Review: The Mediasonic HOMEWORX Digital Converter Box HW130STB

Last updated Sep 14, 2023

If you have an old tube TV or a flat-screen that does not have a digital TV tuner, then the only way you can watch free broadcast channels on that TV is to get a digital converter box, or tuner box, as it is sometimes called.

You plug your TV antenna into the box, then you connect your box to your TV. It converts the signal either to an analog signal that your old TV can use, or to a digital HDMI signal that you can plug into a more modern HDTV.

Many of these boxes today have a USB port where you can plug in a USB drive or stick. You can then record broadcast TV shows for viewing later.

My Recommended Converter Box: The Mediasonic HOMEWORX HW130STB

There are many converter boxes on the market today with almost the same feature set. At just $30, the Mediasonic HOMEWORX HW130STB is one of the lower-cost units out there, but it has pretty much the same features as more expensive boxes.

Setup and Channel Search

I found the setup for the Mediasonic HOMEWORX box to be very easy. I never consulted the manual. I plugged in an antenna, plugged in power, then plugged it into my flat-screen Sony TV using an HDMI cable. Note that if you’re using it with an old tube TV, you’d use the included analog cables instead.

Rear panel of the Mediasonic HOMEWORX converter box
Rear Panel

After turning on my TV and selecting the appropriate HDMI input, I got the setup screen prompting me to do a channel search:

Mediasonic HOMEWORX converter box setup screen
Mediasonic HOMEWORX converter box setup screen

I kicked off the channel search by pressing the big OK button on the remote and it only took the unit a few minutes to do a complete channel scan:

Found channels on the HOMEWORX converter box
Found channels on the HOMEWORX converter box

After that, I could start watching live broadcast TV. Pretty simple!

Tuner Quality

The unit found 140 channels in its scan. For comparison, my excellent Sony HDTV found 154 channels.

So, the tuner is not quite as good as my Sony, but the vast majority of the channels it didn’t find were ones I wouldn’t watch anyway, i.e., foreign language, etc. It found all of the major networks and major local channels in my area (Los Angeles).

So, the tuner quality was more than sufficient for me.


Picture Quality and Channel Surfing

I was surprised that such a cheap unit could have such good picture quality. It was basically indistinguishable from my Sony TV’s picture quality! HD channels looked crisp and colorful.

The unit was also pretty quick when changing channels. Time to change channels was about the same as my Sony.

The Weak Link: The Remote Control

The one annoying thing I noticed was that you have to point the remote control right at the unit. If you’re off by a bit, it won’t register. It’s not the end of the world, but it would take some getting used to.

The remote control for the Mediasonic HOMEWORX HW130STB
The remote control

If you read the reviews for other low-cost converter boxes, the remote control seems to be the weak link in most of them. Other units have problems with buttons triggering adjacent buttons, cheap feel, or like this one, the need to aim precisely.

If (or when) your remote breaks or gets lost, the good news is that the remote for this model is available separately on Amazon for only ten bucks. If you have the HW-150PVR, this is the remote on Amazon.

Mediasonic also told me that their unit works with the Logitec Harmony remote control (now discontinued, but you may be able to find them on eBay).

Setting Up a USB Drive or Stick

There’s a USB port right on the front of the box where you can plug in a USB drive or flash stick. I chose the latter since I had a bunch laying around.

I plugged it in, and the unit immediately recognized it, but I couldn’t get it to work at first. I went into the menus and realized that I had to initialize it first. After I did that, it worked fine.

Formatting a USB drive on the HOMEWORX converter box
Formatting a USB drive

Pausing and Recording Live TV

Even if you don’t plan to use your converter box as a DVR, it might be nice to plug in a USB drive anyway so that you can pause live TV.

After I formatted the drive, I tried searching backward while watching live TV, but it wouldn’t let me. I had to first pause to enter recording mode, then resume play. Then, it would let me rewind to the point at which I hit the pause button, or forward to the current time. Not the end of the world.

You can also just hit the record button to start a recording that you want to save. Super easy!

If you go into the menu system, you can find a page with your recordings. They are stored with somewhat cryptic file names but at least they contain the station call letters.

Page showing recording I made with the HOMEWORX converter box
Page showing recording I made

It took me a while to figure out how to replay my recording. The key is to look at the hints at the bottom of the screen which tell you which buttons to use on this page. I was able to select my recording and play it using this “legend”.


File Format

The unit stores your recordings in .mts file format. You don’t see this format a lot on computers, but it is used to store HD video on AVCHD and Blu-ray discs.

In spite of that, I was able to plug the USB stick into my Windows PC and play the .mts file recordings using Windows Media Player! Nice!!

If you Google around, you’ll find plenty of software that can convert this format to more common computer formats like MOV, MP4, AVI, MPG, etc.

Scheduled Recordings (DVR Functionality)

The fact that is box can do any kind of recording at all is pretty amazing at this price point. There is also the capability to do scheduled recordings. You set up these recordings on this page:

How to set up scheduled recordings on the HOMEWORX DVR
How to set up scheduled recordings

This is very reminiscent of how we used to set up recordings on old-school VCRs. But to my surprise, there is actually also a channel guide available if you press the EPG button! It only goes 24 hours or less into the future, but it’s something. Press “OK” to record any show.

The Program Guide

And, it’s not as flashy as the channel guides on some of the more refined DVRs out there like the Tablo or AirTV. Those are much easier to set up recordings on, or even record whole seasons (however they require Internet access to display the guide). The Homeworx unit only shows one channel’s shows at a time.

And note, you can’t record one show while watching another since the unit only has one tuner.

But, as I mentioned, at this low price, this box is worth it just for the converter functionality. I see the DVR as a bonus that you may or may not use.


Signal Strength Meter

One thing this box does that my Sony TV doesn’t do is provide a signal strength meter. This can be VERY useful if you’re trying to fine-tune your antenna placement.

Manual channel search page showing signal strength meter ("Quality") on the Mediasonic HOMEWORX converter box
Manual channel search page showing signal strength meter (“Quality”)

To get to this signal strength meter, tune to the desired channel, then press MENU on the remote and cursor over to Channel Search, then select Manual Search. You should see the screen above with signal strength meter (Quality) on the bottom.

Summary

Since I reviewed this unit, Homeworx came out with a new and improved version in 2022. It has generally the same feature set, but the software is more stable and the remote control feel is improved. I’m linking to that new version below.

This is an amazingly low-cost box that lets you use a broadcast TV antenna with your older TV with a basic but functional DVR as a bonus!

My only beef is that the remote control is pretty cheap and you have to aim the remote precisely at the unit in order for it to trigger. This was annoying but not a show-stopper for me.

The picture quality and functionality of this one are great. If you need to find a converter box for your tube TV or older flat screen, check this one out! You can find it on Amazon:

Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. I test or research each product or service before endorsing. This site is not owned by any retailer or manufacturer. I own this site and the opinions expressed here are mine. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Hope this review was helpful to you. Let me know what you think of the Mediasonic HOMEWORX HW130STB in the comments below, or send me a question!

If you want a DVR that is easier to use and has more features, check out the Tablo! – Brian


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John
John
1 month ago

With my new Homeworx converter, I get the message “No Signal” when I connect the OTA to the coax in port and the HDMI connection to the TV. Thus, I cannot do a channel search and I get no welcome picture. The TV works with other HDMI devices, and the antenna is positioned to get many channels via RF59 connections. How do I get an initial picture to get started using the box?

John
John
1 month ago
Reply to  Brian

Yes, it works with the TV.
John

John
John
1 month ago
Reply to  Brian

I get 7 channels, including the one I want to receive, NBC. As I said before, I receive many channels when I use coaxial cable direct to a TV that has an RG59 input. I am trying to convert the RG59 signal to HDMI to use on a TV that has only an HDMI input, using the converter, but I get no signal.

John
John
1 month ago
Reply to  Brian

Thank you for your time. I will try a different unit.
John Quigley

Anne
Anne
1 month ago

I have a couple of questions as I’ve never used a converter box before but need to do so now.
1. If using HDMI cable the RCA ones are not needed, correct?
2. I know the antenna gets plugged into the RF In but what goes into the RF Out and where does the other end of that cable go? Is it even needed?
Thanks for your help.

Sandra
Sandra
2 months ago

the audio and video all of a sudden don’t match. It’s really way off, so very disconcerting. The manual says to reset the audio, but doesn’t say how. How?

Thomas Henson
Thomas Henson
2 months ago

I ran a couple of functional tests:
1) I set a recording for a program on a channel which doesn’t broadcast a guide or time and day info then I tuned to one which did. I then put the unit in standby mode. When the program was recorded it left it on the channel which was recorded. If this was left alone the system wouldn’t be able to keep the time accurately.
2) I set the recording again only when I tuned to a channel that broadcast the operational information, I left it on and it returned to that channel.
I suppose there’s no way to correct this as it was the same as the previous converter box but it’s not a real issue to me as I leave it on a channel which broadcast the information with the unit on all the time.
Perhaps there could be a way to automatically change to a certain chosen channel after a recording ends by means of a future update?

Joseph
Joseph
4 months ago

Do you know if they added the atsc 3.0 to the converter box for the homeworx hw 130 stb?

Larry
Larry
6 months ago

My HW130STB HAS no power I was wondering if you had an idea what might be wrong with it .

Larry
Larry
5 months ago
Reply to  Brian

Can you send m a power adapter I have bought 3 converters from Homeworks from Homeworks .this one is the only one not working

Larry
Larry
5 months ago
Reply to  Larry

I have 4 tv<s in my home .

Larry
Larry
5 months ago
Reply to  Brian

Who is the manufacture can you tell me

Larry
Larry
5 months ago
Reply to  Larry

Never mind I will contact Amazon thanks so much for your help I appreciate all the info you gave me ok? You have a great weekend and be safe from Mr. Hefner in Glendale Arizona better know as the Arizona desert ray .

Larry
Larry
5 months ago
Reply to  Larry

Rat not ray

Thomas Henson
Thomas Henson
2 months ago
Reply to  Larry

Check Mediasonic Support

Larry
Larry
5 months ago
Reply to  Brian

I checked the power adapter and it is the power adapter. I hooked another one from another tv and it worked . Any way I can get another power adapter being a loyal customer.

Stephen Jansky
Stephen Jansky
1 year ago

I have a Vizio “display” with no coax input/tuner, I receive Comcast basic cable with a provided small “cable box” with only a coax in and out that I watch on other true TVs. What specific cable TV box would I need to send cable signal to Vizio TV? Most TV boxes say they are only for over the air antenna input not signal from cable company. Please help with specific models if possible.

sandra deltoro
sandra deltoro
1 year ago

p.s. my tv is a 2010 rca and i dont have cable

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