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DigitalStream DTX9950 - Page 4

post #91 of 313
6/15/08 at 8:05am
Heres a thought on saving a few Watts of power on a Zenith that physically feels cooler compared to a Digitalstream box that draws a few Watts more than Zenith, and gets quite warm.

This thought comes from an actual experience today with my DTX9950.

First- The Digital stream drawing a few more watts and getting warm.
Depending on the station, the Event Program Guide (EPG) can show you what is on now and many-many hours ahead of time. With several stations, I was able to see well into tomorrow to my surprise. And it was only 10 in the morning.

The EPG of the Digitalstream is a plus for me because I don't watch much TV simply because I don't care for the programming offered. I see one stations has a sub channel that has infomercials day and night! (Lock that channel out for good). I like the other post where some one suggested they could fill the sub channels with Dr. Who, Red Dwarf, Farscape and the like.

Today, I found that there was nothing I wanted to watch today. Being digital is new to me, I checked every channel and I get 64 of them. The EPG saved me a lot of time flipping the TV on and off today.

Second- The Zenith boxes that feel cooler and draw a few watts less than the Digitalstream.
With the Zenith EPG, I see what is on now and next. That's it. What about later on tonight? Who knows if you have a Zenith until you get closer to zero hour.

Again, with digital being new to me, how many times a day would I have to turn my 27" TV on, which sucks up lots more power than any converter box, and go through each channel and check the EPG for every 2 hours? Plus not to mention the time I would waste- all to find out there is nothing to watch today.

- - -

Anyone remember how blazing hot those old-time cable TV set top boxes got?

- - -

Electrons for thought.....
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post #92 of 313
6/15/08 at 11:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by KLM-TECH View Post

Heres a thought on saving a few Watts of power on a Zenith that physically feels cooler compared to a Digitalstream box that draws a few Watts more than Zenith, and gets quite warm.

This thought comes from an actual experience today with my DTX9950.

First- The Digital stream drawing a few more watts and getting warm.
Depending on the station, the Event Program Guide (EPG) can show you what is on now and many-many hours ahead of time. With several stations, I was able to see well into tomorrow to my surprise. And it was only 10 in the morning.

The EPG of the Digitalstream is a plus for me because I don't watch much TV simply because I don't care for the programming offered. I see one stations has a sub channel that has infomercials day and night! (Lock that channel out for good). I like the other post where some one suggested they could fill the sub channels with Dr. Who, Red Dwarf, Farscape and the like.

Today, I found that there was nothing I wanted to watch today. Being digital is new to me, I checked every channel and I get 64 of them. The EPG saved me a lot of time flipping the TV on and off today.

Second- The Zenith boxes that feel cooler and draw a few watts less than the Digitalstream.
With the Zenith EPG, I see what is on now and next. That's it. What about later on tonight? Who knows if you have a Zenith until you get closer to zero hour.

Again, with digital being new to me, how many times a day would I have to turn my 27" TV on, which sucks up lots more power than any converter box, and go through each channel and check the EPG for every 2 hours? Plus not to mention the time I would waste- all to find out there is nothing to watch today.

- - -

Anyone remember how blazing hot those old-time cable TV set top boxes got?

- - -

Electrons for thought.....

My experience has been that the zenith dtt900/901 actually downloads as much epg data as the station sends. It only DISPLAYS now and next. You can test this by scanning through your channels once. Then pull up the simple guide a few hours later (without rescanning channels) and you'll see that the next "now next" has loaded.
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post #93 of 313
6/15/08 at 2:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by buckydc View Post

My experience has been that the zenith dtt900/901 actually downloads as much epg data as the station sends. It only DISPLAYS now and next. You can test this by scanning through your channels once. Then pull up the simple guide a few hours later (without rescanning channels) and you'll see that the next "now next" has loaded.

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
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post #94 of 313
6/16/08 at 7:02am
Hi. I'm "bounced" my DS9950 back to Radio Shack. It gets quite hot! I contacted the maker's Technical Support prior to doing so regarding this issue. This was their reply, "We would like to know how hot (in degrees) is your converter box?" I aptly replied, "In one forum, an individual mentioned the following in his/her referencing of the Digtal Stream DXT9950: "Unit got VERY VERY hot after a short time of use. An IR thermometer showed the tuner box area / external F connector posts reached 119 degrees!" I have yet to hear from them again. Can't wait to get my DTVPal!
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post #95 of 313
6/16/08 at 6:35pm
I got my DTX9950 on Friday. I ran it for several hours, and compared it to my 9900. I can come to a few conclusions.

1.) After several hours of running, it doesn't seem any warmer than my 9900. It gets warm, but not hot or uncomfortable to the touch.

2.) The left audio channel seems to be fixed! I'll have to do a bit more testing with this, but i've yet to hear any kind of annoying sounds out of the 9950. The 9900 on the other hand would give me a headache if the left channel was plugged into my TV.

3.) The middle "info" button on the remote has been changed, and now switches between analogue and digital. Basically, it just turns the damned thing off. The problem is, I have a habit of pressing it to read info and see the signal, and so now i'm constantly turning off my tuner by accident. The info button has been moved to the "ok" button in the center. Very annoying!
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post #96 of 313
6/17/08 at 8:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ctrek321 View Post

"Unit got VERY VERY hot after a short time of use. An IR thermometer showed the tuner box area / external F connector posts reached 119 degrees!"

Hey, that's cooler than the air temperature in Phoenix some days
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post #97 of 313
6/17/08 at 9:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ctrek321 View Post

An IR thermometer showed the tuner box area / external F connector posts reached 119 degrees!" I have yet to hear from them again. Can't wait to get my DTVPal!

Why? What's the temperature of the F connectors on the DTVPal? I see that the price is the same as the DTX9950:
http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_disp...od=DTVPAL-TR40
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post #98 of 313
6/17/08 at 10:59pm
I have a 5.1 speaker system with my PC/DTX9950 & the audio sounds just the same between analog & digital.

KLM-TECH - Have you tried just drilling out the vent holes on the top of the 9950?
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post #99 of 313
6/18/08 at 8:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by NuovoTech View Post

I have a 5.1 speaker system with my PC/DTX9950 & the audio sounds just the same between analog & digital.

KLM-TECH - Have you tried just drilling out the vent holes on the top of the 9950?

Hi NuovoTech and thanks for your observations on checking for the audio issues that bugged older models/boxes and that things sound the same to you analog or digital. I don't have a 5.1 system here, just the stereo speakers out of the TV that seems to pass highs really well when present.

Regarding drilling out the holes in the 9950. No, I have not done that. I plan to let it be in a burn-in (or burn down- ha!) test.

I don't want to make any potentially noticeable external modifications (I'm bad with a drill!) as I bought into the for $6 more- 1 year carry in warranty thing. Normally I do not buy warranties, but I figured if the 9950 turned out to have issues I would have a year to return the box. I figure even if this model is history within a years time, I might be able to swing for the replacement model if proven to be better. If they don't want to do this for me, I can say I bought into this warranty, and I want to talk to the District Manager. I used to work for Radio Shack long ago. I know how it works- or used to work.

Thanks for the post.
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post #100 of 313
6/18/08 at 11:02am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ctrek321 View Post

Stream DXT9950: "Unit got VERY VERY hot after a short time of use. An IR thermometer showed the tuner box area / external F connector posts reached 119 degrees!"

Might be much to do about nothing. 119F is only 48C, which is nothing for many computer parts or under the hood of a car. Cooler is always better, of course.

If that 119 is in celsius, that would be interesting.
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post #101 of 313
6/18/08 at 2:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheFranchise View Post

Might be much to do about nothing. 119F is only 48C, which is nothing for many computer parts or under the hood of a car. Cooler is always better, of course.

If that 119 is in celsius, that would be interesting.


I wrote the original statement, on the first page of this thread after an hour long review of the unit. It also should be taken in context with the other statement I made in that post---specifically that the RCA I was comparing against got to only 104 using the same setup, both side by side, both tested with the same IR thermometer 1" from the F-connector.

I only noted this because when it came time to switch the antenna lead between the two, I jumped when I touched the all-metal jacket of the coax cable's connector since I was not suspecting it to be this hot *outside* of the case. The whole thing was acting as a heat sink. I can only imagine what it was inside the case.

Yes, video cards and CPU's get hotter, but they're mostly fan cooled now (and don't survive for much above 50 celsius without active cooling) and you don't routinely go touching those things since they're safely confined in a case, not external to it waiting to be touched by a child that could get burned.

Remember--The maximum suggested hot water heater temp is 120 degrees for U.S. households:

http://www.ameriburn.org/Preven/Powe...#slide0056.htm

Therefore I thought 119 external to the unit vs. 104 on another unit was something that was "very very hot" and needed to be called out.
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post #102 of 313
6/18/08 at 3:36pm
IMO the DTX9950 is a fine unit & with minimal effort one can alleviate the heat issue. IE pop off the top & drill all vent holes a larger size. My water heater is set to 106' F, the RF connectors on my 9950 do not get that warm.
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post #103 of 313
6/18/08 at 4:15pm
Right on all of the above about the temperatures of the 9950. Yes it does get hot, and probably hotter than other CECB boxes. And as pointed out by others there are computer parts and yes, television parts (probably in your set right now ), that get far hotter, than this little box.

....I do wonder...of all the folks that returned their boxes because of heat concern, have also promptly returned their computers and TV sets too?

In time, will find out if they over heat. I've had mine turned on (although never anything to watch) since it arrived. No smoke yet. No changes in reception that I have noted. The room is about 82 degrees in that corner, with everything turned off. I have a wall thermometer right above the set.

Thanks for coming back Replay3030Owner with added clarification to your original post regarding your measurements, how you preformed them, and comparisons. Interesting, and enjoyed the post.

I wish I had not loaned out my IR probe. It never came back to me.
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post #104 of 313
6/18/08 at 4:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Replay3030Owner View Post

Yes, video cards and CPU's get hotter, but they're mostly fan cooled now (and don't survive for much above 50 celsius without active cooling)

Sure they survive, depending on model, of course. Lots of people just worry too much about them. Core2Duos don't even start throttling themselves until 80C or 85C, (depending on who's measuring and with what), while my ATI card doesn't start throttling itself until 105C, which is what it's rated to operate at. 75C is 167F. There's an amusing Nvidia card review on the net where a guy literally fries an egg on it.

Anyway, I understand your points and reasons. I was mainly just commenting on people's tendency to fear "high" temps on electronics. I see people spending $50 for upgraded video card coolers on $100 cards because they think 70C is hot for them.

If I had one of these, and I may next week because decision time is coming, I'd probably drill the holes bigger too. Of course the problem with drilling the vent holes bigger is the warranty is likely voided immediately. Some days you just can't win.
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post #105 of 313
6/19/08 at 2:22pm
I purchased a DTX9950 from RS this past week. I was very concerned about the heat issue everyone has been mentioning but found that at least on my unit, it doesn't seem to be much different than my other electronics. My VCR, stereo receiver, and Playstation 2 all get hotter, not sure what the big deal is. I have it sitting on top of the TV and there isn't any part of it that gets very hot (even the connectors), and I have purposely left it on for a few days to test. I think this issue has been greatly exaggerated.

I also own the MagnavoxTB100MG9 with the Analog Pass through. The DTX9950 is better in almost every way with the main plus being a much more sensitive tuner. The difference between the two is like night and day. I now can pull in the weaker channels with the DS where the Mag just completely ignores them. The guide is much better as well as the remote being universal and having buttons that are fairly decent in size. If you don't like the DS remote, try out the Mag's and see what garbage is.

Not sure how this model compares to the Zenith but vs the Magnavox, there is no comparison. The DS shines over it in almost every way. Especially the much better tuner.
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post #106 of 313
6/19/08 at 3:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gevo View Post

I purchased a DTX9950 from RS this past week. I was very concerned about the heat issue everyone has been mentioning but found that at least on my unit, it doesn't seem to be much different than my other electronics. My VCR, stereo receiver, and Playstation 2 all get hotter, not sure what the big deal is. I have it sitting on top of the TV and there isn't any part of it that gets very hot (even the connectors), and I have purposely left it on for a few days to test. I think this issue has been greatly exaggerated.


Thanks for voicing Gevo... I suspected that this issue might be exaggerated by some. I'm not negating what others have said, but some may have defective units that should be taken back to the store.

Thanks again for letting us know.
Dennis
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post #107 of 313
6/19/08 at 9:17pm
Thread Starter 
How about concentrating on what external forces can be causing your unsafe to touch connectors. Perhaps that 100,000 kilowatts signal "super booster" amplifier, modulator you're using is overloading that tin can tuner and those little itty bitty connectors. Or maybe that shag carpet doylie from the '70s not to mention the dust on it is restricting, just a bit too much airflow.
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post #108 of 313
6/20/08 at 7:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jbestor View Post

How about concentrating on what external forces can be causing your unsafe to touch connectors. Perhaps that 100,000 kilowatts signal "super booster" amplifier, modulator you're using is overloading that tin can tuner and those little itty bitty connectors. Or maybe that shag carpet doylie from the '70s not to mention the dust on it is restricting, just a bit too much airflow.

Umm.. My testing was done on an open desk with 5 feet of airspace above the converter boxes, in a 70 degree room in the evening. Each box was connected to a simple bowtie antenna attached with 3 feet of RG6, no amplifier.

After an hour of connection, the RCA hit 104 degrees at the F connector external to the box. The DigitalStream hit 119 external to the box. I did not take apart or modify either box in anyway or attempt to measure inside the boxes.
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post #109 of 313
6/20/08 at 12:47pm
119 F would be very hot to the touch. Not one part of mine is hot even after being on for a few days. Warm but not hot. The TV itself is a lot hotter.
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post #110 of 313
6/20/08 at 3:02pm
What was the room temp, Gevo?

I haven't tested my DS extensively. It hasn't seemed excessively hot when I used it, but temperatures around here rarely go into the high 70's.
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post #111 of 313
6/21/08 at 5:57am
Can anyone please explain the difference between selecting input option RF-Cable vs. RF-Air? The manual explicitly refers to RF-Cable as the choice for getting air broadcasted stations that are being replayed by the cable company. But the cable system (QAM) is different. So does this means that this box can also work with cable? This cannot be since it will not qualify for the Gov coupon program!

Any help will be appreciated.

NewB
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post #112 of 313
6/21/08 at 10:44am
Initially, a few cablecos used 8VSB for cable. But IIRC, they all use QAM now. So, no, the box will not work on current digital cable.
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post #113 of 313
6/21/08 at 1:09pm
I bought the same one yesterday. It works fine on my tv set, but when I connect the VCR to it, the screen goes blank the minute I turn the VCR unit on.

ALSO....I have another one by Digital Stream that is not the "pass through" model. It works great (or it does now that I learned that I had to set the TV channel to 3 or 4 to coincide with the setting on the box!---I feel so DUMB, but the instructions didn't mention that!). ONE MAJOR CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT THE BOXES GET VERY HOT WHILE IN USE! I would NEVER consider placing it on a piece of furniture....They cool down SLOWLY after they have been turned off. This, of course, is not mentioned in the instructions.
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post #114 of 313
6/21/08 at 1:23pm
I bought the same one yesterday. It works fine on my tv set, but when I connect the VCR to it, the screen goes blank the minute I turn the VCR unit on.

ALSO....I have another one by Digital Stream that is not the "pass through" model. It works great (or it does now that I learned that I had to set the TV channel to 3 or 4 to coincide with the setting on the box!---I feel so DUMB, but the instructions didn't mention that!). ONE MAJOR CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT THE BOXES GET VERY HOT WHILE IN USE! I would NEVER consider placing it on a piece of furniture....They cool down SLOWLY after they have been turned off. This, of course, is not mentioned in the instructions.
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post #115 of 313
6/21/08 at 3:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by furmanfresh View Post

I bought the same one yesterday. It works fine on my tv set, but when I connect the VCR to it, the screen goes blank the minute I turn the VCR unit on.

ALSO....I have another one by Digital Stream that is not the "pass through" model. It works great (or it does now that I learned that I had to set the TV channel to 3 or 4 to coincide with the setting on the box!---I feel so DUMB, but the instructions didn't mention that!). ONE MAJOR CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT THE BOXES GET VERY HOT WHILE IN USE! I would NEVER consider placing it on a piece of furniture....They cool down SLOWLY after they have been turned off. This, of course, is not mentioned in the instructions.

The VCR also needs to be set to Ch3
e.g.:
CECB => RF-COAX => VCR(Ch3) => RF-COAX => TV(Ch3)
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post #116 of 313
6/21/08 at 11:24pm
Quote:


ONE MAJOR CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT THE BOXES GET VERY HOT WHILE IN USE!

There's a relatively easy workaround for the DS heat issue...read my previous posts in this thread.
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post #117 of 313
6/21/08 at 11:50pm
I purchased a Philco unit the first of June. The volume on all digital stations is half or less what it is on analog. I only have RF as an audio source and the Philco is set correctly.

I'm trying to decide on a second box. I have to have PT because we have several stations on LP translators.

Is the volume level from the DTX9950 as high as what you get on the analog signal without the box being used?
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post #118 of 313
6/22/08 at 6:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by viewer29 View Post

I purchased a Philco unit the first of June. The volume on all digital stations is half or less what it is on analog. I only have RF as an audio source and the Philco is set correctly.

I'm trying to decide on a second box. I have to have PT because we have several stations on LP translators.

Is the volume level from the DTX9950 as high as what you get on the analog signal without the box being used?

I like the Zenith DTT901 that I bought at Circuit City in Colorado:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...1032622&page=8

Analog PassThrough is achieved by turning it off (or unplugging it - makes no difference)
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post #119 of 313
6/22/08 at 11:47am
Numerous people here have said the 9950 runs hot. In another thread a user said it "lit on fire". Has anyone else experienced anything like that? How serious do those of you with this unit consider its heat problems?

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...6#post14099186
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post #120 of 313
6/22/08 at 12:35pm
Quote:


Numerous people here have said the 9950 runs hot. In another thread a user said it "lit on fire". Has anyone else experienced anything like that? How serious do those of you with this unit consider its heat problems?

Please go back & read this whole thread, IMO this issue has been somewhat overstated! There's a relatively easy workaround for the 9950 heat issue...read my previous posts in this thread.
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