August International mobile Freeview TV November 2008
Mobile television
This mobile TV can be carried in your pocket or bag, and is able to receive Freeview channels. It might be ideal for football fans, or those who love their soap operas.
August International
Mobile Freeview TV device
You can watch Freeview TV, play video and listen to music with this handheld device from August International.
The 3.5 inch screen is fine for watching short bursts of TV, but a feature-length film or 90 minutes of football, might be asking too much from such a small device.
We haven’t fully tested this model, but we tried the receiver in a built-up and a more open area. In the built-up area we received a handful of the available 40 channels; in the more open area we encountered far fewer messages on the screen saying there was a bad signal or none at all.
Reception will largely depend on the strength of the Freeview signal in your area, and we would advise you to check the Freeview website for information on your area’s signal, or better still try the device in your home area before buying it, if possible. The Freeview coverage and signal strength is set to improve as the country gradually switches to digital TV.
The small speaker at the front of the device doesn’t pack much of a punch. The quality is noticeably better through the supplied headphones, and can probably be improved further with a pair of Best Buy headphones.
The device is easy to set up, but one usability issue that stood out, was that a channel’s number can’t be entered, so instead you have to laboriously skip through each channel to get to the channel you want.
A magnetic aerial is supplied, with the intention of it being placed on a car roof so you can watch TV when being driven around, and a cable for charging through car cigarette lighters can be bought separately.
The batteries are said to last for around three hours when watching video files, and ten hours when listening to music.
It can be bought for around £95 and is available at amazon.
Pros: Mobility
Cons: Reception quality will be largely dependent on where you live
LCD TV and plasma TV review
If this mobile TV is a little too small for your liking, then check out our report on portable TVs, which features models up to around 23 inches. If you still need a larger model, the our LCD TV and plasma TV report features models measuring 50 inches.
For the best deals on TVs visit Which? Compare
Many new TVs feature an integrated Freeview receiver, however if you'd like to receive Freeview TV without replacing your set, then you may want to read out set top box report. A set top box will also prepare your TV for the forthcoming digital switchover.
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