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Off-Topic Posts
Started by chicagorandy at 03-30-2008 7:37 AM. Topic has 20 replies.
  
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 03-30-2008, 7:37 AM
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chicagorandy
 
Joined on 05-29-2007
Chicago, IL
Posts 150
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Digital TV converter Boxes
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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 7065 miles since 05/30/07
"Down the highway of life at smiles per hour"
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04-01-2008, 6:43 AM
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malcolm in UK
Joined on 03-02-2006
Tring, UK
Posts 61
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Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
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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
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04-01-2008, 1:48 PM
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George in Indiana
Joined on 03-03-2006
Posts 296
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Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
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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
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05-11-2008, 5:53 PM
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Broncoman2000
Joined on 09-27-2006
Raleigh, NC
Posts 111
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Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
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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
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05-11-2008, 7:36 PM
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Exothermia
Joined on 04-19-2008
Posts 116
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Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
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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.
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05-12-2008, 5:53 PM
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drneo
Joined on 10-20-2006
Duluth, MN
Posts 212
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Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
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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
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05-13-2008, 2:48 PM
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Randall-in-Mpls
Joined on 07-06-2007
Minneapolis, MN
Posts 893
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Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
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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
My mid-life crisis has two wheels.
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05-13-2008, 3:43 PM
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Exothermia
Joined on 04-19-2008
Posts 116
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Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
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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.
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05-14-2008, 9:16 PM
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micawber
Joined on 06-22-2007
Waterloo, IN
Posts 36
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Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
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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!"
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05-15-2008, 1:56 PM
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dccoleman
Joined on 04-01-2007
Rochester, MN USA
Posts 201
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Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
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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
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05-15-2008, 2:51 PM
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WayneDW
Joined on 07-29-2006
Minneapolis
Posts 556
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Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
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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
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05-15-2008, 7:55 PM
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hugemoth
Joined on 01-21-2008
Bend, Oregon
Posts 111
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Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
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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
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05-19-2008, 7:03 PM
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Ivanawphalytch
Joined on 02-29-2008
Long Lake MI
Posts 32
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Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
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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
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05-20-2008, 3:34 PM
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Len in PA
Joined on 03-31-2006
Bristol, PA
Posts 131
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Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
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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
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05-28-2008, 4:07 PM
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George in Indiana
Joined on 03-03-2006
Posts 296
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Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
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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
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05-29-2008, 11:03 AM
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chicagorandy
Joined on 05-29-2007
Chicago, IL
Posts 150
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Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
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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 7065 miles since 05/30/07
"Down the highway of life at smiles per hour"
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05-31-2008, 6:55 PM
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Cobram
Joined on 06-23-2007
Boston, MA
Posts 572
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Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
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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.
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06-01-2008, 3:31 PM
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Blindstitch2002
Joined on 05-16-2007
Greenfield Wisconsin
Posts 517
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Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
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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
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06-11-2008, 7:20 PM
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Exothermia
Joined on 04-19-2008
Posts 116
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Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
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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.
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07-01-2008, 11:12 AM
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shawn82sw
Joined on 07-01-2008
Norfolk, VA
Posts 35
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Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
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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
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07-02-2008, 3:59 PM
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WayneDW
Joined on 07-29-2006
Minneapolis
Posts 556
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Re: Digital TV converter Boxes
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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
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