Antenna System - Set Top Boxes require a correctly installed antenna to work reliably, symptoms of a poor antenna system are momentary picture freezing, blocking or tiling of the picture and channels disappearing from the Set Top Box. An outdoor antenna with good quality cable is necessary, older cabling often does not have shielding good enough to stop electrical interference and televsion signals from being picked up along the length of the cable. It may be necessary to install a new antenna and cable to have the Set Top Box work as it should.

Aspect Ratio - the aspect ratio is the relationship between the width and height of the picture, old programs and television sets have a ratio of 4:3, widescreen sets and programs have a ratio of 16:9. The confusion occurs when the ratio of a program does not match the ratio of the screen you are viewing it on, the pictures may be either elongated or wide. Both the Set Top Box and widescreen television sets have options for matching the program aspect ratio to the screen, for a Set Top Box with a 4:3 (old ratio) television the aspect ratio can be set to 4:3, this will show full screen pictures with normal 4:3 program and letterbox for the widescreen programs. For a widescreen television with a Set Top Box the best option is to set the Set Top Box to 16:9 and then use the television's aspect ratio control to find the best fit on the screen.

Set Top Box Malfunction - it is possible for a Set Top Box which has been working perfectly for some time to "spit the dummy" and give no sound or program channel. Power disturbances or interference to the antenna signal can cause the processor in the box to lock up. Turning the box off then on again will usually reset the processor and fix the problem - more stubborn lock ups may require the removal then reconnection of power to the Set Top Box completely to restart the processor to fix the problem. Regular failure of your set top box indicates that you will have a power, antenna or set top box design problem that needs attention.

Connections - the Set Top Box has many options for connecting it's output to the television set. The picture quality is best when the SCART (21pin connetor) used in RGB mode, next best is to use the SCART connection in SVHS (Y/C) mode and good pictures can be had using the composite or video output on the set top box. The worst quality picture and sound is what you will get if you must use the TV or RF out connection from the Set Top Box to the television receiver - the reason for this is that the Set Top Box has to remake a PAL television signal by combining the video and audio into one and then your television set has to pull it apart again thus causing quality loss.

Audio - is best connected seperately for the same reason as described above. The audio from the Set Top Box is at least Hi FI stereo (MPEG1 or even better Dolby) - using the TV or RF out to connect the Set Top Box to the television set will result in poor sound.