New Freeview HD hardware: eXtra Terrestrial Freeview HD tuner

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116 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 3

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#194544 6-Feb-2009 22:16

I got my refund :)

Pete stands by his products 85% (partial refund of 235, 275 paid)

Dawg

233 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 1

#194546 6-Feb-2009 22:45

Well i have been watching the crickrt on SD at the inlaws all nite & it was full of sound drop outs.Any one else notice this - in ethier SD or HD?

MrWestie

116 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 3

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#194568 7-Feb-2009 08:20

Darn trademe edited the link out of my feedback. Guess I will have to list potential issues in there.

edit:
I did wonder if he would give neutral or negative feedback.

:(
" another geek..can't read english!!..His loss...PVR s/ware coming from uor factory soon..."

Insult your customers, the best way to get a good rep.

Jaxson

8172 posts

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#194613 7-Feb-2009 12:12

dodgemnz:
Who can recomend or tell me where i can purchase a suitable gain improving amplifier that can run off the 5V aerial power option on the extra terrestrial??

I was thinking of trying this myself:
http://www.freeviewshop.co.nz/inline-terrestrial-amplifier-10db-p-542.html
Price is right to at lest try it I think.

tdgeek

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Lifetime subscriber

#194632 7-Feb-2009 13:11

Yes I noticed sound dropouts, I assume it was only related to the transmission from the ground and not Freeview as while I have Freeview (Sommett Terrestrial) i wasnt watching Freeview I watched that via Sky.

It was a small pop type of noise every 3 to 5 minutes

kiwisat

147 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 2

#194637 7-Feb-2009 13:30

I supply and install a powered digital antenna 20 dB gain(5 volt from STB or supplied power pack) which I have had great results from. PM me if interested, price is $70.00 post included.

Paul

Dell

Shop now for Dell laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

mort

29 posts

Geek

#195520 12-Feb-2009 13:25

My first post here – hi all, some good info on this site.

i wish i had read this thread before purchasing the ET. I've had the same problems with two ET boxes now

- audio distortion out of both RCA outputs

- audio dropouts from the digital outputs

- Menus freezing, needing a reboot

- pixilation particularly on TV3 but all channels have some.

I’ve been dealing with Lars at the Freeview shop.co.nz – he seems unaware of the rca audio problems and blames my receiver for the digital audio saying it’s incompatible with the ET. I’ve replaced my aerial at his suggestion the menu freezes were due to poor signal but i have always had over 80% strength and what looks like 100% quality

Overall he seems unwilling to accept this product is substandard, has been very difficult to deal with (blaming all on my equipment) and so far is unwilling to provide a refund.

I can tolerate some of the problems like rebooting occasionally (i had similar problems with freeview while in the UK) but with the above problems not resolved my stance is that the product does not serve its intended purpose. I cannot watch TV with either the audio dropping out or with such distortion, not to mention the pixilation.

Anyone else dealing with this retailer having similar problems?

Cheers geeks.

Jaxson

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#195539 12-Feb-2009 14:03

Not that this helps you, but my experience with Lars has been excellant.

Re the non compatible receiver, if you hunt back through this forum you'll find myself and others have determined that nearly every receiver is incompatible with the ET optical/dig coax output. Maybe we should consider that in fact it's the ET that is not compatible with our receivers that all work fine with every single other device connected to them?.... I can add Pioneer and Onkyo to the list from first hand experience.

The only show's that give 99% no drop outs are TV3's Dolby 5.1 shows, which is all I really use the dig out connection for anyway, so on that level I'm ok with it. Lets not get into why the hdmi connections don't give 5.1 in the first place!

Pixelation/menu freeze/random flashes of some previous program (happened to me last night)/clock wandering. It all apparently doesn't happen.

Brunzy

2019 posts

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#195567 12-Feb-2009 16:45

These issues have been well covered.
They are not signal related,despite what some say.
Too many with the same problems,and also ,other receivers dont dislpay these symptoms.
You have posssibly upgraded your antenna without having needed too

mort

29 posts

Geek

#195573 12-Feb-2009 17:06

Yes, i agree, no need to buy the aerial and waste hours trying to get good reception. like I said i wish i had searched for info on the ET and found this thread.

I'm amazed he said it was reception problems and that he has not heard of the RCA audio problem - that's smells like BS to me.

Does anyone here think the RCA issue can be resolved with a firmware update? wouldn't it be more likely to be poor/low quality hardware that causes the distortion? i need this output so my wife can come along and watch TV without having to try and use the receiver

thanks for you replies - it kinda makes me feel better knowing i'm not alone, but also strengthens my belief that this product is poorly made - even down to how it's packaged and the paper the manual is printer on.

Overall i feel ripped off, and along the way had my worst customer service experience ever; and i buy a lot of geek gear.

Lucky I still have my NMT-100 (aka Popcornhour, but i’d rather not use that silly name)

DaveB

1139 posts

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#195591 12-Feb-2009 19:29

mort:

I'm amazed he said it was reception problems and that he has not heard of the RCA audio problem - that's smells like BS to me.

Overall i feel ripped off, and along the way had my worst customer service experience ever; and i buy a lot of geek gear.

I would go so far as to say yes you were ripped off. I used to keep an eye on their forums and saw a few posts deleted because the audio issue was raised.

Unfortunately, as we are starting to see in various threads relating to non certified Freeview STB's - these Freeview internet retailers can leave a lot to be desired and urgently require a crash course in customer service.

Sad but true. If you can, at least get the unit changed for the certified Draco unit. Better still try for a cash refund due to faulty goods and go to DSE and purchase the DSE/Zinwell box. That STB appears to be the least troublesome.

Apple TV

Stream your favourite shows now on Apple TV (affiliate link).

Dawg

233 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 1

#195658 13-Feb-2009 08:28

mort:
Lucky I still have my NMT-100 (aka Popcornhour, but i’d rather not use that silly name)

I know great Product - Worse possible name (Almost) - Only wish it could handle the audio codec of freeview - Then no problems at all.

robjg63

4161 posts

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#195674 13-Feb-2009 10:12

This box has a quite a few problems - Seems to work ok under some circumstances - the trouble is it doesnt seem possible to define exactly what those circumstances are! Either that or the quality of the hardware varies greatly.

I was getting a new (to me) problem the other night. The picture cracked up at some point while I was watching some movie (the name escapes me) that had Vincent D'Onofrio in it. At the moment it cracked up he was on the screen. From then on for the rest of the night this frame with his face kept randomly popping up when there was a pixelation issue. I think someone posted a similar problem with a dishwasher powerball advert a while back. First time I have witnessed this.

Thats bad memory management from the software (or possibly bad memory). I am just hoping (but not holding my breath), that the next firmware release is a major rewrite and they might sort a few things out. However, unlike the other suppliers, who apparently have flown in some developers to try and resolve some NZ issues, this supplier thinks the box is perfect and we are all idiots.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

Jaxson

8172 posts

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#195680 13-Feb-2009 10:52

robjg63:
I was getting a new (to me) problem the other night. The picture cracked up at some point while I was watching some movie (the name escapes me) that had Vincent D'Onofrio in it. At the moment it cracked up he was on the screen. From then on for the rest of the night this frame with his face kept randomly popping up when there was a pixelation issue. I think someone posted a similar problem with a dishwasher powerball advert a while back. First time I have witnessed this.

Thats bad memory management from the software (or possibly bad memory). I am just hoping (but not holding my breath), that the next firmware release is a major rewrite and they might sort a few things out. However, unlike the other suppliers, who apparently have flown in some developers to try and resolve some NZ issues, this supplier thinks the box is perfect and we are all idiots.

Yes that was me with the powerball thing. Happened again just recently for me too. Weird, shows every say 25 seconds or something and initially I thought it was a product promotion etc. Reboot fixed, like every other problem. But yeah, turns out these problems don't exist anyway. Can reiterate that the box works fine for normal use + 5.1 sound after a reboot.

In my opinion it's either:
a) The signal is not good enough to the box. Guess this includes random local external interference.
b) The signal is too good to the the box. (Sales point is it's a super sensitive tuner).
c) The faults lie within either the hardware or software in the box.

mort

29 posts

Geek

#195955 15-Feb-2009 20:51

DaveB:
mort:

I'm amazed he said it was reception problems and that he has not heard of the RCA audio problem - that's smells like BS to me.

Overall i feel ripped off, and along the way had my worst customer service experience ever; and i buy a lot of geek gear.

I would go so far as to say yes you were ripped off. I used to keep an eye on their forums and saw a few posts deleted because the audio issue was raised.

Unfortunately, as we are starting to see in various threads relating to non certified Freeview STB's - these Freeview internet retailers can leave a lot to be desired and urgently require a crash course in customer service.

Sad but true. If you can, at least get the unit changed for the certified Draco unit. Better still try for a cash refund due to faulty goods and go to DSE and purchase the DSE/Zinwell box. That STB appears to be the least troublesome.

thanks for the advice, they sound good but I need to get an uncertified one for HD via component. The ET looked great on paper/Net but I don't have the patience for it's current problems - maybe it will improve in a new version?

Lars at freeviewshop has offered a refund via a call to my mobile at 10:45 pm on a friday night WTF!? so i will take him up on that.

i'll seeek out a draco 6300 unless anyone has a better suggestion (must have HD via component)

cheers all

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