Entered CNET Catalog: 09/10/2008
SKU: CNETAPDT250
Manufacturer: Apex Digital, Inc.
Manufacturer description
The ATSC Converter Box is designed from the consumer perspective to maximize value and performance with analog pass-through. This includes an all-channel tuner 2-69, display all DTV formats, display all multicast channels, display program information (PSIP), Input: RF (F connector), Output: RF and composite (3 RCA plugs), remote control, energy saving standards, digital parental control, and closed-captioning for the hearing impaired.Product summary
The good: Very good image quality; S-Video output; Smart Antenna port; analog pass-through.
The bad: Pulls in fewer stations than some other DTV boxes; mediocre remote; limited electronic program guide.
The bottom line: The Apex DT250 DTV converter box is packed with features and puts out a nice picture, but it doesn't pull in as many stations as competing boxes.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 09/11/2008
The analog-to-digital transition is coming February 17, which means owners of analog TVs will need to pony up for a DTV converter box if they want to continue getting their free over-the-air TV. Luckily, the box shouldn't cost too much, as anyone affected can apply for a $40 DTV converter box coupon from the U.S. government. Read our Quick Guide to the DTV transition for the full details.
You might be tempted to think all DTV converter boxes are the same, but there are actually significant differences between them. If you're looking at the spec sheet, the Apex DT250 is a definite cut above most of its competitors, offering rare features like an S-Video output, analog pass-through, and a "Smart Antenna" port, for use with compatible, self-adjusting antennas. And once we set it up, the DT250 impressed us with its video quality, especially using the S-Video output. On the other hand, we were underwhelmed by its lackluster electronic program guide (EPG) and we also found it worrying that it pulled in fewer stations than other boxes we reviewed. The Apex DT250 has a lot to offer in terms of features and image quality, but you'll need to be in an area with a strong DTV signal to take advantage of them.
Design
We've seen a few DTV converter boxes try to add some design flourishes, but the DT250 fits squarely into the "black box" category. It looks like a small cable box, and on the front there's only a single power button--which means you can't control the box if the remote goes missing. The power button has a red glow when it's off and a green glow when it's on. The Apex box has a strictly utilitarian design that you'll probably want to hide in your entertainment cabinet.
We weren't fans of the included remote control. There's a centrally located directional pad--which is nice--but it's also designed to double as both channel and volume control. What makes that even more confusing is the pair of button rockers toward the bottom, which we intuitively expected to be the channel and volume rockers. In addition, the buttons are a little on the small side and there isn't much button differentiation. Aside from button placement, we were disappointed to find that the remote can't be programmed to also control a TV, so you'll have to fumble with two remotes to get things working. If you're looking for an easy-to-use remote with large buttons that can control a TV, perhaps for a senior citizen, check out the RCA DTA800 instead.
Setup wasn't that difficult, but the setup menus employed less friendly hand-holding than some other converter boxes we've tested. For example, the Apex displayed the initial setup options in a grid, instead of asking simple sentence-based questions like "Do you have a wide-screen or standard TV?" The initial automatic channel scan also seemed slower than most other DTV boxes we've reviewed--but at least a channel scan isn't something you have to perform frequently.
Features
The Apex DT250 does include an EPG, which is a good thing, but it's very basic. If you press the guide button, four blue rectangles will appear at the top of the screen, three of them telling you the current and next two shows on the channel you're watching, and the large rectangle below giving information about the show. That's better than nothing, but the Dish Network TR-40 CRA shows much more program information at once, and we even prefer the somewhat limited "What's Next" screen on the RCA DTA800 to Apex's arrangement.
Aspect ratio is handled decently on the DT250. First, make sure your box is set correctly for your TV--either 4:3 for a standard analog set, or 16:9 for a wide-screen TV. On analog TVs, wide-screen programs can be displayed in letterbox format (black bars on the top and bottom of the image), zoomed (full screen, but it chops off the left and right parts of the image), or fill mode (no black bars or chopped off image, but the aspect ratio is distorted.) On wide-screen TVs, we were happy to see that we could get the full picture from true wide-screen programs. The only time we couldn't get our preferred viewing mode was on stations that broadcast a letterboxed image in a 4:3 window. The zoom feature zooms in a little too far, so parts of the image get cut off. It's far from a deal-breaker, though, and hopefully stations will do a better job of broadcasting without letterboxing as the DTV transition gets closer.
Analog pass-through means that you can set the box to pass the analog signal from the antenna through its RF output, to be tuned by a separate NTSC tuner. For most people, the usefulness of this feature is fairly limited, as after February 19, 2009, almost all analog transmitters will be turned off. Sure, there will be still be a few low-power location stations, and if you live close to the border with Mexico you might be able to get some analog Mexican stations, but for the vast majority of people, this feature just isn't that important. Still, it's a nice convenience for people who'd like to continue using analog stations until February.
Connectivity is excellent on the DT250. There are two RF-style F connectors, which are the connecters that have the screw threads on the outside and the small hole inside. One is an antenna input and should be connected to the antenna using a coaxial cable. The other F connector says "TV OUT" and is an audio/video output. This means you can send analog video and audio from the DT250 to your TV by connecting a coaxial cable. In addition to the F connectors, the DT250 has a composite video output along with stereo RCA analog outputs--the standard yellow, red, and white outputs. The DT250 is also one of the few DTV converter boxes that includes an S-Video connector, which offers superior quality to the standard yellow connection. If your TV has an S-Video input, you should use that for the best video quality, followed by the yellow composite cable, or the lowest-quality RF output as a last resort.
The DT250 also includes a Smart Antenna port that can be used with compatible Smart Antennas. The idea behind Smart Antennas is fairly simple: digital stations are often broadcast from different locations, so setting your antenna in one direction might be optimal for one station but not for another. A Smart Antenna automatically moves the antenna so that it's in the optimal position for a particular station. We didn't have a Smart Antenna on hand to test this feature, but the idea is a good one, and it's nice to have the ability to add one at a later time. Our only hesitance is that the Smart Antennas we've seen on the market recently are rather expensive, which makes us think it probably won't be worth the extra cash.
Performance
Reception was a significant step below the other DTV boxes we've tested. We set up the DT250 in our Manhattan office and were able to pull in 20 stations, while most other boxes we had on hand pulled in around 24 to 25. That wouldn't be so bad if it just missed an obscure station, but one of the stations the DT250 was NBC--a major network. Also remember that, as with all DTV converter boxes, you'll only be able to tune into the free stations broadcast over the air--that means no Comedy Central, CNN, and so on. While every location is different, if you're based in an area far from DTV transmitting towers, you may want to consider another box. (Resources like TV Fool can help determine how far you are from DTV signals.)
While reception was disappointing, video quality was very good for a DTV converter box. First, we looked at programs using the composite connection, and the image quality was comparable with our image quality king, the Zenith DTT901. One of our favorite tests (even before CBS bought CNET) is to observe the round CBS logo, which looked smooth and jaggy-less on the DT250. And native HD programs like World News with Charles Gibson looked particularly good--much better than you could expect with standard analog TV signals. In addition, we were also able to look at programming using the S-Video output, and as you'd expect, it looked even a little better, with slightly richer colors and fewer jaggies. Overall, those concerned with image quality will be pleased by the DT250's performance.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52out of 52 user reviews
Good thing I got this box free.
Pros: It had a nice guide adn descripiton of the program you were watching.
Cons: Horrible reception ( tried many diff antenaes). Many glitches and bugs almost a daily occurence.
out of 52 user reviews
Poor Design, Unreliable, Firmware bugs
Pros: S-Video output produced a picture free from cross color and cross luminance artifacts. Analog pass-thru is a nice feature
Cons: Bought 3 units and 2 failed with-in a year. I was able to repair one unit by replacing a cap on the power supply. Unit 2 has no output at all and is not a pwer supply issue.
out of 52 user reviews
Worthless junk
Pros: It might work for a year if you are lucky
Cons: Got 2 of these with the government coupons the 1st one worked for a year. Installed the other one which we were keeping as a backup and it worked for 3 weeks. Do yourself a favor buy a different brand.
out of 52 user reviews
PIECE OF CRAP. . . .
Pros: It does not work
Cons: It Does NOT Work , after only one year. . . capacitors and transformers inside fail. . . .
STAY AWAY FROM APEX!!!
So is C-NET and this Mathew guy ( 3 stars???).
It will not pull in any stations if you can't turn it on.
It is crap. APEX means crap. They sell crap.
out of 52 user reviews
Apex DT250
Pros: Work decently for 4 months
Cons: During the four months it would skip channels using the remote and would alter voices of the people on tv so they sounded as if they were possessed. After four months it completely stopped working.
out of 52 user reviews
Mine just failed May 17,2010.
Pros: nada zip zero.
Cons: Always needs re-programming which takes about 10 minutes or more
out of 52 user reviews
Unit failed completely after 1 year.
Pros: Pix quality good. Box made of metal and sturdy. Electronic PC board and components appeared well laid out and engineered. It worked well from my outdoor antenna. No problems the 1st year, Price with coupon was low.
Cons: Short life span of my unit. Remote control a bit unwieldy, a bit difficult to aim remote beam. Numbers on remote wore off quickly.
some of the reviews I then decided I had been lucky and did not have as MANY problems with my unit.
out of 52 user reviews
Leave this product in the store.
Pros: Makes a great paperweight.
Cons: That they've been allowed to continue to produce this shoddy product.
out of 52 user reviews
Not worth it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pros: None!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cons: Hard to setup. Purchase 2 converter boxes in June 2009. The first one stop working in January 2010. The second one die this week.
out of 52 user reviews
Miserable Waste of Money
Pros: Please see the summary for pros.
Cons: Please see the summary for cons.
Good things about this converter:
- It makes an excellent paperweight.
- Its color matches nicely with my furniture.
Bad things about this converter:
- When on standby, it makes a quiet but high-pitched screeching noise that infants, children, and teenagers can hear. (For those who don't know, as you get older, you lose ability to hear high-pitched noises. While you're young, you can still hear them fine.)
- The remote controls stop working after a while. I have one remote that's completely dead and one remote that has a malfunctioning power button.
- It has no controls on the actual box, so if your pet snake eats your remote control, you can't change the channel anymore.
- Once every few days, it decides to freeze up the television broadcasting. Your program will randomly stop, and you have to turn the converter off and back on to resume reception.
Epic customer service story:
Day 1 - The remote controls are not working, so I call the warranty department to get a replacement. They say to mail the remote in to them along with a letter, and give me a return authorization (RA) number. I mail the package through USPS (United States postal service, better known as "snail mail").
Day 29 - I have not received my replacement remote control yet, so I call customer service to ask what's going on. They say to call back in one week in case the package has not been processed yet.
Day 37 - I call back and the person that answers says that they are having technical difficulties and suggests that I call back the next day.
Day 38 - After listening to hold music for 11 minutes, someone finally comes on the line and says that our package still has not arrived to their location. The customer service representative states that he will contact their warehouse department to see if our package has been set aside. He says to call back in three business days.
Day 46, 4:20 PM US Central time - After two weekend days and five business days, I got a chance to call them back. They again claim that the remote control is nowhere on their property. The representative says that he will do some more in-depth research, and asks for me to call back after half an hour.
Day 46, 4:58 PM US Central time - A different representative answers. She states that they are having technical difficulties and tells me to call back after half an hour. I start complaining about their poor service and make a challenge that they are merely using the "we are having technical difficulties" as an illegitimate excuse. She hangs up on me.
Day 46, 5:21 PM US Central time - I call back with intentions to contact the manager or supervisor. I have to literally wait for 21 minutes before someone comes on the line. The customer service representative states the supervisor is in a meeting and will be back in half an hour. At the time she said that, it was 5:50 PM US Central time, and their technical support department closes at 6:00 PM. She claims that their service is 24 hours a day, but that's only for the accessories department. When I ask her why she's lying to me, she instead suggests that I pass along to them a tracking number. I explain that I sent it through standard postal mail with no certification. While I'm explaining this, she says the following phrase about five times (read with an Indian accent in mind): "Sir, please go to your post office with your name and telephone number and they will give you a tracking number." When I try to explain to her how the United States postal service works, she redundantly repeats her non-applicable instructions. When I continue to demand the manager, she hangs up on me.
Day 46, 6:19 PM US Central time - I power up my laptop and write this review. I copy and paste it into all major websites that sell this product.
out of 52 user reviews
A complete waste of money
Pros: None, there are none.
Cons: It simply doesn't work, as all of the other reviews note. Receives five out of 20 available stations.
out of 52 user reviews
Someone's getting kick-backs
Pros: This is merely rhetorical, right?
Cons: No on-board channel and volume control; remote bipasses or flips to wrong channel; overheats; et al.
I only went to Best Buy as I hate shopping, and was told the APEX DT250A was the BEST they had. Also, that it had been the only one they carried for which one could've used a coupon. (Hence, my kick-back remark). I have had an APEX TV in a bedroom for years with absolutely no complaints.
I bought it and a new antenna (which, at least, they gave me for $10 off with the converter).
I'd had poor reception with the local ABC affiliate when I moved here, so I wasn't really surprised when I had like problems, even though their signal tower is within 5 miles of my antenna. It seemed to vary with atmospheric conditions. But, after several months of moving the "smart" antenna around, I was finally able to veiw all channels, but the CBS affiliate now came in on a higher channel, so I lost the "guide" for it.
Initially I figured I was missing something. I could not believe someone would design something so poorly as to make this almost totally dependent on a remote control. I found this web-site while researching that aspect. Everything I had been experiencing was noted in other reviews about the APEX 250. The 250A wasn't an up-graded version. When it still worked by the 90th day, I fealt I must have been lucky. Another month beyond that, it simply breathed it's last in mid-channel change. I replaced the remote's batteries twice just to be sure.
I returned to this site to do the research I should have done $44 ago (with antenna discount). The complaints since October have continued. But, I know now that some of my reception problems may not have been with my or my antenna location. I need to learn what, exactly, a converter is supposed to do.
Now I hear discussions about losing free viewing/listening entirely. It's no wonder people believe the conversion was a government plot to allow Big Brother to spy. And just to make it more palatable, issue a coupon to help do it.
out of 52 user reviews
Its the worst DTV box of them all
Pros: The only PRO is the capability for the Smart Antenna.
Cons: The buttons on the remote are hard to press and the picture quality is the worst.
out of 52 user reviews
"PIECE OF JUNK"
Pros: There are no pros
Cons: controls never worked right from day one. unit died after 3 months
out of 52 user reviews
Very poor constructed product.
Pros: Like the options the system has avaliable
Cons: cheap remote, did not last even a year. will not power on. had to reset the system about every 3 months, it would lose stations, would not respond to the remote.
out of 52 user reviews
this unit died in 2 weeks
Pros: Nothing, really.
Cons: 1. it died in 2 weeks
2. remote control is the only way to use this unit.
3. menu is not user friendly
out of 52 user reviews
terrible electrical failure on both units.
Pros: Not much, maybe stimulated the economy for someone.
Cons: diffult time getting signal strength up on even some local ENGLISH stations! First unit started popping Electroylic Capacitors off the circuit board...scared the cat.Second one just blew out two days ago.Suspect power board on this one. One word CRAP
out of 52 user reviews
Completely random remote function
Pros: I guess its compact.
Cons: We bought two. One gets a station at 90%, the other doesn't receive the same station at all. Mind you, the outdoor antenna is connected to the one that doesn't get the station. The remotes fuction completely randomly, when they function at all.
out of 52 user reviews
Very poor performance.
Pros: Cheap. You get what you pay for.
Cons: Died after less then 1 year of use. (2 different boxes) Very few channels recieved. Very poor remote reception.
out of 52 user reviews
SLOW channel scan & CPU; bad memory (it forgets!!)
Pros: Okay video on Component Video Out and has 2 completely separate kinds of EPG, which are okay IF the stations bother to do their part. Could be OK for TARGET PRACTICE, except Not Worth the Powder and Shot to blow it to Hell.
Cons: SPONTANEOUSLY FORGETS channels (even favorites) that WERE just working, thus requiring a damned re-scan, S-L-O-W on channel (re)scan (8+ minutes), never finds the same channels twice, scan makes it forget all it had previously found, and my faves!!!
Apex DT250 remote control function sometimes 'gets confused' when I use my TV remote control.
out of 52 user reviews
Complete waste of Govt. Rebate and my money.
Pros: Worked well for very short time.
Cons: Two units died at 1 months and 2 months respectively; when they did work, they were very hot. Apex on line registration did not work. Even though I only used them for 2 months max, they want to charge me for repair because of purchase date.
Because the conversion date was changed from Feb 2009 to June 2009, the first one did not see service until June 2009.
It died in July at which time I put the second unit into service. Best Buy did exchange the first unit for model DT250A.
In September 2009, the second DT250 died, at which time I put the DT250A into service.
Best buy would not exchange the second unit because the receipt was over 1 year old.
I tried to register the unit at Apex web sight, but received ERROR every time I tied to submit information.
I sent them an e-mail and called customer service, they stick by their policy that warranty starts at purchase date and want to charge $30 for repair.
Their owners manual brags, "designed to bring you many years of enjoyment..." but I could not get more than 2 months out of my two units.
I have found many similar complaints of unit failure on the Internet.
There is obviously a flaw with this unit.
I don't know how long the DT250A will last; it has only been in use for 2 weeks.
out of 52 user reviews
DT250 Is Junk. DT520 unit still working. Much Better
Pros: Lots features on remote, but layout is MUCH better on the DT520 model.
Cons: DT250 stopped after 3 months-was told it's remote. Returned for repair & box still didn't work. Now had to send back entire pkge. It's working FOR NOW, but Who Knows for How-LOng.
out of 52 user reviews
China Junk... and probably a fire hazard.
Pros: Not one damn thing!!
Cons: I couldn't submit this rating without setting some sort of star rating, even though these products don't deserve even a half star.
out of 52 user reviews
Good Picture, Crappy, Remote.
Pros: Crisp picture.
Cons: Analog Pass through does not work correctly. The unit get hots and then the remote stops working,
out of 52 user reviews
DO NOT BUY APEX
Pros: Nothing good
Cons: I have had two of them and they are both dead.
out of 52 user reviews
ApexDT250A is a Bad Product
Pros: Analog Pass-through, easy to use.
Cons: When the Power is off, it emits a very high-pitched "squeal" so you have to leave it on all the time. I bought this converter box and it stopped working within 4 months. Best Buy exchanged it and the new one stopped working within another 6 months.
out of 52 user reviews
Apex is well know junk! Buyer beware ...
Pros: THERE ARE NO PROS FOR THIS COMPANY. These TV's are pure junk. Read the complaints all over the web. Apex Tv's do not last. They die in a few days or a few months. Apex charges $50 for shipping it to them.
Cons: EVERYTHING ABOUT APEX IS A CON. More like Con-Artist.
Apex installs the same defunct part into the failed TV and it fails again at a later date. The parts are junk.
One review said their Apex caught on Fire! I am not surprised.
Not only do they build shoddy TV's then they make it difficult to get them repaired by charging those who have warranties!
TV's just do not break after a week, or a month or even 8 months. This is a bad record for Apex. Consumers beware.
out of 52 user reviews
piece of junk from generic company
Pros: none - died after 4 month use.
Cons: Everything
out of 52 user reviews
This product is awful...
Pros: Picture was good, but that's it.
Cons: Worked fine until now. The remote is a pain to use and now the box won't come on.
out of 52 user reviews
So Not Worth It Even With A Coupon
Pros: Simple menu instructions
Cons: where do i begin well there are no buttons on the box so if you lose the remote your screwed the picture quality gets messed up easily and doesn't get a lot of channels
out of 52 user reviews
Faulty Product - No Quality Control!
Pros: It worked - for a while.
Cons: * Stopped working after 5 months!!!
* Remote cheaply made, horrible to get the box to pick up
* Remote buttons often changes wrong function (ex. Channel Up made the Volume go down)
When it did work, the reception wasn't great, but it was passable. The remote was the largest piece of junk that came with the unit, however, as it had to be aimed directly at a sweet spot on the box, and god forbid you're an inch off it won't work at all. Often I found myself having problems navigating with it as a button press would often have an unexpected effect - Channel Up often made my Volume or the Channel go down.
It seems Apex missed the mark on this. I've owned Apex products before and was quite pleased, but it seems they were just trying to capitalize on the government program and completely missed running these through any sort of quality control program. I no longer have my receipt or box, so I'm stuck with a dead unit and will have to purchase another.
Buyer BEWARE - I'd suggest you go with any other unit out there. I know this will probably be the last Apex product I buy. If converter boxes are going to fail like this, it's looking more and more affordable just to get basic cable.
out of 52 user reviews
save your receipt and packing!
Pros: easy to set up
Cons: quit working after a week
Updated on Jun 21, 2009My opinion is this product was designed to do a fast cash in on all those lovely government coupons.
out of 52 user reviews
Apex (from Bestbuy?) Sux!
Pros: Compact size, light on front to indicate on/off. Compact remote uses AAA batteries.
Cons: Makes scratchy noise on all channels, video is too dark, doesn't pull in easily available stations (e.g., 2-1), volume even at #100 is still too low, especially on top of scratchy noise.
out of 52 user reviews
This product is frustrating.
Pros: The picture is good...when it comes in.
Cons: It powers off by itself. Sometimes i have no light on it and i will have to unplug and plug it back in before it will come on. Sometimes the red light will be on and i will still have to unplug it and plug it back in to get it to work.
out of 52 user reviews
BEWARE! THIS IS POORLY MANUFACTURED!!
Pros: No better than any other converter to be sure!
Cons: Runs very hot. Only works with a remote. If the remote stops working, there are no buttons to push.
out of 52 user reviews
Stops Working After 2-3 Months--A Rip-Off
Pros: Good picture and good reception while it lasts.
Cons: Broke down after 3 months, so sent it back to manufacturer and paid for "S&H." India-based customer service difficult to understand on the phone. New box they sent also lasted about 3 months. Planning on buying a different brand.
out of 52 user reviews
Not a good unit
Pros: My sister has one that works.
Cons: The unit went bad in a short time and Target would not exchange it for me.
out of 52 user reviews
Pass this one up, Please!
Pros: S-video output, Smart Antenna connection.
Cons: The Guide display is hard to read (small text, poor choice of font). Initial set-up is time consuming. Channel scanning takes several minutes versus a few seconds as per other brands.
out of 52 user reviews
Good Converter box
Pros: Good picture quality, got all the channels i get with the RCA box, a better EPG than RCA and a better remote - it has a recall button! You can also change aspect ratio easily with the touch of a button. Did the other reviews ever use a different box?
Cons: the EPG only shows one channel at a time and is plain looking. It may not be for seniors.
I'm not sure why users review this box so low. Perhaps there is a "super-duper" box out there I haven't tried, but of the ones I have tried this is the best-in-show (even if it is an apex).
out of 52 user reviews
ANYONE KNOW A LAWYER?
Pros: It's great for target practice once you realize you wasted your government coupon on a piece of poop.
Cons: My family bought 2. BOTH don't work. We have a dvd player with a digital tuner on it,.. THAT one works.. we have an on-roof digital antenna.. There could be a major lawsuit after these people..
out of 52 user reviews
P. O. S. Must have been made by Jaguar or Chrysler.
Pros: Used perfectly good time that could have been used for filling out a positive review.
Cons: Did not work. No signal. The screw in antenna fitting broke and that is the only unused input on my TV. I tried with the other inputs and had a message 'no signal'. I plugged the old antenna back and I will atempt to exchange it tomorrow.
out of 52 user reviews
DO NOT BUY THIS!
Pros: There is nothing good to say about this crappy box!
Cons: has a horrible reception. almost thought about getting regular cable! If you lose the remote you are out of luck, you cant turn the channel from the box. Remote is very sensitive.
out of 52 user reviews
I would like my gov't coupons back!!
Pros: Picture quality (if and when the signal is strong) is great
Cons: The remote is unpredictable - never does what you command it to do; signal is unpredictable - every day there is a 'weak signal' or 'no signal'
out of 52 user reviews
Horrible signal or reception
Pros: It has great piture and audio when it works.
Cons: I can never watch t.v. with this converter box. It is always choppy and pause frequently. Channel 24 and 18 especially, the only two stations I really watch. I mean I literally cannot watch one program. I hate it so much! I am probably going toreturn
out of 52 user reviews
few channels - failed completely after three months
Pros: No pros at all
Cons: poor customer service
out of 52 user reviews
quit working after, 2 months, can't find the reciept,
Pros: Nothing is good remote sucked too small
Cons: Just a real bad unit i have 2 hope the other works for awhile.
out of 52 user reviews
I rated 2 of these for an associate from work
Pros: I think it had the features that you would want in an analog to digital converter
Cons: It would not recieve even one digital channel, on any one of the tv's in the house.
I hooked my Channel Master back up, and immediately had all 30 channels again, and can pick up others if I rotate the antenna. It's a very good unit, and available, for the best price anywhere, from SolidSignal.com for about $48.00 + shipping. I suggested that he take them back to Best Buy, and exchange them for the Insignia, which is identical to the Zenith from Circuit City............poor Circuit City. Best Buy surprisingly exchanged them even up, even though the Insignia was a few more dollars......
out of 52 user reviews
Imperfections are obvious.
Pros: Clear picture bettter than the my cable picture. Small console to fit anywhere.
Cons: Very difficult to use remote. No built in universal remote to control the TV and other devices.
out of 52 user reviews
Difficult Remote Operation - Good Picture
Pros: The picture is good... Far better than the old analog signal.
Cons: The remote control is a big problem and is painful to use. You have to have it at JUST the right angle to make it work. I seems that you have to point it one direction to change the volume and then another direction to change the channel.
I am not sure why, but it seems that you have to point it one direction to make the volume work and a different direction to change channels. Its just odd.
out of 52 user reviews
50/50 its questionable
Pros: Has good picture quality ,rca jacks along with its passthrough option.
Cons: Remote is almost useless it tends to take abit more time to change channel or mute then other remotes and needs direct
alignment. Box has habit of loosing signal strength and picture freezes or sound ends up garbled.
out of 52 user reviews
A very crappy unit.
Pros: I guess the smart antenna may be nice but it didn't apply for me.
Cons: I got 70% signal on my Insignia but only 16% with the apex and no picture either with the apex. Cheap remote, nasty picture quality and I thought the program guide was crappy.
out of 52 user reviews
For the dollar - it falls way short
Pros: Simple to connect
Cons: No S-Video input or S-Video output
Realize that TV stations will start using smaller fonts and displays. At this point, in an emergency we need the most clear video possible. S-Video is not great, but it sure beats the channel 3 input format.
This feature does not cost that much more (if any more) judging from the price of relative products.
Keep shopping and as a minimum - find a product with s-video or better features.
