JordanM
Agent
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2001
- Messages
- 30
I know most of you will not believe this but here it is.
When the October 2002 software upgrade came, my DTV1080 "died". All the OTA channels were gone, and most DirecTV ones were too.
I called in, they told me to a hard reboot; unplug the unit and pull the card. Plug the card back in and then the box, and reset using the menu. I did - and I got back my OTA channels, and my DirecTV channels, but, each channel up or down in the DirecTV channels left me with no audio or video for 15 seconds to two minutes.
So, I called Zenith every 10 days through November and December and got nowhere. Then at WCES in Las Vegas, I met a Zenith rep, who gave me card, and told me to email him about the problem - I did.
Two days later, I get a call offering me a swap - a refurbished DTV1080 in exchange for my original one. I say yes, it comes, but it's no better - still delays in the DirecTV spectrum, while the OTA is fine. I call again, and then I think my dreams have been answered - they're replacing the refurb with a new HD-SAT520. Yeah!
Well, that came yesterday, and since I was home recovering from a nasty bronchial infection, I install the HD-SAT520. It would have been smooth if it had a coaxial digital out like the DTV1080 (since I use a Key Digital KD-SW2x1 autoswitch to switch it with my C-Band HD decoder - the HDD-200, and it only switches L-R audio or coaxial digital audio in addition to component video), but no, its digital sound is only optical, which I have to plug directly into my receiver, and reset its menu.
After setting it up, I play with it for two hours. I come to realize that no matter where I set the resolution, the HD-SAT520 is not only slow tuning DirecTV channels, but the OTA ones, too. It also causes my HD TV picture to flicker or jump as it tries to "resolve" some channels after I tune to them.
I call Zenith again, and they ask if 1) they can send me another HD-SAT520; or 2) can they do anything else? I get referred to a tech person who actually understands my plight, and cannot figure a fix to the dilemma.
Can you guess the rest of this story?
Zenith is buying the box back from me for its original January 2002 price! It goes back in about five days, while the HD-SAT520 goes back tomorrow.
Does anyone have a good suggestion for replacement? Or should I wait for DISH to release the PVR921 and go there?
All honest and genuine answers will be appreciated. All doubters of this - well that's too bad for you - I'll cry all the way to the bank as Zenith refunds my $799!
When the October 2002 software upgrade came, my DTV1080 "died". All the OTA channels were gone, and most DirecTV ones were too.
I called in, they told me to a hard reboot; unplug the unit and pull the card. Plug the card back in and then the box, and reset using the menu. I did - and I got back my OTA channels, and my DirecTV channels, but, each channel up or down in the DirecTV channels left me with no audio or video for 15 seconds to two minutes.
So, I called Zenith every 10 days through November and December and got nowhere. Then at WCES in Las Vegas, I met a Zenith rep, who gave me card, and told me to email him about the problem - I did.
Two days later, I get a call offering me a swap - a refurbished DTV1080 in exchange for my original one. I say yes, it comes, but it's no better - still delays in the DirecTV spectrum, while the OTA is fine. I call again, and then I think my dreams have been answered - they're replacing the refurb with a new HD-SAT520. Yeah!
Well, that came yesterday, and since I was home recovering from a nasty bronchial infection, I install the HD-SAT520. It would have been smooth if it had a coaxial digital out like the DTV1080 (since I use a Key Digital KD-SW2x1 autoswitch to switch it with my C-Band HD decoder - the HDD-200, and it only switches L-R audio or coaxial digital audio in addition to component video), but no, its digital sound is only optical, which I have to plug directly into my receiver, and reset its menu.
After setting it up, I play with it for two hours. I come to realize that no matter where I set the resolution, the HD-SAT520 is not only slow tuning DirecTV channels, but the OTA ones, too. It also causes my HD TV picture to flicker or jump as it tries to "resolve" some channels after I tune to them.
I call Zenith again, and they ask if 1) they can send me another HD-SAT520; or 2) can they do anything else? I get referred to a tech person who actually understands my plight, and cannot figure a fix to the dilemma.
Can you guess the rest of this story?
Zenith is buying the box back from me for its original January 2002 price! It goes back in about five days, while the HD-SAT520 goes back tomorrow.
Does anyone have a good suggestion for replacement? Or should I wait for DISH to release the PVR921 and go there?
All honest and genuine answers will be appreciated. All doubters of this - well that's too bad for you - I'll cry all the way to the bank as Zenith refunds my $799!
