Analog TVs - What's needed to use with antenna?

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Bill N

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Joined
Jan 4, 2014
Posts
2,551
Location
Ozark, Missouri
We have been using either RV park cable TV or Dish Satellite TV on our trips.  I have now had a 2nd and final fallout with Dish and will be selling that receiver and Tailgater but I need a question answered.  I have asked it before and received an answer but, for the life of me, I can't remember what it was. :((  Our 2002 Winnebago has two analog TVs.  Both provide excellent viewing on cable and passable on satellite.  We have never been able to receive anything on the roof antenna for local stations and I understand it is because all stations now broadcast in digital and not analog.  What do I need to add to be able to receive local stations via the roof antenna on our analog TVs?  Is this item available at local stores or Amazon?  Thanks for any answers you can provide.  I am not an electronics expert and I haven't stayed at a Holiday Inn Express lately.
 
You need an analog to digital converter.

WalMart used to carry them. I haven't looked lately so don't know if they still have them.

I used to have a couple laying around here some place. If I can find them I'll let you know.
 
You need a Digital converter, Last I heard Radio Shack and selected other places sold them, Will link if possible.

I would also recommend two upgrades to your antenna system. NOTE, this first applies ONLY to the Winegard Sensar II and III models (it is not needed with the IV)  These are "Batwing" type antennas

1: Wingman add on
The Wingman is a UHF director array it improves the range and narrows the beam width It points TOWARD the transmitter

2: SENSAR PRO.. This i9s a direct replacemnt for the wall plate found in many RV's. it adds additional amplification and several other features that make it easier to tune in Digital TV.

Her is an E-Bay Search that did a good job http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=digital+tv+converter+box

One of them is the DTV pal from Echostar (Dish Network) I have one. If you only watch LIVE Tv it's great, but if you want to use a DVR like I do it will shut itself off if you do not change channels or do something else with it for say 8 hours.. Another I have is the INSIGNIA/ZENITH (Lucky Goldstar) unit. .I have had 3 of these, the first would lock up if I did not change channels requiring I unplug and re-connect it,  The second (Replaced the first under warranty) no improvement. The the one I have now (Purchased from a Pawn Shop for 10 bucks) works perfectly. This unit is supposed to have the best tuner per a TV station Engineer.

You need one per TV or Video Recorder

IF your RV has the "Box of many buttons" (Matrix switch) and you always watch same station. Wire it in as your VCR (or in front of your VCR) and one will serve your entire RV.
 
Digital converter: Walmart still carries them, though they may not be in stock in every store (order online for local delivery). You can even get them with recorders (digital video recorder or DVR) for a modest price (under $50).

Amazon and Ebay have lots of choices. Best Buy too.
 
As usual, great information quickly delivered from the best forum on the internet.  Thanks again.

Bill in Missouri
 
Bill N said:
We have been using either RV park cable TV or Dish Satellite TV on our trips . . . Our 2002 Winnebago has two analog TVs.  Both provide excellent viewing on cable and passable on satellite.  We have never been able to receive anything on the roof antenna for local stations and I understand it is because all stations now broadcast in digital and not analog.  What do I need to add to be able to receive local stations via the roof antenna on our analog TVs?

Since you use campground cable and over-the-air (OTA) programming, you're going to need a converter box that has both an ATSC (for OTA TV) and a QAM (for cable TV) tuner.

Every converter box has an ATSC tuner since they're required by law in new TVs. However, QAM tuners are optional and are not in all new TVs. Of course your analog TVs don't have either of these tuners.

Many campgrounds have analog cable TV and your old TVs will work fine without a QAM tuner -- so you may not have noticed yet. However, parks are switching over to digital cable and you'll need a QAM tuner in order to see the programming.

Here's an inexpensive converter box that has both an ATSC and a QAM tuner: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1009262-REG/iview_iview_3500stbii_digital_converter_box.html

 
Its more than just analog vs. digital, thats easy. Unless you're interested in watching Lucy reruns, 99% of the programming produced in the last 10 years, if not full 16x9HD, is 16x9SD. If you're going to do this right, consider replacing the TV's with WAY lighter, WAY less power consumption, and WAY WAY better looking receivers that are capable of displaying the proper aspect ratio of current programming, unless you really don't care about extra skinny or fat people, or losing either the top or sides of the picture. "Excellent" pictures off of an analog receiver compares to a real HD receiver still looks like its broken on 2016.

As mentioned above, ALL are required to have ATSC tuners in them, although I have never seen a TV without a QAM tuner, required or not.

HD TV's are mature and CHEAP these days. Consider spending your $$ on current technology and fixing the entire problem rather than a bandaid that about the only thing they do right is give you reasonable sound
 
SCVJeff said:
As mentioned above, ALL are required to have ATSC tuners in them, although I have never seen a TV without a QAM tuner, required or not.
I've worked in a campground with digital cable for the last two years and there are PLENTY of new TVs w/o QAM tuners.

I hear "But it's a new flatscreen" daily. Cheap as well as some $$$ new TVs don't have QAM tuners.
 
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