Malc,

Given you say that your old ONdigital freeview box (Philips DTX637X) is not supported by the STB controller in your AVANT leads me to believe that you have a fairly new AVANT. The STB controller (table 3.0) still had the Philips DTX637X STB in it at the end of 2004.

If you look at the back of your AVANT you should find a very small grey label which shows the STB software version and table version, from this we can establish the list of STB's your controller currently supports.

Hi There,

Apart from the Sky box you will probably find that most boxes on the list are now obselete, so that leaves 2 options, get the sky or have your dealer update the STB software. If you have the software upgraded you can use topfield TF5800 PVR, which is hard disc in the vien of sky plus, or Humax F2 Fox T, which is a really nice solid freeview box (uses code for Humax DTT4100). Both of these codes are on STB table 3.90.

 Ps. your dealer should be able to fit this on site as it is just a chip upgrade, the chips don't cost that much so shouldn't be much more than the cost of a call out.

Hope this is useful

Beocentre

Thank you for your help.
I will pop along to my local B&O store tomorrow.

Best Regards

Malc

Called into my ocal B&O dealer.

Its going to cost £80 for a new chip fitted into my avant. (shame that the old chip is no useless)

My dealer told me that B&O have a new board for freeview which there trying to get a price for. Anyone got one of these or know anything about them.

Looked at the topfeild and amazed at the differance of prices for the 250GB , from £230 to £320.

Any other tips or advice most welcome

Malc

Malc,

In the AVANT the STB controller can only be updated by changing one plugin chip.

The "new board" for Freeview which your dealer is talking about is the DVB-T Module for which I provided a detailed review HERE

The cost of the unit itself is around £500

The Topfield option is a very good option and in your case likely to be the most cost effective option.

The STB chip upgrade should only take about 15 minutes to perform with the correct tools. The chip itself is a plug in type as shown below

The DVB will work on any AVANT subject to the TV software being upgraded. The software upgrades are included in the upgrade kit provided by B&O.

As many members have noted keeping with the STB controller is often seen as the best option. I do have a DVB-T module installed in an AVANT DVD with the STB controller directing a Digi-Fusion PVR which works well.

As you say your best option may well to wait for the STB upgrade.

Definately stick with the stb controller route, if you have the topfield box it has twin tuners so that you can record and view different channels. If you have b&o's DVBT module (in which the subtitles have to be disabled completely because of a bug!) it does not allow you to record one freeview channel, and watch another. Additionally if your avant is video type you can even use the stb controller to do timed recordings direct from the topfield box onto your video. 

I apologise for a minor rant, but how b&o epects dealers to justify £500 for a freeview board (which has less functionality than a £30 freeview box!), and then sells one of the most advanced remote controls (beo 5) on the market for less, is beyond me.

hope this is useful

Mark