Trt tacb-2009 - Page 3

Why not just sell some of the boxes you have on ebay or craigslist?
The better boxes are doing pretty well.
I think the TRT factory has the best price without the coupon.

I wouldn't wait for used.
How many Channelmaster boxes are showing up used?
I've seen few and they are always from people that don't care about the converters.

Unless someone comes up with a better box for the price, I think these will hold their value.
Has anyone even made a hidef box with a timer yet

Info on the remote pulls up a bar at the bottom of the screen with channel info, time, now and next titles and misc channel info.

Most boxes seem to be bringing around $30, up to $60 on ebay.
Timer boxes sell for more.
Don't hold your breath for the timer boxes getting cheaper.
I predict the market will saturate and people will hang on to the better ones.
But I'm not sure there will be enough in the market for years.

How soon do you think people will dump a box with a front display, timer and S-video?
Few channelmasters are for sale and they made a lot of those.
If I sold any of my timer boxes or the CM, they would go to friends first.
So most of these will never hit the open market.

Zinwells are more plentiful, so I see some cheaper, but $40 is usual.
Most don't know they have a a timer.


I think you would get a better price direct from TRT, and factories are usually better at backing up defective boxes.

I had a lockup today.
I changed channels and the screen went black.
It was just as a heater kicked in and the voltage dropped, which may be related.
I had no response to the remote at all.
Cut power and back up.
The box powered up on the channel I had changed to.
First time it's happened.
I've had it on since I got it.

I had another freeze today.
This time it froze on a picture with no audio.
No response to the remote or front buttons.
I turned off the master switch and back on.
Fine now.
I've been using it since I got it and I never turn it off.
This is the second freeze.
I don't know if it's a combination of commands or if it just needs to rest sometimes.

By the way, there is a big time delay between the Pal Plus and this box, so if you want an interesting audio effect, just run them in the same area.
Most boxes don't seem to sync with the Pal Plus, but this box seems more dramatic.

You just have to keep complaining about it.
They will eventually realize it's their best promotional tool.
Most people at the stations have no idea there is a guide.
Make sure you reach engineering.
And marketing, promotion.

If worse comes to worst, we can start making fun of the guides and link to the network shows.
You know, "I really loved Letterman's show last night.
He interviewed guests and provided musical entertainment.
Be sure and catch that one."

Be sure to let the promotional divisions and the show's owners know.
Big companies love being made fun of, especially when it costs them money.

Some of the guides are quite good, but there is a long way to go.
I hope as more people use the guides, they will do a better job.

Nightline will be doing interviews tonight, I see.
I guess that will make a change.

I am still using the TRT as my primary box.
I've had it running since I got it and other than the odd freeze, has been perfect.
It seems as least as good as the Channelmaster in picture quality.
The TRT has solved the issues I had with the pbs station breaking up on some material.
It either smooths out the breaks or prevents them.
I only change over to the Channelmaster now when there are signal issues due to weather. It is clearly more sensitive in some conditions.

The remote works great, one reason I prefer using the TRT all the time.
Plenty of strength.

If I had the choice, I would make some minor changes in the arrangement.
The center button in the array of channel/ volume buttons needs to feel different from them, but it does no permanent harm.

The biggest annoyance is the escape from the full guide display.
You have to go to exit every time.
EPG gives you the grid display and you can change channels in the grid function, but it actually changes channels, just as in the Channelmaster.
The grid can display a full display without changing channels, but it clearly needs more memory to do it properly and consistently.
Clicking on OK gives you the detailed info on a show.
But you must exit to go back.
You can exit from the EPG grid by hitting the EPG button again or exit.

I usually can't go more than 10-12 hours ahead in the grid, even though is should be capable of more.
It can sometimes go back an hour or so, which is immensely useful.
The grid and info is very simple and doesn't have a lot of adjustment, but is very functional.

With a little tweaking, it could be the best one out there.
It does lack the ability to check programs on a station you aren't on, like the Pal Plus can.
Sometimes the grid retains this memory and sometimes not, but you can't click on program info without changing channels to the same channel.

The Pal Plus is a better remote design, but has a fraction of the functions and no operation LED on the remote.

It seems technically capable of much more than two weeks.
The Channelmaster is limited by pages which usually works out to 10 or 12 hours.

I think it's a memory issue.
Right now I can go to 9 pm, while on a 10-11 am show.
I'm getting a few random shows days ahead on some stations.
The grid often has to reload when the time changes or you change stations.

At 10:30 am, I'm getting programs to 9 am tomorrow on a different station after tuning to it.

It's 11:20 am and on the NBC station I can go to 6 am tomorrow on the grid, or the 5:30 am show.
It just reloaded, after being on the station for a few minutes, and it is going to 8 am on the 28th, or two days from now.
I'm seeing some shows on the fox channel that far ahead too, which often has poor epg info.

I seem to consistently get nine hours total from most channels though.
Or eight hours ahead of the program I'm watching.
The ION station is the other exception, going to 9 am tomorrow currently.

I haven't used them a lot yet, but I haven't had any issues.
I'm not able to post pictures now.

You enter menu, then setup, then timer setup, then program timer.
Options are Timer Number 1-8
Can be set to on/off for each.
Once, Daily, Weekly, Monthly
It lists the channel as Wakeup Channel
Month
Date (day)
Time
You can cycle each number for the time or punch them in.

Everything for each timer is displayed on a grid.
White letters on a blue background with yellow highlighting.
You have to save all changes.

I don't think you have to do anything once the timer is armed.
It runs regardless of being on or off.

My LG directtv hidef tuner and dvd has almost total remote interaction between the two remotes and the TRT box.

I've been using the TRT timer and the only issues so far are due to stations with the incorrect time broadcast.

Yes, I'm recording with it right now.

I don't think the LG or theTRT have those remote options.