converter box won't turn back on
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Good Morning Gloria,
I would probably bet that your converter box is broke.
It would help if you gave a model number and name of your converter box.
Some converter boxes has a external power supply, one of those little thingy's that you plug into the outlet that is square and has a little wire going to the box.
If that is the case, you can read off the top of the transformer what voltage it is and match it to another power transformer and it should still work.
If the converter only has a power wire going from the outlet to the box, and everything else works, then yes you do have a defective box.
Might I be presumptuous and make a small suggestion.
If you go back on the web site for converter box coupons, you can re apply for a new set of coupons - if you change the name of the person receiving the coupon or the address and get a new coupon.
Then if you go to the Solid Signal .com site, you can buy a Channel Master CM 7000 converter box. It is about $9
I will not tell you that it is the best converter box on the market, just that it is a very good converter box and that it has many good options and a good remote control and plenty of options that I think that you will enjoy.
Good reception and their customer service is awesome.
I sent back one box so far and they replaced it with a new one in about a week. No issues with any of the other boxes that I bought off them and no issues with warranty's or returns. Just keep the receipt.
I would probably bet that your converter box is broke.
It would help if you gave a model number and name of your converter box.
Some converter boxes has a external power supply, one of those little thingy's that you plug into the outlet that is square and has a little wire going to the box.
If that is the case, you can read off the top of the transformer what voltage it is and match it to another power transformer and it should still work.
If the converter only has a power wire going from the outlet to the box, and everything else works, then yes you do have a defective box.
Might I be presumptuous and make a small suggestion.
If you go back on the web site for converter box coupons, you can re apply for a new set of coupons - if you change the name of the person receiving the coupon or the address and get a new coupon.
Then if you go to the Solid Signal .com site, you can buy a Channel Master CM 7000 converter box. It is about $9
I will not tell you that it is the best converter box on the market, just that it is a very good converter box and that it has many good options and a good remote control and plenty of options that I think that you will enjoy.
Good reception and their customer service is awesome.
I sent back one box so far and they replaced it with a new one in about a week. No issues with any of the other boxes that I bought off them and no issues with warranty's or returns. Just keep the receipt.
GloriaA, Welcome to the DTVUSA Forum. One thing to check is the batteries in the remote. Some of the converters have been on the shelf for quite some time and the batteries needed replacing straight out of the box. Check to make sure there is still power to the outlet where you plug the converter in and that the converter definately has power to it.
Also as Mr. Know it all has suggested, post back with your make and model and we can better help you. Good Luck!
Also as Mr. Know it all has suggested, post back with your make and model and we can better help you. Good Luck!
Also it could have just simply powered down to 'save energy'. some boxes have that feature turned on (at different intervals) out of the box. thankfully they made a menu option where it can be turned off. if it still won't work, try simply unplugging it, wait 10 minutes, and plug it back in. 9-times out of ten, it resets the internal memory and fixes the 'confused' state of the box. i cannot count the many VCRs that had the very same problem, locked up and reset by unplugging it. don't automatically assume it went 'bad' most don't; only the very super-sub-par ones do.
Most cheap boxes, the problem traces back to the power supply.
I also thought about the power down option, but I never thought that anyone would use it. The same with the batteries, most boxes has a button you can push on the face of the converter box that you can push to activate.
The Zenith DTT 900 is nice because the power button is bigger than the other buttons.
I also thought about the power down option, but I never thought that anyone would use it. The same with the batteries, most boxes has a button you can push on the face of the converter box that you can push to activate.
The Zenith DTT 900 is nice because the power button is bigger than the other buttons.
The Zenith/Insignia also have a channel UP/Down button.
The Dish DTVPal doesn't have any buttons, and most cheaper ones either have none as well or only have a power button. it's so 'blended in' though that no one even notices it.
The power down is enabled by the factory so most are surprised when it powers down without warning (not even a 'The box is powering down due to inactivity' warning) and most assume it went bad. they're Energy Star compliant but without the logo on the front among the others most don't even know that. most Energy Star stuff powers off after a preset by the factory, or as in appliances, their functions limited to 'save energy' (such as the roof air in my home, it doesn't put out as well as one from the late '60s)
The Dish DTVPal doesn't have any buttons, and most cheaper ones either have none as well or only have a power button. it's so 'blended in' though that no one even notices it.
The power down is enabled by the factory so most are surprised when it powers down without warning (not even a 'The box is powering down due to inactivity' warning) and most assume it went bad. they're Energy Star compliant but without the logo on the front among the others most don't even know that. most Energy Star stuff powers off after a preset by the factory, or as in appliances, their functions limited to 'save energy' (such as the roof air in my home, it doesn't put out as well as one from the late '60s)
Box turns off
Yes mine did that too. Would not turn back on no matter what.
But the other one worked FINE (same brand) so I knew it was not the remote or the electric supply.
So, I reset the breaker and voila, it was on again (with remote)
Yes, I have no buttons on the front. I have the TR-40.
It powers down after 4 hrs of "inactivity" (fine with me, because I fall asleep at night with the TV on.......... or used to, Now I don't get much TV so I don't have it on any more.........all I can get is PBS and maybe once a week ABC and it takes like 20-30 minutes to adjust the antenna (each day even though I don't move it) manually, so I am rapidly becoming a NON TV watcher. It's just too much trouble.
Try resetting the breaker. It worked for me.
Yes mine did that too. Would not turn back on no matter what.
But the other one worked FINE (same brand) so I knew it was not the remote or the electric supply.
So, I reset the breaker and voila, it was on again (with remote)
Yes, I have no buttons on the front. I have the TR-40.
It powers down after 4 hrs of "inactivity" (fine with me, because I fall asleep at night with the TV on.......... or used to, Now I don't get much TV so I don't have it on any more.........all I can get is PBS and maybe once a week ABC and it takes like 20-30 minutes to adjust the antenna (each day even though I don't move it) manually, so I am rapidly becoming a NON TV watcher. It's just too much trouble.
Try resetting the breaker. It worked for me.
Welcome to the forum. Did you know you can turn off the 4 hour energy saver timer in the menu system? http://www.dtvusaforum.com/technical-dtv-hdtv-chat/1608-3-hour-time-out-converter-boxes.html
When you say "reset the the breaker", what breaker are you talking about?
When you say "reset the the breaker", what breaker are you talking about?
I wasn't aware that converters had built in circuit breakers. heck i haven't seen that in electronics since the '80s. most electronics today instead have 'sacrificial' electronic circuits that when they blow, they blow the entire works, forcing a replacement or expensive repair shipment to the manufacturer (why do you think retail stores ask you if you want the 2 year replacement plan? heck most electronics should last a lot longer than 2 years)
i think the post was a person who had a circuit breaker trip inside their house. possibly a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlet. if such an outlet exists anywhere in my home, i immediately change it out for a regular one since they trip for no reason, even without load. it takes my living room with it too. if such an outlet exists in your home, it will have a tiny red 'reset' and a black 'test' button. i think that was the breaker referred to.
i think the post was a person who had a circuit breaker trip inside their house. possibly a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlet. if such an outlet exists anywhere in my home, i immediately change it out for a regular one since they trip for no reason, even without load. it takes my living room with it too. if such an outlet exists in your home, it will have a tiny red 'reset' and a black 'test' button. i think that was the breaker referred to.
OK, I'll go out on a limb here. I think forensicnurse is talking about the cicuit breaker to the 110 volt outlet where the CECB is plugged into the wall. That's why I suggested the OP make sure there is power to the outlet. I've made service calls to customers and the only problem was the circuit breaker had tripped. I would make a quick $35.00 for resetting a breaker that the customer could have checked on their own.
If the breaker which powered the outlet had tripped, wouldn't it take the TV with it as well? does the TV turn on? if so the outlet is ok. now if it had a GFCI right next to the outlet the tv was plugged into (odd but it has been done) and the GFCI tripped, the converter would obviously have zero power and the tv would. but this isn't the OP's problem.
The OP had the box suddenly turn off. sounds a lot like power down. none of the boxes i've used, have even given a warning box that it was turning off. if you haven't pressed any buttons on the box's remote or changed channels (some people like watching one channel during the interval of the power down, some boxes have it pre-set at 1 hour, some 3, some 4) the box would have seemed to go off like a light. or the OP tried to turn on the TV to sit down for some DTV viewing and found snow and no LED lit on the box itself.
it could have gone 'bad' but again my experience was the box acts like **** when it goes bad, it doesn't go from a working condition to a dead set instantly. for that to happen it would have to be really crappy quality or it was used during a storm.
now if the OP has a GFCI outlet nearby i'd at least try the box on another outlet in another room (why is because you'd be surprised how many GFCI outlets control the outlets in another room or even half a house for no reason; the one in my home is in the bathroom and if it trips the living room AC outlets and DC lights fail to function) not attached to the TV to see if any signs of life come from the box (LED lights up) if so either the GFCI is faulty or has tripped or the outlet in question has no power due to either a tripped breaker (would take the TV with it as well and probably any other outlet on that bus) or a faulty outlet that could pose a fire hazard and needs replacement from a qualified electrician.
Some GFCI outlets have only one outlet protected by the breaker integrated into it. again, don't ask why i've just noticed that when those kind go one outlet works when the other one doesn't. does this outlet have reset buttons or a test/reset button? if the answer is yes, does pushing the 'test' button make it click? if the answer is yes, try hitting reset and test the outlet with a lamp. does the lamp work? if yes the outlet is working and the next step would be to go to the box itself. if the answer to the test button is no, try hitting reset and see again if the outlet works. if that answer is no, or the reset button continues to immediately pop out, the outlet is faulty and requires replacement.
As in my case, the outlet with GFCI buttons can even exist and have nothing plugged into it in an entirely different room (bathroom and kitchen and in some cases, garages) and any one of them could have tripped even without load, and for some reason (ask an architect why because i do not know) they're wired in series to a room next to the offending outlet or even part of the home is wired to it in series, so when the outlet trips for whatever reason, anything in series with that outlet, be it the lights, microwave, TV, or converter box, go out with it.
Is it plugged into a surge strip? what is the condition of the surge strip and what else is plugged into it? some surge protectors have a red light indicating if there is power and also a 'Site Wiring Fault' light on the more recent ones, and a built in circuit breaker. also this breaker could have tripped and took out the surge strip. some surge strip disable the protected outlets (but not the 'non surge-protected ones, common on some Uninterruptible Power Supplies but you never know) if the 'Site Wiring Fault' lamp is lit, even if power is available. that normally means either the Neutral leg is gone and it's using ground instead, or vice versa. and that too can cause the box to fail.
Some converters, the Magnavox included, have a 'master off/on' toggle switch on the side or in rear. if this button has somehow been turned to OFF or '0', either in a fall or from being bumped (by a pet such as a cat or other reason, such as moving around stuff in proximity of the box) the box will also show no signs of life, not even a standby light.
The OP had the box suddenly turn off. sounds a lot like power down. none of the boxes i've used, have even given a warning box that it was turning off. if you haven't pressed any buttons on the box's remote or changed channels (some people like watching one channel during the interval of the power down, some boxes have it pre-set at 1 hour, some 3, some 4) the box would have seemed to go off like a light. or the OP tried to turn on the TV to sit down for some DTV viewing and found snow and no LED lit on the box itself.
it could have gone 'bad' but again my experience was the box acts like **** when it goes bad, it doesn't go from a working condition to a dead set instantly. for that to happen it would have to be really crappy quality or it was used during a storm.
now if the OP has a GFCI outlet nearby i'd at least try the box on another outlet in another room (why is because you'd be surprised how many GFCI outlets control the outlets in another room or even half a house for no reason; the one in my home is in the bathroom and if it trips the living room AC outlets and DC lights fail to function) not attached to the TV to see if any signs of life come from the box (LED lights up) if so either the GFCI is faulty or has tripped or the outlet in question has no power due to either a tripped breaker (would take the TV with it as well and probably any other outlet on that bus) or a faulty outlet that could pose a fire hazard and needs replacement from a qualified electrician.
Some GFCI outlets have only one outlet protected by the breaker integrated into it. again, don't ask why i've just noticed that when those kind go one outlet works when the other one doesn't. does this outlet have reset buttons or a test/reset button? if the answer is yes, does pushing the 'test' button make it click? if the answer is yes, try hitting reset and test the outlet with a lamp. does the lamp work? if yes the outlet is working and the next step would be to go to the box itself. if the answer to the test button is no, try hitting reset and see again if the outlet works. if that answer is no, or the reset button continues to immediately pop out, the outlet is faulty and requires replacement.
As in my case, the outlet with GFCI buttons can even exist and have nothing plugged into it in an entirely different room (bathroom and kitchen and in some cases, garages) and any one of them could have tripped even without load, and for some reason (ask an architect why because i do not know) they're wired in series to a room next to the offending outlet or even part of the home is wired to it in series, so when the outlet trips for whatever reason, anything in series with that outlet, be it the lights, microwave, TV, or converter box, go out with it.
Is it plugged into a surge strip? what is the condition of the surge strip and what else is plugged into it? some surge protectors have a red light indicating if there is power and also a 'Site Wiring Fault' light on the more recent ones, and a built in circuit breaker. also this breaker could have tripped and took out the surge strip. some surge strip disable the protected outlets (but not the 'non surge-protected ones, common on some Uninterruptible Power Supplies but you never know) if the 'Site Wiring Fault' lamp is lit, even if power is available. that normally means either the Neutral leg is gone and it's using ground instead, or vice versa. and that too can cause the box to fail.
Some converters, the Magnavox included, have a 'master off/on' toggle switch on the side or in rear. if this button has somehow been turned to OFF or '0', either in a fall or from being bumped (by a pet such as a cat or other reason, such as moving around stuff in proximity of the box) the box will also show no signs of life, not even a standby light.
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There can be many reasons for no power at the outlet. The TV plugged into the top outlet and the bottom outlet the CECB is plugged into is switched for a lamp and switched to the off position? The CECB is plugged into an outlet different from the TV outlet and the CECB circuit is tripped? There are other reasons the CECB wouldn't respond to the remote. Gloria could have dropped the remote and it turned off the CECB and then the batteries fell out? And she put the batteries back in backwards and the CECB wouldn't respond to the remote? She had a power outage and when the power came back on, the batteries were to dead to send an IR signal to the CECB and so it wouldn't power up? That was why I posted my original response to Gloria.
By eliminating these possible problems, we would know if it was a faulty CECB.
We can make all kinds of assumptions, but the fact the OP has never returned, makes it impossible to correct her problem.
By eliminating these possible problems, we would know if it was a faulty CECB.
We can make all kinds of assumptions, but the fact the OP has never returned, makes it impossible to correct her problem.
Eric,
Some brands of Converter boxes have a poor track record for their dependibilty. Some misbehave when they get too warm, such as sitting in direct sunlight or being on top of a warm television. The first thing I would try is unplug it from its power supply for half an hour: this will allow it to cool to room temperature. Then, reconnect it to see if it works. I have heard of people putting their Converter box in their refrigerator and then trying again!
In many cases, capacitors inside the units have failed: they can be replaced, if you're good with a soldering iron.
Jim
Some brands of Converter boxes have a poor track record for their dependibilty. Some misbehave when they get too warm, such as sitting in direct sunlight or being on top of a warm television. The first thing I would try is unplug it from its power supply for half an hour: this will allow it to cool to room temperature. Then, reconnect it to see if it works. I have heard of people putting their Converter box in their refrigerator and then trying again!
In many cases, capacitors inside the units have failed: they can be replaced, if you're good with a soldering iron.
Jim
Sounds like it's broken. If you're electronically handy you can open the box, look for blown (buldging) capacitors (usually in the power supply) and replace them. Otherwise, it's time to look for a new converter or TV.
Here are instructions for a Digital Stream converter box, but I know that it works for other brands also.
Here are instructions for a Digital Stream converter box, but I know that it works for other brands also.
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