OTA tuner sensitivity

[sparker]

I was wondering how the 921's OTA sensitivity seems to be?

 

[Tahoerob]

I was wondering how the 921's OTA sensitivity seems to be?

Well, I had a Sammy 151 & thought the 6000 was a little better at keeping a lock.

So far the 921 is at least as good as the 6000. However I cannot really push the issue due to the OTA bug when low signal strength is encountered.
I did notice more attempts to note signal & lock on some potential channels more so than the 6000. I am gettign a rotor soon & I bet my number of DTV stations captured will rise.

 

[sparker]

right now I have a MYHD PC card and on one of my locals I only get around 40% compared to other that peg out at 100%. I wonder how the 921 will handle that channel.

 

[peterd]

I was wondering how the 921's OTA sensitivity seems to be?

Sensitivity good. Stability bad.

My 921 is able to pull in several channels I've been having a lot of trouble getting with the 6000. On the other hand, it will often lose all the OTA channels until I go back into the setup menu and force detection of one of the local digital channels. I'm eagerly awaiting the L1.43 software download!

 

[Tahoerob]

Well I attempted to record Mask of Zorro on OTA CBS (which is my strongest SS station).
IT WAS TERRIBLE. The whole recording had constant pixellation & lost sound. Totally unwatchable. I believe all of it was due to the 8vsb\921 probelm & NOT my SS from antenna.
Then it locked 8vsb module up.

At this point, recording OTA is NOT an option

 

[sparker]

Wow I am glad I am waiting on this to see if the price comes down and even if it doesn't they will have time to work out the kinks!

 

[Tahoerob]

Tried again to record OTA.
FAILED!
First the timer did not start. THen while trying to get to the OTA channel, the 8vsb locked up AGAIN.
After reboot (has it been about 10 times now), the OTA timer started.
However, the 921 tried to let me switch to a third live sat channel despite the fact that a HD sat channel was also recording (thus OTA & sat recording at same time). Well, this really locked up the 921. It would try to let me switch channels but not actually tune to them.
Thus, yet another reboot.
I REALLY hope they upgrade the OTA tuner software soon.

 

[peterd]

[...] the 921 tried to let me switch to a third live sat channel despite the fact that a HD sat channel was also recording (thus OTA & sat recording at same time). Well, this really locked up the 921. It would try to let me switch channels but not actually tune to them.
Thus, yet another reboot.

Rob -

This is why I can't recommend the 921 (with the current software) as a primary receiver. I have a lot of patience with it at the moment, but wouldn't ask the same of my wife (she's very supportive, but that's the very reason I try to keep things running smoothly for her). Besides, once the "new toy" effect subsides, I think my patience would run out if I kept finding that the shows I wanted to watch were missing, incomplete, corrupted or just interrupted by reboots!

I know you're selling your 6000 & I wish you well in living with just the 921. I do think things will get sorted out -- it's just a matter of time. (However -- given how long it has taken to get to market -- I don't expect this process to be quick!)

I REALLY hope they upgrade the OTA tuner software soon.

Don't we all! Now where is that L1.43 update, anyway?

 

[Tahoerob]

1. at least it records the sat HD well.
2. most of the HD on the networks, i donot watch!
3. the net shows I do watch, I have to set a timer for SD channels now anyway!
4. please, please release L1.43 soon just for the headache factor

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

While the sensitivity is better on the 921 over the 6000, it has trouble keeping the signal tuned in.

I have a station which I get a solid 97 for signal wise that never breaks up on my 6000 however on the 921 it pixalates often.

 

[peterd]

Scott -

I believe the big difference with all the 8VSB tuners is how they handle multipath. This would show up as ghosting on analog channels, but instead shows up as "signal strength" variations. (I put "signal strength" in quotes since what these readouts all show is not actually strength, but how much error correction is being applied to the digital datastream. The "stronger" the signal, the fewer errors the tuner is compensating for.)

Bottom line is that everyone's experience will differ depending on the specifics of the signals in their location with their antenna. One person might show low 8VSB "signal strength" because the RF carrier level is weak (actual low RF signal strength!). Another might show low 8VSB "signal strength" because, even though the carrier is very strong (actual high RF signal strength), the multipath is strong as well. Another person might show great variations in 8VSB "signal strength" because the carrier level is borderline, while someone with a consistently strong carrier but varying levels of multipath (say due to varying atmospheric conditions) sees similar behavior.

In other words, YMMV!