DTV over the air Converter Questions

[Steve]

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 ?  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.

[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.

[Steve]

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.

[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.

[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.

[inteller]

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.

[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.

[Steve]

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.

[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.

[DolfanBob]

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.

[sauerkraut]

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.

[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(]

[TheTed]

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

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.

[sgrizzle]

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.

[patric]

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.