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Digital Stream DTX-9900

Digital Stream DTX-9900 review: Power supply will fail, go dead 6

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12:52 pm EDT
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I purchased 4 of the Digital Stream digital t.v. converter boxes model # dtx-9900, two years ago. Two of the converter boxes went dead. The problem was found to be capacitor #209 on the power supply circuit board in both units having the wrong maximum voltage rating. The capacitor will go bad on every one of these converter boxes sold across the U.S. due to this design error. The repair is the replacement of this 16 volt 330 microfarad capacitor with a 25 volt 330 microfarad capacitor. The digital stream company should be responsible for recalling every one of these model units & possible other models made by Digital Stream. When the capacitor goes bad, the units l.e.d. indicator will either blink or go out. The capacitor can be visually monitored for going bad because it will start to form a bulge in the top of the usually flat cylinder. All Digital Stream DTX-9900 converter boxes will go bad over time due to this flaw which will cost each consumer between $40 & $60 to replace.

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6 comments
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Judi McInnes
, US
Sep 26, 2016 11:27 am EDT

The power supply on 2 of my Digital Stream converter boxes seems ok because I see a green light on the box when plugged in. However, I cannot get a picture! All I get is snow. No menu - no options - nothing. Usually, when I plug in a good Digital Stream converter, I see a red light and can then press the ON button on the remote and get a picture. I have 3 of these boxes and only 1 works now. Questions: How do you select "stand by" with the remote? And is there a way to unselect "stand by:? The red light indicates stand by but when I plug in my Digital Stream converters, it goes directly to a green light. When I press the remote channel up or down, the light flickers, but still no picture. Please help... and thanks.

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Christopher Ryan2
, US
Jul 02, 2016 5:05 pm EDT

My DTX-9900 has the blinking red/green LED. I purchased a replacement capacitor on ebaY. I just installed the replacement one. The original was not bulging, so I don't know what else to replace. I replaced what was pictured here anyway, although mine was not bulging at the top. I turn the unit back on and still it blinks red and green. What else is causing this? Can anyone help, please?

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mcgovern57
, US
Mar 09, 2011 12:51 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I also had the Digital Stream converter die on me after owning it since the conversion to digital. The green light began to fade, and then flicker after a few days. It was also not responding to the on off switch on top of the box or to the remote. At first the TV showed the message "weak signal, " then later "no program, " then eventually just snow. I called the company that makes the converter and was told they would fix it if I sent it in with a check for $37. I decided to open the box and see what was up in there before I opted sending in the unit and maybe just getting another one that is going to fail in a year again anyway. Lo and behold! Just as noted above, capacitor #209 was blown! I found the suggested 25 volt 330 microfarad capacitor available at Mouser.com and put it in today. I had never replaced a component before and found it really easy. Everything seems to be working fine now. I have a second TV box that hasn't failed, but I bought a couple extra capacitors just in case it is right behind the first box. Thank you to all the people above who took the time to write the comments and instructions that helped me make the repair myself! You guys rock! Marie

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dr8237
Independence, US
Jan 15, 2011 5:40 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I bought two of these DS DTX-9900 converters well before analog TV was cut off. The first unit failed after about a year. I checked it out and tossed it in the trash. The second unit failed this morning with the same symptoms. Thirty minutes of tinkering with some spare parts and I'm back in business. Used a 330 microfarad 50v capacitor out of a REAL power supply which will out last every cheap component in this piece of junk. This appears to be designed failure with a 90 day warranty they can sell more crap if they make it cheaply!

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Paulmer M
Brigham City, US
Oct 18, 2010 10:09 pm EDT

No point replacing the whole supply or entire converter. I had the exact same problem and decided to replace the faulty capacitor. The unit is not incredibly picky about the value of this capacitor; it just needs to be able to filter the output enough to keep the main microprocessor happy. I looked around in my junk box and found a 25V 100 uF cap. Soldered it in place and found the unit to be fully operational. I did decide to parallel a couple of odd, spare capacitors (that I happened to have in my junk/parts box) to get closer to the original OEM value, but as I said, with a 100 uF cap, the unit was perfectly operational (I ended up with 220 uF). The exact value here is not extremely critical.

It was a quick and easy repair -- taking less than 15 minutes, once I found the problem, and the converter works perfectly now.

If you happen to have a spare cap anywhere even close to the original uF value, it should do the trick. I do suggest that the capacitor be rated at least 16V or higher, in keeping with the original design.

P.S. I agree that the failure was not due to a design flaw, but rather a faulty capacitor -- It's only being used to filter a 3.3v output. A 16V rating should have been sufficient.

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shall_doit
Frostbyte Falls, US
Jun 11, 2010 7:48 pm EDT

Cheap capacitors crop up everywhere. My Digitalstream HD3150 had the same problem, failed capacitors. Not a design issue, just cheap caps. Me thinks of planned obsolesence here...try getting a power supply for my unit.

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