Pace drops subscription-free HD box

Time is running out for those Sky HD peeps to make it round to your house before the World Cup, but there is an emergency alternative: Pace has launched a set-top box that can receive all free-to-air HD broadcasts.

Team it up with an HD-ready TV and a satellite dish pointed in the right direction, and your DS810XE will be able to receive all free HD broadcasts from across Europe, including the BBC’s World Cup coverage.

It’s not quite a free version of Sky HD – although it can also receive standard-def broadcasts, you won’t be able to tune in to all payTV content, which makes up most of the high-def content currently available.

Still, it’s a good quick fix for the World Cup. All you need is an HD telly – the Pace box connects via HMDI – and a satellite dish that’s pointing to Astra 28.2 degrees, with other content available on the 19.2 degree feed.

If you like the concept, you might also want to check out the similar Humax’s HDCI2000 which is retailing for the same price as Pace’s box – £300.

To buy a DS810XE, go to Pace’s online shop here.

Dan Grabham Editor-in-Chief

About

Dan is Editor-in-chief of Stuff, working across the magazine and the Stuff.tv website.  Our Editor-in-Chief is a regular at tech shows such as CES in Las Vegas, IFA in Berlin and Mobile World Congress in Barcelona as well as at other launches and events. He has been a CES Innovation Awards judge. Dan is completely platform agnostic and very at home using and writing about Windows, macOS, Android and iOS/iPadOS plus lots and lots of gadgets including audio and smart home gear, laptops and smartphones. He's also been interviewed and quoted in a wide variety of places including The Sun, BBC World Service, BBC News Online, BBC Radio 5Live, BBC Radio 4, Sky News Radio and BBC Local Radio.

Areas of expertise

Computing, mobile, audio, smart home