Centronics ZAT 502 HD / RTC DTA1100HD / Digiwave DTV5000HD

Please do. Thanks.

Can you tell us about the guide? Fast? How far does it go out into the future?

Where did you get it from?

Cost?

Does it have an uneven, non-linear, "just"-type stretch option for 4:3 material (what people sometimes call "the fun house mirror effect"), or just an even, linear one?

That'd be excellent. It looks like the PQ is pretty good in general from your other pics so far.

How's the general build quality? Can you add singular channels without having to do an "add-on" scan?

How's the remote?

Thanks for posting the screen shot of the dual signal bars, which interest me because they are so helpful when finding the best location and aim for an antenna. It looks a lot like the Apex DT502 screen. Is that a coincidence or is there a connection between Apex and Centronics?
The ability to add a channel after scan puts it one-up on the Apex even disregarding the HD.

Is there a link for a PDF manual yet?

Update 3-9-2012:
Since the link to the photo of the dual signal bars that douglas-b took is broken, I am putting it in an attachment below. It is much better than the one I took (which is why I saved it), and I hope that he will not mind.

Does it have event timer functionality so that it can working with recording devices (eg, DVDR)? Short of that, any idea on its compatibility with IR blasters?

Thanks.


_Lazza

Hmm, now I'm wondering if I should get the 502 or get a Samsung.

Which would be better if I did not want any black bars to appear when watching SD content? I've got a plasma and not a fan of those black bars.

After encountering a problem with my ZAT501HD I was offered an "upgrade" to the 502 by Centronics. I have to say that it is somewhat of a mixed bag as to which of those two is better.

ZAT502 v. ZAT501
+ better tuner (Samsung module vs. Thomson in the 501) gave me a few more channels
+ HDMI passes audio (the problem with my 501)
+ Dolby (but apparently only on the optical SPDIF out - mine only passes PCM over HDMI)
+ simplified setup and menus (the 501 was overly complex and sometimes undecipherable)
+ S video output
- cannot delete channels !
- no favorite channels function
- less detailed on screen guide
- no timer function (although I never used it on the 501)
- no VGA display port
- no serial port for software updates

As to it's screen filling zoom abilities, if a station is transmitting HD resolution none of the zoom modes will remove the left & right bars on 4:3 program content with the Screen Ratio set to 16:9.

So, unless your display has a zoom mode that will do it you will need to configure your ZAT502 Screen Ratio to 4:3. Then "Center" mode will stretch and remove the bars on 4:3 ratio SD program content and "Full" will provide proper screen fill for 16:9 HD content.

http://www.centralsatellite.com/productview-428.html
$85.50 and out of stock

http://www.summitsource.com/product_...te_banner_id=1
$89.95 and out of stock


Aren't they supposed to be available by now, and for $70.

Centronics says their next shipment from China is supposed to arrive this Monday (in fact, their web site is already trumpeting its availability). It's also cheaper ordering directly from them then from Central or Summit:
ZAT502 HD at Centronics

But good luck finding a 502 for $70, shipped prices now are nearing $100 and up....

There are plenty of DTB-H260F receivers on eBay, occasionally even some new ones (there's one there now). But bidding is also pretty active. Currently there's also a new one listed at VideogoN.

I am confused. Does this mean you find the Samsung's tuner better than both the Centronics, or that the 502 is better than the 501 and the Samsung, or ????

Sorry for the confusion. I was only comparing the Centronics models. The tuner module in the 502 is made by Samsung while the 501 had one supplied by Thomson.

Thanks for the clarification. So how does the 502's module differ from the one Samsung itself used in its own and now defunct DTB-H260F? Rammitinski speculated in the DTB-H260F thread that the ZAT502 might have a 6th gen chipset. Does it?

Sorry, I do not know the answer to either question but I think it is safe to assume that the 502 does have a later generation tuner than the 501.

I ordered my Centronics ZAT502 HD on Monday 5-11-09 and it arrived on Wednesday.

Preliminary testing shows that its sensitivity equals the Apex DT502. I used the attenuator-to-dropout method as described in the link in my signature.

The dual bar display looks just like the one on the Apex. I was able to add a channel after scan, which the Apex can't do---an important feature for the DXer or someone located between two cities.

My primary interest is in boxes that have signal strength AND signal quality bars to use as a measurement tool. Good sensitivity is also important to me because my signals aren't very strong.