Zinwell ZAT-970A Love It

Crashmore · 12-12-2008, 06:36 PM

Absolutely love my four and the local price was perfect. Two were totally free... price plus tax = exactly $40.

It is a fantastic device for installing and fine tuning new DTV setups. It even helped me locate and replace high(er) loss RF connecting cables and a noisy distribution amp. It never forgets a previously tuned digital station (unless told to do so) and has a manual frequency selection with on screen all the time tuning meters for finding that perfect antenna pointing direction.

Gave new life to my VCRs and DVDRs. Using three or four of the eight built in programming slots, I have it tune various digital stations and feed them dumbed down to the DVDR or VCR. Unlike a VCR, the Zinwells is able to change channels at programmed times AND even override your manual setting one time per program. You have the unit on and are watching something. At the programmed time, the Zinwell changes channels. You decide to change it back to whatever you were watching. No problem until the next programmed change. It outputs to channel 3/4 and its Line outputs.

Read some complaints about weak pass through and poor time keeping. A splitter on the TV and Zinwell inputs will fix that. Of course the Zinwell output to the TV is then limited to strictly line out. Clock?? Never noticed except during the DST fiasco.

Jay · 12-12-2008, 08:12 PM

I like everything about the specs on the Zinwell, I just don't care for the boxing.

It looks like something circa 1980's electronics.

Quote:

It even helped me locate and replace high(er) loss RF connecting cables and a noisy distribution amp.

That's new to me, does it have some type of status bar that guides displays stats on high / loss?

Aaron62 · 12-12-2008, 10:53 PM

It's amazing that these converter boxes are selling at $40 considering the technology that you get. Makes it kind of nice for those on fixed incomes.

Anyway, good review. Weak pass through? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I always thougt pass-thru was a 2-way street. Either you've got it, or you don't.

Crashmore · 12-15-2008, 08:59 PM

New to this type forum but in reference to:

It even helped me locate and replace high(er) loss RF connecting cables and a noisy distribution amp.

I quickly learned that using the signal strength and quality meters (on a manually tuned station) allowed me to substitute cables/couplers and splitters while noting changes in signal strength. Above a certain minimum signal strength, the quality never changed. Needless to say, I selected parts that gave the highest signal strength (and quality).

However.. one of my distribution amps increased the signal strength while decreasing the overall signal quality. It's now on an extended vacation in the closet.

crashmore

Crashmore · 12-15-2008, 09:13 PM

I think you are thinking about a different kind of "pass through"... pay per view signaling versus analog stations (not being converted but being) passed directly through to the TV tuner on that same frequency (and not digitally converted and sent out on channel 3/4).

While experimenting with my setup, I had a very noticeable loss that was inversely proportionate to the frequency... channel 2 was affected the worst with hardly an loss noted above channel 5. Four converters and one digital tuner equipped DVDR/VCR later, it's a moot point... except for channel 2 which won't go digital until February 18.

Aaron62 · 12-17-2008, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crashmore

I think you are thinking about a different kind of "pass through"... pay per view signaling versus analog stations (not being converted but being) passed directly through to the TV tuner on that same frequency (and not digitally converted and sent out on channel 3/4).

While experimenting with my setup, I had a very noticeable loss that was inversely proportionate to the frequency... channel 2 was affected the worst with hardly an loss noted above channel 5. Four converters and one digital tuner equipped DVDR/VCR later, it's a moot point... except for channel 2 which won't go digital until February 18.

Ahh, ok, thanks for clarifying. Is channel 2 on the VHF frequency?

cowboyup4christ · 12-18-2008, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron62

Ahh, ok, thanks for clarifying. Is channel 2 on the VHF frequency?

low vhf which would take a VHF antenna to get a UHF would only get high VHF channel 7 to 13

Crashmore · 12-21-2008, 09:21 AM

According to on going PSAs from Channel 2, they will cease all analog broadcasting February 10th and come back up February 18th (as 2.1) on channel 5... the last of the low VHF stations.

Not sure how to answer your question about receiving UHF on a VHF antenna. As you know, anything down to and including a coat hanger can work as an antenna. The best results occur when the antenna is specifically designed to receive a given channel or group of channels.

If you can find manufacturer's data, check the specs on those deep fringe things rated up to "you name it miles". Most have horrible gain (fewer miles) on the lower VHF channels. February, I want to receive channel five from 45 miles away with an antenna inside my attic. A coat hanger won't hack it.

Crashmore · 12-21-2008, 09:26 AM

The not so local analog channel 2 for San Antonio Texas will move to channel 5 in February 2009. Both channels are considered low VHF.

HTNut · 04-30-2009, 08:35 PM

Specs from the Zinwell Zat 970 website:

· Terrestrial 8-VSB demodulation
· ATSC 18 video formats decoding
· ATSC HDTV complaint MPEG2 MP@ML/ MP@HL decoder
· Compatible with HDTV, EDTV and SDTV displays
· User-selectable CH3/CH4 NTSC RF output
· ATSC AC3 audio decoding
· Modern design with user-friendly OSD interface.
· Aspect Ratio 16:9/ 4:3
· Multilingual support
· Automatic and manual channel scan
· Closed Caption, V-Chip and EAS (Emergency Alert System) Support
· Support Advances Rating (Rating Region Table downloadable)
· Software upgrade


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