Digital TV converter Boxes
Off-Topic Posts
Digital TV converter Boxes
chicagorandy
03-30-2008, 7:37 AM
Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 9:33 am Post subject: Digital Converter Boxes needed by Feb 2009
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Hi All,
As many of you already may know, in Feb. 2009 ALL TV stations will broadcast ONLY in Digital which will make any rabbit ears antenna TVs useless UNLESS you purchase a Converter Box from a local retailer, like WalMart and other Mega stores. They are planned to cost in the $40-$70 range.
You get get up to two $40 "gift cards' from the US Government to help offset this cost. They are good for 90 days.
https://www.dtv2009.gov/
If you get all your TV from a satellite or cable service, you do not need to do anything. You are already getting a digital signal. The converter box is only needed for analog (antenna reception) TVs.
The other option of course is to junk the old tube TVs and purchase a flat screen digital with a digital tuner in place, but that WILL be more than $40-$70 buckeroos. lol
hope this helps somebody.
2003 Ural Tourist - 76,5000kms to date
1982 Honda GL500 Interstate 8220 miles since 05/30/07
"Down the highway of life at smiles per hour"
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
malcolm in UK
04-01-2008, 6:43 AM
Here in the UK, when the digi-boxes - converters - first came out, they were around £100, but I saw some on sale last week for £14!! That's around $25 I reckon. Ok, they won't have the pause/replay/record facilty that more expensive ones may have, but if your existing TV doesn't have these, they won't be missed. You can still record onto VHS or DVD or whatever.
malcolm in UK
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
George in Indiana
04-01-2008, 1:48 PM
The whole deal pisses me off. I'm assuming I'll have yet another remote control to add to the collection along with another box to sit along side the VCR, DVD, Satellite receiver, video transmitter ect.
Then there's all the battery operated portable and pocket TVs that will become worthless.
I wouldn't mind it if I could have one converter box that hooks between my attic antenna and the splitter that feeds all my TVs and lets me use the TV's internal tuner as before.
It'll also be interesting to see how they work with weak signals. I'd love to go back to analog cell phones...better to hear the person talking through static vs. silence.
CX500 TURBO
CX650 TURBO
'86 Honda Elite 150 Deluxe
'04 GSX1300R Hayabusa
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
Broncoman2000
05-11-2008, 5:53 PM
You think you are pissed now. Wait till you dont get any TV if you deal with a weak signal. Digital TV is more sensitive to a weak signal than analog. Not to mention that the only people that will think it's better than analog is the gov't. They got to sell all that "unused" bandwidth again. They take it back from TV stations and then sold it to cell phone companies. .
Gotta love the government.
1979 Honda CX500 Custom 42,000 miles and rising, thanks to Dick in Raleigh
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
Exothermia
05-11-2008, 7:36 PM
I got a convertor box a few days ago and have been using it. You're absolutely right about the weak signal stuff. There were a few channels that were fuzzy before but they were watchable. Now they just cut in and out totally. The ones that came in fine definitely have a sharper picture and the ones that have a weak signal still look good if I can position the antenna to make them come in, which is a constant pain when changing channels.
Also I've noticed different channels come in at different aspect ratios (regular TV, widescreen, etc) and the convertor box I got does not automatically size them for my TV. I have to do it manually, which would be okay except some channels are different so I have to do change it back and forth all the time.
Then there's the issue that now I have to deal with an additional remote. Overall I guess I'm not too thrilled with the whole thing. The picture is superior which is nice, but it's pretty much a pain in the ass. I really wish they would have left things the way they were, which was that stations could broadcast both digital and analog and if you didn't want to deal with the new format you didn't have to. Since when does the government have the right to tell us what kind of broadcasts we can receive in our own homes? I realize that's basically the point of the FCC, but the whole thing and that whole government body is downright unconstitutional and goes against the first amendment. They get away with it because broadcasting didn't exist when the bill of rights was written and so it isn't specifically protected but it obviously implicitly falls under the freedom of press, since the printing press was the broadcast of the day. Allowing the FCC to control what stations broadcast and what we receive because the bill of rights doesn't explicitly forbid it would be as crazy as allowing the government to censor the internet because the bill of rights doesn't explicitly mention computers.
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
drneo
05-12-2008, 5:53 PM
How come my tax dollars have to pay for it too?? (I obviously understand this, but why not broadcast in both signals for a while?)
1982 GL500I - "Couchy" 52,000 miles down... 48,000 to go.
www.trainwiththom.com
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
Randall-in-Mpls
05-13-2008, 2:48 PM
They're already broadcasting in both signals. We're in the transition time now, and it expires next February.
Can anyone recommend a model of converter, or features to look for?
R
'78 CX500 - The Black Maggot
CX500 Factory Service Manual
1978 CX500 Parts Manual
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
Exothermia
05-13-2008, 3:43 PM
Based on my experience with mine, I would look for one with a nice quality remote because it will become your new remote and you probably won't find easy replacements. I would also look for a nice new antenna to go with it because getting digital reception can be difficult.
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
micawber
05-14-2008, 9:16 PM
If anybody's still reading this post....what about HDTV converters? Will they receive the same signal as a standard digi/analog converter box? I've seen a few used ones for sale, pretty cheap. I don't know anything about this stuff. I had cable for a while, but my kids' rumbling, empty bellies took precedence over the Discovery channel shortly thereafter. Cable is expensive.
'78 cx500 "new, improved model with working engine, front brakes, and speedometer!"
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
dccoleman
05-15-2008, 1:56 PM
If you think people are grumpy about it now, wait until February. I was reading in a broadcasting trade journal,
TV Technology
that some experts estimate the average coverage of digital broadcasters to be limited to around 40 miles from the transmitter. And as it has been said before, you either get it or you don't: there's no fuzzy picture if you are too far. Only a new, higher-gain antenna can help.
In a U.S. House Telecommunications Subcommittee meeting in February one representative pointed out that "many consumers may not receive the digital verson of channels they currently receive after the switch." The answer? Rep. Rick Boucher wonders if another consumer subsidy is in order for antennas.
***********************
1979 CX500 Deluxe
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
WayneDW
05-15-2008, 2:51 PM
Reminds me of when the federal government decided they needed to "protect" me from the evil cable companies.
When cable first came out in my city a couple of decades ago I got it because the cheapest was only a few bucks a month and I got better signal of the local broadcast stations and a few other cable channels as well. Then the government stepped in and passed some well meaning laws. Thanks to the new laws, the price was going to to increase around 5x and my number of channels were going to decrease. I dropped the whole mess and used rabbit ears ever since. Now I probably will have to get cable again. Errr, thanks a lot big government!
Wayne
1983 GL650 Silverwing Interstate
WWW.fossilapostles.com
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
hugemoth
05-15-2008, 7:55 PM
I live in a rural area, about 40 miles from the broadcast towers, and my analog TV reception has always been poor. A signal booster on the roof antenna made it acceptable but still not good. A month ago I bought a new small digital LCD TV and plugged it in. Was really dissapointed when all the digital channels would drop out every few seconds, even though the TV said the signal strength was sufficient. For some reason I decided to try it without the signal booster and it worked. Nice clear picture, no drop out, many more channels. I like it.
Q
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
Ivanawphalytch
05-19-2008, 7:03 PM
TV? What's that. We don't have one. Too much garbage. We have better things to do with our brains........ talk to each other, read, go for walks in the woods, sewing, model airplanes, etc. Ride motorcycles. Repair old motorcycles.
CX 650 C
GL 1000 (2-79)
ST1300 04
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
Len in PA
05-20-2008, 3:34 PM
One thing to keep in mind re: antennas. When they change to digital next February, the channels will be broadcast on both VHF and UHF, so make sure your antenna, whether indoor or outdoor, covers both.
'82 GL500i...nearing 100,000 miles
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
George in Indiana
05-28-2008, 4:07 PM
My $40 cards arrived yesterday. Stopped by Walmart on the way home and picked up one Magnavox box. The card swiped like a credit card and the price came out to $13 bucks.
Just hooked this thing up and all I can say is my attitude has completely changed! I'm in a rural area about 75 miles from Chicago with an attic antenna and my reception has been at best fair on the 8 channels I received. I now have over 20 channels that come in as razor sharp as my satellite! I didn't know the major networks carried sub channels giving many more programs.
Right now I'm watching some channel called "Me Too" that blows TV Land out of the water...A-Team, Knight Rider, Hogans Heros, Monkees, Star Trek....HELL YEA! :)
CX500 TURBO
CX650 TURBO
'86 Honda Elite 150 Deluxe
'04 GSX1300R Hayabusa
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
chicagorandy
05-29-2008, 11:03 AM
i went the same route.
Best Buy's only unit was $60, same for Radio Shack. Walmart had a Magnavox for $49.95. It was an easy choice - lol The $40 card worked without issues.
2003 Ural Tourist - 76,5000kms to date
1982 Honda GL500 Interstate 8220 miles since 05/30/07
"Down the highway of life at smiles per hour"
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
Cobram
05-31-2008, 6:55 PM
So, I guess this mean that all those small portable televisions (most don't even have inputs, just an antenna) will become curios and relics? I'm sure they'll be rounding them up like they do the cell phones, to ship back to China so they can tranform it into some other piece of techno junk. Progress marches on.
Thanks for the link Chi-Randy, got a GE open box special @ Wally World for $37...and NO, they didn't give me back the $3 in change left on the card!
1978 CX500 - I live on a one-way street that's also a dead end. I'm not sure how I got here, or how I'm going to get out.
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
Blindstitch2002
06-01-2008, 3:31 PM
Picked up the Insignia converter box from Best Buy. Lets just say I am surprised. I was getting 13 channels before but they faded in and out. Now I get 15 channels. I lost 2 and gained 4.
Walmart around here doesn't even stock them so I was out of luck there and then I went to Radio Shack and the guy tried picking a fight with because I told him it was really dumb for the gov to be issuing coupons for these things and they aren't even going to carry them in the store. I can order them and it will take 3 days but thats a load.
If you read the reviews on some of these things one in five isn't working the way it should. I prefer the walk in, pick up, and return if the thing is broken. Not return, reorder, and wait three days.
Lets just say the guys last word were you will be begging me to order one when the coupon is close to expire. I told him I prefer to go to places that respect their customers and I hope that he gave that great service to everyone that came in.
Guess the Milwaukee area isn't big enough to have a few in stock at Radio Shack.
1979 Honda Cx500 Custom
1980 Honda Cx500 Deluxe Couch Project Bike
CX500 Factory Service Manual
Courtesy of Randall-in-Mpls
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
Exothermia
06-11-2008, 7:20 PM
Sounds like some of you are getting better reception than I am. I live in the city where all the stations are but I still get digital cutting-out VERY frequently when I'm watching TV now. The improved picture balances it out somewhat, but at best, I'd say overall digital is no worse than analog. I wouldn't say having the channel cut out every couple of minutes for a few seconds until I adjust the antenna an improvement or progress. Maybe that's my antenna's problem, but it was a perfectly fine antenna before.
I will just say this: Getting digital reception in the past month or two has been so frustrating at times that I nearly unplugged the convertor box and plugged the antenna analog in so that I could actually watch TV without it cutting out. I haven't yet, but the urge to do so becomes very strong when you're in the middle of a program and the picture cuts in, out, in, out, in, out ten times in 5 seconds and doesn't stop till you get up and adjust the antenna.
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
shawn82sw
07-01-2008, 11:12 AM
some converter boxes has the coax plu along with the rca plug.
also m sure some of you have found. tht the CHEAP 6.00 antennas work better then the powered ones.
'82 Honda Silver Wing Gl500i
------
Feed a noob an answer and they are OK for today, but encourage them to use the SEARCH function and they can answer their own questions!
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
WayneDW
07-02-2008, 3:59 PM
the boxes are only $45 now at Sam's Club. after the $40 coupon from the gov, that's only $5 net!
Wayne
1983 GL650 Silverwing Interstate
WWW.fossilapostles.com
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
George in Indiana
10-18-2008, 7:03 PM
I know this is an old topic but I've really got into this DTV thing. :)
I originally posted about the Walmart box I bought. Later I used my second card to purchase the Insignia box at Best Buy which was $10 more. It's well worth the extra money. The Walmart Magnavox unit has one of those annoying remotes where you have to point it directly at the box, the Insignia remote operation is very sensitive and it can be aimed in any direction. The Insignia box also has many more features including instant access to picture mode for each channel without having to navigate menues, beeping signal strength meter, better channel guides, EZ Add for adding channels ect. Also changing channels is instant, the Magnavox has a pause which really slows things down when channel surfing.
I decided to ditch the small ancient attic antenna which gave me about 20 channels. Worked ok but some channels would often drop out right in the middle of a good show.
I've been buying parts for the past week for a really kick ass rooftop system and got it all installed today. All I can say is WOW! 46 razor sharp channels between two different time zones! Still need to do more tweaking, I hoping for 50 channels.
If you like free TV and live in the sticks, this is what worked for me:
Winegard HD-9032 Prostar UHF antenna ordered from Solid Signal...cost $55 shipped. Go strictly UHF, 99% of DTV signals are in that band and if you happen to have 1 odd ball in the VHF range, you'll still probably recieve it.
Tripod from Menards---$20 bucks
Mast from Menards----$5 bucks on sale
Philips Rotator from Menards---$55 on sale
Rotator wire---$6
RG6 coax 50'---$9
4 way splitter amp---already owned (maybe $20).
The antenna is a Yagi which is extremely directional and some very distant stations will only come in within a 10 degree window (although very strong within that window). The Philips rotator simply rocks in this department...it has a digital display that indicates the antenna postion in 10 degree increments and its accurate enough to move small amounts in each 10 degree range. Best of all it has 12 memory presets labeled A-L and a remote control. Chicago stations I have on A, South Bend and Michigan on B ect.
I'm trying to think of reasons to keep paying DirecTV $55 bucks a month and I'm not coming up with many.
CX500 TURBO
CX650 TURBO
'86 Honda Elite 150 Deluxe
'04 GSX1300R Hayabusa
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
RichNCT
10-20-2008, 7:12 AM
Thanks for the detailed info George, I have an interest in this.
Born to be relatively wild
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
Blindstitch2002
10-20-2008, 7:47 AM
Sounds like you figured things out. I bought two insignia boxes. On in the bedroom and on in the living room. The antenna difference is crazy. I have an el cheapo set of rabbit ears in the bedroom that gets 23 channels. Most are PBS but work. In the living room I only get 18 with a $30 RCA antenna. Might be worth a shot for me to go back to the dollar store and pick up a cheap set of rabbit ears.
I like the signal but it breaks up pretty good when planes are flying over the apartment. I live near an airport so when they come out of the west it scrambles the signal of 4 or more channels some times.
1979 Honda Cx500 Custom
1980 Honda Cx500 Deluxe Couch Project Bike
CX500 Factory Service Manual
Courtesy of Randall-in-Mpls
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
Randall-in-Mpls
10-20-2008, 10:51 AM
Before you buy another antenna, try the one from the bedroom in the living room. The difference in reception may be the result of location in the building.
R
'78 CX500 - The Black Maggot
CX500 Factory Service Manual
1978 CX500 Parts Manual
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
tcmia
10-20-2008, 11:45 AM
I hope that they will transmit more channels on digital by february, because here I can only get 3 channels so far. On analog I get 5 channels...Either way not too much. The digital channels are nice when they actually come in good. I am not too impressed so far. My converter came from circuit city, the only store that actually had one, since the card has to be used at a local store.
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
TwoW4B2C4V
10-20-2008, 6:44 PM
The card can be used online. The box is free, but you usually have to pay S&H. Tigerdirect has a box for 1cent (after using the card), but the shipping is $7.
Please reply if you don't get this message.
01/20/13
Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
Len in PA
10-20-2008, 9:39 PM
From what I understand, the Insignia unit is the same as the Zenith. Evidently, a decent unit. I bought a Tivax. Seems OK.
'82 GL500i...nearing 100,000 miles
Copyright 1978-2006 Charles E. Smith