Zenith DTT901 - Page 52

There are still analog Class "A," Low Power, and Translator stations broadcasting. Only Full Power stations (in the TV World) had to cease analog broadcasts.

A lot of stations are not broadcasting DTV on their original Radio Frequencies. The channel number you see on your "Digital" reception is known as a "Virtual" channel. There's lots of information on all this throughout this website and at Wikipedia.

NOTE: Technically, all stations are broadcasting analog waveforms. It's the modulation of the waveform that's digital.

WJW-DT is broadcasting at 625Kw on RF31. Try a manual tune on that RF channel.

Can someone tell me if the Zenith DTT901 has a anamorphic setting? And can you please list all the TV aspect ratio settings please.

Not sure if there's a separate thread for the DTT900 versus the DTT901, but I'll post here anyway.

I got some of the original DTT900 boxes, and they've been doing great for about a year and a half now. Last week, my dad dragged me into his room to look at a flicker in the screen. He assumed the TV was going bad, but upon testing it with a DVD player and then with an Insignia box I had floating around, we instead determined it was the DTT900.

Have there been any reports of an issue like this? If so, is there a way to fix it? I've given my dad my Insignia, but I'd like to be able to make use of this DTT900 now.

Thanks.

- Trip

vatkat234

I believe the answer to your question is yes.

The Zenith offers 4 settings that can change the Aspect Ratio.

Set by program.
Letter box
Cropped
Squeezed

On one PBS station they show a stretched letter box picture that is corrected by using the Squeezed setting. The Squeezed setting will squeeze any normal picture if that is what you want.

Not sure if the exact, same problem has been mentioned before, but there have been a few reports here of the Zenith/Insignia's breaking down just after a year.

(And Lazza, if you're reading, take note.)

Duly noted.

I would have thought that if any of the CECBs would be durable it would be the Zenith DTT901. My fingers are still crossed that they will hold out for an average 2+ years. I am not as hopeful about my Tivax since it runs hotter than the Zenith.

But while on this topic, let me pose the question: in terms of prolonging their life, is it advisable to keep CECBs turned off (standby mode) when not in use? I also keep my CECBs/STBs turned off when not in use, mostly with the mindset of not wasting electricity. But I am concerned that all the power on/off action might damage the units over time. I posed this question wrt the Samsung DTBH260F STB and folks assured me that keeping it powered up 24x7 should be okay; folks have done this for 2+ years w/o issue. I wonder if the same can be said for CECBs?

My plans are to keep my Samsung/Zenith/Tivax boxes for at least two years. I own a 42" projection television, bought in 2004, that doesn't have an ASTC tuner. I want to get 7 years of life out of it. I figure with these 3 boxes on hand I am covered in the event if one or even two of them crap out. I also use one of the CECBs to feed a DVD recorder (the DVD recorder has a tuner but the CECB pulls in a couple of stations more reliably).


_Lazza

On the Zenith DTT901 can you update channels? Or do you have to do a full scan over again?

You can update channels by using with the "EZ ADD" feature in the set-up menu, or you can manually add stations by entering the "real" RF channel number on the remote.

Lazza in the Zenith box the only thing I have found that runs hot is the tuner chip. The tuner chip is a small flat pack mounted on the bottom side of the tuner board and it runs hot when the box is powered up.

It is possible to add a heat sink on the topside of the tuner board and pull some heat away from the tuner chip and give it a chance to live longer.

I have that same concern regarding powering off the Zenith (in the same mindset as conserving electricity). I switch off the surge protector powering the Zen (and the whole AV setup) whenever I'm not at home (14-16hrs/day)...Would it hasten perhaps the life of the unit with daily cycles of cutting on/off the current flow to the CECB components? Though I put aside the Zenith for the time being, and in it's place is the CM-7000..I'm doing the same current on/off practice...ditto on the concern to the CM as well.

Btw, regarding mods to the CECB (adding heatsink and stuff)...I wish there was a CECB mods thread. I'm game..

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1006402

When do we start hacking the CECB

I'm not sure why anybody would want to fuss with reducing the power further on the Zenith 901, which IIRC was the lowest of the EnergyStar compliant CECBs, testing at <3.9W on and as low as 0.6W standby.

A year ago I was looking into power consumption for other electronics, and STBs averaged 25W (range 20-45W) - my VCR is 17W. But the big surprise was a comment from the tester that STBs and DVRs typically consume as much power in standby mode as when they are on.

My Zeniths run cooler than any other box I have. I expect at least one TV death first, so I should have enough CECBs, but among my extended family of 4 households, we have one spare. Currently sitting it out is the TR40.

Yeah, that's the one that usually gets left out for me, too. I wonder why?

Just went to Sears today. And the Zenith boxes are all sold out. The sales lady said the sold out very fast and should have them back in a few days. Call before you go.

Hi,

My converter is back in the box (Six Other ATSC Tuners in my HTPC).

When testing my DTT901 there was a mode that produced 16:9.

I had to look very close to the 16:9 monitor screen to see that the DTT901 did produce a slightly poorer picture. This was with just "Video" input.

So perhaps "Unchanged" could be added to the list.

SHF

Thanks SFischer1

If I pick a Zenith box at Sears now will I get the 901? Have all the 900 sold out?

I suspect there might be some somewhere in the world you can get a 900.

But why would you want to?

I am in Silicon Valley where DTV is very hard to get via OTA.

Multipath from all the mountains surrounding is and has, driven many people to Cable or Sat. 80%+++

With my Six tuners there are 4 antennas.

I will not know what the OTA picture will be for six months to a year.

Sutro, that horrendous tower in San Francisco will not be rebuilt until September.

http://www.sutrotower.com/

Then Winter comes and everything changes. That when I have the most trouble. Summer is better.

Bottom line, you are looking for a Zenith DTT901, which is the best tuner for handling Multipath currently. If you are in the flatlands of Garden City, Kansas, it may not matter much. But if you ever should move to a different location, it might make a big difference. (NOTHING, or A Great Picture are the only two possibilities)

With all the Low Power stations switching to DTV, the pass through feature of the 901 may quickly become not needed.

I would suggest not looking at any 900's unless you check the date when made. Again, you might never see the audio problem with early 900's, but why chance it and regret it in the future.

SHF

SFischer1,
What converter box are you using now and where are you located. I'm in Palo Alto and get excellent signals. I get 48 channels, when counting sub-channels. Check out http://dtvtransitioninfo.blogspot.com The Zenith DTT901 is the one to get, it is excellent.

Hi,

Near the Sunnyvale Community Center.

ATSC Tuners in my HTPC:

MyHD
Fusion7 Dual
HDHR which has two tuners on the Wireless Network.

Rotten tuner in HDTV, I was just looking for a monitor.

San Francisco CA - OTA Thread
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=369015

HDTV-in-SFbay
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HDTV-i.../?yguid=539457

I do very little, almost none, live viewing of DTV.

The HTPC setup is to allow the best possible reception without rotating any antennas. So that my automatic capture program:

Cliff Watson EPG add-on for MyHD, FusionHDTV, and HD Homerun
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=659993

does all the captures.

I watch the programs I wish when I wish.

I just upgraded the Fusion5 RT Gold to the Fusion7 Dual which gives me two of the best (Currently) ATSC tuners.

They clearly are the best tuners in my HTPC.

The Zenith DTT901 was very similar to the Fusion5 RT Gold when I checked it out.

My NTSC 27" RCA TV has yet to be moved, it is very heavy.

The Zenith DTT901 was to be used for it.

Bad plan, I rejected it and went to Plan B.

The HDHomerun is connected to my best antenna and when I wish to use the RCA TV I will use my laptop to feed via S-Video from the Network HDHR Tuners. Using an Indoor Antenna downstairs will not work!!!

See Discussion:

FINAL WEEK! The DTV Table Of Allotments/channel change/blowout thread!
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=823166

SHF

I'm sure you should be able to get very good coverage from your location. Trees could be a problem if they are close by. You may need to raise the antenna in that case. Make sure you have a good VHF/UHF antenna. If it is old maybe replace the transformer at the antenna. Make sure you use coax cable and not Twin-lead cable. I would also recommend an amplifier. Either at the antenna, e.g., Channel Master 3010A or if the distance from antenna to TV/tuners is not too far, an amplifier near the TVs. In that case get an amplifier with multiple outputs and you can supply all you tuners with one antenna. In our area you need 2 antennas at the most, one pointed to Sutro and the other to KTEH's if you are into channel 54's selection. Rabbit ears won't make it.

Alas, my Antenna's cannot be outside, but they are inside my attic.

Two UHF inside ones are upstairs, one for KQED in the Winter which did not help, and one for KTEH.

The KTEH antenna is pointed South East, not toward Monument Peak to the North East.

The KQED one pointing North West toward Sutro currently also gets KTEH and KICU quite well currently.

In the Winter I can sometimes rotate my UHF (4-Bay) 360 degrees and not get a good capture of KQED (30) in any direction. That antenna has an amp, the VHF one which is hung up with string pointing at Sutro does not.

Going back up into the Attic is not something I will be considering until well into 2010, or when ever my roof will be replaced.

The changes on Sutro will be well done before I plan any changes. You just have to live with it's changes until then.

When the Winter rains start will be when I expect problems. What they might be cannot be predicted until then.

Now in the Summer I get good reception.

SHF

Sorry my mistake I meant to type 901. I just do not want to pick up the older model.

Sears was sold out in just a few days of these boxes.

If I can not get two of these I might just get the Digital Stream boxes from Radio Shack.

If anyone is going to Sears call first. The lady said they sell out super fast.

You can currently get the Zinwell ZAT-970A from Amazon for free. You don't even need a credit card, because after you enter in your coupon #, there are no other charges (free shipping - but you have to remember to check it), and the "Payment Method" screen doesn't even come up.

It's a very good box for free. Said to have comparable PQ to the Zenith and good reception quality, and also has event timers in case you want to set programs to record from it (only other box that has that is the DTV Pal Plus)

Doesn't have the fuller guide like the Digital Stream (only "now and next", like the Zenith), but the PQ should be better, because the DS's is not supposed to be all that great.

The Amazon.com system will not let you enter the DTV Coupon information unless there is a CC of some sort listed in the account information. I also had problems with the system accepting my card information, but the 866 representative helped me past that point. Kudo's

Aha. Didn't realize that, because mine was already in there from many times before.

I forgot to add that I used a $0.00 balance pre-pay card for my CC.

posting for a friend

she has an insignia dtv box from bby and she has it hooked up with rca cables from the box to an old crt. her issue is that the low frequency sound comes out just fine, but high frequencies are very muted and quiet. as she puts it, on her soaps the guys voices come through fine but women's voices cant be heard. she says this is a new problem since the digital changeover, and this is even when the volume is all the way up.

i havent seen the set up bc she doesnt live close and im not sure why this would be. any ideas or resolutions? thanks in advance guys.

You might want to post this in the CECB threads for this model. It could be an issue with that particular ch. Check to see if this is for all chs or just one. If it's just one then it probably is an issue at that station and not something that can be fixed with the CECB.