Posted: September 23, 2003
By: Anonymous


I just upgraded to this HDTV receiver from a Samsung. Before Samsung I used an RCA receiver. I was going to get another Samsung but I figured for $100 more this one was worth it. This receiver blows both of my old ones away. It was child’s play to set up. It scanned for all of the channels and got every channel automatically. The menu is very well laid out. The exterior looks very modern and high tech with the reflective panel and the brushed metal. It also has coaxial and optical digital output so that I can now watch TV in Dolby Digital (when the program is in DD). It has component out for HDTV. It also has 15-pin computer VGA out. I hooked it up to my regular 15-inch computer monitor and the picture was too small. However, it looked even better than my TV! The remote is very simple. I like it that way but that’s a matter of choice. The best feature is that you can change the display format just by the push of the button. Next I am going to buy a wireless transmitter to send the HDTV channels to the rest of my TV’s in the house through the analog out. I highly recommend this. I got mine locally at CC for $399 plus tax. Better looking and sounding than cable TV.

Posted: July 27, 2003
By: Anonymous


Analog stations in my area are hard to watch with static and ghosts, but the digital picture couldn't be any better. You either get a perfect picture or a blank screen. Even though I had trouble receiving the analog stations, I can still receive the digital ones even though they are broadcasting at a significantly lower power than their analog counterpart. My indoor antenna works with all of my local stations, but an outdoor or specially designed HDTV antenna would probably be better. When the signal isn't strong enough, the picture and audio will freeze or disappear. You don't have to buy a new TV for the HDV420 to work with your TV. It will work on practically any TV. I use a regular analog TV, and the picture is flawless. Your TV must have audio-video inputs or an s-video input. In my case, I had to purchase a modulator in order for the product to be hooked up to my TV. The built-in channel labels are incomplete though (missing PAX, Shop at Home, UPN, and WB). All in all, it's a good value.

Posted: July 27, 2003
By: Anonymous


This is a great way to get HD without spending a ton of money. The HDV420 is a pretty stright forward piece of gear.Connections are simple and they give you a choice of componant or RGB.Digital hookups are handled by optical or coax. When everything is connected,go to the menu,which you can get to using the remote or the buttons on the front panal.Do a channle scan which will lock every digital channle in your area into memory. You can also add the channle logo to show when the channle comes up. The picture is pristine. Depending on your display,regular channles are rendered at near HD output.
The Down side of this piece is there is no channle info guide to let you know whats on. The Zenith does not access the guide that most digital stations offer. The button to change the scan rate(1080,720,480p,480i)is on the front panel of the unit.There is no button on the remote for this fuction. So say you're watching HD on ABC that broadcast in 720p and want to swithch to CBS that aires in 1080i you have to get up,walk all the way over to the HDV420 and push the button.
For OTA broadcast you could spend more,but why? This unit will do everything you want. Oh yeah,it works best with 16:9 displays,and make sure you have a good antenna. I started out with a Terk that went around my satilite dish. I did not get a consatnt signal.After installing a Channle Master
on the roof the signal is strong and constant.You can check the signal strengh from a button on the remote.
For $399.00 you can't go wrong.