TVONICS Freeview with Modulator!

[Roy]

I bought a couple of these last year, as replacements for SetPal based receivers which had been rendered unusable by the "Split NIT" issue.

I wasn't too impressed when the new TVonics boxes started to report "no signal" when brought out of standby, requiring a reset to restore normal operation. It has taken a year, but there is now a software upgrade to correct this:

http://www.tvonics.com/product_support/ and select "OAD".

The over-air download has been played once already, and is due again on 21st September and 5th October, so if any of your newly acquired receivers have older software versions and exhibit this problem, they should be fixed soon.

Apart from the "no signal" issue, the receivers have been fine. They are ideal for small-screen 4:3 TVs, because there is a "4:3 normal" display mode which keeps the screen filled at all times and doesn't get forced into "letterbox" mode, even on Channel 4.

Roy

[paulsherwin]

Thanks for that info Roy. The firmware version in mine ends with M1123, so is different from the version in the OAD. I haven't noticed this bug yet, so it may be fixed in my firmware, or I may just have been lucky up to now.

One minor niggle I have noticed is the remote doesn't allow you to control how the picture is displayed on a 4:3 TV. A 14:9 letterbox of a 16:9 broadcast can't be selected at all, even from the setup menus. This is a pity since this is the correct aspect ratio for 16:9 on a 4:3 set (it's what the analogue transmissions use.) The broadcasters work to 14:9 as a safe area, so viewing the output in 4:3 fullscreen may cause important picture content to be lost. Most boxes allow you to toggle between 16:9 letterbox, 14:9 letterbox and 4:3 fullscreen using a button on the remote.

Paul

[BGmidsUK]

That's a very good point Paul, though for me the only issues with 14:9 being when they've cropped 4:3 sources and the fact my Sony TV9-90s don't sync properly, so they'll be fine for me. Maybe a future software update will fix the issue though?

I'll give my local Aldi stores a call today as I will need a couple of DTT boxes once I get my aerials up. Did I read somewhere that Asda were stocking them as well?


Brian

[Roy]

Paul, mine was also on M1123 before the upgrade, and it used to show "no signal" frequently. Perhaps you have been lucky with yours. In any case, a quick reset would clear the problem.

As regards aspect ratio, I agree the option for 14:9 would have been welcome, but at least the TVonics does maintain the aspect ratio selected by the user, and doesn't allow the broadcaster to override it. Channel 4 forces all 16:9 broadcasts into deep letterbox format, regardless of the viewer's preference (on most receivers), and this makes viewing on a small-screen TV difficult. The TVonics is one of the few receivers which allows the viewer a choice of display format in these circumstances.

This also makes it ideal for feeding a standards converter for vintage TVs, where a letterbox presentation of any type just looks wrong.

Roy

[paulsherwin]

I've just updated the firmware with no obvious sign of problems. It's now working again and reporting the updated firmware version.

Thanks for the alert Roy.

Paul

[reelguy]

I seem to remember all Freeview sts will need retuning on 30th Sept.
Not sure if this will affect any particular sets.
Local B&Q getting rid of some Fortec star rs2100 receivers for £10 last week.
OK for recording from. not many left though.
Peter W........Reelguy

[paulsherwin]

Everyone will need to do a channel rescan at the end of September. Boxes have now started flashing up warnings about this. Those that are set to rescan automatically should rescan overnight without human intervention, but many will need an explicit manual rescan.

This is nothing to do with updating a box's firmware though.

Paul

[Heatercathodeshort]

My box showed the 'no signal' condition when brought out of standby. It has now upgraded itself without intervention.....Very scarry..I have a funny feeling its watching my every move..I have left my HMV 900 on for days on end but so far it has refused to upgrade itself to digital freeview. Am I missing something here....? Ta Ta for now. John. P.S. They are now £39.99 in Tesco today.

[paulsherwin]

They check for an update at about 03:00 every day, and scan for new channels too. This can be very irritating if you're actually watching TV at that time or recording something, though you can disable it in one of the setup menus. This is the default behaviour of most boxes now.

Paul

[Roy]

My two boxes have been problem-free since the upgrade, which occurred about three weeks ago.

I have disabled the automatic rescan for channels. For some reason, it tended to make channels which I had "hidden" or "deleted" (i.e. most of them) re-appear.

Roy

[dave walsh]

Particular thanks for this info Roy [and Co]. Mine was originally hooked up to the 1980 B+O set RF direct but when I needed to include a VCR it came out of use in favour of a Technika [I don't have the TVONIC scart adaptor lead yet]. Therefore, there was every chance of me missing the up-dates with it unplugged. Next problem-where is it? It is very small. After a bit of a sweat I finally looked in the Technika's Box [when I found that] and bingo! I've already been caught once with that other notorious "upgrade" that rendered some tuners useless with no remedy! I will now leave the TVONICS plugged into the workshop aerial while I'm in the north. They might be twiddling with Freeview in Rammy by now but it's not officially expected until November so I'll play safe with the south. Thanks again as I didn't know anything about all this. Dave W

[Techman]

This sounds like the very thing that I've been thinking about trying to get.

I'll need something to use with my old Fidelity TV/Radio/Record player combination gram unit that has no scart. Also, I have a little 12 volt TV/Radio/Tape unit with no scart that I use in my old 1965 caravan.

So, does this basic unit run off 12 volts when not used with its mains power unit? If it does, then it's what I'm looking for.

[matthewhouse]

Hello Techman, they require a 5.3V 1A supply.

[Techman]

Thanks for that, Matthew.

Ouch! - 1 amp! I was just thinking if I could get away with using one of those 6 volt lantern batteries to power it in the caravan, but I think 1 amp constant would soon kill a zinc carbon battery - that's if it could even deliver 1 amp to start with. I've got one of those big yellow re-chargeable tourches, so I could use the 6 volt lead acid battery out of that at a push -guessing that the 5.3 volts isn't critical.

Or I could rig up some sort of dropper circuit to run it from the 12 volt caravan battery supply - probably the best idea - & get the correct 5.3 volts too.....food for thought.

[matthewhouse]

I have a similar problem, I have a 12V CRT colour telly and want to use one of these with it, but powering it will be a little tricky. I expect the voltage is quite critical, and I expect smoothing/regulation would take place in the wall PSU, as there is little room inside the unit for this. I can't be sure though as I can't remember what was inside.

[paulsherwin]

It should be easy enough to build a 12V-5V adapter using a 7805 and a few other components. Most scrap PSUs will contain a 7805 somewhere.

Paul

[mhennessy]

Re. the PSU. I bought 3 NOS Prisms when CPC were knocking them out for £15. They came with the "NetBit" 5.3V, 1A PSU mentioned above. None of them lasted even a year. One can carefully open them up and replace the failed electrolytic (470u, 10V, low-ESR), but to be safe, I bought some 5V, 1.5A power supplies from Rapid Electronics (85-2955) for around £6+VAT. These are made by "Power Pax UK", and quote a full-load MTBF of 50,000 hours. http://www.rapidonline.com/Electrica...857/kw/85-2955

I don't think the 0.3V difference matters (TVonics couldn't advise) - certainly all seems well so far.

FWIW: Stepping down from 12V, I'd be inclined to consider a "simple switcher" solution - 7W of dissipation in a TO220 device would need a surprisingly large heatsink. I'd also be tempted to add a "crowbar" to protect the receiver from PSU failure...

Nice products, BTW. I also recommend their DTRs... (Just a happy customer, despite the cheap power supplies!)

[paulsherwin]

Despite the PSU ratings, I very much doubt that the device is pulling anything near 1A in normal operation. Maybe a lot of current is needed during startup, but I suspect 100mA or less is the likely steady consumption, with much less in standby. I can't see how such a small device would dissipate all that power if it really was being used.

Paul

[Patrick Dixon]

I have loads of NOS 5V 1.5A moulded PSUs. £5 each inc UK postage if you'd like one.

[matthewhouse]

Originally Posted by paulsherwin

Despite the PSU ratings... I suspect 100mA or less is the likely steady consumption, with much less in standby. I can't see how such a small device would dissipate all that power if it really was being used.
Paul

I put a meter in series with the LV psu lead for general interest and to prove a point. Readings taken with a digital DC ammeter.

Displaying a Freeview image current drawn was between 608mA and 615mA.

In standby a steady 555mA was drawn. After 10 or so minutes this drops to 190mA

Matty

P.S. these units get rather hot during use!