I have a new Samsung T165 STB. I had it automatically tune the channels in my area (Tucson, AZ). It picked up CBS, FOX and ABC no problem. It picked up NBC and PBS but the unit can not lock on to the channels and if I change to the channel I can not leave it not matter what I press on the remote. I have to disconnect the antenna coax and change to a known good channel and then reconnect the coax. Has anyone had similar issues. My neighbor has the T160 DirecTV box and has no issues. Also does anyone know how to reset the channels so none of them are memorized, so I can start over.

Thanks,

Mark

When a weak channel is encountered, the T165 software devotes time to analyzing the channel in, I think, 5-second chunks, during which it postpones any commends received from the remote. It is so slow that you may think it ignored you, but it didn’t, and it will eventually process the command. Some other manufacturers do about the same thing. All you can do is wait it out. I have never had to disconnect the antenna to get it out of this loop. If you truly have to do that then there is something wrong with your box.

If you tune to a very weak digital channel and the T165 decides it is analog then you have to manually instruct the T165 to unlearn that channel or it will never again analyze that channel’s type. But there is an undocumented trap in this: After it says the channel is not “in memory” you have to go to another channel and come back. Otherwise the T165 cheats and reuses the same channel type.

Ken,

Thanks, you are correct it seems to be working now. Are you happy with the T165, would you recommend it as a good over the air STB? What do you use as a antenna? Do you use a signal amplifier?

Thanks,

Mark

It would take a while to describe my antenna farm. I recommend Samsung receivers, 4228 UHF antennas, and 7775 or 7777 amplifiers.

What works out for Ken would not work out for me. Each application is different with the main determination being how much multipath you are dealing with.

Richard F. Fisher
Mastertech Repair Corporation, Lawrenceville, GA
770-513-3987 E-Mail - help@mastertechtv.com
Have you been calibrated? ISF and HAA Trained
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I am going to try a amplifier. The issue of the channel getting stuck on certain signals comes and goes. It will sync the picture and the audio will be off. Once this happens I can not do anything with the unit until I disconnect the antenna lead. Looks like a may have a bad box.

Thanks,

Mark

After much de-bugging if I switch from an Analog channel to one of (the other 4 work) digital channels I get the lock up problem. If I go from a digital channel to the digital channel with the problem it works.

I have been searching the web for issues where the Samsung STB's lock up and it seems to be a somewhat common problem. People are blaming it on bad PSIP data from the station. This has become very frustrating. Any advice is appreciated, I am thinking of returning the unit and trying a T351 or some other manufactures box. It has not been a total loss because the Florida – FSU football game in HD on CBS yesterday was spectacular on CBS.

I was on the AVS Forum and posted the freeze up issue and it seems to be a common problem with the Samsung STBs. Has anyone here had this problem, it seems to happen only on HD channels with multiple signals in other words 4-1, 4-2 and 4-3, but not always. I am a little over half on the signal strength. Other channels with the same signal strength do not have the same issues.

If you don't need the 1394 or DVI outputs then by all means get the 351 and be done with it.

This problem is caused by all parties from Samsung to your local broadcaster due to software/hardware setup. If everybody was doing their job correctly with DTV then Samsungs design would have worked quite well. That expectation was Samsungs mistake.

Richard F. Fisher
Mastertech Repair Corporation, Lawrenceville, GA
770-513-3987 E-Mail - help@mastertechtv.com
Have you been calibrated? ISF and HAA Trained
Factory Authorized
Mitsubishi, Hitachi, Toshiba, Harman Kardon, Infinity, JBL, NAD

Richard,

I got the T165 so that I could also receive NTSC signals (not all channels are high def in my area). I also like the ability to use this as a scaler for my other equipment. So you think they have solved this issue with the T351?

Thanks,

Mark

Richard,

Your insight helped me figure out the issue. I called the two stations having the problem and the PBS guy admitted he was causing the issue with a bad PSIP table. The other station had me take the PBS station out of my channel list, unplug the receiver and then plug it back in. This fixed the other station. Bottom line as long as I stay away from the PBS station with the PSIP problem everything works. The PBS guy is now going to use me to test his PSIP.

Thanks,

Mark

Glad to hear there is a resolution - hopefully.

Is there a thread or other tutorial that explains PSIP? I don't remember seeing anything about it. I understand it at a high level but would like to know more.

Your best bet is to get on the ATSC website; They have all the specs!

Richard F. Fisher
Mastertech Repair Corporation, Lawrenceville, GA
770-513-3987 E-Mail - help@mastertechtv.com
Have you been calibrated? ISF and HAA Trained
Factory Authorized
Mitsubishi, Hitachi, Toshiba, Harman Kardon, Infinity, JBL, NAD

RIchard - I missed this the first time I read it: *If you don't need the 1394 or DVI outputs then by all means get the 351*


The T351 has DVI out; with the same quality cable vs component, the DVI pq is much better.



regards, billb....

It has DVI? Oh.

Don't you have a digital display? Naturally DVI will look better.

This is maybe related: I posted earlier that my T165 would go into a re-boot loop when it encountered the "new" Philly ABC 6-3 virtual DTV sub-channel. It doesn't do that anymore. Either the Samsung healed itself (unlikely) or ABC has cleaned up something that was confusing the heck out of the T165. Just FYI.

Jim

Jim,

Thanks, I think I am having the same issue. As long as I stay away from PBS (they admit they have an issue) and NBC (they don't admit it) everything works fine. CBS, FOX, UPN, WB and ABC are all perfect. But, the only two stations that do multiple channels are NBC and PBS. Since, I have been working with the PBS engineer (I am testing for him) they have fixed their PSIP table and the T165 no longer locks up, but the channel numbers are wrong (he says they have a bad P.M.T. (Program Mapping Table).

Thanks,

Mark