- Access all FREEVIEW TV and radio channels through an analogue television (subject to local signal strength and suitable aerial)
- Receive up to 30 digital channels with no additional subscription charges
- Quick easy installation
- Vertical or horizontal installation (stand supplied)
- FastEPG (electronic program guide) 7 day ready
- 2SCART sockets (cable included)
- Digital/analogue audio output
- Near instantaneous interactive services (MHEG)
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Technical Details
Product details
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Product Description
Product Description
Stylish vertical design. Electronic Programme Guide. Auto set-up and tuning. Optical Digital Audio output. 8 favourites lists (4x TV 4x radio). 2 scarts (1x RGB). Smartlink. Can be positioned horizontally or vertically with supplied stand.
Manufacturer's Description
The VTXD800U digital set-top box was voted as the best buy in "what Video & TV" magazine November 2003. The VTXD800U has all the latest features and will allow an analogue TV to receive Freeview Digital channels.
Digital broadcasting is revolutionising the way that we use our televisions, and with the Government committed to achieving digital switch-over between 2006-10 the only way you will be able to watch television in the future is digitally. And the best way to do this is by using a Sony Freeview idTV.
The idTV advantage
There are plenty of practical reasons for upgrading to a Sony Freeview idTV, all of which are designed to enhance your viewing pleasure:
Freeview
You will be able to take full advantage of 'Freeview' television. Not only does this give you access to your existing channels (BBC 1, BBC 2, ITV1, C4, 5), but you will also receive up to 30 TV channels and 20 digital radio stations all subscription free! And as all Sony idTVs have an integrated digital decoder, no complicated wiring or additional boxes are needed. It is digital television without the hassle.
Electronic Programme Guide
Due to the increased programme choice available with digital televisions, Sony Freeview idTV sets provide an intelligent menu facility called the Electronic Programme Guide (EPG). EPG allows the user to search for a particular programme type such as feature films or simply view by programme number or time of day.
Widescreen Pictures
You will be able to receive and view true 'widescreen' programmes, just as the director had intended you to see them!
Digital Picture
Digital signals are not susceptible to the usual interference that causes 'noise' or 'ghosting', resulting in a picture of vastly superior quality when compared to a traditional analogue image.
Digital Text
A vastly improved, higher resolution Digital Text facility has been designed to offer a comprehensive, interactive service. Many of the pages within the Digital Text service retain a one quarter size image of the current television programme, allowing you to navigate the text pages without missing any action. Further, Digital teletext can be accessed easily from the remote control when watching a digital channel with this service, such as any BBC channel.
Digital Sound
Digital sound has no distortion or interference, so no more hiss or crackle! It is comparable to CD sound quality.
Additional Services
Access to services for the visually impaired and the hard of hearing, along with clear, recordable subtitles are all part of the features available with a Sony Freeview idTV. Additionally, interactive services are available with certain programmes, such as 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire' or the BBC's World Cup services.
Freeview Channels
The digital service from Freeview has up to 30 TV channels, up to 20 radio programmes and several interactive services.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
61 of 61 people found the following review helpful
This is a truly excellent digital terrestrial television receiver. Setting it up is simplicity itself, and the picture and sound quality is first rate (I had previously tried a Grundig box on the same aerial and it came up with precisely nothing).
The Sony's feature set is impressive: individual "favourite channel" lists for TV and radio, parental lock, and a very clever timer mode for selecting channels in advance, for feeding to a VCR/DVDR over the SCART cable (9 events can be set). If you're lucky enough to have a recorder with Smartlink, the box will instruct the recorder for you. If you don't have Smartlink, you'll need to set the receiver timer and recorder timer independently of each other.
The remote control can be programmed to operate basic functions (volume, channel up/down, standby) of most modern TV sets, and the control interface itself is nicely intuitive.
Want more? 16:9 or 4:3 viewing mode, automatic software upgrade, EPG, it's all there. There's also a detachable stand for the box, if you prefer to place it in a vertical orientation (how very PS2).
The only downside is that it has no card slot, so it can't support Top-up TV or other subscription services.
It's not the cheapest, but as a basic Freeview receiver it's absolutely outstanding.
55 of 55 people found the following review helpful
After reading many, many reviews about various freeview boxes, I recently purchased this Sony digital Freeview box. I have been using the box non-stop for the past two weeks and am very glad I made the purchase.
Set-up was very simple and took about two minutes - basically, a case of plugging in the leads then letting the unit perform a quick auto-tune scan then off you go! Reception quality is outstanding (as you would expect) and if you have other Sony devices (tv, video,etc) they can all be operated from the single remote control supplied.
The Electronic Program Guide is clear and simple to use (similar to the Sky system) and includes the facility to set up favourite channels, to save time scanning. Both the digital tv and radio stations give onscreen information about what you are watching/listening to.
The unit is small, light and stylish and comes with a vertical stand, so you can stand it next to your PS2 should you have one! This freeview box is the usual top quality/design from Sony and at a good price too. Highly recommended.
47 of 47 people found the following review helpful
I'm not normally one for giving items the full five stars, however with the Sony VTX-D800U, I have yet to find a single fault with it.
Set-up is terribly easy. Just plug in a couple of cables into the back of the box and turn it on. It instantly tunes itself and in no time at all you have access to all the latest freeview channels and digital radio stations.
One must be careful when buying this Sony VTX-D800U that your VCR or DVD recorder has smartlink for recording freeview channels. It has other names such as Megalogic, NexTView, T-V Link, Easylink, AV.Link, CinemaLink, or Q-Link so please check this before you buy it. If it does not, then it could be a right hassle to record freeview channels although you will still be able to tape the channels you recieved before via an analogue signal.
If you do intend to use the smartlink facility, you must buy another 'Scart to Scart' cable for connecting your freeview box to the VCR / DVD recorder which at about £15, it doesn't come cheap for just a cable considering that this freeview box costs about £80.
Well, I'll shut up now. I know I haven't mentioned everything about this freeview box although I feel these have been mentioned in other reviews and wouldn't want to babble on about something you may already know. On the whole, this is a brilliant piece of kit and lives up to Sony's high-standards.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
bad product bad service
What's the point of spending the time to buy for a product in a reputable website. Trust the seller pay for it not cheap and when product arrives 2 weeks later is no use? Read more
Published 14 months ago by Rainbow
7 years old and still young.
I have had this box for about 7/8 years and it is still going strong, Would buy another one if this went to freeview heaven but so far still running well, If only there was... Read more
Published on 2 Jun 2010 by H. Darley
Sony VTX-D800U Freeview Box
This was damaged on arrival and, because the item was very well packed and the box was completely undamaged, I believe that it was damaged before being despatched. Read more
Published on 28 Dec 2009 by Mr. David Chapman
Easy to set up
The Sony VTX D800U Freeview Sigital is a typical Sony product, very easy to set up & use giving a brilliant TV picture much better than my Sky Dish. Read more
Published on 3 Nov 2009 by M. G. Williams
Has been OK in the past ~ but only OK
Sony VTX-D800U Freeview Digital TV Set Top Box
After some time of yielding up a reasonable performance - i.e. Read more
After some time of yielding up a reasonable performance - i.e. Read more
Published on 5 April 2009 by Cliftongirl
Sony Freeview Box
I have satisfaction from this digital tv set top box, given me no problems at all. I did have a cheapO model at first, this proved to be useless, so decided to go for a good... Read more
Published on 4 Mar 2009 by Joan Lunn
still working after...
excellent box. purchased aug 2004 and still using it....if only modern freeview/recorders were as reliable....
Published on 4 Feb 2009 by poor man
the best digital reciever ever made....
bought 2 of these boxes when first launched 4 years ago,still running,upgraded to latest software,super quick,simply one of lifes items that performs faultless,even at £199. Read more
Published on 30 Jun 2007 by Mark
The Price
Like Mr. Griffiths I also bought one several years ago and it was under £100.
Published on 25 Jun 2007 by S. E. Paterson
The price can't be right
Am I missing something? I have one of these (bought 3 years ago) and it cost UNDER £100. So how come one is for sale at DOUBLE that price? Has it become a collector's item?
Published on 24 Jun 2007 by Trevor Griffiths
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