Re: Digital TV

* The picture really *is* better on a lot of channels that I already
received clearly. Colors are deeper/richer, and the picture seems "finer".

The picture is best when connected over RGB and looped through - in my
experience and usage - a high end video recorder accepting an external
receiver input. The VTR filters out and amplifies the signal coming from the
box and connects to the TV set over RGB.

I have the main recorder/player VTR1 connected directly to the box for
recording. VTR1 connects to the second "amplifier" VTR2 for playback. The
box feeds the amplifying VTR2 for TV playback, VTR2 connects to the TV set
and connects to the stereo set for optional hi-fi sound.

You can use a high quality VTR (mine has two defective heads out of six)
just as a PA to improve the video signal. In fact, do so whenever possible.
Once VTR2 is repaired I will eliminate VTR1.


* No battery powered converters for portable sets. (Not that I really use
them, but I have a few.)

AFAIR, there were plug-in options offered, you plug the "box" in the SCART
connector of the TV set, no external power needed.

* These units do pack a pretty fair punch in terms of onboard processing
power. Although not much information is available on the heart inside
these
things (an LG Electronics LGDT1111T IC), I did find out (through
unofficial
but believable sources, given the surrounding identifiable components)
that
the CPU core inside is an ARM926EJS clocked at 200MHz.

I have a 150 MHz CPU quoted for the box I use (Kathrein), with 2MB of flash
and 8MB of SDRAM. Converter boxes supporting the Multimedia Home Platform
(mhp) have more memory and would require more CPU cycles because of the Java
mhp engine which is, of course, quite slow. I went for a box without an mhp
support.


* There's a flash ROM inside...makes me wonder if there's a means to
update
it over the air? I should write down the current software revision
numbers.

So is the claim, but if at all, it is probably better to update the firmware
over a null modem cable connection, although I really do not expect that an
update will be provided. These guys will rather sell you new boxes.


* For a very short period of time last week, the automatic channel scan
found a whole bunch of channels located in northern Missouri. When you
consider that I'm up in eastern central Illinois, that's really quite
astonishing. They were very watchable, but faded into darkness after a few
minutes. I still don't know what caused this, but I suspect it was some
kind
of atmospheric effect, considering that it was late at night.

Watch your antenna [options] and the signal strength, the box should be able
to show it.

* very little time. My TV spends most of its time collecting dust. I don't
even watch the evening news most of the time.

The only benefit of this was a new channel, completely free of ads. I
usually scan the programmes looking for something to tape to watch it at a
later time, except for live sports events which is the case right now with
the games going on in China.




.

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