Anyone have a DTV Air TV Converter?
If so what channels are you able to pull in?
I picked up one and cannot get KTUL 8. Could barely see it using Analog before, so not suprised that I cannot find the DTV signal, understand it is channel 10 Digital. KTUL seems to have the lowest wattage on the list in the Tulsa area for DTV.
I could never pick up KJRH Channel 2 Analog before, but with the Digital Converter it comes in strong and clear, plus they offer a weather channel as well.
Biggest draw back I have found is having to use two remotes, one for the channel and another for the volume, and most the stations vary in loudness about 15 points on the volume control. Also the converter has no manual buttons to change channels, so once you loose the remote or it gets damaged good luck ordering a replacement from China. LOL "S--t Outa Luck" comes to mind.
http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Stations.aspx
This link seemed to have some great data on Air Digital TV.
DTV Antenna
Type Call Sign Channel Network City, State Live
Date Compass
Heading Miles
From Frequency
Assignment
yellow
vhf KOED 11 PBS TULSA, OK 117° 17.6 11
* yellow
uhf KOED-DT 11.1 PBS TULSA, OK 117° 17.6 38
yellow
vhf KTUL 8 ABC TULSA, OK 120° 22.3 8
* yellow
vhf KTUL-DT 8.1 ABC TULSA, OK 120° 22.3 10
* yellow
uhf KOTV-DT 6.1 CBS TULSA, OK 117° 17.6 55
* yellow
uhf KJRH-DT 2.1 NBC TULSA, OK 117° 17.6 56
yellow
uhf KDOR 17 TBN BARTLESVILLE, OK 17° 27.1 17
yellow
vhf KOTV 6 CBS TULSA, OK 117° 17.6 6
* yellow
uhf KDOR-DT 17.1 TBN BARTLESVILLE, OK Feb 17, 2009 (post-transition) 17° 27.1 17
* yellow
uhf KWHB-DT 47.1 REL TULSA, OK Feb 17, 2009 (post-transition) 117° 17.6 47
yellow
uhf KWHB 47 REL TULSA, OK 121° 15.9 47
* yellow
vhf KJRH-DT 2.1 NBC TULSA, OK Feb 17, 2009 (post-transition) 117° 17.6 8
* yellow
uhf KQCW-DT 19.1 CW MUSKOGEE, OK Feb 17, 2009 (post-transition) 117° 17.6 20
* yellow
vhf KOED-DT 11.1 PBS TULSA, OK Feb 17, 2009 (post-transition) 117° 17.6 11
* yellow
vhf KTUL-DT 8.1 ABC TULSA, OK Feb 17, 2009 (post-transition) 120° 22.3 10
* yellow
uhf KOTV-DT 6.1 CBS TULSA, OK Feb 17, 2009 (post-transition) 117° 17.6 45
* green
uhf KWHB-DT 47.1 REL TULSA, OK 117° 17.6 48
green
vhf KJRH 2 NBC TULSA, OK 117° 17.6 2
red
uhf KPBI 34 IND EUREKA SPRINGS, AR 355° 18.0 34
red
uhf KUTU-CA 25 BOX TULSA, OK 266° 2.5 25
red
uhf KXAP-LP 51 A1 TULSA, OK 127° 5.9 51
red
uhf KGEB 53 REL TULSA, OK 179° 7.5 53
* red
uhf KMYT-DT 41.1 MNT TULSA, OK 116° 17.2 42
red
uhf KQCW 19 CW MUSKOGEE, OK 160° 28.6 19
* red
uhf KOKI-DT 23.1 FOX TULSA, OK 116° 17.2 22
red
uhf KOKI 23 FOX TULSA, OK 116° 17.2 23
blue
uhf KMYT 41 MNT TULSA, OK 115° 18.5 41
* blue
uhf KGEB-DT 53.1 REL TULSA, OK 179° 7.5 49
blue
uhf KRSC 35 PBS CLAREMORE, OK 43° 25.5 35
blue
uhf KTPX 44 ION OKMULGEE, OK 201° 24.0 44
* violet
uhf KDOR-DT 17.1 TBN BARTLESVILLE, OK 17° 27.1 15
* violet
uhf KQCW-DT 19.1 CW MUSKOGEE, OK TBD 160° 28.6 19
* violet
uhf KTPX-DT 44.1 ION OKMULGEE, OK 201°
I also have a converter question....when the power goes out I have a small battery operated TV that i use....what happens to this TV when the switch over occures? Will I still be able to get a signal?
The whole HDTV deal reminds me of around 1959 when my mom bought her first Color TV. We were lucky to have a TV Repair man that lived across the street from us. I recall him installing a large outdoor antenna in the attic, and then running wires down inside the wall and into the living room to connect to the TV.
He brought over a mirror and lots of tools, sitting behind the TV he would tune in each and every station and adjust the Color knobs on the back of the set. This took a few nights work, he would arrive shortly after dinner.
The DTV/Analog unit I purchased takes 110 volts and uses one of those wonderful AC/DC adaptors, of which I believe I own a few dozen of, most are in boxes in storage and I have no clue what they go to at this time in my life. Not only does the DTV/Analog adapter require 110 volts, but so does the power antenna which seems to be required to find a signal by the DTV/Analog adapter. The power antenna also runs off of a 110 volts low voltage adaptor. If you could identify the exact DC voltage and which pin is positive on both of those units, you could find adapters that ran off of say a 12 volt marine or automotive battery to accomplish you task. Inexpensive alternative is to run an inverter off your vehicle's battery.
I have found the indoor power HDTV antenna requires moving about to pick up all the stations available, which is a real hassle when running the station scan feature. Reminds me of the early Color TVs and especially the one we had at the lake house with the outdoor Power Antenna that rotated from a box inside the house. It was mounted on a long pole way up in the air, and you rotated it using a dial towards which ever station's antenna you desired to capture a signal from.
I feel we have gone back in time technologically with this change over to Digital TV. At least with the Analog version even if the picture was fuzzy, you could still capture the station and hear the audio fairly well. With digital it appears to be all or none, with the exception of the voice not being in sync with the picture many times. Can't wait to test it during a rain storm. LOL
Read in the manual that came with my unit that was made in China, that the phone number for parts and service is an International Number. Can just imagine what language the folks speak that answer the calls there.
If this in any indication of how messed up the television industry is, it is no wonder why the parking lot at 21st and Sheridan at that Direct TV customer service place is packed with workers.
May be an ideal time to open a mobile HDTV Repairman business again.
Our past discussions on this, at your fingertips:
http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8090
http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9964
quote:
Originally posted by da dawg
I also have a converter question....when the power goes out I have a small battery operated TV that i use....what happens to this TV when the switch over occures? Will I still be able to get a signal?
If the portable TV is new enough to have an ATSC (digital tv) tuner you should be fine after February. Any older TV will need a converter between the antenna and the TV, and most low-end portable ones dont have any way to plug in an external antenna.
You would also need a way to power the converter (we discussed a UPS or inverter) but in the long run it would really be best to invest in an ATSC-capable TV.
Yeah right... Here is one for JUST $349.00 The additional Battery Box is only $50.
Last two TVs I bought a few months ago were $20 each at the pawn shop.
quote:
Originally posted by AMP
I feel we have gone back in time technologically with this change over to Digital TV. At least with the Analog version even if the picture was fuzzy, you could still capture the station and hear the audio fairly well. With digital it appears to be all or none, with the exception of the voice not being in sync with the picture many times. Can't wait to test it during a rain storm. LOL
I'm waiting for a rash of deaths caused by this phenomenon. Somebody wakes up to loud thunder/wind/hail/etc and turns the TV on for a weather advisory. Since all TV will be digital, during a storm the signal will likely be so pixellated that it's unusable. I know there are sirens and what not, but sirens aren't audible in all areas, and since they blow the sirens in Bixby for a storm that is headed towards Skiatook, they tend to be ignored anyway.
quote:
Originally posted by bugo
quote:
Originally posted by AMP
I feel we have gone back in time technologically with this change over to Digital TV. At least with the Analog version even if the picture was fuzzy, you could still capture the station and hear the audio fairly well. With digital it appears to be all or none, with the exception of the voice not being in sync with the picture many times. Can't wait to test it during a rain storm. LOL
I'm waiting for a rash of deaths caused by this phenomenon. Somebody wakes up to loud thunder/wind/hail/etc and turns the TV on for a weather advisory. Since all TV will be digital, during a storm the signal will likely be so pixellated that it's unusable. I know there are sirens and what not, but sirens aren't audible in all areas, and since they blow the sirens in Bixby for a storm that is headed towards Skiatook, they tend to be ignored anyway.
Do a search on DIY HD Antenna, and if the converter has an external antenna connector, build and use that.
I built one; given though I do have a digital ready TV now, and it works great...even in bad weather.
Also, one reason why you're having so much trouble with KTUL is because they transmit in VHF only right now; all the other stations transmit in UHF. That changes next year, though.
Like everything else the government does when enforcing deadlines, look for this deadline to be revised for another year or two.
How many times has the government let the passport law deadline be revised?
How's enforcement on HB-1804 coming along?
The whole crock is how many people have probably gone out and gotten these converters on the gov'ts dime and don't need them.
The best thing thus far is a channel I never have seen prior to having this converter box that plays old Westerns a lot!
Always missed the Westerns, I thought they were scrubbed from free tv due to guns and violence, fist fights an donkey whoopins' goin on constantly. Plus they had some down to earth story lines like dudes finding who killed their pa and paying them back later in life.
And there are no cars or trucks in these films, just horses! Lots of bars, drinking, card playing, shooting, riding and fighting. Wages being paid in Cash with no taxes and some good lookin grub coming from the Chuck Wagon.
Roads looked better than today, and when you got plastered at the saloon, your horse didn't, and most likely knew the way back home!
quote:
Originally posted by da dawg
I also have a converter question....when the power goes out I have a small battery operated TV that i use....what happens to this TV when the switch over occures? Will I still be able to get a signal?
No, it'll be useless. However some SMALL stations will still be broadcasting in analog after the change over, (small local stations, church channels and things like that) If you have a converter box most will not pick up those small analog stations, Most boxes will only convert the digital signals it gets into analog and not pass thru any analog signals it gets. There are a few boxes out that can pick up a analog signal and let that pass thru to the TV set as it converts the digital signals, but I heard those boxes are hard to find. HDTV has another drawback, you either get a clear picture or no picture. There will be no more "snowy" pictures you'll just get a blank screen. They call that effect "the falling off the cliff effect"
quote:
Originally posted by Hoss
quote:
Originally posted by bugo
quote:
Originally posted by AMP
I feel we have gone back in time technologically with this change over to Digital TV. At least with the Analog version even if the picture was fuzzy, you could still capture the station and hear the audio fairly well. With digital it appears to be all or none, with the exception of the voice not being in sync with the picture many times. Can't wait to test it during a rain storm. LOL
I'm waiting for a rash of deaths caused by this phenomenon. Somebody wakes up to loud thunder/wind/hail/etc and turns the TV on for a weather advisory. Since all TV will be digital, during a storm the signal will likely be so pixellated that it's unusable. I know there are sirens and what not, but sirens aren't audible in all areas, and since they blow the sirens in Bixby for a storm that is headed towards Skiatook, they tend to be ignored anyway.
Do a search on DIY HD Antenna, and if the converter has an external antenna connector, build and use that.
I built one; given though I do have a digital ready TV now, and it works great...even in bad weather.
Also, one reason why you're having so much trouble with KTUL is because they transmit in VHF only right now; all the other stations transmit in UHF. That changes next year, though.
Yes, but they do have converter boxes that will let analog signals pass thru as well as convert digital signals to analog. Those boxes are hard to find though. Most boxes just process digital into analog, and any analog signal it gets is blocked out from the set..
I guess if you are worried about bad weather you should maybe..umm i dont know..buy a weather scanner?
quote:
Originally posted by bugo
Since all TV will be digital, during a storm the signal will likely be so pixellated that it's unusable.
I get far better DTV reception than analog reception, and storms don't do much to it, except on the channels where the signal is already marginal. (I have a very crappy unpowered antenna)
Few of the analog stations come in at all, while I get most of the DTV stations. Go figure.
quote:
Originally posted by sauerkraut
No, it'll be useless. However some SMALL stations will still be broadcasting in analog after the change over, (small local stations, church channels and things like that) If you have a converter box most will not pick up those small analog stations, Most boxes will only convert the digital signals it gets into analog and not pass thru any analog signals it gets. There are a few boxes out that can pick up a analog signal and let that pass thru to the TV set as it converts the digital signals, but I heard those boxes are hard to find. HDTV has another drawback, you either get a clear picture or no picture. There will be no more "snowy" pictures you'll just get a blank screen. They call that effect "the falling off the cliff effect"
Wrong..wrong.
If you have a marginal signal on HD you can still receive but it will be degraded. Degraded to DTV/HDTV is different than analog. Pixelation and sound cut outs are the symptoms. There's no either/or with it. It's just the gray area is narrower and harder to watch. How do I know? I watched HD and other stations last night over the air directly. If you make the DIY antenna and have a way to put it outside and point it towards Coweta, then the only DTV/HDTV station you'll have trouble with is KTUL, and that's because they're using a VHF signal, and most of the HDTV DIY antennas are built on a dipole (bowtie configuration) which is mainly for UHF.
I have a simple solution for all this, see there's this thing called cable television....
Cable TV is only available in certain areas of Tulsa. They do not service the entire city.
quote:
Originally posted by Conan71
I have a simple solution for all this, see there's this thing called cable television....
...and Satellite, if you have a view of the southern sky (over the Equator). Dish and DirecTV are both comparable, I would go with whoever cuts you the best deal on free equipment, etc.
Come February, all Satellite (and almost all cable) subscribers will see no change, but people who can not afford cable or satellite will be holding the short end of the stick if they havent cashed in their converter coupons on a box.
Chances are those viewers already have an antenna but the converter may be more demanding of signal strength and not capture a satisfactory picture without either a larger antenna or some sort of amplification.
A snowy analog picture with rabbit ears may end up being an unviewable mess on digital, so a decent VHF-UHF antenna in the attic or on the roof might be the best solution for those who can not afford (or dont want to pay for) cable.
Yes, depending on the placement of your location to trees and buildings satellite is also not available for all.
Typically one gets to watch the same re-runs with Free TV as most cable and satellite stations offer, just a little later.
quote:
Originally posted by AMP
Yes, depending on the placement of your location to trees and buildings satellite is also not available for all.
The number of locations that are completely in the shadow of tall buildings or trees is very small compared to the number of locations that will never be wired for cable. Usually, if any portion of your property has a southern view of the sky it can be made to work -- a dish doesnt have to be on a roof to work (and sometimes lower to the ground is better).
"Weird Al" Yankovic wrote and starred in the movie, "UHF", shot mostly on location in Tulsa in 1988."
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51M2NT5B5RL._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
http://tulsatvmemories.com/uhf.html
Tulsa TV Trivia on the UHF Movie
From TulsaTVMemories.com
So if what I am hearing is the switch was to move from VHF to UHF to save bandwidth on the VHF wave length. Why did they see the need to change to digital in the UHF bandwidth? Most of the handhelds I see used in business today are UHF.
Why not just have them change to UHF analog, most stations in this area broadcasting on UHF came in much clearer with antenna than those broadcasting in VHF to begin with. I always thought of VHF as AM and UHF as FM.
For those folks wanting to spend upwards of $300 for a simple TV set that can receive and utilize the the fancy smancy Digitized signal, they need to switch to cable/satellite and should be able to afford the fees. The analog TV sets were around $50-$100 for the standard size at Wal-Mart prior to this panic. A sitiation, which seems to of been created by another lobby group, thus the government provided $40 off cards and the required switch to Digital. Don't see the folks in Canada or Mexico having to switch over.
Even in this digitized version of the song UHF, the sound track is not in sync with the video, same as the over the air DTV seems to be. Prehaps Al did that intentionally. LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhHi0u7-tr0
UHF - Weird Al Yankovitch
quote:
Originally posted by AMP
So if what I am hearing is the switch was to move from VHF to UHF to save bandwidth on the VHF wave length. Why did they see the need to change to digital in the UHF bandwidth? Most of the handhelds I see used in business today are UHF.
Why not just have them change to UHF analog, most stations in this area broadcasting on UHF came in much clearer with antenna than those broadcasting in VHF to begin with. I always thought of VHF as AM and UHF as FM.
The bandwidth savings is in the switch from analog to digital, not from VHF to UHF.
The frequency changes were necessary to make room for stations to transmit in both analog and digital at the same time. When the analog transmissions cease the frequencies will again be changed, and the abandoned ones sold off to the telecom giants.
When analog ends, the assignments will look like this:
NBC 8 KJRH vhf
ABC 10 KTUL vhf
PBS 11 KOED vhf
FOX 22 KOKI uhf
MY 42 KMYT uhf
CBS 45 KOTV uhf
CW 47 uhf
KOED will be the only one to get it's old slot back. You WILL need a UHF/VHF antenna to get them all.
You shouldnt need to memorize any channel numbers as the newer tuners can identify the new channels by name instead of numbers, and automatically follow any changes made.
At last, an easy-to-understand guide just for old people...
http://www.hulu.com/watch/36608/talkshow-with-spike-feresten-cable-psa
Too bad the easy to understand guide just for old people's web site requires some Flash thing to view it.
Unless one lives in a major city and in close proximity to their Central Office of the phone company, most others rely on dial up for internet connection. Only other alternative for them is satelitte at around $60+ per month fees plus purchase of $600+ equipment.
There are many people that do not own a computer or have even have internet access in Oklahoma in their area. Or have the latest viewers such as this Flash add on thingy to even view content on a fancy website.
What happened to simple text for instructions?
Can someone post what the text is as I cannot see anything due to lack of some missin flash plugin.
I know own two different brands of the digital conversion boxes. Both suffer from the picture lag syndrome. Voice happens but the video lags behind way out of sync on many stations.
Idea of digital may of been a great thing for some, but it seems they may of introduced it a bit too soon before they got all the bugs worked out. Lots of times the sound and picture go on and off, stop motion and have small boxes that move around the screen.
I switched back to VHF standard so I can watch TV and have the sound and picture sync again. May be fuzzy and a bit noisy but you can stand to watch it and have a clue of what is happening.
Will be interesting to hear the comments of millions of folks in the US regarding TV come D-Day in February.
The converters for the Coupon program have been mass-produced to be as cheap as possible, and there have been reports that some are not performing well. If so, the quality will vary from one converter to the next.
P.S. I wouldnt install a flash player just to watch that video; it isnt really that useful after all... Asking here might be easier than sitting on hold for an English-speaking customer service rep.
Perhaps the biggest disappointment for the 15-20% of viewers using antennas is that those who have been watching a marginal picture with rabbit ears will need a more capable antenna, since digital is less forgiving of marginal reception.
There is no such thing as a "digital antenna" but if your analog signal is weak on your present antenna, you will either need some amplification, a bigger antenna, or an amplified antenna. If you are tolerating a snowy picture with your present antenna chances are you will need to improve your signal stength or you will be left behind when analog shuts down.
quote:
Originally posted by bugo
I'm waiting for a rash of deaths caused by this phenomenon. Somebody wakes up to loud thunder/wind/hail/etc and turns the TV on for a weather advisory. Since all TV will be digital, during a storm the signal will likely be so pixellated that it's unusable. I know there are sirens and what not, but sirens aren't audible in all areas, and since they blow the sirens in Bixby for a storm that is headed towards Skiatook, they tend to be ignored anyway.
Well if you're concerned with finding out about the weather, and audio only is fine, I think there is another system, much like TV but without picture. They have been secretly installing devices to pick up this "pictureless TV" in every car made for the last 30 years or so.
I don't mean to hijack this topic, but does anyone with a digital antenna have trouble getting channel KTUL(channel 8)? I live in Brookside and I have a terrible time with only that station. I think because it is in VHF and I have always been terrible working rabbit ears.
quote:
Originally posted by brianh
I don't mean to hijack this topic, but does anyone with a digital antenna have trouble getting channel KTUL(channel 8)? I live in Brookside and I have a terrible time with only that station. I think because it is in VHF and I have always been terrible working rabbit ears.
Everyone else went to UHF for the transition except KTUL, so everyone has problems with that one channel because they reduced their power to keep from stomping on another existing VHF station on the same channel.
That will change in February too, when the stations move to their permanent channel assignments and begin broadcasting in full power.
Here is a website that has been discussing it:
http://www.hdtvok.com/
More on the UHF - VHF confusion:
http://www.hdtvexpert.com/pages_b/MusicalChairs.html
quote:
Originally posted by brianh
I don't mean to hijack this topic, but does anyone with a digital antenna have trouble getting channel KTUL(channel 8)? I live in Brookside and I have a terrible time with only that station. I think because it is in VHF and I have always been terrible working rabbit ears.
Just to add my 2 cents.
I live midtown 26th & Yale area. I have 2 TVs, both with digital converter boxes and both with indoor old rabbit ears. The large Panasonic in my den receives all available digital channels just fine, including 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3. I found the optimal positioning for the old rabbit ears and I never have to touch it.
On the other hand, on my cheapie bedroom TV I practically have to readjust the rabbit ears every time I change a channel. All channel 8 stations are unwatchable on this set, no matter how I adjust the antenna. This converter box does have analog pass-thru, so if I want to watch 8 in the bedroom, I turn off digital and watch old analog, at least for a few more months.
For the time being, I will just make do with the situation. After the February switch I will see what stations I get and may end up installing and outdoor antenna or buying new ones to replace the old rabbit ears, but I am not spending any more bucks until then.
quote:
Originally posted by Steve
I have 2 TVs, both with digital converter boxes and both with indoor old rabbit ears. The large Panasonic in my den receives all available digital channels just fine, including 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3. I found the optimal positioning for the old rabbit ears and I never have to touch it.
On the other hand, on my cheapie bedroom TV I practically have to readjust the rabbit ears every time I change a channel. All channel 8 stations are unwatchable on this set, no matter how I adjust the antenna.
Sounds like the TV has a better tuner than the converter box, and that's not surprising.
Does the large TV have a built-in digital tuner?
If so, it likely has a stage of amplification that the cheaper converters dont (to keep costs down).
The Ch 8 signal should improve slightly in February when they move to their new assignment and crank up the power, but consider a better antenna just in case.
quote:
Originally posted by patric
quote:
Originally posted by Steve
I have 2 TVs, both with digital converter boxes and both with indoor old rabbit ears. The large Panasonic in my den receives all available digital channels just fine, including 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3. I found the optimal positioning for the old rabbit ears and I never have to touch it.
On the other hand, on my cheapie bedroom TV I practically have to readjust the rabbit ears every time I change a channel. All channel 8 stations are unwatchable on this set, no matter how I adjust the antenna.
Sounds like the TV has a better tuner than the converter box, and that's not surprising.
Does the large TV have a built-in digital tuner?
If so, it likely has a stage of amplification that the cheaper converters dont (to keep costs down).
The Ch 8 signal should improve slightly in February when they move to their new assignment and crank up the power, but consider a better antenna just in case.
Both my converter boxes are "Digital Stream" boxes from Radio Shack. In my den I have a Panasonic 32" traditional CRT flat front tube TV. It is only 4 years old, analog tuner but has a beautiful picture & sound and there is no way I am going to trash it. The converter box on this TV does not have analog pass thru, but my digital reception through old rabbit ears is perfect, including the 3 Channel 8's.
My bedroom TV is a $65 Target cheapie Daewoo. It gets a great analog picture, but using the digital box I have to readjust the antenna every time I change channels, and Channel 8 is completely unwatchable. I do have analog pass thru on this box, so I have an option here for the time being. I wouldn't feel bad about trashing this TV come February, but I will wait and see, maybe buying a new powered antenna if they are not too expensive. I thought the differences in reception within my home were probably due to the house construction and location of the TV sets, my big TV being in the more optimal location. No great emergency as I rarely watch Channel 8 anyway.
Go buy a new TV!
Even Kim Komando says you a pouring money into a dead industry buy purchasing those converters. How long do you think anyone is going to service those things? You will end up buying a new TV anyway.
From what I have been reading, TVs are probably the cheapest they are going to get, right now.
quote:
Originally posted by Wilbur
Go buy a new TV!
I am not going to junk perfectly working televisions that probably have at least 10-15 years of usefull life left, and add more toxic waste to landfills if I don't have to. My converter boxes cost me $20 bucks each, using the government coupons I received. Maybe they will last for 5 years, maybe more, but it seems the most economical, responsible way for me to go at this point in time.
And you guys with your fancy new LCD and plasma TVs think these things are going to last? From what I have read about the short history of these overpriced gizmos, the average life expectancy of a LCD TV is only 5 years, only 1/3 of conventional CRT tube televisions. Planned obsolescence, to be sure.
quote:
Originally posted by Wilbur
Go buy a new TV!
Even Kim Komando says you a pouring money into a dead industry buy purchasing those converters. How long do you think anyone is going to service those things? You will end up buying a new TV anyway.
From what I have been reading, TVs are probably the cheapest they are going to get, right now.
not so. Ultimate electronics told me to hold on till after march because there would be a big drop in prices.
quote:
Originally posted by Steve
quote:
Originally posted by Wilbur
Go buy a new TV!
I am not going to junk perfectly working televisions that probably have at least 10-15 years of usefull life left, and add more toxic waste to landfills if I don't have to. My converter boxes cost me $20 bucks each, using the government coupons I received. Maybe they will last for 5 years, maybe more, but it seems the most economical, responsible way for me to go at this point in time.
And you guys with your fancy new LCD and plasma TVs think these things are going to last? From what I have read about the short history of these overpriced gizmos, the average life expectancy of a LCD TV is only 5 years, only 1/3 of conventional CRT tube televisions. Planned obsolescence, to be sure.
dont use too much of that foil for your rabbit ear antenna or you wont be able to finish your hat.
quote:
Originally posted by inteller
quote:
Originally posted by Steve
quote:
Originally posted by Wilbur
Go buy a new TV!
I am not going to junk perfectly working televisions that probably have at least 10-15 years of usefull life left, and add more toxic waste to landfills if I don't have to. My converter boxes cost me $20 bucks each, using the government coupons I received. Maybe they will last for 5 years, maybe more, but it seems the most economical, responsible way for me to go at this point in time.
And you guys with your fancy new LCD and plasma TVs think these things are going to last? From what I have read about the short history of these overpriced gizmos, the average life expectancy of a LCD TV is only 5 years, only 1/3 of conventional CRT tube televisions. Planned obsolescence, to be sure.
dont use too much of that foil for your rabbit ear antenna or you wont be able to finish your hat.
There has never been any foil on my indoor antennas, never has been, never will. Not all of us that stick to tried and true technology are that white trash.
Folks living in Mexico and Canada are not infected with this transistion.
I bought the $50 convertors using my two credit card looking coupons. I have powered antennas and still have issues trying to watch stations other than Fox 23 using the digital thing. Whole idea sucks to me so far. I would give it an F- if grading the thing.
I hooked up my In-laws two TV's out South of Mannford with a 35 to 45 mile rated outside antenna on the eve of their house and two Zenith digital converters and all of the local signals came in perfect. They now have more channels than they ever had and could not be happier. After being in the Satellite/Cable TV industry for 28 years, I still have a hard time believing that there are people out there who do not and have not ever subscribed to pay TV. But after reading this thread, I see my In-laws are not alone. God bless your little stubborness.
quote:
Originally posted by AMP
Folks living in Mexico and Canada are not infected with this transistion.
I bought the $50 convertors using my two credit card looking coupons. I have powered antennas and still have issues trying to watch stations other than Fox 23 using the digital thing. Whole idea sucks to me so far. I would give it an F- if grading the thing.
Yeah, that's what I heard- it does not work too good. In Detroit Michigan they get channel 9 from Canada (CKLW TV) so I guess that station will come thru on analog only. Most converter boxes offer analog pass thru, because not all stations will go digital in 2009 the small stations will stay analog. Some city in North Carolina or South carolina did a test with digital TV and they changed over in September of this year. I have not heard how it's working. Perhaps if it does not work well in Feb. 2009- or congress gets alot of complaints the government will delay it a few more years. They should not be forcing this Digital TV on the people anyhow.
What I hate most about digital TV is that all our battery and portable sets will not work anymore. A converter has to be pluged in, so that will make battery run sets worthless. In power failures we will no longer get to watch battery powered TV, or take battery TV sets to ball games.[xx(]
They did the switchover early in Wilmington, NC as a test.
Apparently firemen were going around helping all the technologically handicapped to plug in their digital converters.
Link (//%22http://www.tvpredictions.com/wilmington091008.htm%22)
The amount of bad information out there is startling. We've been bombarded with TV ads, news stories, displays at various public events. And yet so many people seem to have no clue.
quote:
Originally posted by sauerkraut
What I hate most about digital TV is that all our battery and portable sets will not work anymore. A converter has to be pluged in, so that will make battery run sets worthless. In power failures we will no longer get to watch battery powered TV, or take battery TV sets to ball games.[xx(]
They have a battery powered convertor now.
My biggest complain is that I signed up early, coupons took weeks after printing to show up and then there were no reasonable convertors in store before my coupons expired. I think it's something like 40% of the coupons expired before use. They need to reissue or remove the expiration date.
quote:
Originally posted by sgrizzle
My biggest complain is that I signed up early, coupons took weeks after printing to show up and then there were no reasonable convertors in store before my coupons expired. I think it's something like 40% of the coupons expired before use. They need to reissue or remove the expiration date.
Some households never got the coupons.
Our coupons arrived at a time when everyone was out of stock -- I got the last one on the shelf from Walmart my first trip, and weeks later found some at BestBuy...
But I took on the responsibility of getting another house equipped and it was a dismal failure. The coupons were ordered for that address, never arrived by the date posted on the website. The site said wait another month, then said to re-order. When I reordered I got an email saying that address was now ineligable because I orderd twice and should have been satisfied with the coupons (I never got) from the first order. No appeal was allowed.
Someone is pocketing a chunk of change from unclaimed coupons.
Love all this ranting and raving about the change in frequencies and band with because we exported our Tec knowledge to the cheap labor areas of the world. The circuit boards replaced the tube. Those who worked as "hams" to develop the bands above 2 meters are being replaced by imports that are under development at the present. Antennas were developed that allowed the transmitting of signals over large areas using very little power, In the changing of the system to another beast we have created is rare today but if the experimental gooks in antenna transition design are faced with the need for the changing of reception of signals you can bet we will have better reception. Soon as we perfect a new antenna we'll grab it up and run to a foreign country for it's production. We are doing a lot of worrying and have not seen the beast.
Guess those boxes I have packed of meters and testing equipment should not be disposed of in haste.
W5PYV
quote:
Originally posted by DolfanBob
I still have a hard time believing that there are people out there who do not and have not ever subscribed to pay TV. But after reading this thread, I see my In-laws are not alone. God bless your little stubborness.
There are lots of us out there. I had Tulsa Cable for years (before Cox) and dumped it in 1997 when I decided it just wasn't worth the never-ending expense to me, when there is a free alternative. I don't spend hours on end glued to the boob tube, and my current digital reception on my big TV is just dandy. For me, there is absolutely no reason to pay for cable or satellite service.
What's pathetic to me is that there are young people out there that aren't even aware of the free, broadcast TV option. They think all TV must come into your home via cable, satellite, or some other pay service, and haven't a clue about the free public airwaves! For me, pay TV is a luxury that I can well do without.
quote:
Originally posted by sgrizzle
My biggest complain is that I signed up early, coupons took weeks after printing to show up and then there were no reasonable convertors in store before my coupons expired. I think it's something like 40% of the coupons expired before use. They need to reissue or remove the expiration date.
I signed up in Feb. this year, my 2 coupons arrived with an expiration date of 7-4-08. I used one at Radio Shack first, to test the reception before I used the second. The first converter did not have analog pass thru. My reception was fine, so I went back to Radio Shack and used the second, and this converter was an updated model with analog pass thru. When I bought the 2nd one, they had none in stock, but took my info. and shipped it directly to my front door free of charge within 10 days.
There really is no excuse for consumer's letting their coupons expire. This whole program is paid for with our tax dollars, so I understand the reason for the expiration. Stores that are out of stock should make the sale, and ship the converter to you free of charge. That is what Radio Shack did for me (the one at 28th & Harvard) and I have no complaints.