What CECB is the best? And worst. Vote here. Updated tally 7/24/10 - Page 18

We have a couple of Insignia NS-DXA1-APT boxes (BestBuy private label of Zenith). Purchased them based on review comments they praising excellent fringe area tuner.

Reception is good, adding/manipulating channels is flexible for rotor based antenna. Did not have any problems with station moves or duplicate virtual channel numbers. Composite video looks good on PC monitor. Analog pass-through feature was nice pretransition.

Very happy with it. The only complaint is that signal meter is an uncalibrated bar graph. Much prefer more detailed report we get from Sony TV.

Have never used any other converter box so have nothing to compare it to other then tuner works much better the PC TV tuner cards.

Hi all. Does anyone know which converter box is the best that lets you watch HDTV programming? I have the Sony XBR 700 40 inch CRT HDTV and it does not have the built in tuner so I was wondering what the best box was that allowed me to still see the beautiful 1080i picture this tv can support. Thanks!

Converter boxes do not provide HD output. They are SD only and are designed to be used with older TVs, etc. Your plan won't work, you will need to buy a real HD box that provides HD output, not a converter box.

http://www.frys.com/product/5488779?...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG

According to that link, they can. I have an antenna hooked up to my Plasma upstairs and I get HDTV but the Sony needs more than just an antenna. If I can't get HDTV then that site is lying.

not it is not exactly lying, it may be marketing speak (to many people they mean the same thing though).

it does receive a HDTV signal and does process it, it does not display an HDTV picture, it displays an SDTV picture.

actually I thought it can display an HDTV picture if you're using it with an HDTV...I've done this with my converter box before with my HDTV to test it for something. But if you have a nonHDTV like most people using the converter boxes then it won't display in HD

the CECB only outputs an NTSC analog signal. if you have a quality display it will look good but not be HD.

CECBs "receive" digital and HD programming but provide only "analog" RF, composite and (in a few models) S-Video outputs. CECBs do not provide component and HDMI outputs necessary to provide actual digital and HD signals.

CECB's receive all levels of DTV programming and down-converts the programming to 480i, for output through RF, Composite, and S-Video.

What about the boxes that have component output?



There are some converter boxes that have component video. http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...9#post16905899 EDIT: Not a CECB box.

There are no NTIA Coupon Eligible Convertor Boxes (CECB) that have component outputs but there are HD boxes that can be found here http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=179095 that do.

Yeah I know, I should have added that, I missed that. I'll edit.

Yes, "some" have component video. Not all, not none, but some. And the one I pointed out, is one of them. Or are you saying that does not output analog? That does not appear to be the case because it says "Receives free Over-the-Air (OTA) digital television signals" and "Down-converts OTA HDTV signals for use with standard-definition (480i/480p)", and "Note: MCM is not authorized to accept the government coupon for converter boxes."

I know, I corrected that in my post #524.

Is the winegard rc-dt09a the same as the Venturer Digital Converter Box that is sold at Target?

Edit: It appears they are the same. I bought the Venturer and it's manual is the same as the manual for the winegard I found on line.

The reception appears to about identical to the Zenith dtt 901. The EPG on the Zenith is better. I also like the Zenith menus better, but they are basically the same.

I like the DTVPal because of the programming guide. I have 3 of these, one is being used with a HDTV because the Digital TV has no programming guide.

Worst - APEX DT250A , I'm on my third one because the first two quit working.................. Wait a minute THIRD one ......... How dumb am I ????

Why haven't you exchanged it for an APEX DT502? They are the improved version of the DT250/DT250A units.

Well, if he got it from Best Buy, and his BB is like all the ones around here, they have plenty of the DT250A's in stock and haven't had any of the DT502's for a long, long time.

I enjoy reading the threads, they are sometime funny and you intentionally wanted to be funny - you have fully succeeded, you have good sense of humor, and on top of it you also get good advice from others,Alo.

Am I too late to vote and I don't remember if I voted yet. I vote worst for DTVPal since I own one and it is buggy and loves to lock up (have to use daily schedule workaround). Ugh! I am surprised Zenith 901 / Insignia APT is still good today. My parents use it. I'm glad I checked with you guys for feedbacks a few years ago. Now, if they could just make an awesome scheduler for VCRs...

Thanks.

I would say that iNet Access SSR 1921-Tivax clone is as good as any box can be, unfortunately CC letters are too small.
The second box the newest model COSHIP APT is good. the largest CC letters from all boxes, larger than Sony20 TV CC, make it see thru- trasparent, colored etc. super, only problem is must go to Menu to access the Service-for CC, iNet/Tivax has it on Remote.
'cause the box consume 12W (rather than deficient 8WEnergy Star of iNet/Tivax) it has ability to pick more channels from air; main switch off/on like TV,DVD,VCR in the back is great
and of course as any other boxes the CC letters are locked on screen while you are already at other channel and only the CC fron next ch. pushes it away or go to TV CC.
Unfortunately the Remote stinks, seems to be deceptively too slow, sometimes INFO shuts off the box.
Even so, I would vote -1- Coship APT gives more ch.s than the -2- iNET/Tivax.

My cousin could not get 19.1 WPCW in Jeannette, PA 15644 with a CM7000 Channel Master. With a Digital Stream from Radio Shack, she was able.

I have the same problem with my CM but I live around some hills. I have a NIB DDT901 Zenith and am wondering if I should open it up to see if it gets it. (It was for sale but I really need a couple HDTV tuners.) I have the identical RCA 1250 High Power amplified set top antenna my cousin has.

The DS I had was not nearly as good for reception as either my CMs or Zenith 901. That being said unless their is something wrong with your cousins CM I can't say why the DS should be working better.
AFA the differences between the CM and Zenith, I believe the CM is slightly better for low signal where as the Zenith as a slight edge for multipath situations.
If you're behind hills your problem could be either low signal or perhaps multipath. If I were you I'd crack the box on the Zenith, it just might have an edge for you.

I have 2 of the Zenith DTT-901 boxes and they have fantastic tuners. Look around here and I think you will find many who agree. They work better than the tuners in my Sony LCD and Insignia plasma. Only my AOC LED-LCD matches them for tuner quality, go figure.

jjeff,

My cousin could not get 19.1 even with my CM7000. So both CM failed to get it.

However, someone who posted another thread I authored suggested that the CM may not find 19.1 (actual 11) when 11.1 (actual 48) is already programed.

I'm going to try to delete 11.1 and see if it will find 19.1 and will post.

Thanks
Tom

In the < NY- OTA > p.454 some posters mention about the Zenith boxes, using LG Electronics tuners, singining acolades.
Personally, I don't think there is much difference between the LG and Thompson or some future silicone tuner,
but it makes sense that conv.boxes give good perfrormance, the larger the DTV box is more impediment higher Ohmage to travelling electronic signal in TV than in small conv. box, resulting in loss of weak station signal, right ?

Nope, those distances are insignificant. Assuming the transmission lines, impedance matching circuits, and other circuits like RF switches are done properly then the tuner IC or module is the key component. For instance, the DTV Pal was upgraded with a Microtune IC tuner in the DTV Pal Plus to alleviate reception problems. Also, some boxes will have different performance for sensitivity vs multipath fading (obstructions, etc.), etc. which is why you'll sometimes see folks saying a certain box works better than another box vs someone in another location.

I always had good results with Digitalstream boxes.