Digital Stream vs. Maganavox Converter Box

[Robert Grant]

I find that the DS and Magnavox boxes both have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of the Digital Stream:
-Superior EPG (Electronic Program Guide)
-Buttons on the box (I/O, ch-up, ch-down), not totally dependent on the remote as is the Magnavox (note you do not want a DS box without a remote, as you will still need one to set it up or access the EPG, among other things).
-Update scan mode (in addition to regular rescan mode). Very useful if not all of your local stations can be seen with your antenna in one position.

Advantages of the Magnavox:
-Better tolerance of multipath conditions, especially dynamic (changing) multipath. The Magnavox box is less likely to pixellate or go dark because an indoor antenna is used, a truck drives by, an antenna is aimed in the wrong direction, or heavy winds are blowing a tree in the path of the signal.
-(I have not been able to confirm this) I have heard that the DS box is more prone to failure because some circuits are held in place by solder blobs.

Both of these boxes are better than the RCA, Apex or AccessHD boxes. Neither of these are better than the Zenith, Insignia, Sansonic, Zinwell or Memorex boxes.

The WTFDA forums have several reviews of these boxes (collectively called "CECBs"). TV DXers have been taking these boxes to their limits.

[dtvmcdonald]

I have Samsung, Motorola, Accurian, and Digital Stream
convertor boxes plus a Sony ATSC HDTV. All but the Digital Stream
are HDTV.

The Samsung is earliest, from the second year of OTA DTV.
The Motorola in two years after that. The signal performance
of Samsung is worse than Motorola which is worse than the
other three. Accurian and Digital Stream are better than Sony.
Digital Stream and Accurian are capable of receiving
signals with two suckouts at 30 dB down or one that's
so strong the bottom is unmeasurable with an 8 bit ADC.

Accurians will need a power supply recap at some point,
probably now if heavily used.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Robert Grant

I find that the DS and Magnavox boxes both have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of the Digital Stream:
-Superior EPG (Electronic Program Guide)
-Buttons on the box (I/O, ch-up, ch-down), not totally dependent on the remote as is the Magnavox (note you do not want a DS box without a remote, as you will still need one to set it up or access the EPG, among other things).
-Update scan mode (in addition to regular rescan mode). Very useful if not all of your local stations can be seen with your antenna in one position.

Advantages of the Magnavox:
-Better tolerance of multipath conditions, especially dynamic (changing) multipath. The Magnavox box is less likely to pixellate or go dark because an indoor antenna is used, a truck drives by, an antenna is aimed in the wrong direction, or heavy winds are blowing a tree in the path of the signal.
-(I have not been able to confirm this) I have heard that the DS box is more prone to failure because some circuits are held in place by solder blobs.

Both of these boxes are better than the RCA, Apex or AccessHD boxes. Neither of these are better than the Zenith, Insignia, Sansonic, Zinwell or Memorex boxes.

The WTFDA forums have several reviews of these boxes (collectively called "CECBs"). TV DXers have been taking these boxes to their limits.

I just picked a later Magnavox converter. The beige colored box and remote.
It seems to be a lot hotter and more stable.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

I just picked a later Magnavox converter. The beige colored box and remote.
It seems to be a lot hotter and more stable.

I must be going color-blind. It's gray, both the converter and remote.
Remember the first Magnavoxes, that came out? The remote was poorly laid out. The channel up-down buttons were tiny and hard to use. The later ones were a lot better.