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All posts by Bill

Below are all of Bill's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.


I have a Philips DTR210 Freeview box (connected to a small portable TV in a bedroom), which has run without problems for more than two years. I have occasionally re-tuned it without any difficulty.

I completed the last re-tune when the analogue signal was turned off in my area (Norfolk) last month and all went well. The box immediately picked up all the channels as before. However, after turning the box off, ITV, Ch 4, CH5 and ITV2 vanished. Re-tuning the box brought them back, but once the box was turned off, they disappeared again.

I have followed your suggestions to disconnect the power supply and then re-tune without the aerial connected, but this has made no difference to the problem. I've also checked for a software update, but have the latest version.

In the 11 years since I started watching digital TV, I have bought no less than 14 Freeview boxes and with the exception of an old Sagem unit (and until now the DTR210), they have all failed for a variety of different reasons, in some cases very quickly. I have usually put this down to cheap and cheerful manufacturing, using poor quality components.

I am currently thinking about buying a new HD TV for my living room and perhaps also replacing the portable, but wonder if televisions with digital technology built in are any more reliable than boxes? I cannot remember the last time I had problems with an analogue TV, but really begin to despair about the reliability of digital equipment.

Perhaps digital TV remains in the realm once occupied by products like Windows 95 and will take another decade or so to mature?

Should I just throw away the DTR210? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Bill

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Thanks for the various suggestions for fixing my Philips DTR210 digital box.

I've tried everything, with no difference and the block of channels simply vanishes once the unit is turned off. I have discovered that it's possible to get them back by a quick manual tune at 59, but they only stay until the box is turned off.

A borrowed digital box works in its place with no difficulty.

So, I now think it's time to give up on this particular problem and just put it down to yet another unreliable piece of equipment.

Thanks for trying to help anyway,

Bill

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Sunday 15 January 2012 12:37AM

Last week, I bought a Toshiba HD TV. I've no complaints about the set, which provides an excellent picture and good sound quality.

However, I've noticed that when I watch either of the BBC HD channels, there are what might be described as random, momentary drop-outs, or what look like fleeting fades.
No apparent problem with the other two HD channels.

Any ideas? I live in the Norfolk area.

Thanks.

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