Is this normal?

[Smokey]

My friend loaned me his Apex digital convertor box untill I get an HDTV, and let me first say that this is a piece junk. The onscreen and TV guide menus are so elementary that I think it was an after thought. And the remote suck and it is slugish.

The problem I have with this box is that it takes forever to get a picture when it is turned it on. At first (4 months ago) when I got it, it took about 30 second to get a picture when I press the On switch. Since then it has taken longer and longer to get a picture. By now when I turn it on, it takes about 5 to 7 minutes to get a picture.

Has anybody ran cross a problem like this?

[Woochifer]

Well, you're getting what you paid for!

Welcome to the world of the bottomfeeders. Sounds like a lot extraneous information has accumulated in the flash memory. Have you tried a hard reset on the unit?

P.S.: Are you purposely avoiding HDTV just to test your tolerance for f***d up workarounds? Get the damn TV and get it over with! We won't tell anyone!

[Smokey]

Sounds like a lot extraneous information has accumulated in the flash memory. Have you tried a hard reset on the unit?

I looked at the unit and it does not have any reset switch. The memory seem like obvious problem, but a long as unit is warm, picture come right on when it is turned on and off. It seem the longer unit is off, the longer it takes to get a picture.

The convorter box does have a factory setting in the menu, but all it does is reset onscreen settings and scan the channels for memory. BTW, pick up 23 channels. Thank god this unit have S-video out, so get pretty good picture.

But as you said, the hunt for "perfect" HDTV (with analog audio out) goes on

[02audionoob]

Could you just leave the converter box on, all the time?

[Woochifer]

I looked at the unit and it does not have any reset switch. The memory seem like obvious problem, but a long as unit is warm, picture come right on when it is turned on and off. It seem the longer unit is off, the longer it takes to get a picture.

The convorter box does have a factory setting in the menu, but all it does is reset onscreen settings and scan the channels for memory. BTW, pick up 23 channels. Thank god this unit have S-video out, so get pretty good picture.

Sounds to me like the memory is gone altogether. Might need to just leave it on all the time because otherwise the memory gets erased and you go through the initialization routine every time you power up.

But as you said, the hunt for "perfect" HDTV (with analog audio out) goes on

Analog audio out?! You're a few years too late for that feature. Excuses excuses!

[Luvin Da Blues]

I looked at the unit and it does not have any reset switch........

Have you tried unplugging it for a couple of minutes?

[pixelthis]

I looked at the unit and it does not have any reset switch. The memory seem like obvious problem, but a long as unit is warm, picture come right on when it is turned on and off. It seem the longer unit is off, the longer it takes to get a picture.

The convorter box does have a factory setting in the menu, but all it does is reset onscreen settings and scan the channels for memory. BTW, pick up 23 channels. Thank god this unit have S-video out, so get pretty good picture.

But as you said, the hunt for "perfect" HDTV (with analog audio out) goes on

YOUR business.
But Comcast is handing out new, state of the art converter boxes for free.
CAN'T BEAT FREE.
Has good picture and sound(have installed quite a few).
DONT WANT CABLE? At work we use a monitor to watch a gate. ITS a VIZIO 18.5
incher.
We are about 20 miles outside of town, pick up ten channels (including extra ones),
complete with program guide. Pic is not bad, price is sub 200 bucks.
As for the analog out, you have to be kidding, are you still harping on that???
THE SHACK and several other places have d/a converters that are not too
expensive. Truth is you just don't want to pull the trigger.
DVD and regular HDTV broadcast on this little set is quite adequate.
I LIKE YOU SMOKE, but if you won't spend 189 bucks on a new HDTV, rather waste your time on a piece of junk that has a place waiting for it at the nearest dumpster, then
get something in your price range, like a library card(they're free).
I KNOW quite a few people like you, and to be perfectly honest, hate the attitude.
THEY are always asking me to look at their junk, afraid they might have to part with a dollar. Wasting my time and theirs.
But you have an exelent excuse. As Wooch pointed out in a thread recently, the industry is getting rid of analog connectors.
WHICH means they will never back up and start putting analog audio connectors on
TV sets.
So you don't have to worry about buying one, you "excuse" will hold up, probably forever.

[Smokey]

Thankgs guys for input.

I reset the factory default and unplugged it last night. Today plugged it back in and it is doing the same thing-if not worse. Now it takes 8 mintues to get a picture

Guess could leave it on all the time.

As for the analog out, you have to be kidding, are you still harping on that???

Yes, and because of that I had to scratch LG, Toshiba and Panasonic HDTVs off of my list. Sony LCDs seem to get good reviews, but they don't make 37 inch size in U.S.

[Woochifer]

I reset the factory default and unplugged it last night. Today plugged it back in and it is doing the same thing-if not worse. Now it takes 8 mintues to get a picture

Guess could leave it on all the time.

It's probably only a few extra pennies a month on your electric bill, you ain't THAT cheap, are you?

Yes, and because of that I had to scratch LG, Toshiba and Panasonic HDTVs off of my list. Sony LCDs seem to get good reviews, but they don't make 37 inch size in U.S.

Like I said, excuses excuses!

Unless you're actually trying to create reasons not to get a HDTV (I just checked their website, and it looks like you need to add Samsung to your "don't buy" list as well), at this point you're probably better off shopping for a used TV. You'll get the mandatory analog audio outputs, and it will be CHEAP!

And if you still haven't gone HD 10 years from now, I might even sell you my TV for cheap (yes, it has analog audio outputs).

[pixelthis]

Oh wait, I FORGOT to answer your question, "is this normal"?
Yes, its totally "normal" for a APEX anything to act like the P.O.S that it is.
YOU get what you pay for.
HERES the thing, SMOKE, you gotta have heart.
I bought a new TV and paid two prices because that was the only place I could get credit,
WHEN I have to I compromise. THE PLATE AMP on my 2500 B&W sub is a 130w
I canabalized from an old VELODYNE when a "friend" borrowed it and destroyed the 600 watter.
I learned a lesson during the eighties, mainly that life is short. For an entire decade I didn't get the big screen I want , couldn't justify the payments, in my mind.
And I regret it. Funny that I always regret not buying stuff a lot more than buying
it.
I can't explain the sheer unalloyed joy you get watching HDTV, its a delight. A TRUE
ADVANCE.
And you can get one for a few hundred bucks. It won't be perfect but it will be "nice".
I have found out that the consequences of going in over head are quite often not as bad
as they might seem. You can't do it all of the time, but sometimes you just have to
shut your eyes and,...jump