Zinwell ZAT-970A Digital to Analog TV Converter Box

Support Analog Pass-Through
Convert Digital TV signal to Analog
Multi-lingual support
Digital Parental control
Remote control included

Amazon is so shiny!!
Date: 2009-01-06 Rating: 10 out of 10

As one who does not watch much television, it made sense to acquire a tv converter box. I researched what was available and picked the Zinwell as it has many good features. I like the remote which allows me to use my VCR when the tv is not in use. It is easy to install though I would recommend using AV cables for a better picture (very close to DVD quality)
and imporved sound). The shopping process was easy and the free shipping was very prompt. Amazon remains one of my favorite sites to research and purchse many products because of their outstanding pricing and variety of product.

Bewertungen

I knew I shouldn't have bought the "refurbished" one
Datum 2009-01-06 Rang: 2 von 10

I got the converter and hooked it up. I was pleased with the number of channels and the clarity. "Law and Order" was on so I watched the last part of it. When it was over,I tried to change the channel, there was no sound. I thought, "There's no way this analog-to-digital converter is broken, I just got it. It must be the TV." I turned my DVD player on and discovered that sure enough the converter was broken. Now the machine doesn't do anything and navigating amazon's customer service dept is not pleasant. Buyer beware.

Did not work out of the box
Datum 2009-01-05 Rang: 2 von 10

After ordering the ZAT-970A converter box I installed it according to directions. I was never able to get this product to go to the Easy Install Menu listed in the instructions. I agree with the reviewer that said the remote included with the converter box is very cheaply made. I can picture the remote shattering the first time it is dropped on a hard surface like tile or a hardwood floor. There was no information in the troubleshooting part of this book to cover my problem so I did an internet search for the company on dogpile and never could load any of the pages to my computer. I don't know if the company site was down when I tried to look for it or not. As an electronic technician I know I can do a simple install such as this with no problem. I don't know if I just got a lemon or not, but the box is being returned. I will be looking for a different product.

Works as stated
Datum 2009-01-03 Rang: 8 von 10

This is nothing extraordinary but it does exactly what it says it does and it does look nice. We only have one TV which would need this in my daughters room and for this it works and looks just fine.

ZAT970A vs. DTVPal notes
Datum 2008-12-31 Rang: 8 von 10

A few notes about the differences:

Most importantly, the ZAT970A has an 8 event capacity, while the DTVPal has only 5 available events, a piece of information not available in the manual nor anywhere else, even on the Dish website. I wouldn't have bought it had I known. This is nearly as boneheaded as the rest of the available CECB boxes, which have none.

I have not found any notable reception differences between the two boxes; both have good sensitivity for the available stations within 30 miles. I am using a multiple antenna setup with amplifiers the same one I used for analog reception (necessary to pull in the furthest station), feeding 4 VCRs, 2 TVs, and one DVD recorder. For all stations, the signal strength and quality exceed 90% on either box.

The DTVPal's on-screen guide is far superior to the ZAT970A's, but still no great shakes; for serious time-shifters, the online TV Guide website is still a necessity. It should be noted that the DTVPal guide is also superior to the guide on the $180 (retail) Samsung HD receiver I bought to view live HDTV on my ~ 4 yr. old Samsung HDTV-ready (hah!) 32" CRT style 16:9 flat screen.

I haven't noticed any problems yet with the time settings, both are set to automatic Eastern time. Since I got them after the time change, any DST problems will show up next year.

The DTVPal remote is easier to use due to it's larger button size, but the buttons on the ZAT970A remote are not as small as some remotes I have had to use.

The DTVPal manual has larger print and illustrations, and is more thorough; the ZAT970A manual notes that to enter the Service Mode Menu to correct certain problems, the dealer should be contacted. This is a feat that will be difficult to accomplish since it is not sold in brick&mortar locations in most of the country.

Produkt Information

Recording label: Zinwell
Hersteller: Zinwell
Model: ZAT-970A
EAN: 0874409000899
Format: Electronics
Universal product code (UPC): 874409000899
Brand: Zinwell
Farbe: White