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briteView BV-980H / Zinwell ZAT-980H thread

61K views 292 replies 42 participants last post by  videobruce 
#1 ·
 http://www.amazon.com/brite-View-BV-.../dp/B004XIB9UA


Looks like another OTA DVR that has a free EPG. Not much spec wise, but the EnergyStar people say it can do DVR and HD. Not much else spec wise. More information should be out later. It's not on the Brite View site, but should be up later.


Edit: It can also do ClearQAM as well.
 
#177 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by sfniceguy /forum/post/20683718


Well, no such luck. My BV-980H continues to have reception problems (odd scattered pixelization showing up in the picture every so often), and, I suppose as a result, its scheduled recordings are not finishing. I guess when it loses too much signal, it stops recording. Some hour-long recordings are completing, others not.


None of my other digital devices (an HDTV and two Panasonic DVR recorders with digital tuners) are showing any of this pixelization, so everything else with digital tuners are working well with whatever level of CATV signal I've got. I don't know if this is a problem with my specific unit, or if the BV-980H's in general need a stronger signal than other devices.

No chance you have any device with a signal strength indication? I've got three and each has its own number. The real old Sony DVR says 88%, the Mag DVR says 94 to 96, my TV only shows SNR, running about 36.


My cable box, Pace RNG110, has composite output. The STB HDMI is always 1080i. The composite, analog if you have it, you could feed into the 980H and see if pixelation goes away. Should you have SD channels on your cable feed, then does that channel cause signal problems?


Yes, I have seen your problem, yet never bad enough to cause a recording failure. I have seen it on 1080i only and I watched a bit of 480i digital on the 980H and never had any pixelation.


Cable signal amplifiers? Yes, I use an amplified cable signal. I like the Radio Shack 1-to-4 more for its ablility to avoid messy cables than for its minimal signal boost. It's bi-directional but I have never tested that. I have a 30db amp on my FM antenna.


I have four cable feeds from outside. One was here when I moved in, one I paid for, one came with a 90 day trial of HBO, and one came with my modem upgrade. Also, I might be living in a really old borough, but the cable signal is really good. And it's not Comcast. Anything I can do to help, let me know.
 
#178 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by sfniceguy /forum/post/20683718


........I guess when it loses too much signal, it stops recording. Some hour-long recordings are completing, others not.

In the past, I've run across several DVR's (LG and Panasonic) which won't start recording unless a video signal is also present. In those cases, the user was attempting to record timed radio programming.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sfniceguy /forum/post/20683718


........I don't know if this is a problem with my specific unit, or if the BV-980H's in general need a stronger signal than other devices.

Have you tried making a timed recording with just the BV-980H connected direct to the your cable source, no splitters, amps etc.? That should answer your question as to whether the problem is signal strength related.
 
#179 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by stapler1234 /forum/post/20684613


Have you tried making a timed recording with just the BV-980H connected direct to the your cable source, no splitters, amps etc.? That should answer your question as to whether the problem is signal strength related.

I did think of trying that, and would have next -- except that after some further tweaking late last night, I think I have finally resolved the issue. I had forgotten that my 4-way amplified splitter had a gain control, so playing with that a bit, plus changing what was plugged into what -- anyway, now everything seems to be happy as I was able to record 5 programs in succession successfully overnight. Yea! The recorded images on this unit are amazing!
 
#180 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeKustra /forum/post/20684297


No chance you have any device with a signal strength indication? I've got three and each has its own number. The real old Sony DVR says 88%, the Mag DVR says 94 to 96, my TV only shows SNR, running about 36.


Cable signal amplifiers? Yes, I use an amplified cable signal. I like the Radio Shack 1-to-4 more for its ablility to avoid messy cables than for its minimal signal boost. It's bi-directional but I have never tested that. I have a 30db amp on my FM antenna.

As noted in my previous post, I seem to have finally resolved my problem (fingers crossed...).


No, none of my devices have a signal strength meter. I wish there were a handheld signal strength testing device made for this (and that I could afford!).


Yes, I am using that same Radio Shack 4-Way Amp'ed Splitter. It's probably a piece of junk -- but that's what I had access to many years ago.


By the way, what does "bi-directional" mean on a amp/splitter?
 
#181 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by sfniceguy /forum/post/20685388


As noted in my previous post, I seem to have finally resolved my problem (fingers crossed...).


No, none of my devices have a signal strength meter. I wish there were a handheld signal strength testing device made for this (and that I could afford!).


Yes, I am using that same Radio Shack 4-Way Amp'ed Splitter. It's probably a piece of junk -- but that's what I had access to many years ago.


By the way, what does "bi-directional" mean on a amp/splitter?

That's easy. It means your STB can send data back to your headend to request a PPV or SDV channel. A passive device can always do that (with the same signal loss). An active device may not allow such a reverse signal path.


There are signal strength meters pretty cheap, but it would be better to get the opinion of the DVR.
 
#184 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by sfniceguy /forum/post/20698911


I have lost track -- how many participants of this forum have actually purchased this unit? I know of three...

epvision.com still hasn't answered my email for the shipping date. But your count is pretty accurate.


I've been able to disable 50 channels so far. And it still records every night.

More to do next week I hope.
 
#187 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by sfniceguy /forum/post/20708179


I do love the clear QAM tuner, and the brilliant HD recordings and playback. But I am still having problems with about 50% of my scheduled recordings not starting at all or ending early ("failed").

Perhaps we have a unit that has not been fully tested in a USA QAM environment. I have no status and no schedule. And/or the unit does not let me select them. I have no scheduled recordings. My disk may have been full last week. I just deleted a title and added a new scheduled title. I get stutter on 1080i audio and the default resolution goes back to 480i. I have not pulled the plug yet, just to do a reset. That will be next.
 
#188 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeKustra /forum/post/20709302


Perhaps we have a unit that has not been fully tested in a USA QAM environment. I have no status and no schedule. And/or the unit does not let me select them. I have no scheduled recordings. My disk may have been full last week. I just deleted a title and added a new scheduled title. I get stutter on 1080i audio and the default resolution goes back to 480i. I have not pulled the plug yet, just to do a reset. That will be next.

Oh, I didn't realize others were having problems (albeit different ones) too.


I submitted an email to brite-View's support address, as well as having posted in the forum they recently created -- but neither has generated any response from brite-View (yet). If I can't get to the bottom of my failed recordings issue by the end of this week, I'm going to have to box up and return mine.


I have ordered and expect to receive in the mail any day now a good quality powered cable splitter (to replace that old Radio Shack one I have). If replacing that in my system doesn't solve the problem, I'm stumped.
 
#189 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by sfniceguy /forum/post/20709443


Oh, I didn't realize others were having problems (albeit different ones) too.


I submitted an email to brite-View's support address, as well as having posted in the forum they recently created -- but neither has generated any response from brite-View (yet). If I can't get to the bottom of my failed recordings issue by the end of this week, I'm going to have to box up and return mine.


I have ordered and expect to receive in the mail any day now a good quality powered cable splitter (to replace that old Radio Shack one I have). If replacing that in my system doesn't solve the problem, I'm stumped.

Without a diagnostic (like the one they forgot to remove) it will be hard to tell how the 980H feels about it's signal.


My 980H is fed from wall to a 1 to 4 amplified Radio Shack splitter. From there is goes through a Mag 515H for more boost. You might say the signal is too strong, but I have no problems with 480i channels. So I will see if dropping the signal helps. I have an attenuator for that (0 - 40db). But I hold little hope. I hope you have better luck. When I hit REC and check for Status it's an empty table despite 7 recordings. There was a bunch of "passed" there, but they went away. The recordings are still there.
 
#191 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeKustra /forum/post/20709961


When I hit REC and check for Status it's an empty table despite 7 recordings. There was a bunch of "passed" there, but they went away. The recordings are still there.

It is my understanding that the "Status" screen and table is simply a repeat list of all your scheduled recordings. It's a screen you can go to to mark a scheduled recording to be skipped. I don't think it would have anything to do with nor show anything about any programs you manually recorded by pressing REC on the remote.
 
#193 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by sfniceguy /forum/post/20710072


It is my understanding that the "Status" screen and table is simply a repeat list of all your scheduled recordings. It's a screen you can go to to mark a scheduled recording to be skipped. I don't think it would have anything to do with nor show anything about any programs you manually recorded by pressing REC on the remote.

I think my last manual recording was done in 1980 or so. When I hit enter in the status spot I get red circle with a slash. It used to work.
 
#195 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by sfniceguy /forum/post/20710085


I heard from brite-View support today. They believe my unit is defective and are issuing an RMA for return.

Please see my posts on the BV forum. I don't think you will see me there again. But you should like my response on the failed recording. The black cloud over this unit just got darker.


Still waiting for a response on the PHD unit.
 
#196 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeKustra /forum/post/20713169


Please see my posts on the BV forum. I don't think you will see me there again. But you should like my response on the failed recording. The black cloud over this unit just got darker.

Still waiting for a response on the PHD unit.
GOOD LUCK!

I also e-mailed them, multiple times this year. No response either. I eventually gave up & moved on
.
 
#197 ·
#201 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeKustra
I will await your next post about the replacement.
I did get an email back from brite-View support with an RMA number. They say they'll mail out to me a new unit with 2 days of receiving my bad unit (which I have to mail to them on my dime).


I also just received my new PCT Power Splitter, which just a few minutes ago I installed, replacing that old Radio Shack version. I'm going to give it a day, to see how the BV-980H does on recordings with this new better/cleaner power splitter in place. If that doesn't resolve the failed recordings problem, then the unit will need to go back.


However, if I'm returning the unit, I'm thinking it would probably behoove me to just simply return it to Amazon (from whom I bought it), through their 30-day return policy (as opposed to returning it to BV through their warranty repair system). My worry about dealing with BV directly is that by the time I get the replacement unit back from them and tested, I will have run out of my 30-day return period with Amazon. If the new replacement unit they send me doesn't work any better, I will no longer be able to return it for a refund. So, I'm thinking return the unit to Amazon I have now for a refund. And then maybe just order another unit through Amazon later to restart another 30-day window for returns. Or, maybe I'd go for a Magnavox 515 instead (although giving up HD recordings...).
 
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