I'm wondering about Nick's third Insignia HD portable radio, which he said, "Couldn't be revived" after freezing. The one I have works fine, except for the few times it froze up. With one exception, it functioned OK after I stuck a paper clip into the reset hole. The one time that did not work, I let the battery run down, recharged it, and then the radio played normally. Perhaps Nick could say whether he tried those two simple steps.
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I've gone to the Dark Side
- Thread starter Chuck
- Start date
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Darth_vader
Guest
I wouldn't bet on it; in this post http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=203182.msg1810770 "Nick" states that his/her apparent "fix" is to let it "freeze outside overnight", and failling that, to "heat it up by putting it on top of the radiator". And failling that, yet, to blame it on the tech.
I used my first receiver daily for just over a year and it only froze up once, did the "paper clip" thing and had no trouble with it from that point onward. I use my second receiver daily and haven't had any freeze-ups yet, but I also haven't had it long enough to form a long-term observation. So far so good.
.....And yes, I *have* accidentally dropped both receivers numerous times (it happens) and had absolutely no loss in sensitivity afterward; full disclosure. So somebody's either mincing words or fabricating something just to prove their bias. Lame either way.
@"Chuck"--
Were you *in* your car when you were testing out your receiver? That may at least partially explain why you weren't receiving anything. Even on my little all-analogue, slide-rule tuned Okano 911C FM/SCA radio I can barely pick up anything other than the most powerful stations in the Bronco, but then I step outside and wow, what an improvement! (I'm not going to get into a physics lecture on here; look up "Faraday cage" on Wikipædia [hi, Mr. Fybush] if you need any further explanation.)
I used my first receiver daily for just over a year and it only froze up once, did the "paper clip" thing and had no trouble with it from that point onward. I use my second receiver daily and haven't had any freeze-ups yet, but I also haven't had it long enough to form a long-term observation. So far so good.
.....And yes, I *have* accidentally dropped both receivers numerous times (it happens) and had absolutely no loss in sensitivity afterward; full disclosure. So somebody's either mincing words or fabricating something just to prove their bias. Lame either way.
@"Chuck"--
Were you *in* your car when you were testing out your receiver? That may at least partially explain why you weren't receiving anything. Even on my little all-analogue, slide-rule tuned Okano 911C FM/SCA radio I can barely pick up anything other than the most powerful stations in the Bronco, but then I step outside and wow, what an improvement! (I'm not going to get into a physics lecture on here; look up "Faraday cage" on Wikipædia [hi, Mr. Fybush] if you need any further explanation.)
Darth_vader said:
No, I was standing beside my car in the Best Buy Parking lot. It didn't work at all inside my car. The only station it did pick up well was a 100,000 watt flame-thrower whose transmitter is located about 3-4 miles away. I suspect the radio was simply defective. It was the only one they had in stock, so I didn't try a replacement. As Zach pointed out, the Insignia brand isn't synonimous with "quality."
Incidentally, taking a tip from you, I now have a Sony HD tuner, a Black & Decker 120 volt inverter and a magnet mount antenna gracing my car. It looks pretty messy, but if I get close enough to the transmitter site, I can hear my station in HD. It actually sounds pretty good, but reliable coverage is nothing to write home about. Maybe 20-25 miles tops.
Chuck said:
Yours is not the first account I've heard of lousy reception outside the store - but I got lucky twice, though not as lucky the second time, since the second Insignia unit I bought started putting out distorted loud audio and then none at all. Screen still works fine on that one. My original Insignia is still kicking, though I've managed to crack the screen (figures, I'd put it in a repurposed leather Palm Pilot case and then dropped it right on the magnetic clasp that kept the flap nicely closed but scored a direct hit on the screen.)
In each case, I was able to set it up in my home and pick up my station reliably 12 miles from the tower (which isn't bad considering I'm receiving roughly 9 watts of digital injection.) I get reliable mobile reception using my Insignia (with its cable looped around the car's rear-view mirror serving as the antenna) beginning about 7 miles out.
None of this vouches for popularity with a general audience, of course.
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Darth_vader
Guest
Is it the second-generation "touch-screen" portable? I thought about getting one, but was turned off by the whole "touch-screen" gimmick. I don't even like that my PDA uses such a kludgy interface, so why would I want anything else that uses it?
@Chuck--
What kind of magnet-mount aerial are you using? Could just be that it's not tuned for broadcast-band use (i.e. CB or the like.) I had mine connected to a Firestick, which I guess was better than nothing as such things go, but then connected it directly to the "wires-in-the-windshield" aerial and suddenly found I could pick up *everything*, even in Ibiquity mode, clear up in the northern end of the county yet (some 50 miles or so from the transmitter sticks, over fairly rugged Northwestern terrain.) This, of course, means that I can't use the tuner in the Kenwood, but it's not like that's any big loss to humanity.
@Chuck--
What kind of magnet-mount aerial are you using? Could just be that it's not tuned for broadcast-band use (i.e. CB or the like.) I had mine connected to a Firestick, which I guess was better than nothing as such things go, but then connected it directly to the "wires-in-the-windshield" aerial and suddenly found I could pick up *everything*, even in Ibiquity mode, clear up in the northern end of the county yet (some 50 miles or so from the transmitter sticks, over fairly rugged Northwestern terrain.) This, of course, means that I can't use the tuner in the Kenwood, but it's not like that's any big loss to humanity.
hubcity said:
Glad to see I'm not the only one draping the audio cable over the rearview mirror for an antenna. I originally had it running up to the antenna from the radio, then left to the driver's side visor, forming a figure 7 and it performed horribly. Something about keeping the wires vertical makes a huge difference in most markets.
When I bought my first Insignia (the "analog defective" one) its first tryout was in the Best Buy parking lot off Poplar in Memphis, only a few miles from the main stations' tall towers. The analog was a mish-mash of everything on the dial but every station's HD kicked in fine, even the class A sports station on a short stick close to downtown. For analog stations it's useless but the HD is more sensitive than the newer one. The newer one came from the same store and the analog is, frankly, kick *** but the HD dropped out and wouldn't snag that class A sports station's HD in that same Best Buy parking lot.
I figure if I were a regular customer I'd be mighty pissed at the impossible to receive while moving nature of HD and the constant swapping/dropping/death of HD subchannels. But since I keep up with the technical goings-on at stations for my website, having an HD radio is just another toy to keep the site up to date.
Edit: @Chuck, where are you, exactly? I'd like to see what stations you have around your area to get an idea of the performance you're experiencing.
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Darth_vader
Guest
Yeah, if you can get into your dashboard, wiring it directly into the car's aerial is a definite should-do. Depending on the jacks involved you might be able to split it so you can still use your regular car radio, if you so choose. You'd probably have to get a 75-ohm F-connector regardless, since that's what the Sony has. Rat $hack sells a gold-plated Motorola-to-F adaptor for $8.50 (at least they did a couple years ago) but you might be able to find one for way less on Amazon Network. But that also assumes your car uses a Motorola jack.
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Darth_vader
Guest
I'm not surprised; probably something internal got royally screwed up when you left it outside or on the radiator.
I don't really know of *any* mainstream consumer portable electronic device that's designed to withstand such extreme temperatures, save for maybe a thermocouple, or the occasional ruggedised cell phone. Like I keep saying, I've never had any (operational) trouble with mine because I actually make a point of operating them under the conditions for which they're intended to operate.
I don't really know of *any* mainstream consumer portable electronic device that's designed to withstand such extreme temperatures, save for maybe a thermocouple, or the occasional ruggedised cell phone. Like I keep saying, I've never had any (operational) trouble with mine because I actually make a point of operating them under the conditions for which they're intended to operate.
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Darth_vader
Guest
Poor comparison. A first-generation Superadio also doesn't have any heat-sensitive integrated circuits and computer logic in it, does it? Transistor radios and DSP radios are two very radically different devices with very radically different environmental requirements.
In other words, apples to oranges.
(I should have also written that last post to say "mainstream consumer portable computer-based device(s)". From this point forward, we will assume that's what I wrote, because it's what I actually meant.)
In other words, apples to oranges.
(I should have also written that last post to say "mainstream consumer portable computer-based device(s)". From this point forward, we will assume that's what I wrote, because it's what I actually meant.)
Interesting points to ponder, DV. If there are "heat-sensitive integrated circuits" in the radio, why are they there? Why not use NON-heat sensitive ICs? I believe the first consumer audio piece with ICs I owned was a 1972 JVC radio-cassette recorder. It rode around in my car and to remotes and was subject to likely temp swings from 15 to 100 F without any ill effects.
And if radio is to perform the simple function of detecting AM and FM broadcasts, amplifying them and playing them through to either headphones/speaker or a line-level output, why is "computer logic" necessary?? Do we use "computer logic" to check the correct time? To tie our shoes?
And if radio is to perform the simple function of detecting AM and FM broadcasts, amplifying them and playing them through to either headphones/speaker or a line-level output, why is "computer logic" necessary?? Do we use "computer logic" to check the correct time? To tie our shoes?
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rbrucecarter5
Guest
Darth_vader said:
All of the Superadio models are based on a TDA1083 IC. Digital circuitry is not very sensitive to temperature except at extremes where you wouldn't want to be touching the radio anyway.
I think the suggestion that a consumer audio device has to be protected from forseeable extremes in temperature is ridiculous. Any modern electronic device, be it analog or digital, computer-logic or no, can operate in a very wide ambient temperature range. Consider how car audio components, locked up in dark-colored cars in the sun of the southern and southwestern US, tolerate temps of 140+ degrees F. The same units are installed in cars driven in International Falls, Minnesota, where overnight temps can hit -35 degrees F. Then there's the humidity of coastal resort areas. The same is true of computers used in cop cruisers, walkie-talkies, cell phones, tablet computers and on and on and on.
While I doubt experimenting with temp effects on a low-rent Insignia portable is going to be productive of any meaningful answers, neither is it likely to be the cause of failures. I own an Insignia (used to have two but I gave one to Freebird.) It is not a high-quality piece, which is not surprising given its intended market. I would characterize it as a curiosity for those who want to dip their toe into the HD Radio pool. I think few would be impressed enough with either the radio or with HD to make a further investment in a higher-priced piece (assuming they could find one to purchase.) In any event it's been in my car overnight at below 20 degrees and in the transmitter room/shop near the 25 kw Nautel at around 90 degrees. It still functions (at least as well as it ever did.)
While I doubt experimenting with temp effects on a low-rent Insignia portable is going to be productive of any meaningful answers, neither is it likely to be the cause of failures. I own an Insignia (used to have two but I gave one to Freebird.) It is not a high-quality piece, which is not surprising given its intended market. I would characterize it as a curiosity for those who want to dip their toe into the HD Radio pool. I think few would be impressed enough with either the radio or with HD to make a further investment in a higher-priced piece (assuming they could find one to purchase.) In any event it's been in my car overnight at below 20 degrees and in the transmitter room/shop near the 25 kw Nautel at around 90 degrees. It still functions (at least as well as it ever did.)
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