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Review Zinwell ZAT-970A Digital to Analog TV Converter Box
Digital TV Converter Box with Analog Pass-Through
Technical Details
* Support Analog Pass-Through
* Convert Digital TV signal to Analog
* Multi-lingual support
* Digital Parental control
* Remote control included
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Customer Reviews
By Mike
I bought two important to plan the event timer / converter program available from this date: the Zinwell and the DTVPal Plus (enhanced version of the DTVPal or TR-40 CRA). These are some of the main problems and advantages of each.
The biggest problem I have with the Zinwell is that the remote is the most futile and less expensive control that I have ever seen with any product. The down arrow button is already having problems responding to the pressing after only a few days. Usually it takes several years before that the buttons of a remote start to go wrong, and I fear that this will not even work, a year from now. Text labels on buttons is rubbing off and becoming more difficult to read.
The biggest problem with the DTVPal Plus is the reception. Plus you are supposed to get better reception on the previous models, which were known for bad reception, but in my area you get a couple less than the Zinwell UHF channels and often serious break on the ABC affiliate and two other channels (including an amplified antenna). Maybe this will be less of a problem if the digital signals get increased in the month of February.
Both devices get the time clock automatically from a digital signal, but both devices to take time occasionally erratic. After a few days, the Zinwell stops at 62 minutes behind the correct time and the DTVPal Plus became stuck at 53 minutes ahead. This problem has diminished, as stations to adjust their signals in time. If you are buying this to schedule timed events, it can be a problem. The Zinwell does not have daylight saving on / off, while the DTVPal Plus lets you check the summer time. The Zinwell has the advantage that you can manually set the time, while the DTVPal Plus is not possible to do so. Even after manually setting the time of the Zinwell, I found lost 1-2 minutes a week and also loses the clock time completely if the power goes even for a second (most of the devices for keeping time for 2-3 minutes by a power interruption). I have mine on a UPS (battery backup) to avoid wasting time in a brief power outage. Zinwell least allows you to control time.
As someone has observed, the Zinwell has 8 event timers DTVPal Plus 5 for. The Zinwell is missing a weekday use option MF programming. Both devices let you go through several menus to access the programming timer. DTVPal Plus has a planning process embarrassing when you go through two screens. The Zinwell has its own clumsiness makes you choose a channel from a list of radio call letters, rather than channel numbers! The Zinwell also requires the confirmation at the end of the process of programming the timer, and set aside the default makes it easy to accidentally delete your timer event, so be careful.
If you like the program-guide screen, the DTVPal Plus has a fuller than the Zinwell, and you can even schedule timer events directly from the program guide with the DTVPal Plus. However, it takes a little ‘to download each time you turn on the converter.
If you get a Zinwell, do not throw away the manual. Zinwell unfortunately set a password on some of the functions of the channel, so you will need to check the default password in the manual if you try to access these functions.
Do not expect much support. Both companies have several days to respond to a request and gave canned answers did not address my question. After providing the information for follow-up, neither company has towards me. There are several other aspects and features of both devices.
(- Some notes updated 9/16/2009 after a few months of use -)
Zinwell image quality was good. In rare cases, I had a little problem with the audio and video Zinwell getting a bit ‘out of sync (as also reported by a couple of other guests) but does not care about me and turn off and puts them in tune.
The biggest problem I had with the regular use of the Zinwell is expected that recurring events (weekly, etc.) get messed up regularly so I have to constantly monitor them. The Zinwell loses the channel on recurring events and resets the channel to the highest numbered station. (This problem is not unique to me, I think that the problem most commonly reported important with this device.) Approximately every 4-6 weeks recurring events is completely lost and need to be reentered. One-Time Events get messed up less often.
Using the clock time manually (rather than automatic time signal from the TV), Zinwell has changed the clock on years of me a couple of times – even if it did not alter the clock time (hours / minutes)! This means that the timer event has not been activated, because the clock was changed in years 2044, 1989, or some other date. If the time clock has also messed up I want to see that something was wrong for the correct time and realize that I had to set the date. But the time clock was good, leaving me without knowing that the year was messed up. (This has happened a couple of times, even though there was no loss of power and did not go to settings, date and time. Tax manual, there should be no change in spontaneous years.) Now that you regularly check the on the device. I was more excited about this box if you purchased before, but the clock and timer bugs manifest themselves over time. I bought mine in October 2008 and, perhaps, have set some of the anomalies clock in recent releases.
DTVPal Plus tends to run hot, so I backed up in a corner to give him a little ‘cooling space. I had a serious problem a couple of times that the DTVPal Plus would not have the power on-had to pull the plug from the power source and reconnect it again, and then went to work. Since enhanced digital signals after the transition, the weaker the reception was not a problem now becomes all the channels that my other converter boxes to obtain. (However, I live in an urban area and has an amplified antenna, so reception may still be weaker than a problem for many people.)
DTVPal Plus regularly loses timer events. I found two specific sequences of events that cause a steady drop timer events. Issues DTVPal Plus timers were even more problematic than those with the Zinwell. I used several video recorders more than two decades and never had a malfunction of the device on its own timer events or spontaneously change the selected channel. Not sure why it is so difficult for these digital boxes.
Although the station on-screen program guide for the DTVPal Plus is robust, I have found very convenient. The normal access program guide turns off audio and video while you’re browsing the guide, so you can listen or watch television as browse it. To view the television as you browse the guide, you can not use the Help button on the remote, but must use the directional buttons to access the guide, but the guide overlaps much of the screen (semi-transparent).
DTVPal Plus has a bright spot: it handles poor signal quality good. The two issues are the reception signal strength and signal quality. While the DTVPal Plus not pick up low resistance well, to manage the poor signal quality very well. There are a couple of stations with poor quality (but adequate strength) that my Zenith Zinwell can not receive, but that the DTVPal Plus collects. In my experience, but also less abandoned by other things that reduce the signal quality, such as the division of the feed antenna or electrical interference.
Another small plus I found with the DTVPal Plus: work from my old universal remote control (like a box of SAT), which allows me to control all my devices, very, very practical. None of the other converter boxes that I work with this old universal remote, although I have heard that some new universal remote that can control converters. This makes it a little ‘for the fact that the DTVPal Plus has no buttons on the window and can be operated by remote control. (However, it might be too sensitive, it becomes even when you press the fast forward on a brand of VCR remote!
By Troy Heagy (Forest Hill MD)
The main reason I bought this product was for the DVR / VCR timers. This feature allows you to program your favorite programs, and the window will automatically change channels to that show. You can then use your DVR or VCR to capture video out the window.
Other boxes like the Zenith DTT901 have better reception capability, but lacks the ability to operate with DVRs or VCRs.
The Zinwell also has analog pass for people who come to watch low-power or “clean air” stations after the February 2009 analog shutdown. If you’re like me and do not have any analog stations post-transition, then this feature has no real relevance.
Driving the Zinwell is rather poor, since he says only what is planned today, and what program will now be next. DTVpal the plate has a complete guide show = up to 12 hours in the future, but I do not recommend the device due to poor quality build & software bugs that make it almost unusable.
Overall I’m satisfied with the Zinwell DVR and VCR capability, although I still use the Zenith as my main box when watching live television.
By couchbum “couchbum” (California USA)
I only have an external antenna TV. No cable or satellite. I also bought this converter for the construction of timers. You can record different channels at different times while you are away from home with your VCR and TV antenna (however, you can not record one station and watch another station “at the same time”). You must set your TV and VCR to channel 3 (always) and the timer in this converter must be set for time and channel to record. Sure that the time clock on the converter corresponds to the time clock on your VCR. Or, you may lose part of your show. There is a problem that I have not understood yet. I connected this converter for the TV in my living room. My line continues and the external antenna cable goes into the bedroom and the TV in the bedroom has only the channel that the converter is in the living room. I have 2 of these converter boxes, and so I hooked up in the second bedroom. It does not receive the signals of the channels. Well, that did not last long since I received my DVD by mail (Toshiba DR560 1080p Upconverting DVD Recorder with built-in tuner, purchased on Amazon) and this DVD recorder has a built-in ATSC / NTSC / QAM digital / analog tuner . Sense, I do not need a converter in my bedroom life now. This DVD recorder allows me to record one station and watch another station, at the same time from my over the air, external antenna. Just like a VCR. Awesome! Now the converter works on the TV room and bedroom. Since the DVD recorder is the signal that allows you to continue through the bedroom. I am a happy camper. Now I have a special converter box. Maybe I’ll sell it on Amazon.
Over 3 years ago, I got rid of my cable (yes, the first 3 months was very difficult). I bought an external antenna TV and lived with it for about a year. The reception was not good, a lot of white or specific lines. Then I bought a booster antenna. Almost like a big improvement receive cable paid. This converter allows me to receive more TV channels then the external antenna TV alone. I did not understand yet what are these stations. I think they’re cable or satellite channels. This converter also been receiving all TV stations. My new DVD burner, as I said, even better reception even better then this converter.
Among other things, so far I have saved more than 2 thousand dollars, abolishing paid my cable and go to an external antenna. Add your monthly cable bill by 12 times. This is what you are paying a year’s paid cable
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