[M. Maylock]

A little background first. I've had a Mits HD-400 STB for approx. 18 months. I was experiencing the dreaded wavy lines in the menus and picture for quite some time. Besides the menus, it was most noticeable in red areas of the picture. It was driving me nuts. So, I had a service tech come out and check everything out. Afer checking cabling, lnbs, etc, he said it was most likely the STB. So I went down to BestBuy and picked up the Hughes E86. Not long after I installed it, the wavy lines started. After about 90 days, it stopped working completely. I took it back to BestBuy where they sent it out for repair.

I decided to re-install my original Mits box in the interim, wavy lines and all. I began to think that the wavy lines may be heat related. My stb is in an AV cabinet with a glass door but I thought it had plenty of ventilation through the top and back of the cabinet. Wrong!

In looking for a cooling solution, I tried the notebook cooler from Zerus. After 3 days the lines have not returned. It was just a matter of setting the cooler on top of the stb. All you need to do is flip it over from it's normal operating postion so that it pulls the convecting heat and exhausts it out the back. Here's the link to the website: http://www.shop-at-zerus.com/notebookcooler.html


I set it up in 2 minutes and have yet to see the wavy lines return. I'm assuming thermal runaway was the culprit. My understanding is that electronic components values can actually change based on an increasing operating temperature.


Good luck to all fellow wavy line sufferers!!

 

[dynamohum1]

How is this unit powered?

 

[M. Maylock]

It uses an AC adapter.

 

[dynamohum1]

Ordered one, you turn it upside down?

 

[M. Maylock]

Yep. In fact, I used a piece of 1" black electrical tape across the front edge. It's silver and the stb is black. Plus, it has 3 bright green l.e.d.s on the fron edge. I used the tape to cover them as well. You won't believe how cool this fan is. No pun intended. Good luck. Let me know if it helps your situation.

 

[twodogs]

What is the noise level of this, as I have my bedroom setup in a "somwhat" open rack ?

 

[M. Maylock]

According to the website and the sticker on the fan, it is 21dba.

 

[Chan]

Thanks Mike


I try the same cooler, it work like a charm. I put it under the STB instead up side down on top, I feel that the fan is quieter with it under.


With the cooler on, the STB has almost no heat at all to touch even after 5-6 hrs. And the wavy line is gone also.

 

[dynamohum1]

I got one of these yesterday, works great, the temp was 115-120 before and 86 after, 110sat dropouts have stopped so far....we will see.

 

[METANIUM]

I just ordered one too. I was going to build one out of a fan and AC adaptor from Radio Shack, but this is cheaper.


I guess I'll experiment with under or on top of the STB. I haven't had any wavy menus, but I have always been concerned about the heat that my E86 puts out. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[twodogs]

I'll also toss in my .02.

I recieved mine yesterday, plugged it in while I was holding it in my hand and though that it really didn't move much air, that is untill I placed it on the reciever - that thing has never been this cool to the touch. I have mine on top, but I think that I'm going to try it on the bottom and see if it a touch quieter. The unit is not loud, but you can hear it.

 

[Dave McWilliams]

My Tosh DST-3000 was having problems with scrolling horizontal lines on the S-video and RF outputs. Component outputs looked fine. My unit sits in clear air on the very top of my equipment rack, so I didn't think heat build up would be the culprit. I was wrong. When I put a small fan on top of it the lines disappeared and the PQ improved noticeably.

 

[tommy_esq]

Are you guys using the Notebook Cooler or the Aluminum Notebook Cooler Pro?

 

[twodogs]

I'm using the Notebook Cooler. I wonder how long these things will last running 24/7.

 

[Kendrid]

Here are reviews of the pad:
http://www.pcelements.com/reviews/coolpad.shtml
http://www.notebookreview.com/nk360.html
http://www.overclockedcafe.com/noteb...ernotebook.htm


And here are places selling them for $17:
http://www.coolerstar.com/notcoolpad.html
http://fanwholesale.safeshopper.com/12/48.htm?372


and $15:
http://store.yahoo.com/iitemcom/cybnotcoolpa.html

 

[METANIUM]

It works unbelievably well! I was surprised because it didn't seem to be moving much air. I placed mine under my Hughes E86 and voila! Within a couple of minutes my E86 was ACTUALLY COOL TO THE TOUCH. Anyone who has used the E86 or its clones, knows that these things are never cool. Even when they're OFF they stay pretty warm.


I was a little disappointed in the noise level of the notebook cooler. I have mine in an open cabinet and it is noticeable. Once the volume is up a little the fan noise disappears, but with 2 small children in bed I have to keep it down low at night. I might try placing the E86 and cooler in one of my cabinets with a door.


All in all, the thing does what it's supposed to, very well. I just wish it operated a bit more quietly.

 

[prospero]

I had one of these fans. I was using it to cool a DirectTivo in the same manner. It worked very well for a while but it did NOT last very long running 24 / 7.


This fan was not designed to be used in this manner. It will work for a while but mine only lasted a few months.


Prospero

 

[Nhan]

My Hughes e86/Mits 55807 (75% ISF'd) combo is now experiencing the following:


1. Sound level on the HD channels are kinda low (compared with their non-HD broadcasts) on both the TV's speakers and A/V receiver's speakers. This is for both the DFW local HD stations and Directv's HDNet and HBOHD.


2. Picture is darker now using the hughes than when I had the RCA DTC100 attached. I've messed with the user menu adjustments, but not the service menu. This is especially noticeable at wider viewing angles. I used to be able to see the tv fine when sitting in another room (about 25 feet away at a 50% angle), but now I can hardly see the picture, especially during the darker scenes. DVD viewing does not exhibit the same problems(different component input used).


3. Movement of solid-colored objects have a noticeable flicker to them. For example, when watching the Angels, CornHuskers, and other teams wearing red (most noticeable color), the players' uniforms seem to flicker around the object's edges when they are in fast motion. This is only for the non-HD channels.


I've not experienced these problems when using the DTC100 (haven't tried re-hooking, since I gave it to my dad).


Can all or most of these problems be attributed to the heat issue? Keep in mind that I am placing the E86 unit in a Bello rack, so space is very opened on all but the bottom side.


Thanks for any help I can get.


--Nhan

 

[AreBee]

Metanium,


Putting it in an enclosed cabinet will probably quiet things down for you but it may make the cooler work harder and cauuse it to burn out sooner. I wasn't thrilled with prospero's results. I just ordered a the cooler yesterday hoping for the magic bullet solution. I currently have two fans that are plugged into my receiver's switched outlet. They run basically only when I'm watching TV. I also have two fans hooked up to a plug in thermostat that run when the temp rises significantly. So that's usually when the switched fans are off and the Hughes heats up. It works really well, but sometimes it sounds like I have a Harrier jet in my livingroom!


I've got about $180 invested in my heat dispersal system now, and I'm still not out of the woods yet. I'm getting aggravated and my wife is going to shoot me if I buy another fan!

 

[hbrenner]

AreBee I think that your wife and mine must be related. I have probably that much invested but mostly R&D (really mean trial and error :-D). I think I am gonna run with the switched fan / thermostat combo like you. I am guessing then I should get a thermo for about 95 to 105 degrees. Oh well, this is all for the love of HT right, please remind me to enjoy the movies and not watch the blinking lights so much and worry that something is wrong.


Howard