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

[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.

[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.

[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

[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

[kbmuri]

The forum thread that Sleddog uncovered had a lot of chatter about whether or not the antenna feed-through would make the converter box less sensitive, and maybe that's why it's been left off of most of them. Hard enough to get a non-blocky, non-dropout DTV signal at any distance, much less if you lose 3db in your pass-thru circuit to boot. Any thoughts on this from the masters?

[wa2ise]

Went to Fry's, found the Channel Master converter box, it has an S video output jack. But Fry's doesn't take the government $40 coupon...

[JohnAdams]

Is that one of the boxes that does not qualify for the coupon perhaps because it has the SVHS output??

[Pete Deksnis]

Originally Posted by JohnAdams

Is that one of the boxes that does not qualify for the coupon perhaps because it has the SVHS output??

This box was just recently qualified it is true, but it had nothing to do with the S-video feature.

Also, you can get a Channel Master somewhere else and use the $40 coupon for a final purchase price of $49 or less, at least ten dollars less than the Frys price. I opted however for the Frys discounted price (okay, plus shipping) so I can get another 'basic' unit for $18, the out-of-pocket cost of my Magnavox.

Also Kbmuri, maybe there's something I don't understand about this, but I'm looking for a feed-through with mechanical switching that's not going to lose half the power.

Pete

As fate would have it, the doorbell just rang and the still unopened unit is now in my hands. Pretty FAST service, Frys...