[11 of 19 customers found this review helpful]

Digital Stream DTX9900 Digital- to-Analog Converter Box Review

Simple to setup, works well, not perfect

Super Informative

"The converter is not hard to hook up. I decided to try this one because I could not find any location that had the RCA DTA800B in stock. I'll get one of those later.



The DTX9900 has composite video and audio outputs (RCA jacks). 1 video & 2 audio jacks. RF output can be set for ch 3 or 4. The remote requires and comes with two AAA batteries. There is a short 2' coax cable included in the box along with the converter box manual/guide.



The converter universal remote is fairly simple to program for most major brands of TV. With the TV on, hold down the "TV" power button on the converter remote, then use the up/down arrows until the tv turns off and means the tv remote is set for your tv.



The problem lies in the fact that the once connected, the box has no signal bypass. In other words, if you hook it up between your VCR and your TV for the last remaining months of analog broadcasting, your VCR cannot pass a signal through the converter to the tv via the coaxial cable connection. You would have to use your VCR's composite video/audio connections for that.



The remote has a button that will switch to your tv's composite video input if your tv is setup for that function on its own remote. My tv is setup for Video 1, Video 2, and Video 3.



I hooked my new converter up between my VCR and tv so my vcr could still record using it's analog tuner for the time remaining before February 2009. However, the converter will not pass the playback RF signal through to the tv. I would have to use the composite video connections between the vcr and tv bypassing the converter box entirely.



So once the box is connected, you are totally reliant on the converter box tuner for all your tv channels.



I can receive all the local Chicago digitial channels here in NW Indiana some 35 miles away across Lake Michigan. Only a weak Chicago UHF station, ch23, eludes the converter box channel scan.



The pictures are on my 32" standard stereo tv are good for 480i, but channel 2 (CBS) being the weakest signal being broadcast has a few glitches from signal fluctuation. The audio drops sporatcially and the image pixelates for a moment or two. It can be a little annoying if it happens too often.



I have a large long range outdoor antenna, a Radio Shack VU-190, 25 feet in the air that I've been using for a number of years and have several tv outlets in my home hooked to the main tv feed from the antenna through a powered distribution amplifier to boost the signal a bit further.



The menu languages supported by the converter are enlgish, spanish, and french. It supports most close captioning types.



The programming guide is a bit limited showing only whats on the current channel. To see more channels you have to change to that channel.



The box has a on screen signal meter which will help in zeroing in your antenna on the best signal, although the signal can vary from channel to channel. The signal on my problem channel, ch2, can go from 90 out of 100 down to 45 in a few moments then back again.



The autoscan function has a full scan or a update function. A full scan erases anything you have previously scanned. A update scan will remember what you have and add anything new it finds.



Another drawback of this box is that you cannot manually add any new channels. You have to either rescan or update scan and if the box doesn't find it you are out of luck. You cannot actually delete a channel, but you can disable a channel from the channel editor. A disabled channel will just be skipped over when you flip through your channel selections.



The remote has seperate converter box volume and will also control the volume of your tv, provided the remote supports your tv.



The box also has parental lockouts and can be protected by a PIN number you select.



You can add your favorite channels to a favorite list and use the "FAV" button to scroll through just those channels.



The program info button will display a description of the program, the channel, if the program is in dolby stereo, a second language (SAP), close captioned, and has a signal strength meter.



The menu can be be slightly adjusted to make the background somewhat transparent. You have a choice of 60%, 80% or 100% (solid).



You can bounce back and forth between two channels using the PREV or BACK buttons on the remote.



I thought the buttons on the remote were a bit touchy. If you held a channel number button a bit too long while going to channel "5", for example, you would get "555". It's not a big problem just a minor annoyance.



Pro:

Easy setup

programming guide

tv power and volume control for supported brands

favorite channel list

signal meter

channel info button (displays program info)

remote has button for composite video input control for tv if tv is so equipped.

channel return function via PREV and BACK buttons.

works well with outdoor antenna (indoor antenna not tried.)





Con:

No signal passthrough

No real channel delete/add (only disable) function

Remote buttons seem a little bit "touchy."



Conclusion, it looks like a good value for the money with features some of the others don't have. It probably works best with an outdoor or amplified antenna, although I have not tried it with a indoor antenna. Digital Stream needs to add a manual delete and add function to the channel editor button. The unit needs to allow signal passthrough when not in use as the main tuner so other devices can send their signals through the box to the tv. As it is now you'll have to hook the box in ahead of your game console, vcr and dvd player, but then you are stuck recording only what the box is set for.



Hopefully, models yet to come with iron out some of these deficiencies."