Digital TV Converter box - need advice

[arboldt]

We just received our cards for $40 off on digital TV converter boxes. I've done some looking around, but haven't really found any good evaluations or comparisons for them, so haven't decided what / where to get them. Since these cards expire after 90 days, I've got to do something soon.

Any advice?

Thanks

 

[Pierutrus]

Re: Digital TV Converter box - need advice

I'd just buy the cheapest one you can find.
Their basically all the same, as in converting digital to analog.
It comes down to the "bells & whistles", that they build into the basic converter.
The basic converters run around $60. The ones with all the bells & whistles will run you closer to $200.

It all comes down to.......Do you really need all the added crap?
Don't you have enough remotes?

 

[gstanton]

Re: Digital TV Converter box - need advice

I haven't made the move yet either, but so far it seems that getting one that will pass the old analog signal is fairly important. Apparently, that will allow you to receive both the analog AND the digital signals, until they really do change over.

 

[Pierutrus]

Re: Digital TV Converter box - need advice

I haven't made the move yet either, but so far it seems that getting one that will pass the old analog signal is fairly important. Apparently, that will allow you to receive both the analog AND the digital signals, until they really do change over.

gstanton......I don't believe that is correct. What is expected is...... At a certain time (which is Feb/09 around the 17th or 19th at midnight), all broadcast stations will cease their analog transmissions. Within 5-10 minutes.

BUT, most stations are already broadcasting in digital. And I believe all stations will be broadcasting in digital WAY before Feb/09. There might be a few in bum f*** Egypt that can't be in compliance, but ho hum

Right now, all the stations in Vegas are simulcasting in both.

BUT, if your really, really worried about it than........
Get yourself a 2-way splitter and a A-B switch.

I wouldn't worry about it....

 

[Pierutrus]

Re: Digital TV Converter box - need advice

Here's a link to the gov site.

www.dtv.gov/whatisdtv.html

Read the paragraph, "The transition to digital tv".

 

[Phantom_II]

Re: Digital TV Converter box - need advice

The design life of a television set is around 6 years. Most actually last longer than that but anything beyond 6 years is just a bonus.

Having said that, consider the age of your current set and consider how soon you'll be purchasing a replacement for it. Any new set you get will be digital and will not need the converter.

Now decide how many bells and whistles you will need for a converter box that you will in likelihood only need for a very few years.

Get the cheapest one that serves your immediate needs.

 

[arboldt]

Re: Digital TV Converter box - need advice

I suppose we're a bit abnormal in this, but most of our major purchases last a long time. We bought our TV in '96. I consider a TV's life expectancy to be more like 25 years. We only replaced the TV before it (from 1976) because it was only a 13" screen. Our washing machine is 25 years old, our dryer is only 12 years old (it replaced one 30+ years old). Our newer car (an '07 model) replaced a '94 -- the other car is a '96 with 157k miles.

We really don't watch that much TV. We've actually thought about just doing without when analog is turned off. But if I can get a converter box that'll suffice, I probably will.

 

[craze1cars]

Re: Digital TV Converter box - need advice

Ditto. We have 5 TV's in the house. 2 are new. The rest are 20+ years old and still running strong. I got 2 boxes for a couple of them, and am out of pocket about $30 total for 'em. Much cheaper than buying two new TV's.

I bought the two boxes from Radio Shack. Brand is "Digital Stream." $59 each, less the $40 coupons. I've had them about 3 months now and they work excellent. They come wiht nice programmable remotes that will replace your old remotes on the TV as a little bonus.

You do not need the analog pass-thru. It's essentially a worthless feature with the only possible exception being if you want to hook up an analog feed from your satellite dish along with the digital feed from your antenna. Even in that scenario you just need a couple splitters and some coax stubs to make your own analog bypass. 98% of the people out there don't use that feature. As stated earlier, all the stations are already broadcasting in digital, so you will miss absolutely nothing by eliminating all the analog channels you watch right now...they're nothing but low resolution duplicates and they'll be shut off in Feb anyway.

A tip with Radio Shack: Buy one at a time. When you buy the first one with one $40 coupon, they'll print you a $10 off coupon on your next purchase over $50. Walk out, then walk back in, and buy the second one...now you've saved $50 on the second unit instead of just the $40 government coupon. And with that second purchase you'll get ANOTHER $10 off coupon that you can use on your NEXT Radio Shack purchase...for example if you need or want to buy an antenna or something.

IT's a goofy game, but 10 bucks is 10 bucks!

For those of you who haven't made the change yet and are waiting for something...just do it. The clarity is stunning, and you end up getting about 4 times as many channels as you used to...and you didn't even know you were missing a bunch of channels, did ya? Trust me, you are. The analog feeds are already fully obsolete...so you might as well just dump 'em now. Don't wait 'till Feb of '09 when there's a huge rush on these boxes and new TV's, and you find they are all temporarily out of stock...

 

[Pierutrus]

Re: Digital TV Converter box - need advice

So Craze, How much were the converters without the $40 coupon?
Regular price that is.

 

[craze1cars]

Re: Digital TV Converter box - need advice

They're $59 each without coupon. I paid $19 for the first one with a coupon. And $9 for the second one with the double-coupon trip I outline above.

If you DON'T have a a coupon, or you need more than two...check Ebay and type in "converter box". You'll find people all over this country who are taking their governent issued coupons even though they don't need them, buying the boxes up for $10 or $20 out of their pockets, and re-selling them brand new in the box on Ebay for $25 to $30. I call those people cheap. Even cheaper than ME! Others would call them entrepreneurs. But you CAN snag them for about 1/2 price on Ebay if you dont' have access to the coupon for some reason.

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: Digital TV Converter box - need advice

Whu not just "google" up "best deal digital converter " and see the for sure many opinions and customer remarks?

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Digital TV Converter box - need advice

So how do you get the coupons anyway?
We have 2 digital HD tvs and 1 older Sony that i will need a converter for.

 

[craze1cars]

Re: Digital TV Converter box - need advice

Get coupons here:
https://www.dtv2009.gov/

Just for anyone who may not be aware...if you subscribe to cable or satellite, you don't need these boxes, or new TV's. This whole problem will only effect people who choose to get TV signals off the airwaves with an old fashioned antenna.

 

[crabby_bob]

Re: Digital TV Converter box - need advice

If you go to the AVS forum there's a lot of discussion about the individual boxes available. I have 2, a Zenith DT9900 and a Zenith DT9901. The 9901 has passthrough which is important if you regurlarly receive low power analog stations that won't be going digital in February. I have no use for it but it came with the box. Another feature people look for are digital timers so they can record programs automatically. There seem to be problems with how some vendors implemented the timer features (Dtv Pal) so I would look for a CECB that has a way of manually setting the clock. I don't think there are any. The TV guide seems to be the third thing people look for. Some models, such as the Zenith, only show a now/next guide for each available channel. That's fine for me but some boxes have guides that go much further.

If all you need is a tuner that can reliably lock on a signal in a deep fringe area I recommend the Zenith, Insigna, or Channel Master converters. Insignia and Zenith are the same unit. I plan to buy a channel master because I'm looking for a unit that will give me the most reliable digital lock and think the CM is worth a shot based on AVS reviews. I live in a deep fringe area and after the transition all my watchable analog signals will be gone leaving me with a few watchable Digital channels. Also, if you use a rotator be sure to check that the box provides a search feature capable of adding new stations without deleting the old ones.

There are some CECBs that most people don't seem to like and there are some scams going on. For example there's a company that will "give" you box if you buy an extended warranty. If you rely on OTA for television, live in a deep fringe area, don't want satellite, and don't want to encourage the cable monopolies you should start working on it in the next few months. Reliable Digital TV is not as easy as the Feds make it sound.

 

[gstanton]

Re: Digital TV Converter box - need advice

Well... as some others have said. Check here:

https://www.dtv2009.gov/

As I read it, it says that some low power stations will remain available as analog.
Now, granted, in the boating community, this is probably moot as most low powers probably won't reach off-shore boaters. (?) The discussion that pointed to all the above info is in relation to travel trailers and how the switch over might effect those of us who live in an RV and boating world.

By the way, RVers love to visit Bum f***. It's like being in the Gulf with no one around. Like being in NV.
They do mention the option of an AB switch.

 

[Pierutrus]

Re: Digital TV Converter box - need advice

Well... as some others have said. Check here:

https://www.dtv2009.gov/

As I read it, it says that some low power stations will remain available as analog.
Now, granted, in the boating community, this is probably moot as most low powers probably won't reach off-shore boaters. (?) The discussion that pointed to all the above info is in relation to travel trailers and how the switch over might effect those of us who live in an RV and boating world.

By the way, RVers love to visit Bum f***. It's like being in the Gulf with no one around. Like being in NV.
They do mention the option of an AB switch.

Again, gstantan....I believe YOU are in-correct or miss informed again.

What was missed?

I don't care where you live or travel in these great United States....
What was posted above....and you missed it, well...

Your still an idiot.

Please RE-READ all above.
any questions? or abuse?
Bring it on....
By the way, I do this for a living.

 

[Tyme2fish]

Re: Digital TV Converter box - need advice

Craze, that was a nice post. I'm always looking for ways to save $10.00 Thanks

 

[crabby_bob]

Re: Digital TV Converter box - need advice

Here's a website I found useful www.tvfool.com.

Edit: I gave the wrong model numbers for the Zenith CECBs. They should be DTT900 and DTT901.

 

[rwise]

Re: Digital TV Converter box - need advice

I for one do not look forward to analog being turned off, I too have fringe stations that I will not get with digital. And from what I have seen of digital it is not all its made up to be. Lots of degradation (little squares) in the picture, and digital cannot and will never be able to recreate all of the audio.

I do not have cable or Sat TV, and I for one will not pay for tv stations with advertisements! The advertisers have already paid for you to watch their ads and the show with them. And there aint nothin on TV worth payin fiddy bucks a month for,,,,

 

[crabby_bob]

Re: Digital TV Converter box - need advice

rwise, what type of antenna setup are you using? www.antennaweb.org has some information that might be helpful with regards to selecting an antenna and possibly a preamp.