Microprose MPI-500 - Page 7

I was looking at the Wikipedia CECB list today and noticed that
24.155.112.55 has added a reference to the NTIA alert for MicroProse
That users has also removed features from the MicroProse I think based off of that alert.

I could edit the page like I did for the DTVPal 72.174.173.157 but I think who ever did this edit is showing how that alert is still doing MicroProse harm.

Instead I will contact people to bring it to their attention and hopefully the NTIA will remove the alert or post something saying that they are now approved.

Interesting, dtvboxanswers.com rated the MPI-500PT as "Best" (4 others of the 17 boxes reviewed have this rating) and giving it "good" ratings straight across the board in each rated subsection.

site.dtvboxanswers.com/reviews

Depends a lot on what you are looking for - great tuner, s video, APT,etc.
Since he sells most of one that he high rated, I take rating with a grain of salt. He is hi priced on some models, example DTT901 68 vs 59 at watchdigitaltv. Of course both are out of stock on 901

Understood, though if he's also rating items he sells that aren't the highest rated then that does make it a bit more even handed. But I think the appearance on the rating listing also works to alleviate concerns some of the previous posters had, on whether the PT model actually exists or not.

Why would MicroProse go through all of the trouble to amend the MPI-500PT* to the NTIA list if it did not exist?

Besides the fact it would have to exist for them to send a sample to the NTIA to get on the list.

Does anyone have any news about Microprose? Their website is still online advertising their products, but their online store is gone. They have approval on both their CECB boxes, but no indication of where you can buy them. Are they still in business?

Ya gotta wonder how they stay in business, they do not answer their phone or emails. Supposedly they're sitting on a warehouse full of NTIA approved MPI-500PT's, yet they make no effort to sell them??? How in the world can they afford that!

Probaby why they do not answer their phone or emails. It's not late August.


They are not in a state side warehouse yet.

I wonder if it ever occured to them just how many americans would still have valid CECB coupons by then???

5/20/2008 The MicroProse webstore is open and has quantity available too. Stock : 22166

Or if its occurred to other people that certification of a box on a list doesn't mean reinstatement by the NTIA of being able to process coupons yet? All being on that list means is that the box is up to specifications for eligibility in the program - it does not mean the company itself is able to accept and process coupons yet. My understanding is one has little to do with the other, other than one step needs to be completed before the other first. And in fact both steps (the decertification of the MPI-500 and the and the decertification of the Microprose web store) were done separately by the NTIA (i.e. first the mpi500 was decertified and then their web store coupon processing (which was never active) was decertified a few weeks later). Might the fact of the government summer recess and the fact that the NTIA has yet to issue anything regarding reinstatement of Microprose for coupon processing have something more to do with it?

People like Gerhard can roll their eyes without actually taking these facts in to consideration, but I'm just worried how this is effecting them financially having to sit on product all this time waiting for the NTIA to decide on what they're going to do now for over 2 months since they apparently appealed. Or their ability to manufacture any more boxes when resources and materials (components, etc.) are in high demand among manufacturers right now according to sources.

Why are people waiting for this unit with analog pass-through. The Zenith DTT-901 has the pass-through and is readily available. Just get one and work out the possible problems with coax cable, antenna, etc. Just do it now.

I think its more of the drama that's gone on around it regarding the triangle of NTIA--CBA--Microprose, and the fact Microprose was trying to specifically support low power stations with the pass through (rather than including it as an afterthought).

I tried the Microprose website yesterday and found that it is now called Legacy Engineering Group. I've no info on whether they have anything to do with CECB now.

Looks like Microprose.... "has left the building". Since Microprose, Insignia, and Zenith all share the same LG internals, market timing was crucial, and the NTIA delay on the Microprose box was enough to give Zenith a whopping headstart (over a million units sold). Too late to play catch up........

The website change was also news to me and understandable but they should have posted some sort of a statement as I don't think MicroProse will ever get off the ground as their WebStore was never approved by the NTIA.

The also had a relatively small order for the number of CECB's they were going to distribute compared to others?

By now all of the larger companies have probably bought out nearly all raw components and none of the suppliers would want to deal with MicroProse and even with the components they would still be faced with the NTIA WebStore Delay.

At least it didn't waste any money just time.

I did get a DTVPal when they first came out but am thinking I should have just skipped this whole NTIA program as it if full of Junk with software/hardware bugs and just waited for next years PVR's from all these companies to start coming out.

It is now late September. I ordered the MPI-500PT back in mid May. After some back-and-forth emails, I was told that they had replacement coupons (on August 12th) and that they would be mailed by the end of the week. Nothing showed up yet.
I emailed Curt Vendal and Sales at Microprose yesterday. I'm not holding out much hope anymore. If anybody knows of a better way to get any kind of a response from these people, I'd like to hear it. Their silence is getting irratating.

D. Check,
I got my coupon in July after ordering in June. If you go to the Micropose website now, you'll find that it has been renamed Legacy Engineering See the 2 or 3 posts prior to yours). I think they are now in some consulting business. If Micropose burned you coupon when you ordered (check the government site), they would send a replacement that had belonged to an employee. If you just let it expire while you waited for them, that's on you. Lots of luck!

Thanks, Dan.
I just called a Legacy Engineering Group at 917-416-8893. After a very long ring time, I got the voice mail of Curt Vendal, my contact from MicroProse. I left him a voice mail with the order number, order date, work phone, and cell phone number. Again, I'm not holding my breath. The coupons are not transferable so "a replacement that belonged to an employee" would have been useless.
Regarding the expiration of the coupon, I was told it was used when I placed the order, and was always of the opinion that the MPI-500PT was eventually going to arrive. That's what I was told so I'm still waiting. We'll see if I hear back from Curt.
Strange thing though... the Legacy Engineering Group web site seems to have all the connectivity of the MicroProse site; none.
__________________
Don

P.S. I just checked the Government Site. "Your Coupon has been used to purchase a converter box and is no longer active."

I used my coupon to buy a Zenith DTT901. The name on the coupon was not mine. Anyone can use any coupon at this point. You can get one from a relative or friend who doesn't plan to buy a box.

I did, and learned that he hasn't paid his taxes for at least the past 2 years. Both him and his wife owe the state of NY over 17 THOUSAND dollars:

http://www.pcnr.com/news/2010-10-13/..._NEW_YORK.html

http://www.putnamcountyny.com/financ...dvert_List.pdf