Zenith DTT901 - Page 3

Following is a mix of interesting information about the DTT901:

1) Yesterday I bought two DTT901 at CC in north Dallas, TX
The store had a mix of 900 and 901, all from April 2008 (except one 900 from December 2007.. hope nobody will fall for this one.)
The 901s were marked:
84E00941
APRIL 2008
804SH**470***

I saw there boxes with serial numbers starting with 470, 471, 472, 473 and 474, all with the same 'series' number. As was mentioned here before about the 900s, the 2 letters before the 470 did not seem to make a difference.

2) I am very happy with these boxes. I am over 40miles from the towers, and got all the channels my $200 Samsung SIR-T451 (2 year old HD Tuner) is getting, which means (almost) all of the available channels. From my 2+ years experience with HDTV: antenna type, antenna location, direction and height are crucial to getting better reception. Especially when using an indoors antenna.

3) I did not notice any difference between the mono and stereo audio settings (with RCA cables). The sound level was the same as the Samsung box. The comparison some people did before with analog vs digital, blaming the box for lower volume is incorrect. Even with cable connected to HDTV with QAM tuner, the audio level of the analog channels is higher than the digital ones (for the same station).

4) For the past week I kept searching cc website to see if they got any DTT901, but I kept getting "Sorry, we found no matches for DTT901". Thanks the prior posts here I went to cc store to see if they got them. The UPC barcode on the 900 and 901 is different (last digits) but the cash register receipt still reads "ZEN DTT900" on the 901s..

5) Regarding the tuner: according to the FCC documents LG filed, the 901 is NOT a new box they are going to sell, but rather a 'Permissive Change' to the existing one. The only technical change listed is the use of (LG) TDVG-H151F tuner instead of the (LG) TDVG-H051F tuner. They do not mention the Sanyo tuner, but since the existing Sanyo does not have APT and since they did not list a new Sanyo tuner, I believe the only tuner we're going to see is TDVG-H151F.

6) This LG pricing sheet I found online explains the 'permissive change' plain and simple. Look at the bottom of the last page. You'll see "DTT900 - Discontinued". Maybe this can help all those with problematic 900s to get a 901 replacement?
http://www.digitalsalesgroup.com/secure_test.php?pdf=lg

7) I was waiting for the DTVpal after all the hype, but not anymore. These boxes work better than I expected, and buying a 2nd gen of a tested device is always better than 1st gen of a 'promised' device. Thanks to all the prior posts here I made an educated choice.

That would be a nice addition, but I'm glad the pass-through will work with it off. Saves power and heat, for one thing. With the Philco, you have to have it powered on. With the power off, the pass-through is weak at best.

Damn! I may have to rely on the stupid power off button then and wait for 5 seconds before I switch between HD and SD channels.


On SD digital channels (480i), do you see the clipping by the Samsung? This only happens with SD channels, not HD channels. You can see the clipping if you toggle the output switch to a different setting. The image 'resets', and you see the whole image. But, as soon as you flip to a different (HD) channel, and flip back to the SD channel, the clipping happens again. In addition to the clipping, the image is also slightly off center. This is most evident on the ABC weather sub channel, since the image is more or less static and you can more easily see what is being clipped off.

The clipping is happening in the internal buffer of the Samsung, not the output stage, because it is the same regardless of what output you use. If you choose the mode on the samsung where it adds black bars to the side, you can see the clipping also occurs, an indication that the clipping is not due to the TV's over scan.

I called Samsung about this, but got no where with the customer service when I said I want to file a bug report. The local international station that I watch unfortunately still broadcasts in 480i, and I am not holding out my breath for it to switch to HD since most of the material it shows are not in HD anyway. That's my reason to use the Zenith since it shows a more correct SD picture from SD channels.

Another interesting observation is, on my 480p EDTV panasonic panel, 1080i output by the samsung is SUBSTAINTIALLY sharper and more detailed than 480p/i output. This was evident on both component and HDMI input. So I am a bit puzzled why an EDTV with 480p resolution is able to clearly demonstrate this difference. The internal processing must be HD capable. Just like a 6 megapixel camera image down shrinked to a 3 megapixel image will most likely show more detail than a 3 megapixel image originated from a 3 megapixel camera. Still, why does DVDs looks softer than HD stations showing the same movie on my 480p panel? Since it has storage for every one of those pixels my TV displays...

Anyway, back to CECB. I hope my local CC will start to have the 901 soon before the exchange period on my 900 expires.

I didn't notice any clipping when I had it on my 16:9 display (not to say it wasn't there - just that I didn't really notice it), but when I zoom in on the 4:3 one, oh yeah - there's lots of it. Except, like I said, everything's tall and skinny anyways, so I don't use that mode.

The Samsung is definitely not designed to be used with a 4:3 TV, that's for sure. At least I have component inputs though, so I can see the menus and OSD.

What state?

Wildgoose,

Try plugging your H260F into your TV (a second input, which it sounds like you want to do anyway with a Zenith box) using the S-video output on the Samsung. This doesn't display the guide/OSD (oh well), but it also doesn't cut off the edges on 4:3 channels. You can watch HD channels with HDMI or component, and then flip to "Video 2" or whatever the S-video input is for SD digital channels w/o them being cut on the edge. It's still not ideal, but may be a better solution than buying another box.

2 stores near me does not have it. Trying 3rd tomorrow

My local small town independent Radio Shack store is expecting a delivery of some 43 Zenith DTT901s next week. So I won't be needing to spend money on shipping charges or a tank of gas to drive to a Circuit City to get my DTT901, and my 1st coupon won't be expiring before use. I can wait.

Bought a DTT901 at CC this week. Promptly exchanged my DTT900 for another. Why? The audio output on the 900 (April 2008) was anemic. I had to turn the volume on the TV almost all the way up to get decent sound. At that level, noise from the TV audio amplifier was evident. The DTT901s (May 2008) have much stronger audio output. More like I would have expected. I don't know who would want to keep the 900 with its low audio output.

I also read a review that said the 900 could not be used with both outputs active. I think it was on CNET. In case anyone is interested, both my original 900 and the 901s will operate two TVs with good results. I use one unit connected by RF to drive the living room TV and connected by composite to a Leapfrog to drive the kitchen TV. Both TVs deliver a good picture even when they are on at the same time.

The 901 manual is amended to state that you should use mono audio when using the RF output. I use both the RF and composite outputs on a single unit, separately and simultaneously, with the audio set to stereo without any problem. I did the same with the 900 without problem.

My thanks to other member posts which helped me select the Zenith before my coupons ran out.

Zenith DTT901's are available at a Circuit City here in Tucson, to my surprise. I'd gone in to get a second April DTT900 (just purchased one a couple of days ago) and found DTT901's mixed in with DTT900's.

I'll be trying it out tonight. Love the DTT900; in central Tucson it picks up every station I had before with only a rabbit ears (unpowered).

Indeed they don't.  The CC nearest me (Niles, Illinois) had both April 900's and May 901's in the stack when I bought a 901 Thursday.


So did mine, but several employees assured me that that would be no problem.


Yes, it does.  Radio Shack's page was misleading.

Stopped at my CC today. They had about five DT901s but with an April date (84E00946). They also had a bunch of DT900s mostly with March dates but a few with April dates.

Another person in this thread said the April DT901 preformed just like the April DT900.

On the Zenith DT900 thread SirVette posted -
"DTT900 (April) & DTT901 volume output on a quick test- they seemed same & specs. of DTT900 (April) & DTT901 output are same."

You said your May DT901 has much stronger audio output. I have about a week to see if CC will exchange the two DT900s I bought, brand new, still in box, and never used.

I am wondering if I should try to wait for May DT901s or risk the five April DT901s being sold by next weekend.

This week I bought a 900 1082 version.

I hooked it up and it pulled in 3 stations.
The audio was weak etc as others have
stated.

So then I returned it back to CC for a April
build 901. After hooking it up I tuned
in 8 stations. Everything remained the same
concerning the antenna. In addition the
salesman at the store said that the 901
tuners are equal to sanyo tuner. He didnt
say that about the 900 april build tuners.
Tuner in the 901 is the revamped LG tuner.
The 901 tuner will drop the station half way
into weak field on signal level. The other april
900 build would drop signal when signal meter was
half full, ie well past full weak level signal.
My opinion based on my location, 900 april
builds are to be avoided.

The 901 audio levels are the same for both
mono and stereo and outputs are
nice and loud for both composite and rf.
Picture is slightly better on the 901, colors
seem better too.

901 has a better tuner and no audio
problems whatsoever. My advice if you
are still in the return window for CC
get on down there and get a 901 asap.

DTT901 84e00948
april 2008
804shng499735

I want to take my two April 900's back to CC and exchange them for 901's as I would like the stronger audio output.What do I have to tell them to make the exchange? I am within my 30 day return window. Do I have to go to the store where the original purchse was made or can I go to any CC for the exchange?
Thanks,

I happened to go past my nearest Circuit City today, the first time since I returned from a month-long trip, so I stopped in to see if I could find a DTT901. They had a big stack of Zenith boxes on the floor, probably 50-60 of them, plus a dozen or so more on a display shelf. All of them were DTT900's (April build) except for one DTT901 on the corner of the top layer of the stack! I grabbed that one to replace the DTT900 that I've been using for a while for its handy signal meter. Now that the new units have fixed the sound problem in the early 900s, I can also use it to feed my DVD recorder. The RF passthrough also comes in handy because now I can easily check analog reception when I'm having problems with some of my digital stations.

Looks like I am getting a 901 with my second voucher. This unit sound like a winner.

Dennis

I got two DTT901s from a stack of at least thirty of them (all 901s) at the Lansing, MI Circuit City.

While the cashier was running the cards through, I asked whether the program was a big pain in the tuckus. She didn't think so - the cards are no worse than a prepaid debit card or gift card. The big pain is the (apparently not too small number of) people who buy a box or two and then return the box in hopes of liberating $40 from the round trip.

Something else that I've noticed about the DTT901. I don't know what LG has done, but the box barely breaks out a sweat after it has been on for awhile, even though I keep it in a cabinet with glass doors.

The DTT900 never ran hot, but it did get noticeably warmer than the DTT901 is getting. Even after having been on for over 90 minutes, with the cabinet doors closed, the DTT901 is barely putting out anything that feels like warmth.

Ya your right. The 901
does run very cool. It never gets
warm to touch here and I have it
running all day....

I've noticed a couple comments from 901 owners above, that also owned the 900, that the 901 seems to do better at holding a signal than the 900 did.

We just last week bought a 900 and are pretty happy with the channels it gets... but our local PBS here in Lansing, MI gets choppy because the signal strength hovers around 50%...

I'm wondering if it'd be worth it to exchange our April 08 made 900 model for a 901 model (e.g. if the newer unit would lock-on to that PBS signal better).

Has anyone else experienced the 901 locking-onto signals better than their previous 900 models?

I am wondering the same thing. The 900 works pretty well and would the 901 be that much of an improvement? I have another 2 weeks to mull over an exchange.

From comments posted here it seems to run even cooler, the tuner is better and the audio amplification issue is improved. Hmmm . . . did I just talk myself into doing it?

Yes. =P

Regarding the zenith dtt 900/901 now next epg. My experience has been that the device actually downloads all of the PSIP data transmitted. It just doesn't display it all, only "now next". You can test this by scanning available channels so that data is retrieved. Then two hours later (or an interval after the current program ends) pull up the simple guide. You'll see that the next "now next" has been added without doing a channel re-scan.

This isn't scientific, and it could be a fluke as I've had the DTT901 less than 24 hours. Early this afternoon, I was watching our local CBS affiliate, WTKR, a channel that has consistently given me headaches with digital freezing of image and/or audio. 10 minutes went by today with no freezing observed, sort of an anomaly with this channel. I was astonished even more to discover that the outdoor antenna wasn't even pointed in the direction that would normally provide maximum signal strength and reliability...I had been playing around with it earlier that day, and it was pointed towards stations that are in the other direction.

During the half hour that I watched, picture and sound were more stable on that channel than I've seen it since initially getting a Zenith DTT900 back in March. After pointing the antenna closer to the proper direction, two image freeze-ups hit in rapid succession, but after moving the antenna again slightly, no further freeze-ups were observed.

Please take the above with a grain of salt, as these are again very preliminary observations...but I am encouraged by that half hour. WTKR has been the worst digital channel in this area for me.

I dropped by my CC store last night. They had about a dozen DTT-900's, all April 2008 builds on the shelf. No DTT-901's. Asked a salesman if they had any DTT-901's in the back, and he said "no, never heard of the DTT-901, but we have 700 new DTT-900's in the warehouse."

He also didn't know anything about the DTT-901, and tried to convince me I didn't need passthru in my area (actually I do for one analog translator station). Anyway I hope he is full of sh*t. It could take months to sell another 700 DTT-900's. I told him their stock was all obsolete and discontinued, and he just laughed. Typically CC clerk.

Washington Square/Tigard, OR CC store, btw.

Salem, NH has equal amounts of DTT900/DTT901s, the 901s being 84E00940. I had to hunt for them, as they were on the lower shelf at floor-level.

Paul

I thought I read some where that you could move through the EPG, Now and Next, on the dtt900/901 units by simply clicking the > or < arrows on the remote... This could/should move you along the time line of the current station, is this true?

Dennis

I have noted that some here have found the Zenith DTT901 to have better tuner sensitivity than the DTT900. Just thought I would add my observation that for my DTT900 and DTT901 boxes, the DTT900 tuner is the more sensitive of the two.

Earlier this month I compared the tuner sensitivities between my RCA 800B and my Zenith DTT900, and found them to be equal. I connected both boxes to the same antenna with a splitter and quickly switched from one to the other while tuned to the same marginal channel. As the signal strength slowly waxed and waned, I could compare the point of video breakup on both boxes nearly simultaneously. After recently getting a DTT901, I repeated the same experiment with the new box, and was surprised to find that the DTT901 was breaking up before the RCA 800B. I then did a compare between the DTT900 and the DTT901, and found the 901 does break up before the 900. Not a tremendous difference, but certainly noticable and repeatable. I'm guessing that the difference I'm seeing may just be tuner to tuner variation, and may not indicate typical model differences.

I was about to exchange my DTT900 for a DTT901, but now I may rethink that plan.

The <,> arrows move you to the next channel, rather than to a new time.