If I'm not mistaken, other than the ATSC 3.0's better 1080p minimum resolution you also get most of the content with HDR and wide color gamut, and less compression with the new ATSC 3.0 compression algorithms so the overall picture quality is much cleaner and more detailed with more depth, and higher contrast, and enhanced color fidelity. We're also factory direct ZapperBox dealers and we set-up two M1-2 dual tuner ZapperBoxes. One is in our main showroom connected to Sony's new 77" A95L QD OLED TV with a OTA splitter so we have 3 OTA tuners. We can record two channels while watching a third OTA channel. I just found your channel and love your presentation style and the content you cover! I subscribed and liked your channel.
@@davidlichty3929 The ZapperBox M1 OTA DVR comes with the RF antenna that is for the included remote control. You need o supply your own OTA antenna. We most often use Channel Master's CM-1776 Pro Model OTA Antenna.
I'm really impressed with the dual tuner Zapperbox DVR. It might cost a little more, but the customer support is outstanding! I was having trouble with a couple NextGen channels being locked that they hadn't seen before, so within days they wrote a software update to fix the problem. Now I can watch and record all the ATSC 3.0 channels here in Minneapolis.
Interesting review. A killer feature I want is the ability to view my recorded programs from outside the house. I spend months each year away from home and would love to be able to catch up on my favorite programs. My Amazon Fire Recast claims to have this feature but it has never worked properly. Looks like this doesn't have it yet but maybe it's on their roadmap.
It's definitely on their roadmap (a mobile app is coming, though not all its features have been shared with me). They did say that the recordings are saved onto the MicroSD in a format that the great video app VLC should be able to play, meaning you could literally *grab* your DVR recordings and access them anywhere. I have not yet tested this, however!
I like the Zapperbox better than my old HD Homerun tuners, the only thing I miss is the ability to watch on the PC or phone, but that wasn't often and not a big deal. We have about 4 or 5 encrypted channels in the area and the Zapper decrypts all of them now.
Your review had two very glaring omissions. Does this tuner require subscription fees for the channel guide EPG data? Does it require a subscription fee to record shows like the SiliconDust ATSC3.0 tuners? Those are two very important things for cord cutters./
It does not require a subscription for the channel guide short term, but if you want a longer-term guide so you can utilize DVR to record programs a week or more in the future, you will need the sub. There's no fee required to use the DVR. Not sure they're glaring, but that's what YT comments are for too; we can discuss these issues, as we are doing. Thanks for asking!
With a huge problem...it cannot record DRM encrypted channels using DVR! All the ATSC 3.0 channels in my area use DRM. This was confirmed by Zapperbox when I contacted them. It's way to early to buy these devices. Wait 2-3 years.
That's on their product roadmap for early 2024 from what they tell me. I'd check in with the company in a few months if that's a make or break feature for you.
@@AskDaveTaylori hope so too, i want to watch the 2025 super bowl comfortably, i don't want to wrestle with an antenna for 1 1/2 hours again, i don't want to see another bowl in NTSC again
Would like to see a follow up on this to know how well it works on DRM channels as well as a better understanding what you can do without the Internet connection.
I've had zero problems with the (very few) DRM channels in my area, including recording them. The ATSC 3.0 standard is such a moving target that there's now an update allowing devices to store decrypt keys so they can unlock DRM *without* an Internet connection. I imagine that update will come from Zapperbox as soon as they can debug it. In any case, being offline today means you won't get the long-range guide (for DVR recordings) and some ATSC 3.0 encrypted channels won't decrypt. Yet.
@@AskDaveTaylor Just the thought of needing to decode a Public channel bothers me. I hope all the existing channels will run a backup on ATSC 1.0 so the Public won't have to buy a new TV or pay for a converter box just to watch what should be free and clear to begin with.
I am not a fan of ATSC3.0 some times called NextGen turners due to the NextGen 3 channels mostly are scrambled and you would have to keep it connected to the internet. Good thing is the DVR and the ATSC1.0 channels work okay with it like normal may even pick those channels up a little stronger. The guide looks nice. I personally would not buy this unit until we see if the NextGen stuff is going to end up pay per view. I bought a new Hisense 55U7K That has the NextGen turner and in the Nashville TN are scanned int 51 ATSC and 7 Next Gen channels. Most of the 51 did not work and the Next Gen was scrambled. Other the DVR it is not worth the money for a cord cutter.
The Zapperbox decodes encrypted ATSC 3 channels. Curious that your Hisense couldn't show ATSC 1 channels; is there a firmware update that improves that?
It's good that the device has HDMI out for a TV unlike the Silicon Dust model but reviews on Amazon are not good with lots of users complaining about it still being in Beta even though it is expensive and having licensing issues. Also can it actually receive encrypted broadcasts? The Antenna Man was complaining about not being able to decode encrypted channels but they don't seem to have any in the Phoenix area yet so I can't tell. Also the antenna is an extra $149 which is a rip off!
The company is moving really fast with its iterations. I too noticed that when I viewed other reviewers it was critical to see the date of their reviews because most of them complained about thiings that the unit does fine. For example, yes, it does receive encrypted ATSC 3 signals and decode them, at least with the channel lineup I get here in Boulder, Colorado. In terms of the antenna, you don't need to buy their antenna you can use a digital-capable one you already have or buy something else to work with it.
nice video however you did not show us a recorded atsc 3.0 channel please do an update please was it still encrypted ?... please..show us. competition requirez you to lower the price
Unfortunately, I have zero experience with anything in the Tablo line so cannot answer that. I hope to get my hands on one in the near future to test and compare, however.
@@AskDaveTaylor I highly recommend it. However, It doesn’t have ATSC 3.0 support and it is why I am looking at the Zapper. The GUI is better on the Tablo for Guide and DVR and I get to wirelessly stream. I think the best device is a combination of the Zapper and the Tablo.
"The maiden in the basement"? Ummm.... In terms of the channel guide, yes, it's completely customizable, allowing you to hide duplicate channels and show/hide any individual channel too. I have already hidden all the shopping channels on my own guide!
While the Zapperbox is undeniably impressive, for the sake of transparency, it's important to note that purchasing this device largely restricts you to viewing free over-the-air terrestrial content. The network or channel offerings available via this device do not match the variety currently provided by cable or satellite TV. While many are opting to cut the cord, choosing the Zapperbox primarily grants access to the major networks such as ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, and PBS along with a few independent networks broadcasting in your market. Don't expect to be able to view ESPN, HGTV, MTV, CNN, The Weather Channel, History, The Food Network, Discovery Channel, etc. I think you get the idea.
Yes, that's true. Streaming/Cable only channels are not available over the air whether you use the tuner built into your TV or an external NextGenTV tuner like Zapperbox. Why are you presenting this like it's some revelation? You can also subscribe to streaming channels AND use an OTA tuner. 🙂
@AskDaveTaylor With all due respect, just wanted to point out to your viewers that although the Zapperbox is a fine product and has much to offer, it is not a direct replacement for cable, satellite, or other standalone paid subscription-based offerings, nor was it intended to be. While this might be obvious to tech-savvy viewers, for others, watching your presentation may be misinterpreted.
Another reviewer said that channel guide was a paid subscription if you wanted two weeks out, otherwise it was only 24 hours. I wish you would talked about that. Also, does the unit have ability to automatically skip commercials? Is there a 30 second skip forward, remote control IR or Rf?
I do talk about that and you are correct: You get approx. 24 hours of guide without a subscription, but you have to pay a nominal fee (a few dollars/mo) for a two week guide. FYI. There is no commercial skip feature on recordings nor a button on the remote. There are "learning keys" however, so perhaps you could program a "skip 30 seconds" feature?
Exactly! I bet you have to pay a subscription fee for the EPG guide data. Every TH-camr that has reviewed this box must clearly be getting a kick-back from the manufacturer to leave out that info. And just like SiliconDust, I bet you have to pay a subscription fee just to record your shows.
Ferrell, why don't you ask instead of assuming? You can optionally subscribe to a guide that gives you info further into the future (obv. helpful with the DVR) but can also NOT subscribe. You can still use the DVR without it too. Please don't disseminate misinformation.
@@AskDaveTaylor Two days ago as of my posting, another viewer had asked the same questions about fees and his question was unanswered, so "assumption" was all I had left until you decided to respond. So to set the record straight, I was CORRECT about fees being required. So where was I spreading misinformation?
First off, I'm not affiliated with Zapperbox so you could just as easily check their FAQ or email them questions. Further, do you still say that "I bet you have to pay a subscription fee just to record your shows." is accurate? Because it's not.
I would buy one of these things in a heartbeat if I were able to connect it to my home router and use an app on my TV to watch live broadcasts like I can with my HD Homerun tuner. Evidently Silicon Dust has no plans to ever enable ATSC 3 decryption, so the fact that this device will decrypt those signals is of great interest to me. I used to be able to watch ATSC 3 signals with the HD Homerun but all but one of my local channels have enabled encryption, which I think should be patently illegal, but it is what it is.
Given that SiliconDust has ATSC 3 and has a cable box that includes decryption, seems like it's just a matter of time before they're decrypting ATSC 3 OTA signals, don't you think?
I would certainly hope so, but they have been working on this for a year now while other devices such as this one already have off-air decryption enabled and have had for a while @@AskDaveTaylor
You cannot fast forward (yet. I suspect that might be coming soon) and you can't record any of those other channels because they're not over-the-air channels. Apples and oranges, Tommy!
I do but it wasn't shown; it extends your guide further into the future so you can use the DVR and get better results with search. Like so much in this space, I've found the guide a week or more into the future a bit of a work in progress, but some of that is also what the channels make available about their own programming.
The guides monthly cost is a deal breaker. I refuse to sign on into any monthly rip off charges that all companies are trying to extort the public with.
Your choice but you don't need to subscribe. I asked the company and they explained that they have to pay for access to the guide info, fyi@@SpinnerPaddlefoot
Thnx for the review! Quick question, does one need a 'special' type of Micro SD card in order to be able to 'delete' programs? Or do ALL SD cards have that ability (do delete data...)
I don't really understand your question. A MicroSD card is just a storage device. Unless you've somehow set it to be read-only (in which case you couldn't use it for recording) it will support adding and deleting data.
@@AskDaveTaylor Ok thanks. I'm guessing it (Micro SD Card) will allow users to 'delete' content (ie TV shows)....Sorry if my inquiry was alittle vague....don't have much experience with those Micro SD cards.
How does the Zapperbox communicate to the TV? By a cable, or wirelessly? What I'm really getting at is if you have multiple TV's in the household, how do they ALL get the OTA signal? Thanks!
The unit is plugged into a single TV. I believe that they have multiple TV support in the roadmap, but unless you have a tuner per TV it's mighty hard for each to have its own channel.
Can you add channels to the list without losing existing programmed channels? For example I want to add a single new channel. Enter the RF frequency of the channel and let it search for it?
Yes. Look again at just before I do a channel scan and you'll see the option to "add new channels" versus "full scan". I don't know about entering an RF frequency tho
Depends how far into the future you want to go. I think for 24 hours it's free but for DVR uses, you typically want a few weeks into the future and that does have a modest annual cost (about $29). Note that this is true for all OTA tuners of this type as far as I am aware...
bought the dual tuner..crashed and froze after 2 hrs..rebooted and after 1 hr it came back on..my box takes 5 to 8 seconds to bring channels in..not good..going to use it for a week and return it if it crashes again...picture quality is good, not seeing any 4k yet..
hdmi handshake issues.running hdmi exspensive cable to new sony reciever,have to turn it off and on again to lock in..channel..anyone have this problem also?..Thanks happy holidays..
I live outside Chicago and they recently went to ATSC 3.0 for 5 stations cbs, fox, nbc, wgn, univision. I lost cbs and wgn after a rescan but still get fox and nbc. My setup has been good for years, outside antenna with rotor good coax running right to the tv, didn't need any amplifiers made it worse. My tv is an older vizio smart tv. Will this box bring those channels back? Or are they broadcasting somewhere else. I pull in 60 channels but really only care about the main network ones. A little clueless about this stuff, so any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Yeah, it's one of the most confusing areas of electronics I know of, so *everyone* is confused. I am pretty sure that the Zapperbox will do much better than the built-in ATSC (prob ATSC 1) tuner in the Vizio. There's an excellent OTA forum on Facebook that has endless discussions about all of this too that you might want to look for.
@@AskDaveTaylor Thanks for responding, I don't have facebook. From what I understand which isn't much they still have to broadcast on ATSC 1 at the same time. Is this true? I don't care about a DVR feature or a better picture quality. Mines great. I have re scanned about a dozen times and 2.1 or 9.1 does not show up anymore. Any ideas? Thanks
it's very dependent on antenna placement and directionality. Definitely check otadtv.com/ or similar to find out where your transmitters are located, and most of the NextGenTV units have signal strength meters that can help you fine-tune placement. Invest in a good antenna too!
MIMO is not a new technology, it has been released in the US for many years with actual development started in the early 2000's. It is widely used in wireless technology with the current iteration known as MU-MIMO.
This shows great promise! Here's my main question: In the past, I've been unable to get the over the air channels due to the fact that I live on the north side of a large hill which completely obscures the signals from Lookout Mountain. Does this fall into that category as well, i.e., is line of sight required to receive the digital signals from the broadcast tower?
As far as I know, yes, you'll still have an issue. But go to www.antennaweb.org/ and enter your zipcode to see where all the broadcast antenna are; where I am there are antenna in multiple directions (as I show in the video)
@@AskDaveTaylor Yes I did that, but it appears that all the main national networks (NBC, ABC, CBS, etc.) are ONLY broadcast from Lookout Mountain (according to the 165.18 degree direction and 20 mile distance from Boulder for each station's transmitter) -- and that direction in my case is obstructed by a large hill. I suppose I could buy an antenna and give it a try but I think the chances are remote that I could receive those signals. I could probably receive signals from the towers out near Frederick (21miles at 68.31 degrees), but they only broadcast stations that hold no interest for me 😞
I live inside a school 🚍. I only have a labtop and portable wifi device from Verizon. Do you have to have separate innernet with this device, or is it built in?
Hey Dave you do realize many channels now have DRM right which means you may end up having to pay for over the Air TV too if we do not put a stop to them encrypting their channels.
The Zapperbox can decrypt encrypted ATSC signals, actually. If you look on my channel lineup, one of the channels is ATSC 3 and encrypted, but I can watch it without paying a fee.
@@AskDaveTaylor You're missing the whole point of hook line and sinker just because you can decrypt it now later on all they got to do is flip the switch and will you have start having to pay for it that is not how a public airway is supposed to be ran It's unfortunate that you cannot see the bigger picture Also have you been paying attention to the cable networks they're already starting to drop local broadcast even where I live when I was on cable half my bill was just in local broadcast because of all the excessive fees that they tack on And something else today's new generation of kids and adults no longer watch local TV so they are absolutely losing market shares and they know it so they're preparing for their future they find new ways to extort money out of us Mark my words this is going to happen and it has nothing to do with piracy it has more to do with corporate greed which they are creating the meth themselves.
@@AskDaveTaylor I am sure it could be locked up at any time so it become a pay tv signal. When the videocipher 2 came out for C band satellite there were two ways they could uplink the channels with videocipher 2 scrambling. They could use what they called fixed key or open key so all descramblers could descramble the channel so it could be watched or it could be scrambled with out the key so it was necessary to pay to descramble the channel. This was older tecnology. They later started using digital scrambling which had the same capabilities so i am sure this could lock up the channels so they were unviewable at any time. This means they can stop sending the key in the signal for any or all channels so they would be unwatchable without paying. Local tv channels have become dependent on cable and satellite redistributing fees. As cable and satellite distributers lose subscribers the local channels lose revenue so they will likely start charging for local channels. Restrictions now prevent them from scrambling their main channel but sub channels may become pay channels or the laws could change. By the way I heard about the zapper box on another video. They said it costs $5.00 a month for the guide in this zapper box. Not sure the box is usable without paying for the guide after the first month.
Nope. Still using the MicroSD card. Might get a bigger one, but so far, haven't bumped into its limits (and once I watch a show, I tend to delete it, freeing up space)
This is not really "free" TV you have to watch commercials. But it's not like cable where you "pay to watch the commercials". They used to simply call it commercial broadcast television. But the cost has always been watching the commercials.
A fair point. I suppose that it should always have been called "free to receive" TV, because the channels still need a way to monetize you, as the viewer.
It's a bit tedious but that's because it's a digital signal that has to be decoded. I don't have experience with other NextGenTV tuners, however, so don't know if this is unusually slow or just the state of OTA TV.
I wanted to find out about the device. Too bad the guy went on forever about stuff that really didn't have anything to do with the features of the device. Going on about antennas and other crap that has no actual information about the friggin device. Lost interest in what he was talking about.
Ummm.... okay, well, I encourage you to check out the Zapperbox Web site to get the tech specs which sound like all you're interested in. A surprising number of people who would buy this product, however, are more than a bit confused about all the tech and how it all works together. If you've got it all figured out, that's great, congrats.
You are pretty rude to complain about a presentation that someone posted on his own without compensation. Nobody forced you to watch it. Some anonymous nerve.
Not true: You have the option of paying $2.49/mo to have a "deeper" program guide so you have program information 2+ weeks into the future. That's obv. useful for the DVR function, but you will still get the what's on now guide even if you don't subscribe. It's not very well explained on their site.
What's Primion? And you're right, no PPV since that's generally the cable companies due to DRM (I believe), though it's coming to other streaming services too, including Plex. Yes, Plex, which has its own server you can run but also has lots of live channels and rentable content...
@@AskDaveTaylor no links. Try Robbie Strike. Try North Coast Hobbies. Free To Air is non- DirecTV non-Dish Network. You need an FTA box, a bigger satellite dish like 40 inches, and a linear LNB like my Bullseye BEO1. Hey lastly, you have to learn how to set up program your receiver for each satellite on the Park (Clarke) Belt. North Coast Hobby has a good episode for setting up Universal LNB's and receivers.
![[FULL EP.16] เซียนพาลุย "เผือก-ฟรอยด์" กรี๊ดลั่น จนปูหนี | เฮ็ดอย่างเซียนหรั่ง | One Playground](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/FsqUvwS3b-Y/mqdefault.jpg)
If I'm not mistaken, other than the ATSC 3.0's better 1080p minimum resolution you also get most of the content with HDR and wide color gamut, and less compression with the new ATSC 3.0 compression algorithms so the overall picture quality is much cleaner and more detailed with more depth, and higher contrast, and enhanced color fidelity.
We're also factory direct ZapperBox dealers and we set-up two M1-2 dual tuner ZapperBoxes. One is in our main showroom connected to Sony's new 77" A95L QD OLED TV with a OTA splitter so we have 3 OTA tuners. We can record two channels while watching a third OTA channel.
I just found your channel and love your presentation style and the content you cover! I subscribed and liked your channel.
Thanks. Appreciate the feedback AND the additional info on the Zapperbox!
Does the fancy antenna come.with the Zapperbox?
@@davidlichty3929 The ZapperBox M1 OTA DVR comes with the RF antenna that is for the included remote control. You need o supply your own OTA antenna. We most often use Channel Master's CM-1776 Pro Model OTA Antenna.
No, it's a separate purchase, probably because there are lots of antenna choices and people might already have a different one installed!
I'm really impressed with the dual tuner Zapperbox DVR. It might cost a little more, but the customer support is outstanding! I was having trouble with a couple NextGen channels being locked that they hadn't seen before, so within days they wrote a software update to fix the problem. Now I can watch and record all the ATSC 3.0 channels here in Minneapolis.
Interesting review. A killer feature I want is the ability to view my recorded programs from outside the house. I spend months each year away from home and would love to be able to catch up on my favorite programs. My Amazon Fire Recast claims to have this feature but it has never worked properly. Looks like this doesn't have it yet but maybe it's on their roadmap.
It's definitely on their roadmap (a mobile app is coming, though not all its features have been shared with me). They did say that the recordings are saved onto the MicroSD in a format that the great video app VLC should be able to play, meaning you could literally *grab* your DVR recordings and access them anywhere. I have not yet tested this, however!
@@AskDaveTaylor Can this box let you stream the live TV over the internet when your away from home? I miss my slingbox and player
Not currently. I don't know if this is on their roadmap for future features, however.
I like the Zapperbox better than my old HD Homerun tuners, the only thing I miss is the ability to watch on the PC or phone, but that wasn't often and not a big deal. We have about 4 or 5 encrypted channels in the area and the Zapper decrypts all of them now.
I'm hoping for a device that has both features!
Your review had two very glaring omissions. Does this tuner require subscription fees for the channel guide EPG data? Does it require a subscription fee to record shows like the SiliconDust ATSC3.0 tuners? Those are two very important things for cord cutters./
It does not require a subscription for the channel guide short term, but if you want a longer-term guide so you can utilize DVR to record programs a week or more in the future, you will need the sub. There's no fee required to use the DVR. Not sure they're glaring, but that's what YT comments are for too; we can discuss these issues, as we are doing. Thanks for asking!
With a huge problem...it cannot record DRM encrypted channels using DVR! All the ATSC 3.0 channels in my area use DRM. This was confirmed by Zapperbox when I contacted them. It's way to early to buy these devices. Wait 2-3 years.
That's on their product roadmap for early 2024 from what they tell me. I'd check in with the company in a few months if that's a make or break feature for you.
@@AskDaveTaylori hope so too, i want to watch the 2025 super bowl comfortably, i don't want to wrestle with an antenna for 1 1/2 hours again, i don't want to see another bowl in NTSC again
Would like to see a follow up on this to know how well it works on DRM channels as well as a better understanding what you can do without the Internet connection.
I've had zero problems with the (very few) DRM channels in my area, including recording them. The ATSC 3.0 standard is such a moving target that there's now an update allowing devices to store decrypt keys so they can unlock DRM *without* an Internet connection. I imagine that update will come from Zapperbox as soon as they can debug it. In any case, being offline today means you won't get the long-range guide (for DVR recordings) and some ATSC 3.0 encrypted channels won't decrypt. Yet.
@@AskDaveTaylor Just the thought of needing to decode a Public channel bothers me. I hope all the existing channels will run a backup on ATSC 1.0 so the Public won't have to buy a new TV or pay for a converter box just to watch what should be free and clear to begin with.
Totally agree, but I'm afraid we live in an era where "public" doesn't mean what it used to mean...
I've heard that the ENCRIPTION KEYS eventually expire,I know it's too soon to know, but what is your opinion on this?@@AskDaveTaylor
I can say that Zapperbox has a lot of plans in the works w/ DRM and encryption. I have a beta I'm testing, more to come soon.
I am not a fan of ATSC3.0 some times called NextGen turners due to the NextGen 3 channels mostly are scrambled and you would have to keep it connected to the internet. Good thing is the DVR and the ATSC1.0 channels work okay with it like normal may even pick those channels up a little stronger. The guide looks nice. I personally would not buy this unit until we see if the NextGen stuff is going to end up pay per view. I bought a new Hisense 55U7K That has the NextGen turner and in the Nashville TN are scanned int 51 ATSC and 7 Next Gen channels. Most of the 51 did not work and the Next Gen was scrambled. Other the DVR it is not worth the money for a cord cutter.
The Zapperbox decodes encrypted ATSC 3 channels. Curious that your Hisense couldn't show ATSC 1 channels; is there a firmware update that improves that?
What is the antenna that you have in the picture and how does it work inside and outside as far as range to the transmitter
It's good that the device has HDMI out for a TV unlike the Silicon Dust model but reviews on Amazon are not good with lots of users complaining about it still being in Beta even though it is expensive and having licensing issues. Also can it actually receive encrypted broadcasts? The Antenna Man was complaining about not being able to decode encrypted channels but they don't seem to have any in the Phoenix area yet so I can't tell. Also the antenna is an extra $149 which is a rip off!
The company is moving really fast with its iterations. I too noticed that when I viewed other reviewers it was critical to see the date of their reviews because most of them complained about thiings that the unit does fine. For example, yes, it does receive encrypted ATSC 3 signals and decode them, at least with the channel lineup I get here in Boulder, Colorado. In terms of the antenna, you don't need to buy their antenna you can use a digital-capable one you already have or buy something else to work with it.
nice video however you did not show us a recorded atsc 3.0 channel
please do an update please
was it still encrypted ?...
please..show us.
competition requirez you to lower the price
Zapperbox can record ATSC 3, but recording (and simultaneously decrypting) encrypted ATSC 3 channels is "coming soon" according to the company.
Great Review. Thank you! How would you rate this unit against the Tablo 4th gen?
Unfortunately, I have zero experience with anything in the Tablo line so cannot answer that. I hope to get my hands on one in the near future to test and compare, however.
@@AskDaveTaylor I highly recommend it. However, It doesn’t have ATSC 3.0 support and it is why I am looking at the Zapper. The GUI is better on the Tablo for Guide and DVR and I get to wirelessly stream. I think the best device is a combination of the Zapper and the Tablo.
Can you delete channels from the menu you don't want/need? What is the return policy if it doesn't work for me with maiden in the basement? Thanks.
"The maiden in the basement"? Ummm....
In terms of the channel guide, yes, it's completely customizable, allowing you to hide duplicate channels and show/hide any individual channel too. I have already hidden all the shopping channels on my own guide!
I may get it.
While the Zapperbox is undeniably impressive, for the sake of transparency, it's important to note that purchasing this device largely restricts you to viewing free over-the-air terrestrial content. The network or channel offerings available via this device do not match the variety currently provided by cable or satellite TV. While many are opting to cut the cord, choosing the Zapperbox primarily grants access to the major networks such as ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, and PBS along with a few independent networks broadcasting in your market. Don't expect to be able to view ESPN, HGTV, MTV, CNN, The Weather Channel, History, The Food Network, Discovery Channel, etc. I think you get the idea.
Yes, that's true. Streaming/Cable only channels are not available over the air whether you use the tuner built into your TV or an external NextGenTV tuner like Zapperbox. Why are you presenting this like it's some revelation? You can also subscribe to streaming channels AND use an OTA tuner. 🙂
@AskDaveTaylor With all due respect, just wanted to point out to your viewers that although the Zapperbox is a fine product and has much to offer, it is not a direct replacement for cable, satellite, or other standalone paid subscription-based offerings, nor was it intended to be. While this might be obvious to tech-savvy viewers, for others, watching your presentation may be misinterpreted.
Hmmm... okay. Thanks for clarifying your intention.
Another reviewer said that channel guide was a paid subscription if you wanted two weeks out, otherwise it was only 24 hours. I wish you would talked about that. Also, does the unit have ability to automatically skip commercials? Is there a 30 second skip forward, remote control IR or Rf?
I do talk about that and you are correct: You get approx. 24 hours of guide without a subscription, but you have to pay a nominal fee (a few dollars/mo) for a two week guide. FYI.
There is no commercial skip feature on recordings nor a button on the remote. There are "learning keys" however, so perhaps you could program a "skip 30 seconds" feature?
Does this unit require internet for any of it's features?
Exactly! I bet you have to pay a subscription fee for the EPG guide data. Every TH-camr that has reviewed this box must clearly be getting a kick-back from the manufacturer to leave out that info. And just like SiliconDust, I bet you have to pay a subscription fee just to record your shows.
It offers up the "more info" on your program guide. There's an optional subscription, but you can use it without the $30/yr guide sub.
Ferrell, why don't you ask instead of assuming? You can optionally subscribe to a guide that gives you info further into the future (obv. helpful with the DVR) but can also NOT subscribe. You can still use the DVR without it too. Please don't disseminate misinformation.
@@AskDaveTaylor Two days ago as of my posting, another viewer had asked the same questions about fees and his question was unanswered, so "assumption" was all I had left until you decided to respond. So to set the record straight, I was CORRECT about fees being required. So where was I spreading misinformation?
First off, I'm not affiliated with Zapperbox so you could just as easily check their FAQ or email them questions. Further, do you still say that "I bet you have to pay a subscription fee just to record your shows." is accurate? Because it's not.
I would buy one of these things in a heartbeat if I were able to connect it to my home router and use an app on my TV to watch live broadcasts like I can with my HD Homerun tuner. Evidently Silicon Dust has no plans to ever enable ATSC 3 decryption, so the fact that this device will decrypt those signals is of great interest to me. I used to be able to watch ATSC 3 signals with the HD Homerun but all but one of my local channels have enabled encryption, which I think should be patently illegal, but it is what it is.
Given that SiliconDust has ATSC 3 and has a cable box that includes decryption, seems like it's just a matter of time before they're decrypting ATSC 3 OTA signals, don't you think?
I would certainly hope so, but they have been working on this for a year now while other devices such as this one already have off-air decryption enabled and have had for a while @@AskDaveTaylor
Sounds like they might need to get a few new engineers on the team then. 🙂
But can you Fast forward through commercials And can you record TH-cam or Netflix or Prime
You cannot fast forward (yet. I suspect that might be coming soon) and you can't record any of those other channels because they're not over-the-air channels. Apples and oranges, Tommy!
You didn’t mention if you have the paid channel guide?
I do but it wasn't shown; it extends your guide further into the future so you can use the DVR and get better results with search. Like so much in this space, I've found the guide a week or more into the future a bit of a work in progress, but some of that is also what the channels make available about their own programming.
The guides monthly cost is a deal breaker. I refuse to sign on into any monthly rip off charges that all companies are trying to extort the public with.
Your choice but you don't need to subscribe. I asked the company and they explained that they have to pay for access to the guide info, fyi@@SpinnerPaddlefoot
yes .i pd the yearly fee
Thnx for the review! Quick question, does one need a 'special' type of Micro SD card in order to be able to 'delete' programs? Or do ALL SD cards have that ability (do delete data...)
I don't really understand your question. A MicroSD card is just a storage device. Unless you've somehow set it to be read-only (in which case you couldn't use it for recording) it will support adding and deleting data.
@@AskDaveTaylor Ok thanks. I'm guessing it (Micro SD Card) will allow users to 'delete' content (ie TV shows)....Sorry if my inquiry was alittle vague....don't have much experience with those Micro SD cards.
Yes, it'll let you program the DVR and record onto it, and delete any programs you don't want any more. 🙂
In a couple years will these boxes be developed enough to handle encryption
Yes. Many of them already do, and Zapperbox is on top of the ATSC 3.0 DRM developments. Check their Web site for more info...
How does the Zapperbox communicate to the TV? By a cable, or wirelessly? What I'm really getting at is if you have multiple TV's in the household, how do they ALL get the OTA signal? Thanks!
The unit is plugged into a single TV. I believe that they have multiple TV support in the roadmap, but unless you have a tuner per TV it's mighty hard for each to have its own channel.
Thanks for the prompt reply!! @@AskDaveTaylor
Can you add channels to the list without losing existing programmed channels? For example I want to add a single new channel. Enter the RF frequency of the channel and let it search for it?
Yes. Look again at just before I do a channel scan and you'll see the option to "add new channels" versus "full scan". I don't know about entering an RF frequency tho
I live on a converted school bus will this work on my skoolie?
Do you have to watch same show on all tvs at the same time
Is there a subscription cost for the TV guide?
Depends how far into the future you want to go. I think for 24 hours it's free but for DVR uses, you typically want a few weeks into the future and that does have a modest annual cost (about $29). Note that this is true for all OTA tuners of this type as far as I am aware...
I just looked this up on Amazon no big Antenna
How's the person learn all of this without a sheet that tells them where to go and what accomplishes by going to this paper that has the directions
A fair point. It's a relatively complicated product for a complicated segment.
bought the dual tuner..crashed and froze after 2 hrs..rebooted and after 1 hr it came back on..my box takes 5 to 8 seconds to bring channels in..not good..going to use it for a week and return it if it crashes again...picture quality is good, not seeing any 4k yet..
I don't think any channels are broadcasting in 4K yet. Otherwise, weird that it's crashing. Have you communicated with Zapperbox customer support?
@@AskDaveTaylor thank you for your time.yes..the auto timer function must be on to function properly.zapper support solved the issue.. happy holidays.
hdmi handshake issues.running hdmi exspensive cable to new sony reciever,have to turn it off and on again to lock in..channel..anyone have this problem also?..Thanks happy holidays..
That's very curious. Try a different HDMI cable to see if that's the problem. If not, reach out to Zapperbox customer service!
I live outside Chicago and they recently went to ATSC 3.0 for 5 stations cbs, fox, nbc, wgn, univision. I lost cbs and wgn after a rescan but still get fox and nbc. My setup has been good for years, outside antenna with rotor good coax running right to the tv, didn't need any amplifiers made it worse. My tv is an older vizio smart tv. Will this box bring those channels back? Or are they broadcasting somewhere else. I pull in 60 channels but really only care about the main network ones. A little clueless about this stuff, so any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Yeah, it's one of the most confusing areas of electronics I know of, so *everyone* is confused. I am pretty sure that the Zapperbox will do much better than the built-in ATSC (prob ATSC 1) tuner in the Vizio. There's an excellent OTA forum on Facebook that has endless discussions about all of this too that you might want to look for.
@@AskDaveTaylor Thanks for responding, I don't have facebook. From what I understand which isn't much they still have to broadcast on ATSC 1 at the same time. Is this true? I don't care about a DVR feature or a better picture quality. Mines great. I have re scanned about a dozen times and 2.1 or 9.1 does not show up anymore. Any ideas? Thanks
@@AskDaveTaylor UPDATE, re scanned this morning 2/8/24 and they showed up to the party. Thanks
it's very dependent on antenna placement and directionality. Definitely check otadtv.com/ or similar to find out where your transmitters are located, and most of the NextGenTV units have signal strength meters that can help you fine-tune placement. Invest in a good antenna too!
God I'd love your job. Lol
I would love to know how to become an affiliate marketer for this.
You'd need to talk to Zapperbox directly. Good luck!
How does it compare to the HDHomeRun flex 4k as of 2/2024?
Someone else will have to answer that as I don't have any hands-on experience with the HDHR line. Yet. 🙂
@@AskDaveTaylor i will be getting it today. Just hoping i don’t have issues with any drm content.
MIMO is not a new technology, it has been released in the US for many years with actual development started in the early 2000's. It is widely used in wireless technology with the current iteration known as MU-MIMO.
Ahhh, good to know. Thanks for the update!
This shows great promise! Here's my main question: In the past, I've been unable to get the over the air channels due to the fact that I live on the north side of a large hill which completely obscures the signals from Lookout Mountain. Does this fall into that category as well, i.e., is line of sight required to receive the digital signals from the broadcast tower?
As far as I know, yes, you'll still have an issue. But go to www.antennaweb.org/ and enter your zipcode to see where all the broadcast antenna are; where I am there are antenna in multiple directions (as I show in the video)
@@AskDaveTaylor Yes I did that, but it appears that all the main national networks (NBC, ABC, CBS, etc.) are ONLY broadcast from Lookout Mountain (according to the 165.18 degree direction and 20 mile distance from Boulder for each station's transmitter) -- and that direction in my case is obstructed by a large hill. I suppose I could buy an antenna and give it a try but I think the chances are remote that I could receive those signals. I could probably receive signals from the towers out near Frederick (21miles at 68.31 degrees), but they only broadcast stations that hold no interest for me 😞
With tax and shipping it wil cost over 275$ i have one from adth its only 89$ and you can record with a video capture card.
Cool. Got a link so we can check it out?
I live inside a school 🚍. I only have a labtop and portable wifi
device from Verizon. Do you have to have separate innernet with this device, or is it built in?
You need separate Internet...
Hey Dave you do realize many channels now have DRM right which means you may end up having to pay for over the Air TV too if we do not put a stop to them encrypting their channels.
The Zapperbox can decrypt encrypted ATSC signals, actually. If you look on my channel lineup, one of the channels is ATSC 3 and encrypted, but I can watch it without paying a fee.
@@AskDaveTaylor You're missing the whole point of hook line and sinker just because you can decrypt it now later on all they got to do is flip the switch and will you have start having to pay for it that is not how a public airway is supposed to be ran It's unfortunate that you cannot see the bigger picture Also have you been paying attention to the cable networks they're already starting to drop local broadcast even where I live when I was on cable half my bill was just in local broadcast because of all the excessive fees that they tack on And something else today's new generation of kids and adults no longer watch local TV so they are absolutely losing market shares and they know it so they're preparing for their future they find new ways to extort money out of us Mark my words this is going to happen and it has nothing to do with piracy it has more to do with corporate greed which they are creating the meth themselves.
@@AskDaveTaylor I am sure it could be locked up at any time so it become a pay tv signal. When the videocipher 2 came out for C band satellite there were two ways they could uplink the channels with videocipher 2 scrambling. They could use what they called fixed key or open key so all descramblers could descramble the channel so it could be watched or it could be scrambled with out the key so it was necessary to pay to descramble the channel. This was older tecnology. They later started using digital scrambling which had the same capabilities so i am sure this could lock up the channels so they were unviewable at any time. This means they can stop sending the key in the signal for any or all channels so they would be unwatchable without paying. Local tv channels have become dependent on cable and satellite redistributing fees. As cable and satellite distributers lose subscribers the local channels lose revenue so they will likely start charging for local channels. Restrictions now prevent them from scrambling their main channel but sub channels may become pay channels or the laws could change. By the way I heard about the zapper box on another video. They said it costs $5.00 a month for the guide in this zapper box. Not sure the box is usable without paying for the guide after the first month.
did you get a hdd yet? if so how big?
Nope. Still using the MicroSD card. Might get a bigger one, but so far, haven't bumped into its limits (and once I watch a show, I tend to delete it, freeing up space)
Does it have a 4 tuner dvr
Not that I am aware of, but you might reach out to them to check their future plans.
This is not really "free" TV you have to watch commercials. But it's not like cable where you "pay to watch the commercials". They used to simply call it commercial broadcast television. But the cost has always been watching the commercials.
A fair point. I suppose that it should always have been called "free to receive" TV, because the channels still need a way to monetize you, as the viewer.
Look it takes forever yo change channels.
It's a bit tedious but that's because it's a digital signal that has to be decoded. I don't have experience with other NextGenTV tuners, however, so don't know if this is unusually slow or just the state of OTA TV.
It takes a long time to capture a ATSC 3.0 station.
Nature of the beast. More encoding to unravel.
PRICE?
DISCUSSED AT THE END OF THE VIDEO.
I wanted to find out about the device. Too bad the guy went on forever about stuff that really didn't have anything to do with the features of the device. Going on about antennas and other crap that has no actual information about the friggin device. Lost interest in what he was talking about.
Ummm.... okay, well, I encourage you to check out the Zapperbox Web site to get the tech specs which sound like all you're interested in. A surprising number of people who would buy this product, however, are more than a bit confused about all the tech and how it all works together. If you've got it all figured out, that's great, congrats.
You are pretty rude to complain about a presentation that someone posted on his own without compensation. Nobody forced you to watch it. Some anonymous nerve.
THE PROGRAM QUIDE YOU HAVE TO PAY EXTRA FOR OTHER SETTINGS.
Not true: You have the option of paying $2.49/mo to have a "deeper" program guide so you have program information 2+ weeks into the future. That's obv. useful for the DVR function, but you will still get the what's on now guide even if you don't subscribe. It's not very well explained on their site.
@@AskDaveTaylor thank you for the info
No primion channel no PPV
What's Primion? And you're right, no PPV since that's generally the cable companies due to DRM (I believe), though it's coming to other streaming services too, including Plex. Yes, Plex, which has its own server you can run but also has lots of live channels and rentable content...
It's no achievement. ATSC 3 sucks. TV needs a knob, not an encrypter. Try Free To Air satellite. Let ATSC 3 croak.
Free to Air Satellite? What's that? Please post a link or two...
@@AskDaveTaylor no links. Try Robbie Strike. Try North Coast Hobbies. Free To Air is non- DirecTV non-Dish Network. You need an FTA box, a bigger satellite dish like 40 inches, and a linear LNB like my Bullseye BEO1. Hey lastly, you have to learn how to set up program your receiver for each satellite on the Park (Clarke) Belt. North Coast Hobby has a good episode for setting up Universal LNB's and receivers.