Zapperbox M1 Review - ATSC 3.0 NextGen Tuner Box with 4K HDR

In this video I review the Zapperbox M1. It's an ATSC 3.0/NextGen enabled tuner box with 4K HDR. A live pause and DVR feature will be released in the future. I also compare how fragile ATSC 1.0 signals are compared to the new Nextgen signals. In some locations, an ATSC 3.0 enabled tuner may get you more channels with better reliably the ATSC 1.0 tuners built into most TVs.

This video is sponsored by Zapperbox.

Link to the Zapperbox on Zapperbox website:

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[AntennaMan]

Thanks to Zapperbox for sponsoring this video.

[kensmith]

Encryption should not be allowed on broadcast signals. It makes a nonsense of "the public airwaves" when they are effectively made private.

[Markimark]

This is really good for early adopters of ATSC 3.0, my broadcast area doesn’t have it yet, but I’m glad there’s a tuner box even if your TV doesn’t have ATSC 3.0 built in!

[hiyo]

Cool that they have HDR demo loops. Brings me back to the days when they had the cool hd demo loops on pbs here in Boston when atsc 1.0 first came out.

[JoshRazauskas]

The Zapper Box looks and sounds awesome! I look forward to being able to afford one at some point. Thanks as always for your hard work, Tyler! And thanks to Zapper Box for giving it to you!

[elian]

For it's $275 price range I'd for sure wait till it's updated to support a proven, reliable DVR capability. I think it's overpriced for what it is even if it did right now include full DVR functionality. For this price point it should also include a high-end 2TB SSD integrated into the unit and a nice RF remote with backlit keys.

[MrMikey]

Cool that you did most of the testing in my home TV market. We are in York and have an outdoor antenna you helped me with. I do get the 1.0 version of WHTM 27's broadcast very well and also the 3.0 signals are available with the HDhomerun flex4k we have. Unfortunately Plex has not yet fully supported atsc 3.0.
I have noticed the 3.0 broadcast of ABC and pbs is a little cleaner with less encryption artifacts too.

[ClassicGuy]

Tyler has a quarter of a million subscribers.

Congratulations!!! You have come a long way!

Keep up the quality work and let’s get you to half a million subscribers!

[rynsmnsmovies]

I'm going to wait out this standard for as long as possible but I like keeping appraised of its capabilities and functionality. I liked your reporting on how the signal differs from the current standard. Simple and easy to understand.

[stevejohnson]

WUNI 27 is running as ATSC3 "lighthouse" here in the northeast. To answer readers' leading question, ATSC1 tuners see this station as "no signal." Wikipedia just has a single-line mention without elaboration, with sub-channel list following. Maybe we'll learn more as time passes. Those in the WUNI viewing area may benefit. Those far to the east like Truro may need a really tall tower.

[joeturbo]

Good review Tyler. I've had one of these for quite a few months. Basically it works better than the HDTV it's plugged into (has a better tuner). There have been a handful of software updates (my ZapperBox is connected via WiFi), but they always upgrade without issue. I have access to both ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 signals in my market. Both OTA signals are good, but I've never tried the "interference" trick that Tyler shows (my antenna is in the attic)...

[godsbladeS]

👍😜Always comprehensive unbiased reviews, thanks brother😁God Bless us All🇺🇸🙏🎚

[ericmulcahey]

Awesome, thank you sir. This will be on the list of our current set up craps out.

[igeekone]

Great coverage. Cements that ATSC 3.0 signal is far more robust and can give a stable experience even with a very weak signal. That's huge for those who can't have an external antenna setup.

[markfuller]

I like the features. It's like it was designed by people who intend to actually use it (unlike MediaWorx and the hundred rebrands of the same hardware/firmware).

I hope Tyler will review this again with newer firmware. The slow channel changing is important to me. I'd like to see this tracked/compared between tuners. The 1.0 tuners all seem slow to me, geared for DVR not channel surfing. I'd like to see these tuners held more accountable for channel surfing. (The old digital to analog tuners were quite fast compared to modern digital tuners. Something should be better in this department.).

[doorknob]

Loved the moving antenna demo in the hotel room. WOW. Very cool. Throw it light a frisbee and it's still stable!? NICE! I guess that means 3.0 will be much more reliable in bad/windy weather?

[philwebb]

9:25 The last three fields/cells highlighted in green indicates ATSC 3.0! Cool! So, only one station in my area is broadcasting in 3.0. Good to know. I think I can probably wait for their 3.0 quad tuner with DVR.

[Davesworld]

Tyler, a while back in one of the Facebook groups we are in, I had mentioned some issues with the Zapperbox, I am happy to report that with recent firmware updates it is now out of beta and the issues are gone. I removed the 10db attenuator and it has never worked better.

Thanks for reinforcing the idea that even without UHD content and being on Lighthouse channels, ATSC 3.0 just for the reception alone is worth it and yes, a lot of people are badmouthing it and claiming that it's no better than ATSC 1.0, well it IS better. The sooner 8VSB modulation is in our rear view mirror the better off we are.

[GeneSavage]

Cool box; more expensive than my TV, though. Plus nobody in Tulsa has yet gone ATSC 3 yet. Thanks for a great review!

[StevenSeiller]

📶Nice feature to be able to scan for channels without blowing out existing channels — which on my TVs, also blows out all show/hide/favorite settings. This is maybe an undervalued feature! 👍👍