This is an internet direct product, sold
here. Glad to see it came with latest FW, version 211.22.32.08, which is upgradable via USB otherwise. I will not get to try out its QAM in the foreseeable future. I haven't, nor plan on, playing with ARs, or zoom options. It's been on for at least a couple of hours, with very little space above it, but in an open rack. (It's stacked on my BDP, which is stacked on the HDDVD). It is somewhat warm, not hot by any means. About the same depth as my BD60, which is significantly less deep then the HDA35. The tuner is a couple of inches narrower than either player.
This really is a
mini review. Since this is my very first unit of this sort, coupled to the fact that I am only using it for OTA, and only through HDMI, I obviously am not putting this through the wringer.
Cons:
The remote is lame, but what else is new. The buttons have to be very firmly pressed to get the signal out, of course there is no backlight, and while I don't mind its diminutive size, I do wish it had more heft. Whatever, every possible command is already in a new URC macro.
So, I don't know if it was the original remote's fault, but it was a doozy getting the "left" and "favorite" buttons to take to my URC. All other buttons were easy. I think it might be the remote's fault, but I have no idea. I got it eventually.
Pros:
I think, perhaps, the best looking TV signal that I have ever seen! The tuner of course can't get all the credit, as it's just a tuner, and it's surely my location, antenna, etc. But I had to say it.
I get around 80 channels! I didn't even get half way through, but after about the first 10, they're all foreign, at least to the point I stopped. The Mexican channel might look the very best!!
I really like the pleasing if simple menu, which shows the signal strength as well, and for me that always seems to always be 5 out of 7 bars.
Three different favorite lists, all accessible by a touch of a button, with a small menu appearing on the left. Just scroll up/down to the ch, select, and voila. You can name one list as sports, another as news, etc.
The CC settings are cool, which I've only marginally looked at (there might* be a lot of options), but I have it set to appear when I mute. Well, it's not working right now on the opening cermony, and I'm not sure why yet.
Little switch on the back for quick setting changes of 1080i, 720p, 480p.
Another switch just next to it for different outputs, HDMI, RGB, YPbPr, S-video. I do not know which, if any, outputs can be run simultaneously.
Aesthetics are ok. Better looking than most cable STBs I see, but not as nice as some other things. The display does look a whole heckuva lot better than the website pic below, much smaller digits, better looking, and doesn't look like a $6 alarm clock from Walmart (the digits look VERY different, and much smaller):
