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+--- Thread: Followup to converter box coupon thread -- got the Zenith; quick review... (/showthread.php?tid=54598)
Followup to converter box coupon thread -- got the Zenith; quick review... - PeterB - 05-09-2008
Here's the original post: http://forums.macresource.com/read/1/489778
... here's my quick take:
Pros:
1) Picture is beautiful, really nice! Funny thing is, when I was in the store, I saw a "real" HDTV set ... happened to be an LCD ... and I was not impressed. Up close, I saw lots of pixelation in the LCD which was not coming from the signal.
2) Tuner seems to be FAR better than my LG LST-3510A. Without any change to the antenna placement on my end, this tuner picked up pretty much all available stations in my area, and seems pretty good at locking onto "problem" stations (I have bad multipath in my area). I am noticing intermittent signal dropouts though, so I may still want to reposition my antenna.
3) Easy setup, nicely laid out remote. The onscreen menus seem to me to be a straight knockoff of the LG -- wonder if that's really a coincidence.
Cons:
1) Lack of S-video output. For me, this is a problem, because I want to input to my AlchemyTV card, and I'm already using the composite video in ports for something else. So this means I'll have to split the composite video out on the Zenith tuner and have one output to the TV, one to the Alchemy card.
2) The sound. Distinctly tinny, and for reasons I don't understand, volume is way too low. I read on the Radio Shack threads that you can get around this by setting it to Mono rather than Stereo, but who wants Mono?
I may use my second coupon to get either the Channel Master (which has S-video output) or the Digital Stream, to compare with...
But overall, for $20 or so after the coupon, I can't complain. Nice box!
Re: Followup to converter box coupon thread -- got the Zenith; quick review... - BigGuynRusty - 05-09-2008
[quote PeterB] Funny thing is, when I was in the store, I saw a "real" HDTV set ... happened to be an LCD ... and I was not impressed. Up close, I saw lots of pixelation in the LCD which was not coming from the signal. How do you know it wasn't in the original signal?
"Pixelation" is really common with cable feeds.
My Time Warner "Digital Clarity" feed is CrapTacular!
BGnR
Re: Followup to converter box coupon thread -- got the Zenith; quick review... - PeterB - 05-09-2008
[quote BigGuynRusty][quote PeterB] Funny thing is, when I was in the store, I saw a "real" HDTV set ... happened to be an LCD ... and I was not impressed. Up close, I saw lots of pixelation in the LCD which was not coming from the signal. How do you know it wasn't in the original signal?
"Pixelation" is really common with cable feeds.
My Time Warner "Digital Clarity" feed is CrapTacular!
BGnR
Simple, I asked.
Re: Followup to converter box coupon thread -- got the Zenith; quick review... - Black Landlord - 05-09-2008
[quote PeterB][quote BigGuynRusty][quote PeterB] Funny thing is, when I was in the store, I saw a "real" HDTV set ... happened to be an LCD ... and I was not impressed. Up close, I saw lots of pixelation in the LCD which was not coming from the signal. How do you know it wasn't in the original signal?
"Pixelation" is really common with cable feeds.
My Time Warner "Digital Clarity" feed is CrapTacular!
BGnR
Simple, I asked.
Asked the experts at Radio Shack?
I'm trying to remember what the limitation I recall reading about over and over again when I looked at the RS site and saw the Zenith (which was cold out at all RS's but is apparently back in). It may be the sound.
Hope you have stereo sound .. .
Re: Followup to converter box coupon thread -- got the Zenith; quick review... - PeterB - 05-09-2008
Well, admittedly, the "experts" at RS aren't really... but you'd think they'd know this, since they did have to do the hookups themselves. Guy I spoke to did seem to know what he was talking about.
Yes, the Zenith DOES have stereo sound, it's just that the stereo is inexplicably fainter than mono, and also has a bit of distortion to it. I would say not too bad, unless you have a high end audio system, then you'd definitely hear it.
Re: Followup to converter box coupon thread -- got the Zenith; quick review... - BigGuynRusty - 05-09-2008
[quote PeterB]Yes, the Zenith DOES have stereo sound, it's just that the stereo is inexplicably fainter than mono, and also has a bit of distortion to it. I would say not too bad, unless you have a high end audio system, then you'd definitely hear it. PB, I have noticed that all my HD sources (HDHomeRun, several different HD USB sticks) all suffer from low audio. Even my cable (QAM) HD channels have low volume.
BGnR
Re: Followup to converter box coupon thread -- got the Zenith; quick review... - Black Landlord - 05-09-2008
I have to make sure the box is set to max volume (and left there) and use the TV's control to adjust volume-- in order to minimize line noise.
Fortunately my TV (mid-90s Toshiba_ has excellent audio controls and can be tweaked to compensate for the box's quirks.
Re: Followup to converter box coupon thread -- got the Zenith; quick review... - PeterB - 05-09-2008
[quote BigGuynRusty][quote PeterB]Yes, the Zenith DOES have stereo sound, it's just that the stereo is inexplicably fainter than mono, and also has a bit of distortion to it. I would say not too bad, unless you have a high end audio system, then you'd definitely hear it. PB, I have noticed that all my HD sources (HDHomeRun, several different HD USB sticks) all suffer from low audio. Even my cable (QAM) HD channels have low volume.
BGnR
Really? Interesting, because that's the one area where the LG tuner I have is great ... no problems with audio whatsoever, great sound... only issue is with certain stations where they seem to have the audio set low -- an example of that for me is the local Fox station (noticeable because they're the only station where that's a problem) ... very annoying because they're also the only station showing the revamped Trek episodes ... fantastic video (of course), but have to crank the audio way up to hear decently!