With DVD recorder and television manufacturers continually releasing new kit without digital TV tuners, and the analogue switch-off provoking viewer concerns the length and breadth of the country, set-top box makers are capitalising. However, Freeview boxes can be hit or miss when it comes to features, most specifically in the electronic programme guide (EPG) area. Netgem has no such worries though, as its iPlayer has so many features you could almost put it into a category all of its own.
The burgundy triangle
It's rather larger than the average STB, and despite the box's curves it can't really be called stack-friendly. But the sleek, UFO-style design, with an absence of any sort of legends or badges, will certainly provoke intense questioning from gadget-loving friends. Even more so when they're confronted with the remote - by far the weirdest looking control device I've come across. Triangular and burgundy, it doesn't really seem to go with anything. It's a easy to use, though, so looks aren't necessarily everything in this case.
Connections are more conventional. Two RGB Scart outputs (for TV and recording device) are present rearwards as are stereo mini-jack and optical outputs for audio. However, there's also a telephone line in/output for connection, via dial-up, to the internet - the first suggestion that this is no mere digital tuner box. On the side are Smart Card and Common Interface slots for expansion to Top Up TV, and unusually, a USB 1.1 port.
Considering the multitudes of functions the iPlayer is capable of, set-up is both easy and frustrating in equal measure. On initial start-up, an extremely friendly wizard (accompanied by a soothing female voice) guides you through channel tuning, the use of the remote control and dial up internet connection. But, if you want to add Wi-Fi or Ethernet functionality (for either media streaming or broadband sharing) it becomes a battle between man and machine that echoes the drama of the Terminator movies. Basically, if you have little or no knowledge of IP addresses, Gateways or DNS entries, a fair amount of time spent with customer support is almost guaranteed. It's also worth noting that external accessories will be required for both, with an USB Ethernet adapter typically costing a tenner and Wi-Fi adaptors ranging from £30 - 70 (for the faster 802.11g).
