I just set for several programs (they recorded once, and look right for the next repeat). Once I know whether the Weekly Repeats work I'll delete them all because the playback UI is just way too annoying.Recordings Can Play On Computer (klunky)You can safely "hot swap" a USB thumb drive stick but presumably not during active read/write. I plugged the USB stick into the Mac Mini and the recordings can be played. Recordings are in the obscure .MTS file format your computer probably won't auto-play, but the free open-source VLC app for Mac, Windows and Linux devices automatically plays them fine once you download and install VLC. Recordings are split into 536.7MB files (about 27 minutes for 704x480 SD resolution, 6.5 min. for 1920x1080 HD) with one filename and numbered extensions (.mts, .mts1, .mts2, etc), so playback on computers is much more hassle for anything more than short clips. Playback on the box is also more forgiving of broadcast dropouts than VLC, so you'll probably seldom bother playing recordings on a computer. Still, it's nice having the option to share recordings with friends or play them on a different device. Especially for short recordings.Refining Your Channel Setup (klunky password = all zeros)Also annoyingly over-complex is the process of skipping programmed channels or creating Favorite channels. I had to finally read the low print quality instruction manual to find out it's in the Program section of the menu, which you can't use without the default password of all zeros (seems appropriate somehow). It's exceptionally lame to require a trivial default password to edit channels, since anyone can simply re-scan and get every channel making it easy for average tweens to outflank parental controls.Remote & User's Manual (good, bad, ugly)The remote is good, especially for a low-cost complex device like this. The buttons are many and mostly small but have nearly white markings, on the grippy dark grey buttons, on the black background of the unlighted 2xAAA battery remote. I count seven different sizes and shapes of buttons, arranged into five groups (including Power/Mute). So it's actually possible to use by feel in the dark, once you memorize where the frequently used buttons are. For just watching TV it's great. Pausing live TV and then starting it up again is also very simple. Going beyond that gets more complicated and annoying, but still probably within the capability of most people.The box has only Power & Channel Up/Down buttons and most routine operations are complex, so if you don't have the remote or the User's Manual you'll have a big problem. As I've mentioned, the printed manual is bad not just due to poor writing but also terrible pictures of only some of the screens. Thankfully Mediasonic has a PDF of the manual for free download and it's clearer than the printed version (but sadly still in black & white, when color high-resolution images would help a lot). Since it wasn't clear on the Amazon page where I bought this box, I've attached to this review a screen capture of the remote taken from the PDF manual. On the somewhat helpful Mediasonic Forum an admin wrote, "works with Logitech Harmony remotes so no regular universal" giving some hope if you do lose/kill the remote, and have a device that will record IR remote signals so you can back up (and with a programmable recording IR device even improve on) the remote.Bottom LineRecommended. Given that this toy only cost 33 bucks delivered (compared with twenty times that for my old slicker and more capable EyeTV and Mac Mini), I'm very happy. Even if it dies after the one year warranty I can just buy another, and if something happens to the remote I could at least watch TV with the three front buttons (now that it's already programmed) or buy another complete box for about what many replacement remotes alone sell for on other devices. If you're anguishing over whether to buy and try one of these, you might want to download the manual and visit the Forum first. If you're not techie and just want a simple HDTV tuner that can make occasional recordings by adding a cheap USB thumb drive (or you are / have access to a techie to learn about more of the cool features), just go for it.
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    Top reviews from the United States

    Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2015
    591 people found this helpful
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    Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2016
    Customer image
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great price, V12.3+ better, unreliable DVR, klunky UI
    Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2016
    Update 10/21/2016 - NOTE: If you have an Android device with InfraRed output (many have it), get the "Galaxy Universal Remote" app and swipe over to Cable&Satellite, scroll down to HOMEWORX, tap the TryNextModel button and choose ModelsGroup2. This app gives me a lighted remote that's easier to use in some ways. Because several brands are available that seem to use the same internal hardware and firmware, I've ordered the [[ASIN:B01F5QK562 ViewTV AT-263 ATSC Digital TV Converter Box and HDMI Cable w/ Recording PVR Function / HDMI Out / Coaxial Out / Composite Out / USB Input (New Model)]] because it has front panel buttons, and newer firmware. Possibly less (or no) user support tho, but so far I've had no need for any. I like the ViewTV unit *FAR* better than the HW180 this review is for, so I suggest you read about the ViewTV and consider paying a few bucks more.
    The 180STB's still working as when new, but I emailed to get the firmware upgrade from their "tech support" (generous term for a terse and uninformative reply email with attachment). My unit bought 1/2016 came with firmware V10.1 but the zip file they sent is the same so I didn't apply it. On their support web page (forum dot mediasonic dot ca slash viewtopic dot php?f=78&t=3334) for the 180STB I found this, which is important for owners to know about:
    V3, please update to V8.1. Fixes recording bugs.
    V8.0, please update to V8.1. Fixes recording bugs.
    V9.0, please update to V9.1. Fixes recording bugs.
    V10.0, update it to V10.1. Fixes bugs on close caption. (If you don't use close caption then no need to update)
    V11.0 or V11.1 update to V11.3, fixed bugs on fast forwarding. EPG and recording.
    V12.0 or V12.1 update to V12.3, fixed bugs on "bad frequency", date and conflict events.
    So apparently I can't upgrade to their latest v12.3 and that might have fixed some of the glitches in my unit. If so, you'll want to know what version you get when you buy one of these and ensure it's the latest.

    Problems encountered include loss of all programming if there's a household power surge, loss of all recordings if there's a bad broadcast signal glitch (I have unreliable PBS station KOCE and NBC station), hassles with repeating recordings that "conflict" with others (see below), unreliable time (I see different times based on what channel it's tuned to, making for unreliable timed recordings), channels disappearing from the channel list if their signal has a long glitch, and of course the horrific UI. Still worth the price and a 4star review, if only for great HDTV tuner with handy live "Pause" and unreliable recording.

    Initial Review:
    Given all the features it has, great picture & sound, and easy initial setup the price is simply amazing! Very clumsy for extensive scheduled recording, but fine for live viewing and occasional recording by adding a USB stick. This review is for the "new version" (whatever that means), purchased here on Amazon 1/2016. I mention this because older versions apparently had some problems, but the first reviews listed on Amazon are for the old versions and few reviews specify the version.

    Quick Setup
    I had it displaying crisp HDTV on my 93" projector about 15 minutes after opening the box, without even a glance at the instructions. That's a Good Thing because the instructions have the double whammy of apparently being written by committee of techies; and they display a weak mastery of English to accompany the fuzzy black and white TV screen pictures. For example you'll find poetic and informative passages like, "When successfully searched CH3/CH4, using remote of the converter box to search TV programs and doing related operation," next to an inscrutable gray photo. Aside from klunky User Interface (UI), the worst aspect I've encountered so far is the Closed Caption font. It's jagged to the point of distracting, and even a little difficult to read at the small setting.

    Also Great For Old TVs
    Having only briefly looked at the Amazon page before purchase, I had the mistaken impression that "3 / 4 Channel" in the Amazon title for this item means it can simultaneously receive three or four channels. Nope. They're talking about the fact that you can select channel 3 or 4 with a switch on the back, for feeding RF output to an old style NTSC 525 scan line "480i SD" TV. The switch is so you can avoid interference with a strong local broadcast station. Local TV is channel 3 in my case, so I set the switch to channel 4 to feed an old VCR as another recording option I'll probably never use. That old-style RF output is by the way sharper than from an old and far less capable Zenith DTT901 HD->SD converter from the early days of HDTV, that a friend gave me when she got a new TV with built-in HD tuner. Bottom line here is, this will be a spectacular unit for anyone with an old TV who wants a very capable and inexpensive tuner/DVR. Even better if you have an HDTV and want a cheap though annoying DVR. For a little over thirty bucks you can "cut the cable" and watch free broadcast TV that's sharper than many cable channels, possibly supplementing that with free internet TV programming on your computer (or phone/tablet).

    The picture is a little darker than my EyeTV Hybrid running on a Mac Mini but that uses VGA to the projector, and all my other HDMI sources have this same darker (more accurate) look. The tuner is a tiny bit more sensitive (better) than the remarkably good EyeTV but more importantly, on weak stations the dropouts (blocky picture or interruptions in audio) are much more brief so weak stations are actually watchable. Though viewing weak stations is better I found that recording them can crash a hard drive, requiring a re-format (erasing all recordings). Like my older EyeTV USB "thumb drive" tuner this box runs pretty hot so I worry about its long term survival, but reviews seem to indicate that if it outlasts the warranty year you're good long-term.

    DST Glitch
    It looks like you need to set Daylight Saving Time On/Off manually to get the correct time, so that goes on your ToDo list along with any other outdated technology around the house for every annoying DST change.

    Recording
    I plugged in a 32GB USB thumb drive (big enough for about 5 hours of HDTV recordings), still without looking at the instructions, and did some test recordings. To do manual recording you can press the Record button on live TV, or the Timer button for manual setting.Use the EPG button to record a program from the Program Guide though it won't work for programs already in progress unless you manually change the start time to a minute after current time. But by now I was growing annoyed with what my spouse calls the "90s interface." It reminds me of a VCR or those hotel TV menus, where you have to step through several screens to do some routine tasks. You can use the handy Timer button to list programs you've input in the Schedule screen, but it only shows station ID (not channel number), start date, time on-off, any Repeat you selected, and a Status indicator dot that seems to only show orange with no explanation I've found in the manual. Even though the program name & description are in the EPG list, none of that is shown in the Timer program list, nor is it displayed on the USB recordings list. This thing just cries out for a smartphone remote option, but at this price that's not likely to happen.

    Weekly Glitch
    On this "new version" of the HW180STB, the Weekly repeat recording option sometimes gives an error for recordings that span midnight. It says the program conflicts with other weekly programs that are nowhere near the days and times of those it claims to conflict with. To get around this I'm able to split (SNL for example) into two recordings with one ending at 23:59 and the other starting at 00:00 (so an SNL episode is split into 23:30 to 23:59 and 00:00 to 1:03). It worked fine for one time recordings spanning midnight, and (so far) if I delete the "conflict" program and then re-add it after creating the Weekly program.

    Playing Recordings (klunky)
    Unfortunately the worst interface is the screen for viewing recordings, where I not only need to select USB and then PVR but then the auto-created folder when I only have or want one folder, then the recording (with scant little info in the list), then a different button on the remote - all just to play a recording. Deleting it is similarly klunky.Note that before recording you may need to first Format the USB device using the menu (menu button, left arrow, down arrow twice for "PVR Configure" item, OK button, down arrow, (wait a couple of seconds), OK button, OK button, (wait). When done you can eventually find your way back out of all the menus or just hold the Exit button two seconds. Klunky would you say? I tried formatting an old 750GB USB-powered external hard drive I had lying around, and it does add essentially unlimited storage space but adds two new problems. First, it takes up to ten seconds to power up and be recognized when you want to record or play. Worse though, I recorded a weak signal and the breakups trashed the recording file so badly it required reformatting the drive thus losing all recordings. I suggest sticking with a USB stick, since startup is a second or two and you won't be able to stand the UI for more than the occasional recording anyway. I've uploaded pix of the recording list, showing the scant additional info you get by selecting a recording and hitting OK (preview screen shows at top-right, with options along the bottom). Among the options are using the remote's Hold button to toggle between this Preview mode and full-screen Play, which you'll find intolerable for frequent use. The other pic I uploaded shows the Rename screen you get with the FAV button, and yes you use it via the remote's arrow cursor keys. Told you this UI was klunky. :)

    Unless you recall the date/time/channel of a recording, you'll have to preview each recording in your list to figure out what it is or to learn the file size (1080p HD recordings are about 105MB/minute, 6.3GB/hour). But there's no program name or info, just channel name (not number), date & time, and you have to do another button press (Hold) to actually watch the recording full screen. Guess they thought you just wanted to collect anonymous recordings. At least the recordings of strong stations seem to all work so far, but we'll see about the Weekly Repeat ones I just set for several programs (they recorded once, and look right for the next repeat). Once I know whether the Weekly Repeats work I'll delete them all because the playback UI is just way too annoying.

    Recordings Can Play On Computer (klunky)
    You can safely "hot swap" a USB thumb drive stick but presumably not during active read/write. I plugged the USB stick into the Mac Mini and the recordings can be played. Recordings are in the obscure .MTS file format your computer probably won't auto-play, but the free open-source VLC app for Mac, Windows and Linux devices automatically plays them fine once you download and install VLC. Recordings are split into 536.7MB files (about 27 minutes for 704x480 SD resolution, 6.5 min. for 1920x1080 HD) with one filename and numbered extensions (.mts, .mts1, .mts2, etc), so playback on computers is much more hassle for anything more than short clips. Playback on the box is also more forgiving of broadcast dropouts than VLC, so you'll probably seldom bother playing recordings on a computer. Still, it's nice having the option to share recordings with friends or play them on a different device. Especially for short recordings.

    Refining Your Channel Setup (klunky password = all zeros)
    Also annoyingly over-complex is the process of skipping programmed channels or creating Favorite channels. I had to finally read the low print quality instruction manual to find out it's in the Program section of the menu, which you can't use without the default password of all zeros (seems appropriate somehow). It's exceptionally lame to require a trivial default password to edit channels, since anyone can simply re-scan and get every channel making it easy for average tweens to outflank parental controls.

    Remote & User's Manual (good, bad, ugly)
    The remote is good, especially for a low-cost complex device like this. The buttons are many and mostly small but have nearly white markings, on the grippy dark grey buttons, on the black background of the unlighted 2xAAA battery remote. I count seven different sizes and shapes of buttons, arranged into five groups (including Power/Mute). So it's actually possible to use by feel in the dark, once you memorize where the frequently used buttons are. For just watching TV it's great. Pausing live TV and then starting it up again is also very simple. Going beyond that gets more complicated and annoying, but still probably within the capability of most people.

    The box has only Power & Channel Up/Down buttons and most routine operations are complex, so if you don't have the remote or the User's Manual you'll have a big problem. As I've mentioned, the printed manual is bad not just due to poor writing but also terrible pictures of only some of the screens. Thankfully Mediasonic has a PDF of the manual for free download and it's clearer than the printed version (but sadly still in black & white, when color high-resolution images would help a lot). Since it wasn't clear on the Amazon page where I bought this box, I've attached to this review a screen capture of the remote taken from the PDF manual. On the somewhat helpful Mediasonic Forum an admin wrote, "works with Logitech Harmony remotes so no regular universal" giving some hope if you do lose/kill the remote, and have a device that will record IR remote signals so you can back up (and with a programmable recording IR device even improve on) the remote.

    Bottom Line
    Recommended. Given that this toy only cost 33 bucks delivered (compared with twenty times that for my old slicker and more capable EyeTV and Mac Mini), I'm very happy. Even if it dies after the one year warranty I can just buy another, and if something happens to the remote I could at least watch TV with the three front buttons (now that it's already programmed) or buy another complete box for about what many replacement remotes alone sell for on other devices. If you're anguishing over whether to buy and try one of these, you might want to download the manual and visit the Forum first. If you're not techie and just want a simple HDTV tuner that can make occasional recordings by adding a cheap USB thumb drive (or you are / have access to a techie to learn about more of the cool features), just go for it.
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