I bought this to use as a primary Freeview box for the TV and a PVR, as it had two tuners. Just not very good compared with the Echostar it was supposed to replace. No ability to zoom or change picture size from the default three settings. Poor reception which meant continual freezing. Terrible remote. Poor menu - software generally poor. In the end I've given in to my mother-in-law - that's how bad it is.

while other boxes ive had have fallen by the weyside this one keep going and going! never freezes, never freaks out, i love it and would recommend it to anyone!

It freezes all the time.An absolute piece of rubbish.

Would buy another Goodmans GDB3.

I should have taken it back for a refund before the guarantee expired

If these are still being sold - avoid.
I bought 2 one for me and one for my daughter both useless

Originally posted review on the 12th April 2005, as the Goodmans GDB3 box didn't work properly. Usual thing turns itself off, looses channels, etc. Since then, I have contacted Goodmans asking why they are still selling the units through Argos, etc., when they know they have an inherent problem with the software. Apparently it's not their fault, it's the BBC's - work that one out. Requested I send the unit back to them for a software upgrade, which I did at the end of April 2005, but unit still doesn't work properly and now requires the installation process every time I turn it on. I'm going to send it back again soon and I'm not really bothered whether I get it back or not, either that or I will take a hammer to it in the back garden for a bit of light stress relief. Ferguson unit still working perfectly and since, bought a Sagem unit with a hard drive, absolutely brilliant, can't fault it.
My advice stay away from Alba PLC products, every one I've had has been junk, from Breville kettles to Goodmans TV's. The TV sound has failed completely and it's less than 3 years old, total garbage.

The Goodmans GDB3 is cheap gear and the old saying you get what you pay for in this case is true. I have read various reviews and we all seem to have the same faults, Argos has replaced mine twice with no argument but it is still a pain. Im surprised Goodmans never recalled the model and sorted the problem.

Although the Goodmans GDB3 box provided a sharper picture than analogue, the picture appearance quality was poor. It lacked strength of colour and looked as if it needed contrast adjustment. However, this is not possible. However, I was fairly happy, and bought one for my mother in law. On setting it up, found that a number of channels would not display in widescreen format, some would switch constantly between widescreen and 4:3 and some stayed in widescreen all the time. Efforts to obtain any form of customer service to help with this problem, by phone or on the Web, proved totally unsuccessful, not even a reply to the questions. Goodmans/Alba customer service appears non-existent.

Recently remote has started to act up from time to time. Button 2, instead of bringing up BBC2, sometimes takes you into the TV Guide.

I think I am about to ditch it, and it will not be replaced with a Goodmans product.

When I bought the Goodmans GDB3 freeview box it was already outdated. I was told that you could get it upgraded on the internet, and I searched for ages to find that the upgrade was from an independent source. Goodmans attitude was basically "well buy a GDB 4 and don't bother upgrading". So I persisted with the stupid thing constantly freezing and wiping out preset channels for a further 3 months.

I have never had so much trouble with electrical goods. Goodmans were totally uncommitted to being of any assistance, and eventually I went over to Sony, with whom I have had no problems. I recommend that anyone wanting to buy Goodmans products should take note that once you have made your purchase, then you are on your own.

The Goodmans GDB3 freeview boxes cheap and basic, but it is missing vital 'favourites' feature of other boxes, which means long channel hopping to watch what you want!

I took this box back as it unfortunately developed a sound problem. I was gutted I'd not got a favourite channels store (and sort into order) feature. I couldn't believe it!

The picture would also lag more than my old Thomson, but then you get what you pay for.

As soon as I plugged the Goodmans GDB3 freeview box in, I realised I had made a big mistake! I channel surfed in vain. There was none of the channels that I actually wanted, except re-runs of countdown and the Sweeney! In summary, not recommended.