Philips DTR-220

Lasted about a year, but now BBC channels drop out despite excellent reception.

Off to buy a new one

Avoid avoid !

Bought the first of these, just over a year ago - it lasted 3 months before dropping channels, (mainly Ch4) and often losing sound when changing channels. Was replaced by Hughes (despite the salesman suggesting I was trying it on) and within 6 mths, the set was freezing, needing to be unplugged and reconnected. Poor reception compared with the other units I have in the house - pixelating when all the other brands coped fine.

Then there is the software upgrade at 3am...it interupts whatever you are watching, Video, DVD, whatever. Frustrating as hell! Does this need to happen EVERY day?

I just wish I had read these reviews before buying.

Philips used to be great- I have crossed the brand off my buying list.

I have 2 of the Boxes and one works fine and the over frezzes when you chang chanel about 2 times a day and you have to turn it of and back on and then it works again i only paid £20 for mine and the £20 works fine and was designed peace and the £40 one wasent wasn't and looked inside bouth boxes and the peace one looked better electricity designed so if you buy one by the designed by peace one. mine was £20 but was verry good offer.

I bought the DTR 220/05 free view box in January and had no problems until the switch over. I lost most of the channels and could not get them back despite retuning: I phoned the Phillips helpline on 08003316015 and they were very helpful and I now have all the channels after restoring the factory settings and retuning from scratch.

This is my second philips box within 6 months first one went bang withing 2 days and I foolishly exchanged it like for like. This one has now lasted 3 months but has got to the point where it is sending that much interfence to the TV in the form of crackles that you cant hear the sound. So another trip back to tesco to replace it is required. Wont be getting phillips again, very disapointed with there reliablilty previous box had been grundig and lasted for years before a power cut saw that one off

Its utterly terrible, was fine before the switch over to digital however now i cannot recieve any BBC channels. Therefore its a bit of a con by Phillps. Avoid, Avoid!!!!

PHILLIPS DTR 220/05

Near Bristol. Bought from argos 4 weeks ago. I was really pleased. Easy to set up. Using the remote not as easy to use as a previous Wharfdale model which burned out after 14 months. Anyway,the first week I had no trouble. Clicking up through the channels, banner displays, then goes off as it should after a few seconds, but with channel four when the banner went off, so did the picture. Great sound but no picture. All information displays. Only this channel had the problem. You could get around it by going to EPG and select 4 and it would be fine, until next time you channel hopped. I had taken a another model back to curry's and thought I could do without the hassle and this I could live with. Following week BBC3 did the same thing. The following week film for dissapeared for the night. BBC3 came back to normal and so did film 4. But Channel four remained a problem.CRAZY thing is, channel 4+1 no problems. Retuning and all that stuff did nothing. Took back to Argos, explained, got a same model replacement. Set up this very same one and yes channel four has the same problem. Its dissapointing and going back. Don't ANY freeview boxes work properly. It wasn't cheap cheap, £34 so you would expect it to work wouldn't you. Perhaps I am very unlucky eh?

Having purchased a Philips set top box before (DTR 500) and had no problems with it for years I decided to get a newer version.

WHAT A MISTAKE ! This box is terrible within the first week the menus were disappearing, then the channels started to disappear and I would have to retune the box once or twice a day !!!!!

Buy something else .......

Philips DTR-220 has a small control, difficult to use, have had it less than one year and cant find the receipt to return it. On the plus side, small unit that doesn't take up much space.

The Philips DTR-220 ran for four days, then literally went BANG. Lots of smoke and electrical burning smell. Household RCB unit tripped out! Lots of overly complex features and did not replace it with same brand or model.

Purchased at Argos who were most helpfull in replacing with an alternative unit.