Got my digital TV box coupon, and bought a box "Insignia" brand

[terra1]

Originally Posted by vertex

Never mind...

https://www.dtv2009.gov/ApplyCoupon.aspx

Damn it, you'd think there would be just a little bit more information about this. A pretty piss-poor job so far, IMO.

I know my mom hadn't heard about it. She only uses rabbit ears and has had to deal with poor reception, sound and limited stations.

I just got the Zenith installed today and now she can actually see the shows and not futz with the antenna to get sound without buzzing. And more channels!

So if it looks like there may be concerns if funding runs out it sounds like it is good to get them early. And you can actually enjoy the benefits now.

[centralflori]

So which brand is the best quality box?

[terra1]

Originally Posted by centralflori

So which brand is the best quality box?

It depends on what is available and features you feel is important.
As we approach Analog Doomsday 2009. I'm sure there will be more reviews.

But here's a link to recent consumer reports review of Insignia, Magnavox, Zenith
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/e...first-look.htm

[centralflori]

Originally Posted by terra1

It depends on what is available and features you feel is important.
As we approach Analog Doomsday 2009. I'm sure there will be more reviews.

But here's a link to recent consumer reports review of Insignia, Magnavox, Zenith
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/e...first-look.htm

Thanks terra1!

[drh4683]

I picked up an insignia box a couple weeks ago. I am pleased for the most part. However, I get a little intercarrier buzz in the audio, which I do not get on analog OTA stations, nor do I get this on other sources of input (vcr, dvd). Quad and buzz controls have no effect, it is an IF alignment issue. Does any one else experience this?
I use the box on a good working 1970 zenith color set with the solid state IF sub chassis. I havnt looked into it further, but if this is a common problem to all sets of this age, I'll have to touch up the 39.75 trap on all my sets when 2009 comes around.

[radiotvnut]

I tried my Digitalstream box on a '77 19" XL-100 and I get the buzz. I do not notice the buzz on analog OTA TV.

[andy]

Either the video level is a little too high on the box, or their RF modulators are poor quality. You might have better luck using an external RF modulator. This would also make it easy to reduce the video level.

[terra1]

I have the Zenith, but I don't get any buzz.

Last night it was raining and I got some intermittant signal loss in the basement tv. Occasional pixelation.
I switched to a different antenna but I don't know if that was it or just improvement in the original signal. There was no problem on the upstairs tv. The basement tv does get fewer channels found.

When I first set up I noticed on the upper channels the audio sometimes seems out of sync with images - like voices are dubbed, but after awhile it seems to match.

And sometimes the digital image seems just a little cold and jerky compared to smoother analog.

I can picture it now. People will wax nostalgic about the old days of analog being more tube-like versus digital like LP vs CDs!

[Phil Nelson]

Originally Posted by terra1

I can picture it now. People will wax nostalgic about the old days of analog

I heard the other day that LPs are having a bit of a resurgence. Not only do some people think they sound different, but the cover is big enough that you can actually see the art :-)

As for digital TV, one difference I've noticed is when you have a weak station.

On an analog TV, the picture may be fuzzy or have ghosts, but it's always there. Using the digital tuner on my DVD recorder, a weak digital signal may break up (pixellate) or freeze, or drop out completely.

The digital signal looks great at other times, of course, but the dropping out part is annoying. On this tuner, it gives you a no-signal message and then you have to grab the remote and push a button to make it try again.

I haven't bought a converter box yet (coupons are supposedly in the mail), so I can't vouch for what they do with a weak signal.

Phil Nelson
Phil's Old Radios
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html

[zenithfan1]

I picked up one of the Insignia boxes over the weekend. {Still haven't got my damn coupons yet}I get a slight buzz but nothing major, only when a really bright white screen is present. I am currently using it on a '67 Zenith 23" with the 20X1C38 chassis. I like the box but I sure will miss the good 'ol analog when it's gone. I have it hooked to a GIANT Winegard antenna with a 28db on mast booster sitting atop my garage. I also use the antenna with analog too.

[wa2ise]

Originally Posted by zenithfan1

I picked up one of the Insignia boxes over the weekend. {Still haven't got my damn coupons yet}I get a slight buzz but nothing major, only when a really bright white screen is present.

That's what happens if the video level is a little too high. White parts of the picture is when the RF amplitude is at minimum. And the modulator could be going to zero RF amplitude if the input video level is too hot. The buzz happens to the sound because the TV set intercarrier system stops working when the picture carrier is forced to zero by the whites that are too hot. As the 4.5Mhz sound IF disappears momentairly, and the FM detector produces a spike at each white spot. As the scan rate of the picture is about 60Hz vertical, those white spot dropouts repeat at 60Hz, making that buzz sound.

After the warrenty period is up, crack open the box and see if you can find the video line feeding the modulator, and add some resistance in series, or to ground, to reduce the amplitude a little. But you'd have to be sure that doing that doesn't mess up any DC biasing.

A set from the early post war days that uses completely separate sound and video IF strips won't have this problem. But otherwise such a set is hard to tune a TV channel on.

[markthefixer]

Got my box, a little bit of magnetic field leakage prevents the placement directly on top of my set:

Originally Posted by markthefixer

Ok, I finally got my coupons a few days ago, and after Jury Duty yesterday I picked up a digital stream converter from Radio Shack...

Since I already have some repaired Panasonic dvd recoders - dmr-ez27, this will be a review of the digital stream box instead of an entire DTV critique.

First the box does not pass antenna signals through to the output connector, even with power off and the rf modulator off, the modulator can be turned on and off by menu. The channel selection on the box is smoother and faster than the dvd recorder, and channel lockup is faster too (surfing anybody??). Setup was a breeze and most of the factory defaults are spot on. The remote training worked great (hold down a button and press another to sequence through the recognized tv list until the tv shuts off) and gives on/off and volume for the tv set, as well as internal 20 step volume control of the box output (to rf OR the rca plugs).

It was fun to see the channel search going, as it displayed an ongoing list of the traditional tv channel 2-69(?) and what the num-num designation of the multicast signals it found on that channel. It ignored analog channels, as it should.

The convienence features of channel selection work nicely on the remote (or inside the box?). prev favorite etc... 2 will default to 2.1 etc...

The aspect ratio stuff was left at factory default, and was great. The "worst" I have gotten was the single top and bottom letterboxing, as contrasted with the dvd recorder and the chaotic letterboxing IT does...

The detractions: minor...

The remote has 4 dimples or feet on the botton and if the buttons on the edge like volume up/down or channel up/down are pressed with it sitting on a flat surface, the tilts up using the feet as a furclum. 30 seconds with a box cutter solved THAT...

There is a stray magnetic field present even when the box is "turned off" that was noticible as a red color blob on the blue screen the tv displays when there isn't a usable signal coming in. So the converter shouldn't be set right on top of a modern set without a lot of space between the top of the tube and the top of the set. I'm looking for a sheet of mu-metal for mine...

The remote forgets the tv type when the batteries are removed... no 30 second grace period that I could find.

All in all this box is much easier to use, more fun and less aggravating than using the panasonic dvd recorder as an atsc digital tuner front end, and I may just change over to more of these converters for viewing as opposed to recording OTA. Just feed it into your vcr to record and there's no worry about any digital copy protection (on the dvd recorder, IF certain copy protect bits are set in a particular program, then the dvd recorder will record them ONLY if DVD-RAM media is used) and the vhs playback is great with the strong clean signal the box provides... no HINT of any analog copy protection like macrovision or whatever coming OUT of the converter..... (so far)

Of course, for unattended recording the converter is stuck on one channel, until somebody comes up with a solution to change the channel.

[zenithfan1]

The coupons came today! My 'ol lady just called and said they came. Should I get another Insignia or get something else? Any input would be great. I've heard good about the Maggie {Funai} box, but I looked at them and I think they look cheap with their plastic case and power switch instead of a button. The Insignia has the intercarrier buzz but it has a very well made {as far as chineese crap goes} cabinet and remote. Zenith {LG} box maybe?