Queue up for a digital set top box coupon for CT-100, etc...

[Phil Nelson]

I have read complaints that the sound level from the Zenith/Insignia box is so low as to be almost unusable with older TVs. Setting its sound to mono seems to improve the problem, but not a lot.

I'd be interested to hear how different boxes compare in this respect. My only use for a box would be for my 1940s TVs, so performance reports with new TVs are not helpful.

Phil Nelson

[kbmuri]

The Philco and Magnavox units are mostly identical. The Magnavox has a power switch. The cases are different colors (Philco is white, Mx is black).




These two do not seem to have the low-audio/intercarrier-buzz problem that the Zenith/Insignia units have. I think the Digitalstream also has low audio, not quite as bad, but bad enough. These two have good audio. Also they pass-thru the antenna feed when not in use. Only drawback is the remotes aren't programmable for the TV, and they do not adjust volume internally (you have to use the TV set's remote for those functions -- not an issue on a '40s roundie though!).

So for your new set, for general use, the Zenith/Insignia is best. The menus are cool, the remotes program, and the boxes have internal volume control.

For your ancient roundies, Magnavox/Philco is the way to go.

I still don't have an RCA, so the jury's still out on that one. Anybody having low-audio/buzz problems with it? What are its pros and cons?

[Phil Nelson]

My coupons finally arrived (two months after applying on the website). I went to Wal-Mart looking for a Magnavox, but they only had RCAs, which looked so cheesy that I passed.

At Circuit City I bought a Zenith DTT900. I initially tested it with a 1980s solid state color TV and was quite impressed. Setup is a snap; it found about 20 channels.

This was using a Radio Shack amplified rabbit ear antenna. In this neighborhood, everybody has satellite TV. Analog reception on rabbit ears is marginal: only a few stations, lots of fiddling with the antenna, and reception is often degraded if you walk within a few feet of the antenna.

Using the DTV box, reception was dramatically improved in every way. Video and audio are excellent -- and look at all those new channels.

I next moved to the room where my RCA 630TS lives and hooked it up. Again, dramatic improvement over what you could get with naked rabbit ears. I have never seen this kind of performance from my 630, apart from playing a DVD.

I had heard other reports about low audio volume with the Zenith/Insignia boxes, but that does not seem to be a problem here.

I did switch the audio to mono using the menu, and turned up the box volume all the way. With those settings, I get good volume and excellent fidelity with the 630's volume control turned up one-third to halfway at most. That's higher than I would turn it using analog rabbit ears, but there is still plenty of "headroom" if you want to turn it to get blasting volume (& eventually distortion).

The converter turns my beloved 630 into a practical daily watcher, as opposed to a novelty that you demo for occasional visitors. You can basically sit back and change channels with the remote. I need to get out of the habit of darting up to fiddle with the picture control, fine tuning, etc., for every channel change.

A few of the channels discovered during the initial setup with a modern TV were not watchable on the 630 (freezing or blanking out). Again, these TVs are located in parts of the house and this is a marginal reception area, so that may be understandable.

A good initial experience, in short.

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

FYI - My 2 coupons arrived today after a mere 4-5 week wait and are valid through July 16th. Now to go look-see what's in the stores...

[VOT]

I got my coupons this week. Got the Insignia Converter boxes today from BB. Hooked 'em up and WOW. NO volume problems here. There are some goofy extra weather channels but at least they are clear and sharp. I use the round disk style antenna from Rat Shak and it is in the attic. Setup: Box to VCR to TV (TV tuner is busted). The only complaint I have is the sound dropping once in a while for a split second.

[bgadow]

Got my cards today-I didn't note the day I signed up but it was only about a month or so ago. I was pleasantly surprised to see listed, along with Wal*Mart, Sears & Radio Shack, one of the local TV shops. I should call them and see what they carry and what their price is-I've never had any dealings with that particular shop. I have wondered how tough it would be for the small independents to participate in the program.

[kx250rider]

Wal-Mart is the only place where I've actually found the $49 box in stock (RCA and/or Phillips). Every place else I've checked (Best Buy, Circuit City, and Radio Shack) have various brands for $59.

My goal is to have 3 or 4 boxes set up; each tuned to the digital counterpart to an old channel, and rebroadcast at low power in the house when I want to. I'll casually look for a few of those old apartment TV antenna distribution amps which would take an input from a door bell camera, and sometimes 2 or 3 other sources, and inject onto unused channels through the apartment building's MATV network. I don't know if it will "leak" enough to actually pick up the signal on a pocket TV, but at least I will be able to use the old tuners in my old TVs.

Charles

FYI - In case folks weren't aware, an audio quality problem with the Left stereo channel has been uncovered in regards to the Zenith, Insignia, and DigitalStream boxes that utilize the LG chipset. You can read through the issue as it begins to unfold here, starting at post #493. It seems LG is aware of the issue, but hasn't openly admitted to a problem.

For folks who are interested in the Zenith/Insignia, your best bet might be to wait for the Zenith DTT901 or Insignia NS-DXA1-APT which were scheduled to be released on April 14th and should hopefully start showing up somewhere in the next 4-6 weeks. The newer models will include an RF pass-through that the previous Zenith/Insignia models don't have.

[kbmuri]

Nice catch, sleddog. Following the thread around for awhile I came across this link.

http://www.themusicworkshopchicago.c...ial/zenith.htm

Looks worthy.

[JohnAdams]

Originally Posted by kbmuri

Nice catch, sleddog. Following the thread around for awhile I came across this link.

http://www.themusicworkshopchicago.c...ial/zenith.htm

Looks worthy.

I downloaded the file and it looks like you could build this modification in a seperate enclosure and have RCA males come out to plug into the converter box and RCA males also come out to plug into the tv or audio device ( or RCA females come out to plug an audio cable into. All the connections inside the converter box are just to the audio output jacks.

[Pete Deksnis]

Never heard of Frys until reading the name in this thread. Last night at 23:45 EDT I placed an order for a CM-7000 ($59.99) and got this surprising email early this morning.

Dear PETER :

Thanks for shopping at Frys.com. We are pleased to tell
you that we shipped the items listed below. We suggest you save
this e-mail in case you have any questions about your order.

Circuit City may have just lost another customer!

Pete

[VOT]

Originally Posted by VOT

Got the Insignia Converter boxes today from BB. ... NO volume problems here.

Partial retraction: There IS a volume level issues, though minor, when running in STEREO. Switced to MONO and it clears up. My antenna is in the attic but I get excellent reception except for the sporadic pixelization and audio scramble. I put it back in STEREO mode for HT surround sound.

[kbmuri]

Originally Posted by Pete Deksnis

Never heard of Frys until reading the name in this thread. ...

Circuit City may have just lost another customer!

Pete

I've been ordering from Fry's for years. When I lived in San Diego, there was one down the street -- even more fun in person. Nearest one now is 120 miles away in Indianapolis, still worth stopping by when passing through, which I've done I think 4 times. And of course, online is always there. Instant service, best price, etc. Beats the competition (Circuit who?) every time. FWIW my 2c.

[Phil Nelson]

Originally Posted by Pete Deksnis

I placed an order for a CM-7000

Is there something about the Channel Master box that makes you seek it out? I haven't read much about it, other than having S-video and digital coax audio output. Those particular features aren't of interest to me, since I will be using a converter only for vintage TVs.

I have one coupon left, and am debating how to use it.

Phil Nelson

[Pete Deksnis]

I'm there with the CM strictly for the S-video to be fed to my 27-in. Proscan CTC169.

Am happy with the Magnavox driving my CT-100, but do wish it had antenna feed-through. Paid full price for the CM (no coupon) and so have one left that must be used by the 27th of this month; I'll be looking for another basic unit like the Magnavox but w/feed-through.

Pete