Goodmans GDB3

I bought this as a replacement for sky and it's abysmal. I have worked in the set top box industry and I am currently a software quality engineer so I have a fair idea of poor quality work when I see it. The menu system is an abject failure and requires the box to be turned on and off to recover some of the functionality. Additionally the software managing any IP streams (BBC I-Player) is very badly written and it forces long delays and restarts to get to where you want.

Given that there has been no software updates pushed to repair these issues or make the STB more efficient I can only surmise that the manufacturers have just enough interest in the colour of your money and nothing else.

This is a brand that will never see another penny of my money. My recommendation to anyone reading this, don't bother.

I bought this to use as a primary Freeview box for the TV and a PVR, as it had two tuners. Just not very good compared with the Echostar it was supposed to replace. No ability to zoom or change picture size from the default three settings. Poor reception which meant continual freezing. Terrible remote. Poor menu - software generally poor. In the end I've given in to my mother-in-law - that's how bad it is.

while other boxes ive had have fallen by the weyside this one keep going and going! never freezes, never freaks out, i love it and would recommend it to anyone!

It freezes all the time.An absolute piece of rubbish.

I've had this Goodmans GDB3 box for 2 years now and had no issues at all with it. I've also bought one for my parents and theirs is ok too.

In fact I've been looking for another one but they only appear to be available on eBay these days.

I have had a Goodmans GDB3 for around two years now, and the only thing that's happened to it is that the red button on the remote doesn't work. Not great for some text services, but I can still press the Text button to bring it up as on most channels Text and the red button do the same thing.

The firmware on this box is a generic one I've seen on numerous other boxes - nothing special there. The EPG is decent, albeit a tad unresponsive at times.

The box may, on occassion, switch itself off, but this isn't a regular occurrence - it hasn't happened to mine in months - and can be solved by waiting ten seconds and switching it on again.

Oh, and, it's probably not a box issue, but my remote seems to not accept new batteries any longer. It'll only function if I leave an old battery in it.

Other than that, it seems a good box for "just receiving Freeview". I wouldn't recommend buying it now, as it's rather out of date and there are better boxes out there, but it was good at the time.

I can still receive all the Freeview multiplexes in the area - 1, 2, A, B, C and D - but Mux D regularly disappears when I rescan. Due to the fact that I'm on a remote Scottish island where we've never received Five over analogue, I'll let that one slide, much as I love Film4. It usually reappears on the EPG if I rescan, and there are no problems with signal.

A great Freeview box, but not anymore.

I have several DTT boxes around the house from various manufacturers - one dating back to the inception of the service. All work fine.

I bought this Goodmans GDB3 for my son to take to uni and had the same problems as listed elsewhere here, switching off, freezing etc. As this device has been on sale for so long both Goodmans/Alba and the retailers must be well aware of the problems but continued to push them out.

Customer service appears to me to be non-existent and the comment elsewhere here about it being the BBC's fault shows how much they know if you do get a response - the BBC has not owned/operated its own transmitters or Muxs for some years now. Maybe they mean it is choosy about the type of programmes it will receive!

Will never buy Goodmans/Alba again - whatever the price.

Our Goodmans GDB3 box has worked fine for the first 4 months we have had it.

However, for some reason, only two of the buttons on the remote now work, and several channels such as e4, itv and itv2 do not work at all. I have 2 other freeview box's which work perfectly well. It just appears that this is a very poor quality box.

After reading all the other comments I have saved myself money by not calling an engineer to look at aerial, I know where the problem is, its that little silver box with GOODMANS WRITTEN ON IT, so its off to the shops for a new one. Do not recommend Goodmans GDB3 freeview box.

It seems to be typical of modern Goodmans products - poorly designed and executed. It is a pity the name once renowned for quality products is, now, associated with virtual rubbish.