Apex dt150

Um, 'cause you just don't RATE, man...




Just kidding...wanted to give the thread a bump so maybe someone who's seen the DT150 in action will comment.

Did notice from the Wikipedia entry comparing CECBs (which has a lot of info. totally WRONG about this device, btw) that it has the same Chinese manufacturer as the APEX 250 and 502--not well-regarded units. On the other hand, this looks to be much more fully featured than those (Wikipedia's CECB comparison chart notwithstanding), so mebbe it's better all around/has an upgraded EPG, reception, setup menus, remote power, etc. (the DT150's remote looks identical to the 250's except it's now black, but maybe the innards are different, but I doubt it). FYI: Google Audioholic's review of CECBs for more info, e.g. on the APEX 250. Also: wonder whether/assume the RS232 port is for firmware upgrades--does APEX have a good record on firmware support after product launches?

Woohoo!

(I'm easily self-amused...)

How old is the Apex DT150 compared to the other Apex models.

Well I was all ready to spend my $ 0.01, plus gov't coupon, on one of these things at my neighborhood CompUSA outlet store but they didn't have any. They did have loads of Artec and AccessHD units though (..I wonder why ). Anyway, I will try again in a couple of weeks.


_Lazza

No mention of analog passthrough makes me think it is vaporware.

Hmmm... is the lack of APT with this unit an indication that it is of an older (late 2007/early 2008) design? It seems nearly all of the newer, quality CECBs have analog passthrough.

Or perhaps since analog broadcasts are about finished could this in fact be a new design? Presumably once the CECB program ends newly introduced STBs will come without APT?


_Lazza

i havnt...but i am tempted....i have one coupon left....it would be a very long way to go for me tho....so idk if i will....but on paper it looks like a very interesting converter...and no other cecb i've seen has so many on-the-box buttons/functions....

it has a channel recall button on the remote, which i think is essential....it also has has S video and a smart antenna port...the epg seems to have some hours worth of 'look ahead' but no program description info? see manual pg 21...idk why but it seems tiger removed the manual link from its page...but i saved it and it still works.... it has some menu screen shots >

http://static.tigerdirect.com/pdf/DT150_Manual_Ver1_5.pdf

hmmmm....idk why but avs changed the link destination for some reason....look at what it becomes in the status bar at page bottom b4 u click on it.....very strange....whats that all about?

so just copy & paste it as a url....i just tried it again and it still works >

http://static.tigerdirect.com/pdf/DT150_Manual_Ver1_5.pdf

Tried to copy/paste, but the pasted url was still that changed url.

Entered it manually--with underscores where the "spaces" are in the underlined url, and it worked.

I, too, am interested in the EPG features; unfortunately, they look rather weak in the manual's drawings.

If someone grabs this, let us know all about it!

Thanks Willdao. It seems one has to copy and paste the text of the url (or type it from scratch) into the browser. Clicking on the url produces an error.

I would be interested in folks who have other models of Apex CECBs to see if they can tell whether this model is brand new or just a rebranding exercise. The date of the users manual is mid-2008; presumably these devices are made at that time or later. Hopefully this means early snafus with Apex CECBs are not present with the dt150.


_Lazza

what kind of problems did the early APEX boxes have?

has anyone had any experience with this APEX DT150 model? ...it would be nice to get an actual users opinion of it...

looking at the manual it appears that the epg just has simple NOW/NEXT PROGRAM titles with no program description info?

If you need a directional antenna to pick up sufficent DTV signal, then you do NOT want this converter box. If you scan channels with one antenna position it picks up those channels, BUT if you relocate to a new antenna positon and rescan, then it deletes all of your old channels and scans in the new ones. If you type in the real RF frequency of a channel in a new antenna location, the box will find the new DTV channel number, BUT it will NOT allow you to add the new channel to your intitally scanned channels. IE you can NOT ADD Channels to your 1st Auto channel scan.
Tech support suggested a SMART Antenna as the solution, but the specs on these antennas signal gain, seem to be for those few folk who live in the shadow of the TV transmitter towers, not the real users of converter boxes (those of us who live beyond where the TV cable company's lines end). Also the EPG program guide text on this unit is so small you almost have to be setting on top of the TV to read it (NO adjustment that I can find). Also the actual auto scan time for this unit is 2-3 times longer than other units I have tried, ie (I suspect it is trying to adjust for a smart antenna even though the unit knows that it doesn't have one attached to it).
I trully wanted to like this unit because with the extra buttons on it, you CAN actually use this box without the remote, (I am a strong beliver that ALL devices should be like this). The actual reception of the box is also pretty good. But HOW can a vendor actually sell a product which will not allow you to set up to veiw ALL the stations in a viewers reception area??? I thought that what the boxes were being sold for.

I searched a lot of places looking for this unit. It seems that CompUSA/Tigerdirect is the only places selling this Apex unit. A little off topic but do any of you know a reasonable place to order the Zinwell ZAT-950 converter?

Also remember that if you do purchase from tigerdirect to use the bing cashback. I think its at 8% right now.

Apex Digital DT150

Printed on the motherboard board (MB) is:
---
APEX_DT1001_MB_V1.3 2007/08/26
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T-M 3703E4-AR
94V-0
---

Chips:
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Zoran ZR39741HGCF
B0 Y7DM0803HW
SupraHD 741
---
hynix (not able to read the print since it has been written on by a marker, not by
me of course, this is how it was when I first opened the unit.)
---

NOTE: If you would like more details, ask.

What tuner does it use - Thomson, Samsung, or some other?