Digital Converter Boxes

[Ed in Tx]

I have one Insignia and another Zenith, plus a Artec I bought that will operate on 12V. Not sure about other boxes, but what I do like about the Insignia-Zenith compared to the Artec is the aspect ratio memory for each individual channel. Some of the information sub-channels do better squeezed so all the info is displayed on the screen. Whatever the reason, it is nice to have the aspect stay set in memory with each channel, and not have to change this setting with channel changes.

[ha1156w]

I have a Channel Master as well as an Insignia/LG/Zenith box. The CM box doesn't seem to have the sensitivity as the other box. I'm only about 20 miles from the transmitter farm for the DFW area, but I still have challenges with the CM using an amplified rabbit ears setup with adjustable amplification level. The Insignia has a simple VHF unamplified rabbit ears on it, but it still outperforms the CM. It picks up more channels and has less dropout than the CM. We have all our channels in the UHF spectrum except two -- WFAA (RF 8/Disp 8) and KFWD (RF 9/Disp 52). I'd love to see them migrate to entirely UHF but Belo Media won't move these two. Interestingly when WFAA was on RF 9 prior to analog switchoff, back in 1998 they disrupted all the remote monitoring at Baylor hospital, earning them unwanted publicity and some sort of ban on monitoring equipment being on the channel or the harmonics of RF 9 for that event.

[ChrisW6ATV]

The Channel Master box reception quality is close to that of the Zenith and Insignia boxes, but not identical, as you have noted, and it has a S-video output. Those reasons are why I only recommend those three brands of tuners to anyone. ANY box can work well in one specific case or another; the ones I mentioned are the only ones that have repeatedly worked well in numerous comparisons reported online, as well as my own personal tests.

[Zenith26kc20]

Just got back from a service call... An Access converter box. Latched on the menu in spanish, no reset, no control funtion. Plug it in and it goes on, goes to spanish menu. Stays there.
Going back with a new Digital Stream
More channels
better pictures
better sound

Want to buy some swamp land while you are here?

[John Adams]

My Zenith 901 is more sensative than the built in ATSC tuner in a 23" Viewsonic I have. But, the viewsonic was really intended to be a computer monitor, so they probably did not put much into it.

[Ed in Tx]

Originally Posted by John Adams

My Zenith 901 is more sensative than the built in ATSC tuner in a 23" Viewsonic I have. But, the viewsonic was really intended to be a computer monitor, so they probably did not put much into it.

Speaking of Viewsonic TV receiver-monitors, I bought a 19" Viewsonic about 2 years ago now, and it had a great tuner. I was impressed by how well it would stay locked on to stations. Unfortunately it also had a very poor uneven LCD panel. It finally went back to Viewsonic and they generously replaced it with a 26" model that also had adjustable backlight (another big complaint I had with the 19" - no adjustable backlight intensity, a very important thing for an LCD TV to have) . The newer 26" tuner was less sensitive than the 19". So even within the same brand, tuner quality can vary. Pretty sure they use a readily available tuner module in these sets. I ended up selling the Viewsonic to someone on cable. No more TVs from monitor companies for me. They missed too many other important "TV" features I took for granted that I thought would be standard in a HDTV.

[blue_lateral]

All I have been able to locate here are a generic one I believe to be a Venturer STB7766, a Digital Stream DSP7700P and a few Apex models. I'm leaning toward the Digital Stream, or maybe just forgetting the coupons, and getting Zenth ones online. They are available refurbished, but not with the coupon

Thanks to everyone who responded!

John

.

[site123a]

The Digital Stream DSP7700P is a decent converter box, since you already have the coupon, get it!

If you want a Insignia or Zenith converter box, you can always get a brand new one on ebay, there typical bidding range is between 20 and 30 dollars at the moment...

[fdrennen]

I've bought 5 digital streams, 2 Craigs, and a Magnavox. the digitalstreams work the best although 2 of them failed. The Craigs are crap I was able to exchange 1 digital stream as it failed within a week, the other failure came a year latter. My first Craig lasted about a month. I just got the Magnavox, I don't know how long this one will last. I am having problems setting up a universal remote with this one any one know the code for the Magnavox with a Philips remote?

[fdrennen]

My remote is a learning remnote and I was able to "teach" it the comands from the magnavox box it works much better than the remote that came with the box!

[KiM3Ce]

Please let me ask a stupid question:

I'm still using the analog input on one TV because it's easiest for one non-gearhead in my household to operate. (I'm a gearhead, I can say gearhead).

I've been running Cox cable (Phoenix AZ area) straight into the TV. Cox is going all-digital so the analog feed is going away. They will lend me a convertor box free for a year but it's $3 a month after that. I hate paying $3 a month forever for something that probably cost them $3.

So if I have convertor box such as the Zenith DTT 901, will it provide an analog feed by decoding digital cable channels? Even if it only does the lowest 150 channels that would suffice. I can find one used for $25 or so, so the payback is less than a year.

Has anyone tried this? If so can you please share your results?

Thanks a lot!

Tightwad in Tempe

[WISCOJIM]

TiT - The Zenith box is designed to decode OTA digital stations, therefore can only tune channels 2-69.

[Ed in Tx]

Originally Posted by KiM3Ce

...Cox is going all-digital so the analog feed is going away. They will lend me a convertor box free for a year but it's $3 a month after that. I hate paying $3 a month forever for something that probably cost them $3...

Try AT&T's "FREE" modem! SOB's switched out the old copper landline a year ago with fiber U-verse and told me repeatedly the new modem would be FREE. Several CSRs told me and repeated it back when I asked to verify. A year later, I get to pay $7 a mo until I guess I cancel, for their damned $50 modem. And you HAVE to use THEIR modem. Unlike the locel cable co., Time Warner which will allow the customer to provide their own.
Back to your question, not sure if your cable co. puts an ATSC broadcast-type signal on the cable but that's what you'd need. ATSC broadcast is what the Zenith box is made to decode.

[KiM3Ce]

Ed, I feel your pain! Wiscojim, thanks for the info! I suspect eventually I will find one so cheap I'll just take a chance on it. If I get the answer I will share it here! 69 channels might be enough to satisfy the key user.

[jr_tech]

Originally Posted by KiM3Ce

I suspect eventually I will find one so cheap I'll just take a chance on it. If I get the answer I will share it here! 69 channels might be enough to satisfy the key user.

Most cable systems use QAM modulation, while the Broadcast system is ATSC... although the digital encoding is similar, the modulation is not compatable between the two systems. It is also likely that the cable system will scramble the signals to prevent customers with newer QAM compatable TVs from receiving TV without an official cable box. IMHO, you're stuck.

jr