Zenith DTT901 - Page 6

I tried to order the DTT901 over the phone with Radio Shack and called their special number for ordering digital tv converters. But they said this not offered over the phone yet until sometime in July when it should also be available in stores. They only currently offer the Digital Stream 9950 over the phone.

The person I talked to did say that the DTT901 can be ordered on the Radio Shack web site, but the $40 coupon couldn't be used for orders made on the web site.

Why not start a thread for Zenith Tips?

While many in these Forums bemoan the inability to purchase one brand or another (and some brands have proven to be vaporware) there are probably more than two million Zenith and Insignia CECBs in actual daily use.

The NTIA is now reporting that more than one million coupons have expired without being used:

https://www.dtv2009.gov/Stats.aspx

I also tried to order from Radio Shack - same story. I suggested their fix their website and inform the 800 contact of that.
So now no ordering from Maxmedia, Microprose, Provantage and Radio Shack.... Any suggestions?

I forgot to add - I live more than an hour away from any large city so can't just casually drop by stores to check availability.... help...

Kind of tough to do in a motorhome! I don't have enough room left in the compartment with the inverter and vcr/dvd player for a 900 and I was hoping that the 901 might just possibly be smaller. Does anyone know the dimensions?

Not at all. VCRs and DVDRs w/VCRs have had this option for years and only loose something like 1db. I don't think it's a splitter inside the unit but rather a line tap for the device. Although if all you're feeding is a TV turning off the unit is logical and works just fine.


They are identical in size. If you want to play the waiting game the DTVPal is supposed to be roughly the size of a VHS tape but will have a wavy plastic case, not metal like the Zeniths. The Pal also has a 5vdc input which may be nicer than your inverter solution.

Sigh. I knew that was too easy. I printed out the web page last night and brought my coupons with me today so I could stop at the local Rat Shack on the way home from work and snag a coupla boxes or have them sent to me.

The 7/28 expiration date on my coupons isn't looking so far away any more..... Yeah, sure, I could just shell out full price to ensure getting boxes for my DVDRs, but dangit, it's the principle of the matter!!!

mandy's dad,
I have the DTT901. According to the manual, the dimensions (W X H X D) are 8.5 x 1.8 x 6.4 inches.

It seems pretty small, physically. But you probably need to ensure there's enough space around it for venting heat (although it doesn't seem to get hot at all in my experience).

RS does let you ship your order to the local store, where you can use your coupon. I just don't have enough time now, Monday expiration.

Actually, I found out they will ship it to your home and the best part- FREE! I bought Digitalstream DTX9950 earlier this month as my coupon was going to expire that day. I asked if I needed to pick it up at the store being they did not stock the unit yet (first day available). The clerk said no, it will be shipped to my home. This is good for those who are far away and only want to make the required one trip to Radio Shack to use the coupon and then just wait it out at home. I had no problems with shipping or the DTX9950 for that matter. Might take a few extra days to ship (I'm guessing) due to the high demand, but hey...Free shipping to my door with out added cost to the box? yeah, I can wait!

Hope this helps....

mandy's dad:


It does not get hot because it is properly vented and has the metal case!
You would also need to allow another three inches behind it (depth) for cable terminations and bends.

North of Denver there is an RV specialty store (There might be one in your area):
CAMPING WORLD (866)599-4874
www.campingworld.com
CO-66@I-25
4050 CAMELOT CIRCLE
LONGMONT, CO 80504

They sell Wynegard RC-DT09 (nice for RVs?) that might be more suited for your use?

This is the "Direct2U" service I mentioned. You pay for the item in the store, and it's sent--no shipping charges--to your house. That's how I got my original DTT-900. My little Podunk RS store only had the Digital Stream, which I didn't want; I was about to turn around and leave when the clerk told me they could have what wanted sent to me from their warehouse.

If I can get a pair of 901s that way with my coupons.....

It also works to enter 023 for channel 2-3.

In an earlier thread another poster had commented that the model sold by Camping World had no special features that made it more suitable than any other brand for RV use.

Just was checking on the Shack's website and the 901 is gone! Just the 900 there now

Radio Shack online source that will accept the coupons via a phone call (as their website USED to say) is out of the DTT901, so it was not available to ship to your home even earlier today. Just another screw loose in this government program. Lets hope they never get involved in health care if this is what they do to TV!!!

I just called a RS in Brownsburg, IN and was told that they were no longer going to carry
the Zenith CECB.
Is this going on elsewhere?

Yes, but not just "out of stock" - they took the whole thing off the website. I would hope they could still sell this if they are also selling the DTVPal.

The thing is, the FTIA knows who is selling what, because they require retailers to update them as their products change. They know but don't tell us.

I called another area RS and they also have dropped the Zenith for the Digital Stream.
I asked if they were replacing the Zenith with the TR-40/DTVPAL and was told that
the had never heard of it.

Thanks for the actual dimensions. It will not fit in my motorhome unless I remove the dvd/vcr in which case I may as well remove my wife I guess that I'll have to stand in line and get the DTVPal if it ever hits the shelves. Next choice would be the Artec T3A and use my video switching center to pick up the analog signals as long as they are available.

For those of you who special ordered the DTT901 at CC, I'm assuming you were able to use your $40 coupons without any issue? For some reason, the CC store I went to said I could special order it, but that I could not use the $40 coupons. This came directly from the customer service manager there.

I don't understand the manager's reasoning at all. On the DTT901 box is the same "eligible for $40 coupon" blurb that's on the DTT900 box.

Depending on what dimension is of concern I would suggest considering the Digital Stream DTX9950. Although about the same height as the Zenith it is quite a bit narrower and about half as deep. It has pass through and in my testing is perhaps slightly better than the (LG tuner equipped) DTT900 in reception (see my posts in the DTX9950 thread).

There may be some concern with heat due to its small size and plastic case if used in a tight, unventilated area with other components. Although mine does run warmer than the Zenith I do not think it gets abnormally hot.

As previously suggested, a converter with a DC power supply may be your best bet if you can find one that fits your other requirements.

I guess they train CSMs differently in some parts of the country. Here the CC CSM said special order was the way to use your coupon before it expires. BTW, at the Stockton CC there is no display of 900s or 901s. You have to go to the customer service desk and ask; they have three or four 900s sitting on a shelf display, behind the counter, which they replenish from a stock of about 200 in the stockroom, according to the CSM.

If they don't get their shipment of 901s from the warehouse in the next two weeks, I'll use my coupons to special order as suggested by the CC CSM.

My friend is looking for a Zenith and asked me to ask you guys what Other place besides Circuit city has this box? Any place cheaper then $60? As reported in midwest
She lives in Los Angeles CA

mandy's dad,

I'm also waiting to see if the DTVPal comes out... but if the DTT901 or some other "big" CECB (with various "cool" features) strikes your fancy... have you considered all possible options?

By that I mean while you might not be able to use the CECB as a traditional "set-top box" (STB) are there any nearby cabinets or shelves you could use? With a Remote extender you could "hide" the CECB in a cabinet. Of coarse that is more power requirements and expense to deal with...

I was originally going to suggest maybe "gutting" the CECB of it's all important Power Supply/Motherboard and then installing the "naked" CECB were you want it OR possibly transplanting it into a smaller "project" box and maybe adding fans or cooling vents as needed.

Good Luck with whatever option(s) you choose.

PS. Just thinking about a "cheap" Remote Extender option... Has anyone tried fiber optic cable,glass or plastic tubing, and/or mirrors as a no power way of "extending" the remote into areas they normally don't go? I used a mirror once when I didn't have the cabling and needed to shoot around a corner while testing a cable feed.

What month date are you seeing on the DT901s at CC? There are posts suggesting the audio output on the April DT900 and DT901 are the same while other posts suggest the May DT901 had greater audio output than the DT900s.

My April DTT901 box has significantly higher audio level than my April DTT900.

Maybe consider getting a new DVD/VHS recorder with a digital tuner in it instead.

(Though not as cheap an option, I'm sure.)