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

[andy]

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[Pete Deksnis]

Originally Posted by andy

...what's in the Funai?

R8A66973FP
72010F

X6040
71215B1710814

Early November 2007 PCB design date code

It's clear there's a lot of unpopulated acreage on the end of many of those 216 leads.

[andy]

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[Randy Bassham]

I see a no PB sign on the pc board. None lead solder and all those pins on the chip. Wonder how long it will be before the tin whiskers start shorting out the pins?

NASA article on tin whiskers link

http://nepp.nasa.gov/whisker/background/index.htm

Scroll down and read the segment "Why the recent attention to tin whiskers".

[Pete Deksnis]

Here at long last is the future of analog television. Born only six years after the transistor, and force-fed from a microchip-rich converter box, the venerable CT-100 chugs on.

As planned, video from the converter box runs into the vintage 12AT7-based RCA-design composite video interface, while audio is received on channel 3.

First thing I noticed was an apparent consistency of color, due I suppose to the tight control ATSC has over color space quality.

By not connecting audio from the converter box to the audio section of the CT-100, the RF/IF is used, so virtually all the CTC2 circuits are functional except the second detector diode (1N60) and a very few associated components. Feels better that way.

[picture not attaching]
see it here: (Blip on top of the CT-100 is the ATSC-to-NTSC converter box the government subsidizes.)
http://home.att.net/~pldexnis/potpou...er-Box-OTA.jpg

[andy]

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[old_tv_nut]

Going in baseband from a digital source will probably give you better color transients on HD programs than even the CT-100 I/Q demods would normally do on NTSC, due to the chroma subcarrier being double-sideband and developed from wideband color difference signals.

[Phil Nelson]

So, what to buy?

There are five brands of boxes on the shelves around here:

Zenith
Digital Stream
Magnavox
RCA
Insignia

I saw a couple of votes for Insignia (is that a relabeled Zenith?).

Other votes?

Phil Nelson

[Pete Deksnis]

Originally Posted by old_tv_nut

Going in baseband from a digital source will probably give you better color transients on HD programs than even the CT-100 I/Q demods would normally do on NTSC, due to the chroma subcarrier being double-sideband and developed from wideband color difference signals.

Perhaps the double-sideband signal explains another phenomenon of the Magnavox converter box (now that the CT-100 chroma amp is being hit with two full wideband sidebands): only about 20 degrees rotation of the COLOR control on the CT-100 provides adequate color, where one-half to full CW rotation is not uncommon with standard NTSC reception.

[old_tv_nut]

Originally Posted by Pete Deksnis

Perhaps the double-sideband signal explains another phenomenon of the Magnavox converter box (now the CT-100 chroma amp is being hit with two full wideband sidebands): only about 20 degrees rotation of the COLOR control on the CT-100 provides adequate color, where one-half to full CW rotation is not uncommon with standard NTSC reception.

Another interesting thing to try is to turn the Horizontal hold back and forth and see if there is a difference in terms of any change in color. If the burst is cleaner with the baseband input, it may mean less variation with the timing of the burst gate

[Pete Deksnis]

Originally Posted by old_tv_nut

Another interesting thing to try is to turn the Horizontal hold back and forth and see if there is a difference in terms of any change in color.

Nope, no color shift. In fact, not even a loss of horizontal hold. Only a small horizontal position shift. That sucker is rock [chiseled stone (no weathering)] hard!

[ChrisW6ATV]

Yes, the Insignia is a relabeled Zenith, and those boxes have received better reviews than others I have seen.

[wa2ise]

Originally Posted by ChrisW6ATV

Yes, the Insignia is a relabeled Zenith, and those boxes have received better reviews than others I have seen.

My brother got his coupons, and he bought an Insignia. We tested it at my mom's, same antenna as the first one I got, and it works just as well. Looks like they are consistantly good.

[jpdylon]

I got my coupons this afternoon (2 of them) and went and bought two insignia boxes. I gota admit these actually have some weight to them. I can't wait to throw them on a set ans see the results.

[Dave S]

Ordered mine on Jan. 1st and got 'em in the mail today!