Magnavox TB100MW9
Manufacturer: Philips Consumer Electronics Part number: TB100MW9
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Magnavox TV100MW9 DTV converter box competently handles the basics, but doesn't offer a standout reason to choose it over its competitors.
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Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com Marketplace |  | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 12/08/2009 |
CNET editors' review
Magnavox TB100MW9 price range: $30.00
- Reviewed by: Matthew Moskovciak
- Edited by: David Katzmaier
- Reviewed on: 09/17/2008
- Released on: 02/15/2008
The good: Solid reception and video quality; good aspect ratio options.
The bad: Remote is poorly designed and can't control a TV; EPG doesn't show much information; sparse feature set; difficult to change aspect ratio; composite video cable not included.
The bottom line: The Magnavox TV100MW9 DTV converter box competently handles the basics, but doesn't offer a standout reason to choose it over its competitors.
As the digital transition gets closer and media coverage increases, the important thing to remember is that if you get your TV from cable or satellite now, you don't need to do anything. If you do rely on analog over-the-air TV, the next important thing is to not panic--you don't need a new TV. Almost any analog TV can receive the new digital stations if connected to a DTV converter box, which should cost no more than $20 if you sign up one of the government's $40 coupons. (For more information, see our Quick Guide to the DTV transition).
The Magnavox TB100MW9 is one of the DTV converter boxes you can buy with a $40 coupon, and it's one of the more visible options because it's being carried at Wal-Mart. In our tests, it was a competent performer, with good video quality and reception that was in line with other boxes we've tested. On the other hand, we found its remote to be difficult to use and its EPG (electronic programming guide) was less-informative than the ones found on most other DTV boxes. While the TB100MW9 handles the basics well with good reception and video quality, there's no reason not to spend your $40 coupon on a box with a better remote or more features, such as the Zenith DTT901, the RCA DTA800, or the Dish Network TR-40 CRA.
Design
The TB100MW9 sports a basic "black box" design, with the faceplate featuring a stripe of glossy black plastic in the middle. There's a single indicator light in the center of the stripe that glows green when it's on and orange when it's off. There are no other buttons whatsoever on the front panel--not even a power button. There is a main power switch on the side of the unit, but it won't actually turn the unit on, it just gives you the ability to turn the unit on with the remote. That means you can't really use the TV100MW9 at all if the remote goes missing--a real flaw.
We'll admit to being sticklers about good remote design, but the TB100MW9's clicker is bad by almost any measure. There's a directional pad in the center, but it breaks the standard convention of including the "OK" button in the middle and instead places it off to the side, which caused us to hit the wrong button several times. The other keys are all tiny and similarly-sized, including even the important channel up/down buttons. It's also missing a button to toggle between different aspect ratios--you have to jump into the setup menu to do this. We were also disappointed to note that the remote can't control a TV, so you'll need to fumble with two remotes. That might seem like a lot of complaining over a remote, but if this is the main way you watch TV, it's something you'll use all the time. If an easy-to-use remote is a big priority, make sure you check out the competing RCA DTA800.
Features
The Magnavox does technically include an EPG, but it's one of the most basic we've seen. Pressing the EPG button, the TV100MW9's remote brings up current information about the program playing, and pressing "right" on the directional pad will show information about programs coming on in the future. This design is pretty limited, as it doesn't give you enough information on a single screen--you have to scroll to see the next 2 hours of programming on NBC (for example) or what's on a variety of stations at 8 p.m. We definitely prefer the Dish Network TR-40 CRA's EPG, which shows much more program information at once, or even the somewhat limited "What's Next" screen on the RCA DTA800, to what Magnavox offers.
The TB100MW9 has three main settings for aspect ratio: letterbox, zoom, and full. On a standard 4:3 analog TV, letterbox "windowboxes" 4:3 content (puts black bars on all four sides) and properly letterboxes wide-screen 16:9 content (puts black bars above and below the image). Zoom displays 4:3 programming with no black bars and in the correct aspect ratio, and displays the wide-screen programs without distorting the image, but the left and the right sides are cut off. In full mode, 4:3 programs have black bars on the left and the right and have the wrong aspect ratio, while wide-screen programs are shown in full, but the aspect ratio is incorrect (it's squished in from the left and sides). If you have a wide-screen TV, full mode will show 16:9 programs in the correct aspect ratio. Of course, as mentioned before, the ability to change aspect ratios is hampered quite a bit by the fact that you have to dig through the setup menu to do so, rather press than a dedicated button on the remote, like most DTV converter boxes have.
Connectivity is basic on the TB100MW9. There are two RF-style F connectors, which are the connecters that have the screw threads on the outside and the small hole inside. One is an antenna input and should be connected to the antenna using a coaxial cable. The other F connector says "ANT OUT" and is an audio/video output. This means you can send analog video and audio from the TB100MW9 to your TV by connecting a coaxial cable. In addition to the F connectors, the TB100MW9 has a composite video output along with stereo RCA analog outputs--the standard yellow, red, and white outputs. If your TV has the proper inputs, you should use the composite video output for improved video quality; unfortunately, Magnavox stingily only includes an RF cable in the box.
While the TV100MW9 certainly has enough features to get your analog TV tuning into digital stations, it is missing some extras seen on other boxes. The TB100MW9 lacks analog pass-through, which means the box won't pass standard analog TV signals to your TV--not a huge issue for most buyers, since the majority of those analog signals will be turned off in 2009. We've also seen boxes with ports for S-Video, which can improve video quality substantially as long as your TV has a matching input, and Smart Antenna, which enables compatibility with specialized antennas that can move to face different directions.
Performance
Reception, overall, was on par with what we've seen from competing boxes. From our Manhattan location, the TB100MW9 pulled in 24 stations clearly, which is consistent with what we've seen from other top-performing DTV boxes. Of course, every location is different, and you can use tools such as Antenna Web and TV Fool to determine how strong the signal should be in your area. Also remember that, as with all DTV converter boxes, you'll only be able to tune into the free stations broadcast over the air--that means no Comedy Central, CNN, and so on.
Video quality overall was above average, looking much better than the GE 22730 and just slightly softer than the Zenith DTT901. We took at look CBS' eye logo, and it was mostly smooth and round, although we could see slight chunkiness along the outer edges. With both the TB100MW9 and the DTT901 connected, we flipped between the two boxes while watching a documentary on PBS, and the image quality was very similar, with us seeing just a tad more detail on the DTT901. If you're looking for absolutely pristine image quality, check out either the DTT901 or the Apex DT250, which has a high-quality S-Video output.
User reviews
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THIS IS A WASTE OF MONEY N TIME!
by THEONENONLYME on August 2, 2009
Pros: I CAN NOT SAY ANY PROS BECAUSE IT SIMPLY IS JUNK!
Cons: DOES NOT WORK IT'S A PIECE OF TRASH!
Summary: I PUT IT IN THE GARBAGE!
Summary: I PUT IT IN THE GARBAGE!
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Magnavox TB100MW9 doesn't work and Funai support stinks
by ses1978 on June 27, 2009
Pros: Ease of use. That's all.
Cons: One minute it gets all the channels I can possibly get w/my indoor rabbit ears VHF/UHF antenna & the next, it drops 1, 2 or all my channels.
Summary: I first tried hooking this devil thing up in December and it got maybe like three channels. Funai tells me wait until after the conversion date and do a rescan. ...
Summary: I first tried hooking this devil thing up in December and it got maybe like three channels. Funai tells me wait until after the conversion date and do a rescan. The conversion date gets bumped, but meanwhile I periodically try again. So come June, I tried again and got a few more. June 11, I picked up a few more. June 12, a few more, but not the major ones. FCC suggested making sure there was a window nearby since digital is more sensitive than analog. Check. We move the box and the antenna to the north side of the house next to a window. Hook it up, get all the channels, but the next minute, we lose two channels without doing anything. Yesterday, I turn it on and everything's in black and white and the sound is static. I rehook it and again lose everything, rehook and everything's back. Today, I turn it on and I've lost my channels again. FCC, my local broadcaster's association, the local television station and my family all concur that the box is the problem though but Funai is not taking responsibility. Unfortunately, neither is Wal-mart since it's the first generation box they sold and thus more than 90 days have passed since it was purchased, but you know what, we have the right not to be stuck with this lemon and to have access to information. What if a tornado comes blowing toward my house and I die because I don't know about it all because of some faulty converter box?
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A small converter, easy to operate and clean looking.
Pros: It is small and easy to operate has very nice picture. Is energystar compliant and has simple menu.
Cons: It has its own remote that does not control the tv, and I have yet to find a universal that works with it.
Summary: It is small and easy to operate has very nice picture and has worked fine for about 6 months now. I bought one because at the time it was the ...
Summary: It is small and easy to operate has very nice picture and has worked fine for about 6 months now. I bought one because at the time it was the cheapest. Got home set it up and went back to the store to buy three more that very night.
I would defiantly buy another -
The best one
by tvperson on April 19, 2009
Pros: Cheap
Good quality
Best pictureCons: Remote
No buttons on frontSummary: The best one out their picks channels up no problem. Better than the Artec and the Tivax I also own
Summary: The best one out their picks channels up no problem. Better than the Artec and the Tivax I also own
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Only good for being ready for the DTV Transition
by Tony_JM on April 8, 2009
Pros: It will make you're ready for the DTV transition
It will give you digital channelsCons: The remote
The heat-up
Doesn't pick up a channel
Hard to go through menusSummary: I'll start out with this. The only good thing this box is good for is for making sure you get channels after the transition. That's IT.
As for ...Summary: I'll start out with this. The only good thing this box is good for is for making sure you get channels after the transition. That's IT.
As for everything else, it's pretty bad. For one, the box heats up after it's on for a certain amount of time. I recommend you keep it off when the TV is off if you are afraid of a fire hazard. Next, it doesn't pick up a channel! WBBM here in Chicago isn't picked up by this box. Though, I have no idea whether this is due to a problem with the box, or a problem at the station.
The menus can get a little confusing, and are hard to navigate.
And probably the worst thing... the remote. 1. I HATE the placement of the channel buttons. The first time using it, I used the big arrow buttons. You know, the ones that stick out the most. It took me a minute or two to finally see the tiny channel buttons, off in the top right-hand corner. They looked like any other button at first glance. Also, you have to push them pretty hard to get the channel to change. Also, you can't control any other thing on the TV with this remote. I have to keep the remote that came with the TV at hand to adjust the volume, or change input (say, from the box to the VCR).
Overall, I'd only recommend this box if you need a cheap way to be ready for the DTV transition. But afterward, get a good box to replace this POS. -
warning: don't buy you'll be sorry
by unhappydtvuser on February 20, 2009
Pros: good picture from the one that worked(4 days)
Cons: hard to read remote
Summary: I purchased 2 units:one didn't work out of the box. the other worked for 4 days. I'm now without DTV. Only a couple of analog stations still ...
Summary: I purchased 2 units:one didn't work out of the box. the other worked for 4 days. I'm now without DTV. Only a couple of analog stations still function in my rural area. Have to purchase another converter but not this one (RCA sounds like a good one). Going to return these two to manufacturer, hope the replacements are better then the originals. LOL
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DONT BUY IT YOU'LL BE SORRY
by walmarthater on February 14, 2009
Pros: Remote don't work with television. Don't buy at Walmart, they won't return your $40 coupon. Don't waste your voucher on this Magnavox junk box.
Cons: Remote don't work with television. Don't buy at Walmart, they won't return your $40 coupon. Don't waste your voucher on this Magnavox junk box.
Summary: DONT BUY IT YOU"LL BE SORRY YOU'LL LOSE YOUR VOUCHER COUPON
Summary: DONT BUY IT YOU"LL BE SORRY YOU'LL LOSE YOUR VOUCHER COUPON
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Not bad, not great
Pros: This converter box seems pretty decent - good quality picture, simple setup.
Cons: Cheesy make, it feels like it would break, remote feels like a toy - and no buttons on the unit
Summary: I have other issues - apparently something in the old TV (RF input only!) - is causing wavy distortion when I plug this or our DVD player into the TV. ...
Summary: I have other issues - apparently something in the old TV (RF input only!) - is causing wavy distortion when I plug this or our DVD player into the TV. Hard to accurately judge this unit fairly.
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this is a poor and very basic dtv converter
by lobolobito on December 13, 2008
Pros: the only thing this dtv converter provides is good picture quality.
Cons: the converter itself has no buttons on it like many of the others the only way to change channels and to power it on and off is by using the remote the lousy control is not universal so you have to keep your old control handy to use the volume
Summary: do not waste your coupon on this converter.
Summary: do not waste your coupon on this converter.
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Easy to set up, very poor quality picture
by bunnie3696 on November 9, 2008
Pros: It set up in minutes. It doesnt take up any space.
Cons: Of the channels it recieves, they scramble more than Direct TV in a rain storm. Signal goes in and out often. The box says to go into the setup each time to adjust the antenna strength. The remote gives no slack and has to be pointed right at the box
Summary: I could have lived with the box if I had been able to get at least the same channels without it. Currently I recieve 4 channels clearly with just a ...
Summary: I could have lived with the box if I had been able to get at least the same channels without it. Currently I recieve 4 channels clearly with just a table top antenna. (Spare bedroom TV) With the box I recieve 3 channels with poor signals and scrambled pictures. The box on autoscan picked up about 9 channels, but they are just black screens with no sound. The remote is not user friendly. Buttons are poorly located. It has to literally point right at the box to work. If you have the box on top of a chest of drawers you better have a long arm to use the remote.
Maybe the whole problem is with the t.v. itself. It is an older model without the AV jacks. I used the RF cable to hook up.
My suggestion to folks out there would be 3 things:
Get a NEW TV
Throw away the converter box
GET CABLE!!
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Philips Consumer Electronics
- Part number: TB100MW9
- Description: PRODUCT FEATURES: ATSC tuner Energy Star compliant Composite video output Remote control A/V outputs Component video input Integrated SDTV (Standard Definition Television)
General
- Width 9.4 in
- Depth 5.9 in
- Height 1.7 in
- Weight 1.3 lbs
System
- A/V System Recommended Use Home
Digital TV Tuner
- Digital TV Tuner Type ATSC DTV
- Tuner Qty 1
Remote Control
- Type Remote control
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x RF input ( F connector ) - Rear, 1 x RF output ( F connector ) - Rear, 1 x Composite video/audio output ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Rear
Manufacturer info
- Philips Consumer Electronics
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Philips Consumer Electronics products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.philipsusa.com/
- Address:
100 E. 42nd St., New York, NY - Phone: 800/223-1828
- Email: us.ce.webmaster@philips.com
- Fax: 423/475-0411
