HD STB's getting hard to find?

I got one at the supermarket on Sunday. (Coles Maroochydore. $79) Plenty of others about here at most of the electrical outlets, from $99 to several hundred. One of these DSE stores with stock may suit you:

"Derek"

....... Phil

The Topfield website still shows the TF400T and TF7000HT as available. You may have gone to the website of the old distributer.

David

Ah, so I did, thanks. I was looking at

Dave.

None at the three stores near me I mentioned though.

Oh, one left at a store near me. Any good I wonder?... Not a particularly raving review here:

Can't believe it's got what looks to be like a real mechanical on/off power switch on the back panel! Haven't seen one of those in years...

I want one that works well, and I don't mind buying a cheapie if it does in fact work well. I've got a cheap DigiCrystal HD box and it's annoyingly slow to switch channels, takes ages to switch on, and has a few other annoying aspects. It's ok for use on the 2nd set, but I'd like to avoid repeating that again. BTW, my cheap DigiCrystal SD PVR is really nice and I have no issues with that one.

Thanks. Dave.

you:

I went into my local DSE that was supposed to have that one, and other cheap HD STB's as well (DSE branded etc). ZIP!, not a single HD STB in stock. The stock numbers are a fib. They will be getting a TEAC unit in next week, but it's $186. So that's not a single HD STB available at any of my local HV, JB, GG, or DSE stores. Crazy.

Looks like Altronics of all places have the Topfield for $259

Dave.

you:

here:

If there's a demand and people are buying them then the stores will run out of stock and you'll have problems finding a popular product on the shelves. If they are imported from overseas and the number of sales has been underestimated then it will require shipments from overseas countries.

Stong demand = lack of stock !

(not necessarily the case but a plausible explanation).

It could also be regional. I know without a doubt that in Western Sydney there is no shortage of HD set top boxes.

And NO demand = lack of stock too. I think the commercial channels decision to screen some shows on HD only should increase the demand for low cost HD STB's though.

MrT.

Well, in the Castle Hill and Warringah Mall areas of Sydney there is nothing. Several sales people have told me there is not much demand for HD STB's which is why they hardly stock them any more. But one said when they do get in what little bit of stock they happen to get, they go pretty quickly. So it appears to be a combination of causes at play here.

If there really is little demand, the most sensible explanation is probably that people don't want to spend too much money to "go digital" and would rather buy a $35-$100 SD box rather than a $100- $300 HD box.

Dave.

. . .

Perhaps it is a case of "the flies can't tell the difference" and so are not prepared to pay any more. Andy Wood snipped-for-privacy@trap.ozemail.com.au

All HD set top boxes have composite video out anyway, so you can view both the SD and exclusive HD channel content on an old standard SD Television. I don't see any point these days buying a SD decoder. Unless its less than $50. When you can pickup a HD set top box these days from $79.

Just been to Strathfield car radios. They have a HD stb for $149-00. Rob.