SUMMARY: MSI recently launched their Digi VOX USB 2.0 adapter which allows you to watch and listen to digital TV and radio broadcasting on your PC or notebook. Read on as we take a close look at the Digi VOX and just what it can add to your HTPC with its many fancy features which won’t make a big dent on your bank account.
MSI’s package with their Digi VOX product is small but it provides everything you’ll ever need to get HDTV up and running on your computer. You get a fairly detailed user guide manual which describes installation and using the software. You get an antenna which looks just like an 802.11x Wi-Fi antenna, USB extension cable and an IR remote control along with the instillation CD which includes the HDTV software and drivers for the device.
MSI’s HDTV adapter is tiny and smaller in length than my smaller than usual Nokia mobile phone although its height and width is a bit of an issue but we’ll cover that shortly. The unit itself is made out of plastic and while we wouldn’t suggest dropping it on the ground, it seems fairly solid and sturdy. You can’t see in the photo but on both sides of the device are ventilation holes to allow for cooling since the adapter does get a little warm after you’ve been using it for a few hours straight.
The unit includes three LED’s – a blue LED is activated and stays on when you plug the adapter into a USB 2.0 port, another blue LED is activated and stays while you are watching HDTV and a red LED flashes when you push buttons on the remote control.
MSI include a “free gift” which is the antenna and MSI recommend you only use it when outside but we’re not too sure who would have a TV outside their home. Anyway, we’d go along with this as we tried using the device with the antenna inside and couldn’t pickup any signal at all. If you live close to one of the reception towers, you may be able to use the device with the antenna inside but we had no joy.
You’ll also get a simple infra-red remote control which allows you to do a number of functions from your computer chair or living room lounge. It has to be noted the range of the remote control isn’t that good, at least not compared to other remotes. When the device is plugged directly into one of the front USB 2.0 ports on our Shuttle XPC, it works fine up to about 2.5 metres away from the device but any further than this the remote wasn’t able to communicate with the Digi VOX.
This might not be an issue for users who intend on using the Digi VOX on their computer and are less than a metre away but for those users who’ll hook the Digi VOX up to a HTPC in their living room and are three or more metres away from the device, it will cause concerns.
However, if you use the included USB extension cable and place the device a little higher (like just under your TV) with the device pointing your way, the range is much better working up to about 5 metres away and beyond.
On the actual remote, you have the ability to handle all the tasks the included HDTV software is capable of – such as: recording, up and down channel, volume, play and stop, pause, mute, capture a screen and so on.
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