Oakcastle SB110 Set Top Box Receiver | Digital TV HD 1080P I HDMI & Scart Connection I 150+ Freeview Channels | USB Recorder, Internet YouTube & Apps, Remote Controlled TV Recording Box

I wanted a Freeview box with the ability to pause live TV and to record programs for later viewing. The Oakcastle SB-110 fitted my requirements exactly and I placed an order for the SB-110 box together with an FV100 desktop aerial.The package arrived promptly and my first impressions were of a well built compact unit. Included in the box were the remote control, batteries for the remote, and an instruction booklet. To the front of the unit are power and channel selection buttons and a USB slot. The rear had the RF aerial input and loop output and HDMI and SCART TV outputs. The mains lead with a 13A plug is permanently attached.The unit only took a short while to connect to the aerial and TV. On power up after the welcome screen the system scanned for all available Freeview TV and radio channels.Tuning was completed without any problems and I could immediately see that the picture quality was good. Particularly impressive are the system menus which are very clear and easy to negotiate. Parental controls are included.The main reason I wanted the unit was to be able to pause live TV (to take a phone call or make a cup of tea) and to record programs to see later. To facilitate these functions a memory stick must be inserted into the front USB slot. The memory stick is not included with the unit so you will have to provide this from another source. I used a fast 64GB Toshiba unit but smaller memory sticks can be used.To record a program for future viewing you go to the program guide after selecting the channel you want. Then scanning down the program listings just press the record button. The record schedule is shown, allowing you to pick daily or weekly repeats if required. Then a simple OK is all that is needed to accept the schedule. Recorded programs again have an excellent picture quality.The unit does have an Ethernet port for a wired network connection. This is not needed for standard TV or radio but offers access to several on-line services including news feeds and You Tube. The port can be used for a wireless connection if a WiFi dongle is used. This must be purchased separately.The remote control works well and is logically laid out. Personally I would have preferred a slightly larger sized unit as my advancing years means less deft fingers.My purchase included the FV100 desk-top aerial. This makes a useful addition to the set-up. The aerial has an in-line high gain amplifier which is powered via a USB connection to either a spare port on the TV or to a separate power adaptor. The power adaptor is not included. My location is fairly near a transmitter mast so was unable to test this with a weak signal. The literature suggests needing to be within 15 miles of a transmitter for adequate results. It’s always better if placed on a window sill.Are there any points that I think would improve these units. Apart from the aforementioned size of the remote the only other useful addition would be to duplicate the USB port on the rear of the unit. I understand that placing the USB slot on the front gives the user the opportunity to insert a memory stick of their photographs etc. However if you’re just using it for TV then it would be neater with the memory stick at the rear. This however is not a deal breaker.In conclusion I am very pleased with both the SB-110 Freeview box and the FV100 Desk-top aerial and have no hesitation in recommending these to prospective purchasers.If you register the products with Oakcastle this will extend the warranty to three years – which can’t be bad!

Excellent value for money - a Freeview HD compatible set top box with the capability to record programs on to a USB.Pros - easy set up, SCART and HDMI connectivity, small and lightweight.Cons - counterintuitive remote control, very basic EPG on screen display, a faff trying to set up favourite channels.Notes - will play back media files off a USB stick from other sources. Maximum size for a USB to record onto seems to be 32GB. (One hour of SD TV takes up approximately 1GB, three hours of radio about the same).Verdict - recording is a doddle and it's great to have portable recordings that will play back on my PC and Blu ray player. Picture quality is excellent. Very impressed by the low price, small size and functionality - a winner.Update - have had this for 12 months and still very happy with it. Very occasionally recordings fail or the box forgets channels, but it is rock solid virtually all of the time. It is compatible with a 500 GB Bipra U3 portable external hard drive which provides all the recording capacity I need.

Appears to be well made but fails on internet connection. The internet is actualy connected as the YouTube function does work, although poorly with many glitches - even with SD quality selected. There appears to be no help as to locating Apps like iPlayer or the new network connected freeview services. Software update does attempt to connect, but again finds nothing.The one Plus is that the Record and PVR do work to my satisfaction.So altogether a poor buy. There are better and quicker "Zappers" on the market.

I bought this Oakcastle SB110 Set Top Box for the TV I have in a bedroom mainly for the ability to pause live TV. I set it up very easily, it took me about 20 minutes all in, thats connecting to TV, powering up and tuning in all the channels. I had no problems with the tuning and it receives all my regular channels. I had a spare 32GB USB Stick which it recognised straight off. I don't imagine I will be doing any Timed Recordings but I did test that facility without a problem, the Live Pause / TimeShift works perfectly well. The only downside for me personally is the buttons on the remote are very small and my eyesight isn't all that good however after a few weeks of use I should get to know the layout of the remote buttons by touch. Overall I am extremely pleased with the Oakcastle SB110 Set Top Box and for the price it is extremely good value for money.