Best DTV Converter Box? - Page 3

Piggie · 06-07-2009, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DTVuser2009

The DTVPal Plus only gets program information when it's off as well. otherwise you eventually get days of 'No Program Information' and 'DTV Program'; my only con to this box besides that is that if the program guide is missing information for shows say an hour later (the channel gives limited info or only gives you so much at one time) you cannot simply power the box off and back on to re-download the guide and there's no 'force guide' to make it download. you can only allow it to power itself off and when you turn it on after it downloads a new guide. but it has to turn itself off first.

What i wonder about it is if it can update its firmware like Dish Satellite receivers do, to add new features or a better guide or something? it does have a 'sys info' feature listing the software and OS currently used, so i would like to say it does support firmware updates OTA. the manual seems to say so when it recommends it 'powered off after use to perform maintenance'

My DTVPal Plus is hooked to a TV with ATSC already in it. I use it just for VHF signals, as it handles them much better than my built in tuner. UHF I use the built in tuner as it has a much better picture than the box, even though my TV is a tube 16:9, but 480i.

So I power mine off manually a lot. When I turn it back on it always wants to download a new guide. I have no idea what vintage mine is since I bought it off ebay. But if you like I can look at the stickers on it to see if it states a model and or serial number if that helps you.

Undue · 06-07-2009, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piggie

My DTVPal Plus is hooked to a TV with ATSC already in it. I use it just for VHF signals, as it handles them much better than my built in tuner. UHF I use the built in tuner as it has a much better picture than the box, even though my TV is a tube 16:9, but 480i.

So I power mine off manually a lot. When I turn it back on it always wants to download a new guide. I have no idea what vintage mine is since I bought it off ebay. But if you like I can look at the stickers on it to see if it states a model and or serial number if that helps you.

Piggie, you receive better PQ with a converter that outputs 480i than your ATSC 1080i TV? That's incredible. Why are some of these TVs built with such cheap tuners?????

Piggie · 06-07-2009, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undue

Piggie, you receive better PQ with a converter that outputs 480i than your ATSC 1080i TV? That's incredible. Why are some of these TVs built with such cheap tuners?????

No the PQ is never better out of the DTVPal Plus, never. But it's better on pulling in weak VHF than my built in tuner.

The TV is a Toshibia with built in ATSC tuner. It uses a 16:9 picture tube. The tube is only 480i. The built in tuner is HD and will receive a proper 1080i signal that is widescreen, 16:9. But the tube while also 16:9 only can display 480i.

Now that described.

Any signal even 480i digital looks better using the built in tuner. On UHF stations (UHF only because they are closer and strong) I use the built in tuner as it has better PQ over all. (If skip is right and VHF is strong, I also use the built in tuner).

So you ask why Piggie even have the DTVPal? And why only on VHF stations?

Because VHF stations hold better on the Pal. All my VHF is 61 miles away. So I am just on the edge of picking them up, some to most of the time.

On the built in tuner, I get more drop outs on those VHF stations than I do on the internal tuner. I suspect 2 reasons.

1) it has a much newer decoder chip that is more tolerant to mulitpath, lightning and other electrical noise.

2) it has more memory than the TV, because it holds freezes better than the TV. Holding freezes might seem like a waste, but not if it's lightning or a very fast loose of signal. The audio may still be there, and to only loose a part of the picture in a lightning strike doesn't bother viewing.

This is not a solution for most people! First you would have to have an older digital TV that has less memory and an older decoder chip. Two you probably also have to be trying to receive a VHF station that is barely above the digital cliff.

If you are interested to my situation go to REC Broadcast Query

Put in WJCT, WJXX, WTLV (note WJXX and WTLV are on the same antenna).
Then look SSE to the edge of their contour and look for Orange Springs, FL.

Then you can look up WCJB, WOGX, WGFL and WUFT that are west of me, and I am well inside their contours. And they all happen to be UHF.


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