As a tech enthusiast, I've always had a keen interest in cutting-edge technology. However, the cost has often been prohibitive, reaching into the thousands of dollars. So, when I discovered SiliconDust's Kickstarter campaign for their 4K HDR TV tuner priced at just $200, I knew I had to get involved. Here's my unboxing and setup experience with the HDHomeRun ATSC 3.0 4k QUATRO TV tuner.
Unboxing the HDHomeRun
Upon receiving the box, the first noticeable difference was its size compared to previous models. Opening the package, I found a concise instruction card, which, being a tech person, I set aside. The tuner itself is significantly smaller than its predecessors. Included in the box were a power cable, a Cat 5e cable, and a commemorative coin from the Kickstarter campaign—a nice touch for backers.
Setting Up the HDHomeRun
The first step after unboxing is to update the firmware. SiliconDust recommends this to ensure you have the latest features and improvements. Here's how to do it:
- Visit the SiliconDust support page and navigate to the downloads section.
- Under "Information," find the HDHomeRun beta release and download the HDHomeRun Windows beta installer.
- Install the software. You can find it under
C:\Program Files\SiliconDust\HDHomeRun.
- Open
hdhomerun_config.exe to see the four tuners listed.
- Click on a tuner, then select "Firmware Upgrade," "Install," and "Reboot."
Firmware Update and Initial Setup
During the reboot, the tuner may throw an error because it's temporarily disconnected from the network. Simply wait a moment and then restart the GUI program. Upon reopening, you should see that there are no further firmware updates needed.
Next, open hdhomerunsetup.exe. Here, the software will detect your old tuners as well as the new one. Select the new tuner and perform a channel scan to identify available local channels. Once the scan is complete, apply the changes and close the setup.
Viewing Channels
Reopen the configuration GUI, select a local channel, and click "View." This will launch VLC Player and display the channel. Note that if the physical channel is marked as 8VSB 24, it indicates that your local stations might not yet be broadcasting in ATSC 3.0.
To check the status of ATSC 3.0 broadcasts in your area, visit the ATSC.org NextGen TV Deployments page. Here, you can see which markets are transitioning to or already broadcasting in ATSC 3.0.
Future Updates
Nick, a representative from SiliconDust, mentioned that their first goal was to ensure users could view channels as ATSC 3.0 coverage grows. They plan to enable more features in future firmware updates.
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