TV Converter Box

I received my two 40.00 coupons from Uncle Sam to be used toward the TV converter boxes.  Question:  If I purchase and install a box now, will it help me in any way with reception, or do I just keep it until Feb 09?  Also, does anyone know if I can run both TVs off one box?  Note:  The coupons/rebate are only good for 90 days.  Thanks.

You can use the converter now as many stations are already broadcasting in digital.  You can use one box for multiple TV sets but they'll all be watching the same channel The converter contains the tuner, you don't use the TV tuner with the digital stations.

You don't use the TV's tuner if you're using the RCA audio and video jacks to feed your TV.  If you're using the RF output you set your TV to channel 3 or channel 4 just as if you were connecting to a VCR.

However, most of the converter boxes do NOT pass through RF from the Antenna In to RF Out jacks.  So if you use the RF Output to connect to your TV, you won't be able to receive your current analog channels.

Of course, this becomes largely moot after February 17, 2009 (or September 8, 2008 if you're in Wilmington, NC).

washtubman said:

Question:  If I purchase and install a box now, will it help me in any way with reception, or do I just keep it until Feb 09?

Click to expand...

From the online reviews I read, it seems that many folks are able to receive more stations at better quality once they switch to the digital box.  Digital signals must travel easier than analog ones somehow.  Sounds like you should go for it!  I'm still waiting for my coupons.

Where can you get the coupons. I used to have the address but don't know where i put it.

This being an election year this has been re-written as a political joke

3 canidates were asked if they wore boxers or briefs

The young man gave one answer
The older man gave the other answer

And the senior candidate said "Depends"

The question is: Will the converter give you more TODAY than you get just using the antenna?

And the answer, like the senior politician, is "Depends"


In some areas, Television is hard to come by and digital, at this time.. basically,  Does not exist

Where I'm at, there are at least 2x as many digital stations then there are analog.. And one of them is an RTN (Retro Television Network) station (7-2  Detroit, MI area) and it carries many of the greatest shows of the 60s and 70's and perhaps even earlier

Alfred Hitchocock Hour,  Battle Star Galactaia,  Get Smart, Twilight Zone, Bonanza, Emergency, Quincy ME,  Simon and Simon, Magnum PI, Streets of San Francisco, Happy Days (And Laverne & Shirly) It Takes a Thief,  Wild Wild West, and many more

So I hooked up a converter and feed it to one of the line inputs on one of my digital boxes.. Works great

Page 2:

Will it do any harm....

Well.... Most of the current boxes will not pass analog to the tv, nor do they receive analog And rumor has it that the ones that DO pass, don't do it well.. Neither of my boxes will pass

So, what to do about it?

I developed a work around, it's posted in another thread here  but you put an antenna splitter in front of the box and either feed one of the tv (or recorder's) A/V inputs or put a switch after it.

From the splitter one output goes to the converter, the other either to the TV(Recorder) or Switch

If you use a switch one line is from the splitter, the other from the converter and the "Common" to the television

This works very well  3-6 db loss in the splitter (1/2 to 1 "S" unit) is normal.

To apply for the coupons, go to this web site.

As for whether you'll get more stations, that's more a function of the antenna and how many stations are broadcasting in digital today.  After next February, it won't matter.  As for the quality, the digital signal will be of higher quality than the analog IF you use a digital connection to the TV (DVI or HDMI).  Of course, if you have one of those connections on your TV, it may very well already have a digital tuner and you don't need the converter.  Some sets, like ours, that are more than a year or two old will have digital inputs but not a digital tuner, so the converter is necessary and you'll get the digital quality picture as well.

As for the quality, the digital signal will be of higher quality than the analog IF you use a digital connection to the TV (DVI or HDMI).

Click to expand...

Only basic converter boxes qualify for the $40 rebate.  The qualifying boxes will only put out standard definition video via a RF modulator (F connector) and a composite output (RCA jack).  The manufacturer can also include an S-Video jack if they want.

Any  HD video output such as  DVI, HDMI, YPbPr, VGI, etc. means the box is more than a basic converter and does not qualify for the $40 rebate.  http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/frnotices/2007/DTVFinalRule_2e.htm

The list of converters that are elegable for the $40 rebate is at https://www.ntiadtv.gov/cecb_list.cfm. (I have no idea why this is a https:// page.)

I bought a Zenith DTT900 converter box with my rebate, and I'm surprised at it's performance.  Setup is quick and easy - it takes about 30 seconds for the box to scan and map all of the available digital channels.  We're in a marginal DTV reception area and not only is the Zenith's sensitivity is equal to or better than our Hitachi HDTV but the Zenith has a better on-screen signal strength meter which enabled me to tweak our antenna for a better performance on a couple of bad channels.

The standard definition picture is perfect, what you would expect from a digital signal.  The initial presentation of the DTV signal is in letterbox format, but this can be changed to fullscreen 4:3 by pressing a button on the remote.  A 16:9 display is also supported, but again this is via the standard definition composite video output so the quality is not true HD but is about the same as you'd get from a DVD.

I have an Insignia (Best Buy House Brand) which is identical to the Zenith and n Access  I like the menus on the Insignia better even if both were made by the same company.

But both of them were very easy to set up. as you note scanned quickly.. I like some other features on the Access better.

I'm happy with both of them..  Though the Insignia has a small problem. once I'm in postition to verify it (Friday more than likely) I'm going to pull it  and take it back to the store and exchange it.

They are both going to end up in the motor home  I'll put the ACCESS in the front hooked in the VCR loop and the Insigna in the bedroom more than likely.. That's because the Insignia will be the last to go in the rig

Currently it's on a test bench

Ok guys, no offense meant, but you are getting me totally confused with all this electronic lingo  ;D.  So, let's keep this simple. 

We just bought an HDTV and have Direct TV service.  I thought that we didn't need to do anything for the change over in 2009.  However, it seems from your conversation, that the HDTV picture would be improved if we used the converter box.  Is this correct?

Marsha~

Marsha/CA said:

Ok guys, no offense meant, but you are getting me totally confused with all this electronic lingo  ;D.  So, let's keep this simple. 

We just bought an HDTV and have Direct TV service.  I thought that we didn't need to do anything for the change over in 2009.  However, it seems from your conversation, that the HDTV picture would be improved if we used the converter box.  Is this correct?

Marsha~

Click to expand...

No.  The HDTV is already digital.  Only the older analog type sets need a converter box.

Ron,

Thanks for the support.  I have not been able to convince Marsha that we are fine with what we have.  I thnik she just wants to buy the converter box.  Hates to pass up a rebate I guess...tim

Marsha, the converter is only needed to receive the digital over the air programming.  Satellite is already digital and is unaffected by the changeover next year.

Hi Tim and Marsha -

Are you subscribed to DirecTV's HD service?  If your satellite box is the one you used with your previous standard TV, you are only getting standard grade video from it.

In this case, you will get a better picture by upgrading to DirecTV's HD satellite box and subscribing to their HD channels.  Of course, this is more bucks per month so don't do it unless you're dissatisfied with what you have now. 

Tim Lassen said:

Ron,

Thanks for the support.  I have not been able to convince Marsha that we are fine with what we have.  I thnik she just wants to buy the converter box.  Hates to pass up a rebate I guess...tim

Click to expand...

But just look at all the money she will save you. ;D ;D

>>>In this case, you will get a better picture by upgrading to DirecTV's HD satellite box and subscribing to their HD channels.  Of course, this is more bucks per month so don't do it unless you're dissatisfied with what you have now. <<<

Big BUX for a MotoSat HDTV antenna too. Gotta be able to receive the HD channels.

Lou,

The picture is really good as it is....so that why I was wondering.  We haven't decided to cough up the bucks for the HD service. 

Ron...I'm always looking to save $$$. 

Ned....you just reinforced what Tim has been telling me all along. 

Marsha~

Marsha/CA said:

Ok guys, no offense meant, but you are getting me totally confused with all this electronic lingo  ;D.  So, let's keep this simple. 

We just bought an HDTV and have Direct TV service.  I thought that we didn't need to do anything for the change over in 2009.  However, it seems from your conversation, that the HDTV picture would be improved if we used the converter box.  Is this correct?

Marsha~

Click to expand...

In a word: NO. it's not

First, since you have direcTV, you are already fully digital,, IT is possible some stations may switch from SD to HD thus improving your signal but that is 100% on their end, not on your end. (Since you already have and HDTV)

The converter boxes are ONLY for over the air reception (Direct from the station to your antenna) not satellite

And second, they are only for non-digital televisions,  Your HDTV is already digital ready.

So you need do nothing

You can request your coupons and give them to a friend who needs them if you wish.

Please make sure they are used

Well, I've joined the crowd. Purchased my 2 units yesterday.  I chose the Zenith ATSC converter # DTT900.

    They must be popular; the local RS had 15 units in the shelf the day before and I got the last 2. I suppose they will restock in a hurry.

  I have a spare TV and used that to check it out in my home. It was a snap to hook up and it fired up per Manual instructions. Sure hope to see a picture someday with it.

  Trouble is, right now, we only have 1 standard off-air channel in our area and it happens not to transmit digital as yet. So, I'll be patient and wait for my next RV trip to a more sub-urban area. :

carson FL

Got my $40 coupons and bought 2 Magnavox boxes from my local WM (the only brand they carried).  I hooked one up inside the house last night, and setup was a snap like carson said.  All my usual local channels (plus a couple extras) come in crystal clear now, except for my local Fox station.  I got nothing there.  Do TV stations also have until Feb. 2009 to START transmitting digitally?  I thought they were all transmitting digital and analog by now, but they would STOP the analog in Feb.  Apparently that assumption was wrong!  So do I have to continually switch my antenna back and forth from the TV to the digital box & TV, in order to watch Fox (until they start broadcasting digitally)?