Zenith (LG) DTT900 CECB - Page 74

Its brother the Insignia 32" Plasma was just released using the same LG panel and electronics. It drops the IR removal tool, but includes aspect ratio control on HD sources, and a more robust remote.

Older HD CRTs have inferior older video processing solutions.

Which universal remotes have been successfully adapted to work with the DTT900?

I use Philips universal and learning remotes. I have a four device PM435S (under $7) and a six device PMDVD6 learning remote ($9.74 when on sale at Fred Meyer). There are twelve pages of codes and code search on both, and learning capabilities on the six device model. The code for the DTT900/901 (and probably the Insignia) is 0267. There is no "-" button on these remotes but the additional subchannels may easily be tuned by the channel up/down button or from the box that appears when the main (X-1) channel is tuned. The six device model learned the "-" command from the original Zenith remote. The four device remote has large enough buttons (a total of 45), but many of the six device learning remote's buttons (a total of 51) are much smaller.

My older RCA universal remote, a RCR460, doesn't seem to have the right code even after doing a code search.

I've been looking for the PM435S and PMDVD since you first wrote about them but haven't seen one yet although the web says my local circuit city has a PM435S for $20. I've seen some other Philips models and been tempted to try those as there are no Fred Meyers here. Sears for $12 has beenout of stock forever...all their Philips remotes rack have been empty except the expensive ones.

These are older models without the "-" button that may soon be replaced with later models that have that button. The Fred Meyer stores (mostly in the Pacific Northwest) are part of the Kroger chain. The last time I was at Freddies the PMDVD6 was being sold at the regular price of $17.99 but on sale it's only $9.74. The PM435S was being sold for the regular price of $12.99 but on sale it's under $7.00. Philips is a very common brand.

The Zenith remote requires very little button pushing. I have never once had to use the "-" to get to a sub-channel with the Zenith remote. I just enter the first number of the virtual channel I want to go to, a menu pops up with all the options and I navigate to the one I want via the arrow buttons. If I want the first listed channel, I don't have to do anything at all - it automagically goes there. I can't see that the "-" is needed at all. Maybe I'm missing something.

It's definitely needed by units that control the box via an IR blaster (like a TiVo). They can't see the pop-up menu like you can.

I had some good DX-ing this morning, and found out what the zenith does with two channels with the same virtual number. It keeps both.

local 27-1, and 27-2 are on real channel 40
distant 27-1 was coming in on real channel 50

My channel list shows:
19-2
27-1
27-1
27-2

At my guidance, my Dad purchased two DTT-900s with his $40 coupons. Both were February 2008 builds. One of his DTT900 CECBs developed a strange tuning malfunction a couple of months ago. This was a strange issue, possibly caused by a station transmitting a nonconforming signal, causing the tuner to randomly flip through channels and subchannels.

We contacted LG/Zenith customer service and arranged to ship back his DTT900 for repairs. They sent the DHL shipping materials to my Dad - interestingly, they only wanted the box (not the remote, cables or anything else). Weeks went by without getting the DTT-900 back.

My Dad finally called LG/Zenith customer service. They were extremely friendly and helpful, though not real sure why it had taken five weeks for fixing his box. To make a long story short, they indicated his box was being shipped that day. Upon arrival, LG/Zenith actually shipped my Dad a brand-new June 2008 DTT-901. We hooked it up this morning and it works great!

While my Dad was disappointed at the lengthy six week turnaround time that his CECB was presumably being "repaired", he was surprised and pleased to receive a brand-new box. I tried to explain that he actually has a somewhat better box than the "original" DTT-900, particularly with APT. Being unfamiliar with how to use the APT feature, I wasn't able to confirm it in operation. His bedroom TV, a six-year-old 27-inch Sharp CRT, has never looked better running local broadcast channels.

Keep in mind we contacted LG/Zenith just before the expiry of the 90-day labor warranty. It's uncertain whether they would provide much help for DTT900 owners after then, since labor is likely to quickly be more expensive than simply replacing a defective CECB.

All you do is turn the 901 off. (red light) Then scan thru the channels with your regular TV remote.

Remember to set the TV back to channel 3 (or 4) when you turn the unit on. (blue light)

I just realized the APT feature only works if the CECB is connected via the RF inputs. I connected Dad's DTT901 via composite.

You do realize the 901 (and the 900) output both RF and composite at the same time ? So as long as you have an RF cable from the CECB to the TV, you can have your choice of RF or Composite for digital viewing and still have the analog pass-thru once you turn the unit off.

Hmm, I just noticed on my 901 the composite picture is much lighter than the RF picture (the composite picture looks more like analog in brightness and contrast, while the RF picture is darker and sharper). On my 900 (Insignia) they were almost identical in output.

ah kewl
i've had the same weeks long wait, usually rma's from other companies don't take long. they just ship a refurb right back the moment they confirm the defective box has arrived. this has taken 5 or so weeks, its coming monday because dhl came around when i was not home on friday heh
hope its a 901 like you!

Thank you for these tips.

Crossing fingers for you!

Using the Zenith-supplied remote, I also haven't had to use the "-" to reach a subchannel. I do wish LG would have provided a somewhat larger remote, similar in size to the remotes for LG televisions. The "-" will probably be needed to tune subchannels with most non-LG universal remotes.

I compared my Dish DTVpal versus Zenith 900 yesterday (using rooftop antenna). Zenith tuned 8 stations. DTVpal tuned 14 stations! Impressive. However.....

- The DTVpal fell on its face when I used a set-top antenna.
Only got 2 stations. I think the DTVpal is more sensitive to
weak signals, but it fails to handle multipath as well as Zenith does (5).

it was a 901!!

I finally got around to buy a converter, the Zenith DTT901. It installed and set up easily.

I note one problem. On our Channel 7, whose transmitter is only about 7 miles away, signal strength keeps going from Good to Bad, and when it's low audio drops out and in extreme cases the picture freezes with pixilation.
Momentary, but an annoyance.

After a while (if the box is left on) the problem seems to lessen. I'm only using the small of rabbit-ear antennas that came with this 13-inch set, which doubtless is at least part of the problem.

Should I just leave the converter on all the time?

Don't I remember talk of a web page that tells how many channels are typically received for a broadcast ares?

I'm interested in Detroit (just over the northern border), for which I receive 16 channels (2, 4, 7, 20, 38, 50, 56, 62 and various sub-channels for each) with a tiny rabbit ears.

How much more of an antenna would I need to pick up a PBS station in Flint, which is maybe 45 miles away?

Check out TV Fool, type in your street address or directional coordinates to get a fairly accurate idea of which ATSC channels (and NTSC channels) can be received at your location. In your case, you'll also want the list of NTSC channels since Canadian analogs will continue broadcasting through 2011.

When you say "just over the northern border", does this mean you live in Indiana or does it mean you live in Windsor - where someone leaving Canada and going to the U.S. actually has to drive north towards the Detroit port of entry?

Enjoy your Zenith CECB, and check out EV's Best Indoor Antenna thread on the main forum for aerial ideas.

You may need to experiment with antenna placement for "Channel 7", or try out a different antenna. What is the real RF channel for that station? Sometimes those signal strength fluctuations are the byproduct of intermittent multipath conditions.

You shouldn't need to leave a DTT901 turned on all the time.

Leaving the DTT901 on all of the time is OK. It runs cool. Good thermal design.
Just turn it off when you want analog Pass Through. Mine is hooked up to TiVo and is on continuously.

The DTT900 and DTT901 definitely run cool and exhibit proper thermal design.

I think that shall be my solution to the IR remote not responding after the unit has been off for a while. I physically swapped my two units room to room, and the problem stayed with the room. Somethign in my teensy bedroom is causing havok with the IR. I haven't much in my room, and I one by one unplugged everything, and the unit still takes several presses of the IR remote power button before it will turn on from a "cold" start. If I take that remote and unit into the other bedroom, the problem does not manifest itself. So, this thing takes, what, 4 watts or 9 watts or something? I don't like wasting any electricity, but I guess I could live with leaving it on.

Your problem with channel 7 may be because of a weak signal. I have a similar problem with a station which has implemented their digital signal on low power and won't increase the power for a few more months. You might call someone at channel 7 (or check their website) to see if they are transmitting their digital signal on low power. Depending on what you learn you will know whether or not you have an issue with your antenna. I hope you will enjoy your 901.

I had a similar problem. Found out it was the fluorescent lights in the room that were causing the IR interference.

There are three things that I see as possible causes:
- weak signal
- poor location
- multipath

First, though, run your exact location through TVFool. The better your coordinates, the better your results.

Second, understand that the CECB meter is not a "signal strength" meter, but more like an error rate meter, since the latter is more important to digital reception.

Weak signal
Ch 7 could be running at low power. TVFool will tell you a rated power, and that can be misleading because
- power limit is set by the FCC based on propagation, and higher frequency propagate worse, so you can't compare Ch 7 and Ch 47; the latter needs more radiated power to reach the same coverage area
- digital power is more of an RMS value than the peak power quoted for analog, so at equivalent coverage area, digital will always be much lower
... and the station may not be at full power.

Poor location
TVFool combines local topo data with propagation models to estimate the lowest signal you'll see. If you live in a hole (as I do), 7 miles can result in the need for an "outdoor" antenna - I get misery from simple indoor antennas that's not unlike what you report. You can do this two ways
- look at the TVFool report for a signal value (Rx dBm)
- look for TVFool's coverage map for the station. It's a Google Earth terrain map with color coded signal strength iso-lines. If you know where you live, it's easy to see if you're on a hill or in a hole.

Multipath
DTV is very sensitive to signals with time delay due to reflections (and the added propagation distance that results). In analog, they're seen as ghosts. The only option, besides fine tuning antenna position, is to get a directional antenna that has reduced gain away from the aiming direction.

Thus, both weak signal and multipath may benefit from an antenna upgrade, and the analysis TVFool provides will tell you what is the best way to go.

In the event TVFool doesn't speak your language, post the plot here and we'll help with interpretation.

Have fun,
Frank

The article Activity Picks Up As Feb. 17 Gets Closer states that 1 million Zenith "TV set-top converter boxes" have been manufactured and shipped.

Were they compact fluorescent's, or straight tube? I have two CF's in the room. I'll try replacing them one by one with incan. But, strange that the other room, in which the units do not act up, has two CF's also. Perhaps various brands/designs of CF's emit more interference than others. I will post my test results here soon.