Old on digital boxes - Page 2 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

AidanLunn · 26th Aug 2011, 1:58 pm

We had one of the first Philips ONdigital boxes. Eventually it began to freeze regularly, and it literally started falling to pieces. Sick of the thing, I just slung it!

I'd just like to add to this that the Ferguson F01SDB has two snags on it which will forever mean that I shall never consider using one for its RF output.

My first gripe, albeit a temporary one until we go through DSO next month, is that it does not cope well with poor reception conditions. There are far better boxes out there that can cope. Some Vestel boxes do well under bad signals much better, I've found.

The other is that the loop-through is confusing. Say, if I were to fit it to an RF-only kitchen TV, which receives both Sky via RF from another room and analogue through an amplified booster/distribution system. If you put the RF cable, with Sky and aerial reception, into RF in, it will not RF modulate the Freeview box's output. RF in and RF out don't seem to be connected. Sky and analogue will appear fine. If however you put the Sky and aerial cable into TV in, and then connect RF out to the TV, it provides an RF output of the Freeview box, but completely blocks out the Sky and analogue channels!

I've come across this problem with this box before and it is not my choice of Freeview with RF!

Paul Stenning · 27th Aug 2011, 11:05 am

Most of the original OnDigital boxes will be unusable after DSO anyway because of changes in the way the channels are multiplexed or something. Also they can't cope with the higher number of channels we have now.

Sideband · 27th Aug 2011, 4:28 pm

Hmmmm. Look like mine may be

then!

SB

mark pirate · 27th Aug 2011, 7:18 pm

I still have 3 or 4 philips boxes here, we dont go digital here until next year, i will have to dig one out to see if it still works.

I also have a couple of F2-fox-t humax boxes with built in modulators, & a great box they are, but all the sets in the house are partnered to PVR's now, even these are starting to appear at car boot sales now!

Mark

Tazman1966 · 3rd Sep 2011, 7:28 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tazman1966

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Moll

As another example, I use a Ferguson F01SDB - £20 from Comet (about a year ago?)

And so have I which I bought a couple of months ago. Very good box.

I thought I'd better warn readers about new versions of this box. I had one as mentioned for the spare bedroom which gets used with one of my old colour sets and as I said above, it works very well and the modulator is particularly nice - good correctly contrasted picture and good sound too.

I bought another one just the other day also from Comet and tried it out today and what a disappointment through the RF output. Weak contrast and a pronounced buzz on sound. The output also clashed with an off air signal - we still have analogue here. I delved into the set-up menu to "move" the output to a different channel like I had to originally with the other box and couldn't find the option to do so. I consulted the leaflet and sure enough that option has vanished. I compared it with my original one and the menu's different. I checked the original leaflet which does mention that the modulator is adjustable but the new leaflet has a space where it was printed.

I can only assume that an inferior (and no doubt slightly cheaper!) modulator is now fitted as standard. I shall be taking it back for a refund.

Unless you can get an old stock one I would steer well clear of the updated one.

brunel · 8th Sep 2011, 1:39 pm

I have an old Pace Twin PVR, it has a modulator.

But after the first phase of the DSO, the 2K/8K bug has finally caught up with it.

The modulator is still useful.

threeseven · 8th Sep 2011, 4:45 pm

We went DSO yesterday and my Pace ON box won't retune BBC channels, so it's fairly certain it won't retune the other channels when the final part of the DSO occurs on the 21st. It had been fine upto then, even had a 999 channel capability !
Went out earlier and picked up a Nikkai box from Maplin for £17.99. It's about a 6th the size of the Pace with loads more features. Will have a poke around inside the Pace later, when it's decommissioned.

Hybrid tellies · 8th Sep 2011, 8:29 pm

For those of you living in the Mendip area there are still 2 multiplexes using the old 2k system despite DSO happening last year. So an old box will work on some stations but this all changes on 28th September when these last two multiplexes are switched over to the new 8k system. I might try and dig my old Pace box out unless I have already thrown it out.

nickdyson · 8th Sep 2011, 9:27 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tazman1966

I thought I'd better warn readers about new versions of this box. I had one as mentioned for the spare bedroom which gets used with one of my old colour sets and as I said above, it works very well and the modulator is particularly nice - good correctly contrasted picture and good sound too.

I bought another one just the other day also from Comet and tried it out today and what a disappointment through the RF output. Weak contrast and a pronounced buzz on sound. The output also clashed with an off air signal - we still have analogue here. I delved into the set-up menu to "move" the output to a different channel like I had to originally with the other box and couldn't find the option to do so. I consulted the leaflet and sure enough that option has vanished. I compared it with my original one and the menu's different. I checked the original leaflet which does mention that the modulator is adjustable but the new leaflet has a space where it was printed.

I can only assume that an inferior (and no doubt slightly cheaper!) modulator is now fitted as standard. I shall be taking it back for a refund.

Unless you can get an old stock one I would steer well clear of the updated one.

I bought a Ferguson F01SDBE from Comet yesterday for the very same reason and was disappointed to be faced with exactly the same problem. I thought I was missing something. It's going back tomorrow.

threeseven · 9th Sep 2011, 6:17 pm

The little Nikkai is now installed and performs very well. Even has an info function that displays signal strength AND quality ! Also on that function the frequency, channel and all other transmitter and channel info ! I noticed power consumption is rated as less than 5w whereas the outgoing Pace was 25w !
Had a look inside the Pace and the build is actually very good, out of service for good now though. Do I discard it or retain for posterity ?

Welsh Anorak · 10th Sep 2011, 12:26 pm

Hi
I'm afraid there's little that can be done with the old receivers other than use the bits!
Glyn

BGmidsUK · 13th Sep 2011, 4:29 pm

Or use them as test pattern generators I suppose, as 60oldjohn suggested? An RF testcard source is better than landfill.

Brian

26th Aug 2011, 1:58 pm	#21
AidanLunn Heptode Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Killamarsh, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 746	Re: Old on digital boxes We had one of the first Philips ONdigital boxes. Eventually it began to freeze regularly, and it literally started falling to pieces. Sick of the thing, I just slung it! I'd just like to add to this that the Ferguson F01SDB has two snags on it which will forever mean that I shall never consider using one for its RF output. My first gripe, albeit a temporary one until we go through DSO next month, is that it does not cope well with poor reception conditions. There are far better boxes out there that can cope. Some Vestel boxes do well under bad signals much better, I've found. The other is that the loop-through is confusing. Say, if I were to fit it to an RF-only kitchen TV, which receives both Sky via RF from another room and analogue through an amplified booster/distribution system. If you put the RF cable, with Sky and aerial reception, into RF in, it will not RF modulate the Freeview box's output. RF in and RF out don't seem to be connected. Sky and analogue will appear fine. If however you put the Sky and aerial cable into TV in, and then connect RF out to the TV, it provides an RF output of the Freeview box, but completely blocks out the Sky and analogue channels! I've come across this problem with this box before and it is not my choice of Freeview with RF!

27th Aug 2011, 11:05 am	#22
Paul Stenning Administrator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Cardiff Posts: 8,967	Re: Old on digital boxes Most of the original OnDigital boxes will be unusable after DSO anyway because of changes in the way the channels are multiplexed or something. Also they can't cope with the higher number of channels we have now. __________________ Paul Stenning Forum Admin/Owner and BVWS Webmaster

27th Aug 2011, 4:28 pm	#23
Sideband Dekatron Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK. Posts: 7,444	Re: Old on digital boxes Hmmmm. Look like mine may be then! SB __________________ There are lots of brilliant keyboard players and then there is Rick Wakeman.....

27th Aug 2011, 7:18 pm	#24
mark pirate Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK Posts: 5,182	Re: Old on digital boxes I still have 3 or 4 philips boxes here, we dont go digital here until next year, i will have to dig one out to see if it still works. I also have a couple of F2-fox-t humax boxes with built in modulators, & a great box they are, but all the sets in the house are partnered to PVR's now, even these are starting to appear at car boot sales now! Mark

8th Sep 2011, 1:39 pm	#26
brunel Heptode Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: LEEDS.......North of the River Aire. Posts: 867	Re: Old on digital boxes I have an old Pace Twin PVR, it has a modulator. But after the first phase of the DSO, the 2K/8K bug has finally caught up with it. The modulator is still useful.

8th Sep 2011, 4:45 pm	#27
threeseven Octode Join Date: May 2010 Location: Worcestershire, UK. Posts: 1,880	Re: Old on digital boxes We went DSO yesterday and my Pace ON box won't retune BBC channels, so it's fairly certain it won't retune the other channels when the final part of the DSO occurs on the 21st. It had been fine upto then, even had a 999 channel capability ! Went out earlier and picked up a Nikkai box from Maplin for £17.99. It's about a 6th the size of the Pace with loads more features. Will have a poke around inside the Pace later, when it's decommissioned.

8th Sep 2011, 8:29 pm	#28
Hybrid tellies Nonode Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: 1966-1976 Coverack in Cornwall and Helston Cornwall. 1976-present Bristol/Bath area. Posts: 2,946	Re: Old on digital boxes For those of you living in the Mendip area there are still 2 multiplexes using the old 2k system despite DSO happening last year. So an old box will work on some stations but this all changes on 28th September when these last two multiplexes are switched over to the new 8k system. I might try and dig my old Pace box out unless I have already thrown it out. __________________ Simon BVWS member

9th Sep 2011, 6:17 pm	#30
threeseven Octode Join Date: May 2010 Location: Worcestershire, UK. Posts: 1,880	Re: Old on digital boxes The little Nikkai is now installed and performs very well. Even has an info function that displays signal strength AND quality ! Also on that function the frequency, channel and all other transmitter and channel info ! I noticed power consumption is rated as less than 5w whereas the outgoing Pace was 25w ! Had a look inside the Pace and the build is actually very good, out of service for good now though. Do I discard it or retain for posterity ?

10th Sep 2011, 12:26 pm	#31
Welsh Anorak Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Wales, UK. Posts: 6,652	Re: Old on digital boxes Hi I'm afraid there's little that can be done with the old receivers other than use the bits! Glyn

13th Sep 2011, 4:29 pm	#32
BGmidsUK Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Leicester, UK. Posts: 809	Re: Old on digital boxes Or use them as test pattern generators I suppose, as 60oldjohn suggested? An RF testcard source is better than landfill. Brian