RjTECH RJ-900ATSC Digital TV Tuner

I like the front panel: "Tv Setup Box"

???

I just ordered one to test and play with. I'll post how well it works and see if
RJ responds to any questions I have.

If this box outputs 16:9 SD, do you suppose it will do this by performing a downconversion and anamorphic squeeze of HD programming?

Or am I just confused?

LoL! It picks up HDTV hooking through composite? Humm

No. The specs indicate that it "Receives & converts ATSC DTV/HDTV digital broadcast signals to standard definition analog signals" Therefore, its output is always SD. The specs also indicate that it can output 16:9 SD, which could certainly provide a very good, DVD quality, downconversion of HD.

Got my 900 today. First impressions are VERY positive. Better than I expected
for a no-name box. Tuner sensitivity is above average. I'll post more this weekend once I have time to play.

Have you tried it yet with clear QAM? Can anyone with a cable connection get clear QAM? or do you have to have some basic level of cable service? I only have cable internet and I get HD locals over clear QAM.

Does it have the PSIP functionality? If it does it would be sweet if the PSIP worked with the clear QAM stuff. Less confusion that way.

None of these coupon boxes will do QAM. It is not allowed under the program rules. These ALL are OTA ATSC receivers only.

And yes, it has EPG, tho basic.. all 3 boxes I have tried thus far only show current and next event, no grid style EPG, which is pretty poor, IMHO.

do not buy this box! i ordered from newegg and got it quickly...only 2 days! but the box does not tune QAM as the specs states. i tried it on 3 area cable companies that have clear QAM channels (comcast jersey city, cablevision brooklyn, and time warner brooklyn). for over the air, the scan feature does not find any channels. you have to manually punch in the OTA #...(example 44 for fox in nyc) then it will automatically put it in memory.

Mine works exactly as advertised, and quite well I might add.

QAM? Which cable service? What do you receive?

I'm curious as to what part of "none of these coupon boxes do QAM" that people aren't getting?

No where in the despcription for this unit is QAM tuning mentioned.

By the way, this box is also sold as teh Mustek box, which is on the list.

Why is every thread about converter boxes full of "It doesn't do QAM"

"Junk cause it doesn't do QAM".

Hello? One the coupon boxes won't can't do it. Buy a QAM box.

This is NOT an eligible converter box. Also, Newegg claims that it has QAM tuning, so it's reasonable to assume that QAM tuning might work.

could you tell us more about how the box is working for you?
are you taking full advantage of it's SmartAntenna feature?
if not, how is it handling MultiPath issues with your antenna?

Those posts are mostly by Newbies who.. Post First, Think Second, Read Third.

Seems every day there's another thread started with the same info about these coupon boxes. I think new members should have to read 500 threads before being allowed to post........

Have not received smartantenna yet to test with.

Not that I disagree with you, but how can you enforce it ?

beachbum_50 writes:
> http://www.rjtech.net/desc_RJ-900ATSC.htm

This URL gives a 404 Not Found error.
Google has it in cache.

"Compatible with ATSC/Open Cable and MPEG2 Standard
Displays content in both 4:3 (normal) and 16:9 (wide) aspect ratios
High quality Dolby Digital Sound Capability (with SPDIF Coaxial Output)
Advanced Video/Audio parameters adjustment
Supports EPG (Electronic Program Guide)
Supports Multi-languages, Auto Scan & Automatic clock set
Supports Parental Control
Supports OSD Teletext/Subtitle or Closed-Caption
Full function remote control included

MPEG-2 main profile
720x480i (EIA-770.2A)
Aspect Ratio: 4:3, 16:9, Letterbox

Flash Memory: 16M bit
DDR: 16Mx16bit

ATSC/Open Cable [ Open Cable ? ]
Input Frequency Range: 50~120 dBuV [ Since when is Volts a unit of frequency? ]
Loop through function [ aka pass through ? ]

Smart Antenna Input
RF Output: 3 or 4 Channel NTSC
RCA connectors: Analog Video/Audio output [ meaning composite? ]
Serial port: RS232, 9-pin D-sub type

Input voltage range: 90 VAC ~ 240VAC
Power Consumption: max 15W
Stand-by mode: 2w
Size (WxHxD) 8.7x 1.5x 9.8
Weight 2.65 lbs"

No mention of s-video.
No mention of QAM, unless "Open Cable" means QAM?
"RCA connectors" could mean component, but I doubt it.

Could someone who has one open it up and report on the make and model
of the major parts? e.g. RF tuner, demodulator, mpeg decoder

drla writes:
> Newegg claims that it has QAM tuning

Perhaps Newegg is wrong?

No. Some small cable companies use ATSC instead of QAM.


What? An online retailer publish incorrect information about a product? Never! They thoroughly research every product they sell. And if you believe that, I have some ocean front property in Switzerland to sell you.

Installed the DTA-5000 Smart antenna today with the RJTech receiver.
This combo works very well, but has some quirks. Attached is my TvFool search results. WTVI-DT on RF Ch-11 is 8 miles away. This station was missed everytime with auto scan. I had to manually enter one of the stations
channels (11-5), and then have the DTA do an automatic position adjustment.
Once I did that, it receives WTVI @ 95-100%. There is no signal meter display
on the smart antenna page. That would be good to have, as well as when you display the signal meter, showing the smart antenna's preset.

More later on, I hoep to see if I can receive some more distant stations
as the evening progresses.

Thank you very much for sharing your experience. I'm one of many people here
hoping to try the SmartAntenna with one of the new ATSC converter boxes.

Can you elaborate on something regarding the RJ-900ATSC;

how long does it take to do the initial all channel scan and smartantenna signal
alignment. it's been said that the RCA DTA800B can take up to 20 minutes.

can you tell us exactly what the box does regarding;
-manually adding a channel you know you should have, but scan missed.
-getting the smartantenna to better update that single channel's signal.

I agree, it's a shame there is no bad-good bar to estimate signal strength.

If you have a digital camera, can you post what the smartantenna looks
like mounted on your roof or attic.

Scan with Smart Antenna only takes a few minutes, not nearly as long as I
expected.

As stated,It repeatedly missed WTVI-DT on VHF Ch-11.Once I manually entered the native RF channel, then had the antenna auto adjust, it remembered WTVI. It does see several other channels, but not with enough signal to lock.

If the tuner does NOT see any signal on a channel, you can't have the antenna auto adjust, nor mmanually step through the 16 combinations,
It won't allow it.

It does have a signal strength bar, you just can't see it on the scan or antenna adjust pages.

No pix, it's dark now.

The unit scans for channels in 2 passes:

On the first pass, it took 2:50 to scan the band. It seems to just scan the band and find the RF carriers on the first pass.

On the 2nd pass, it stops at each carrier it found and adjusts the antenna and reads the VCT. This took an additional 5:30. It was trying to receive channels out on the fringe, one of them on CH 56 @ 117 miles away.

Once again, it missed WTVI-DT on ch-11 until I manually added it.

Once you initiate a channel scan, it clears the previously scanned channels.

But from your antenna map, isn't that station powered by a couple of gerbils on a metal wheel?

It's slightly better than that. Reception is fine once manually added tho.
They do have a very nice HD studio, They spent a lot of my tax dollars to build it rather than a transmitter with some power.