Those HD Converter Boxes - TOTAL Joke

[otohara]

I have satellite service, but not on my tiny kitchen TV. I like to watch PBS or the network news while cooking or cleaning - and in spite of getting a $40.00 coupon from the FCC and still having to pay $24.50 for the unit. Now I must now either go purchase a bigger, better antenna or settle for the two channels I get, both of which are not PBS and still fade in and out, or go totally blank.

I noticed in the last couple days, the promos for the HD convert boxes are now including the previously unmentioned FACTS that these things don't work very well, without spending more money on a better antenna.

Older viewers will not find the remotes easy to use and are likely to look as frustrated as this lady.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xy-pD-M0rY4

[Connie_Corleone]

1. Yes, you need a better antenna to get more digital channels.

They are not HD converter boxes. They're digital converter boxes. If you don't have an HDTV, then you're not going to get HD with the converter box.

[Liberal In Texas]

6. And you're not going to get HD even with an HDTV with a converter box.

The converter "converts" to analog. If you want HD off the air, you have to have an digital receiver. I have one for my HDTV because it didn't come with a digital receiver (it's old). Whole different ballgame. BTW, the receiver I have was expensive and doesn't work very well.

[Mari333]

2. oh that video

I sent that out to a large number of people a while back..they all responded that it was, and is, the funniest video on youtube..i laughed my ass off when i saw it..the only one i didnt send it to was my mother, who is 82, and would recognize herself in it. she actually says 'wuh wuh wuh' and 'hittup'. LOL
as for your post, ah well i threw my tv out a while back so ...
hugs lol

[JohnyCanuck]

31. I showed it to my 84 yr old mom,

and she thought it was hilarious. (She is always asking for my help with her computer problems).

[merh]

3. you can make an antenna out of coat hangers

My brother made one and has it in his attic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw

[alfredo]

13. I made that one and it is very good. The RCA 12 position antenna is

pretty good. It's cheap too.



I got mine at Best Buy.

[merh]

14. thanks, I will look into the RCA

does it work like the homemade one or better?

the homemade one is large and unattractive.

[alfredo]

20. It ugly, so the RCA will work well. I did some research first. I got the Zenith

converter box and the RCA antenna. I built the DIY antenna because I could.

[merh]

21. thank you for the info

:thumbsup:

[NNN0LHI]

4. I don't think there is any such thing as an HD Converter Box

I think you may be confusing digital format with HD format.

Two completely different things.

Don

[surrealAmerican]

5. You may want to hold off on buying the antenna.

If the stations you want to receive normally broadcast VHF, they will probably switch their digital signals to the VHF band in February (when they discontinue analog transmissions). This could make a dramatic difference in your reception.

[otohara]

15. Thanks, I'll Do That

muchos gracias

[Donnachaidh]

7. you watch. a whole new black market will spring up

Of boxes that work BETTER. Of course, you'll have to find someone selling them. But you can bet that *entrepreneurs* will have them out there the day after the switch.

[alfredo]

29. What exactly is the converter box? Is it a TV tuner? If so, could it be hacked

to run on a LCD computer monitor?

[Warpy]

8. I noticed during a snowstorm that wiped out my dish temporarily

that my rabbit ears wouldn't work with my HDTV ready set and I live only twelve miles from the broadcasting tower.

When I dump the dish, my sets will be used for movies, only. I'll get what little TV I like on the puter.

The rabbit ears do work beautifully with my FM receiver, so it's not a total loss.

[Ian David]

9. I have no problem since I upgraded my antena...

Took me less than a whole weekend to do that.

What's the big deal?

[Atman]

12. Nice job. And you have a sick place to skateboard, too!

:rofl:

.

[MidwestTransplant]

26. Nice work. Are you free next weekend to help with mine? :)

[davepdx]

10. Digital converter boxes, not HD

NNN0LHI is right, you have a digital converter box, not a HD converter. Many people confuse DTV (digital television) and HD (high definition television).

The converter boxes are for converting to the digital signal transmitted by the TV stations as the existing analog signals are going away. The real issue for consumers is that when the analog signals were weak the picture would fade or get snowy. Digital signals are either all or none - the signal strength is either good enough to decode and provide a picture or the signal strength is not good enough and there will not be a picture at tall. People living in areas where the TV signal is marginal will not be able to receive TV with digital though they were able with analog. These people are the ones that will really be pissed.

A weak signal is the reason you might need a new antenna system and there will be no guarantees a new one will work in areas with marginal signals. Even tree and their leaves can block or deflect the TV signals so you must take this into consideration when placing your antenna.

AntennaWeb might be a helpful source for determining the type of antenna you need for your particular location.

Check with other people in your immediate area and see what they are doing regarding the DTV conversion. You may decide to get satellite service for you kitchen TV as well which sucks because of the added cost.

[otohara]

19. Thanks

[Atman]

11. Did you know you can simply buy a digital antenna?

I didn't either until I saw them in the store the other day. Pretty much like a regular set-top antenna, except it receives digital signals. So you can skip the silly set-top converter idea, which was basically just Bush's gift to the industry.

The downside; it only has a twenty mile range. I live waaaay rural, and there are hardly any stores within twenty miles, never mind tv stations. But it might be worth looking into if you're close to a major city where the broadcasters are. And it was only $12.99.

.

[Duckhunter935]

16. Not just antenna only

If you have an older analog only tv you will need the converter box. The digital antenna will do no good as it recieves the digital channels and will not work with and analog TV tuner.

[Statistical]

17. There is no such thing as a digital antenna.

It is just marketing.

Normal "analog" antenna works exactly the same.

Digital TV uses the spectrum used by analog TV channels on UHF range.
So a antenna that optimizes UHF reception will work best.

Ultimately when analog TV turns off you will either need a converter OR a TV with ATSC tuner in it.

Some newer (like 2006 or later) tube Standard Def TV already have an ATSC tuner.

Digital IS NOT same as HDTV however if your TV does NOT have an ATSC tuner and you do NOT have a converter box and you currently receive OTA (Over the Air) TV it will stop working on Feb 17th. The antenna you use does not matter.

[Atman]

25. I guess I'm wrong, but the box sure implied that all you had to do was plug it in.

Never mentioned a converter box. It claimed to be a digital-to-analog set-top antenna. Glad I didn't buy one. Thanks for the info.

.

[Statistical]

27. Yeah a lot of shady marketing going on. Buyer beware (n/t)

[otohara]

18. Nope - Didn't Do My Homework

Bush fucks the middle class again.

[Statistical]

23. You did your homework

To receive a digital signal after Feb 19 2009 you need one of two things
a) converter box (which has an ATSC tuner in it)
b) a TV with an ATSC tuner.

Now all HDTV sold after 2005 have an ATSC tuner.
All TV (even non HDTV) sold after DEC 2006 have an ATSC tuner.

If your TV is older it has NO ATSC tuner. The only way to receive OTA channels is by buying a converter.

You did the right thing. An antenna alone will not work. Older TV only "know" how to decode analog channels, they can't decode digital channels because they have no digital tuner.

The "good news" if any is that most stations right now are broadcasting both.
They have a LOW POWER digital transmitter = worse receiption, less range.
The have a HIGH POWER analog transmitter.

After Feb 19th there is no reason for the analog transmitter. Eventually they will take it down and broadcast the digital signal on the higher power, taller tower (replacing the existing analog transmitter). This should mean better coverage. Now how long it takes them to make the swtich? Who knows. The only thing the law requires is that the analog channel turn off on Feb 19, 2009.

[Abq_Sarah]

30. Actually.....

Blame Congress. This has been in the works since about 1996 when Congress realized they could auction off the analogue spectrum for about 10 billion dollars if broadcasters were forced to go digital.

[TheWraith]

22. They are NOT "HD converter" boxes.

They convert a digital TV signal to analog for use with older TVs. "Digital" is not a synonym for "HD." Instead of paying for a converter, why not just run an extra satellite cable to your kitchen TV, and have all your channels with no fuss?

[otohara]

28. Stop Yelling At Me

I'm like the old lady in the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xy-pD-M0rY4

[Mnpaul]

24. I love my converter box

I now get twice the number of channels. I'm using this amplified attenna from radioshack. http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2131034