Home > Consumer Reviews > Metronic Digi -Scart Digital Freeview Receiver

Please note that a lot of the reviews on this page are for a different Metronic product! I have just bought the Metronic Digi-Scart Ref.441816 and I am delighted with it!

I have a very pretty analogue Loewe Mimo LCD TV that I wanted to upgrade to digital as discreetly as possible (placing an ugly "set top box" alongside would defeat the object). This product is the perfect invisible solution, it is small, very easy to install and set up, the picture is great, and the remote is OK too.

SCART - The device simply plugs into the SCART socket on your TV. My TV has an awkward access for the SCART socket so the flexible hinge design helped, in fact a device without a hinge would not have fitted. The package does come with a handy mini SCART extender cable though it kind of defeats the object of a hidden digital solution. The device can also work "in line" with another SCART device (handy if you have limited SCART connections) but I haven't tried this function.

Power- A simple plug type power adaptor that is no bigger than a normal plug, with ample cable of about 2 metres.

Remote (IR) - The IR receiver is a small domed unit on an ample cable so that you can discreetly mount it on the side of your TV or the TV stand for example. It has a useful internal LED that shines red or green to let you see if the unit is on or off. The remote is small and elegant, with the minimum amount of buttons (not unlike a small sky remote). I haven't bothered to explore all of the options and programmability because I simply want to be able to turn it on and select a channel, which it does perfectly.

EPG - The EPG seems to a bit limited but functional which is why I have not given a full 5 stars. As far as I can tell, it only shows current and next program from a list of 5 channels at a time (because half of the screen is taken up with a summary box and preview window) and it doesn't seem to be able to scan further forward in time than the next program.

Set Up - It automatically tuned about as many channels as my new Sony TV so no complaints there. My TV has to be told to use the SCART input but once set on this channel I can turn the TV on and off as usual. Some devices cause your TV to switch to the SCART automatically, this does not happen, but I'm not sure if that is the device or my TV.

Quality - the image quality is great 4:3 or 16:9 and the sound quality is great. I have absolutely no problems such as background noise, bleeping (as reported for other Metronic devices) or device running noise.

Summary - This is a great product for converting an analogue TV with a SCART socket, it is easy to install, easy to operate, fast changing channel, the quality and price are great, and it is completely invisible.

I recently bought the Metronic Zapbox and this unit was omitting an oscillating noise through my TV speakers. I tried a second unit and this was also causing the same problems. I tried this on 2 LCD TV's and one ordinary TV with two different aerials and all had the same problems. I know this is not a fault on my equipment as the original Freeview box did not make this noise at all. I will say the picture quality produced is superb, beats a lot of the other Freeview units out there. This could be a really good product if the manufactures could solve two problems: the heat factor and the problem the oscillating noise you can easily hear through your speakers

i bought a metronic freeview scart box for my tv,it was very easy to set up but found that there was a very anoying beeping noise coming through my tv speakers,tried it in the caravan while away at blackpool and it was just the same,i got it replaced and the 2nd one was just as bad also the unit got very hot when on standby,
it did however have a good picture but the noise drove me mad!!!

I bought two receivers, both made such an annoying noise when in use. I tried them on different TVs in different rooms in the house without success.

It was easy to set them up and use, and the picure was really good, but the annoying noise was just too much to cope with.

I purchased one from Amazon which arrived on Thursday 27 Sept. Im very impressed with it. It has an extra scart socket on the end of the unit, handy if you only have 1 scart socket on your TV. Picture quality is the same as a normal size freeview box. Comes complete with remote control and AAA batteries, power supply, receiver, scart lead and AV cable. Very easy to install and set up. Would definately recommend purchasing one