Digital TV Converters

[ChampcarShark]

Any experience with the new TV converters, which is better??

I just got my $40.00 coupons from DTV.gov today.

[dando]

Any experience with the new TV converters, which is better??

I just got my $40.00 coupons from DTV.gov today.

You can check AVSForum.com for info on AV stuff, but the crowd there might be a bit snobbish on DTV converters. Do you have cable? If so, the FCC mandated that cable support analog until 2012, IIRC. Just when I was hoping to get rid of the TWC analog tier we have. :irked:

-Kevin

[Sean Malone]

What can you convert a TV into with one of those? :confused:

[KLang]

What can you convert a TV into with one of those? :confused:

It will allow you to display digital TV signals on an analog TV.

I'm not sure how it effects cable but I think the converters are really intended for people using an antenna for OTA TV signals. The analog OTA signals will be going away.

[dando]

It will allow you to display digital TV signals on an analog TV.

I'm not sure how it effects cable but I think the converters are really intended for people using an antenna for OTA TV signals. The analog OTA signals will be going away.

Yup. Or any other source that is exclusively DTV.

-Kevin

[Sean Malone]

It will allow you to display digital TV signals on an analog TV.

I'm not sure how it effects cable but I think the converters are really intended for people using an antenna for OTA TV signals. The analog OTA signals will be going away.

Oh, that makes sense. I was thinking it converted it into a microwave oven or a fishtank. :)

[dando]

Oh, that makes since. I was thinking it converted it into a microwave oven or a fishtank. :)

I think I think the heat is getting to you down there in oHIo South. :gomer: First an ICS race and now this. ;) :p

-Kevin

[Sean Malone]

I think I think the heat is getting to you down there in oHIo South. :gomer: First an ICS race and now this. ;) :p

-Kevin

Fight club rule #1, never joke around about digital TV converters. :)

[dando]

Fight club rule #1, never joke around about digital TV converters. :)

Don't joke about AV shizzle on the OC, yo. :p ;)


Mmmm, Fight Club...perhaps my viewing experience for the evening. :)

-Kevin

[RusH]

After checking the reviews at the big retail outlets, the Zenith won out..it`s made by LG. I bought 2 yesterday with the 2 coupons I received.

If you you still have analog TV`s like I do, don`t walk, run to get a converter, the picture quality is incredible. I have 28 OTA channels I never knew I had with a program guide. :D
Given the what I see at the stores, the quality is comparable, there must be tons of compression going on in satellite service compared to OTA HDTV.

[cameraman]

there must be tons of compression going on in satellite service compared to OTA HDTV.Very much so. I get the DishNetwork version of HD-PBS and the ota version of the same channel off the antenna. There is a day & night difference.

[KLang]

Generally OTA will be better then through other means from what I have seen and read.

That might not be the case everywhere though. Stations have the ability of splitting up their bandwidth into sub channels for things like weather radar, etc. That will reduce the bandwidth available for the main HD channel.

[gerhard911]

If you research these things you will quickly find that none of the currently available converters are fully featured or without problems. Not everybody needs all of the extra features (analog pass-through, S video, smart antenna) but analog pass through, in particular, can be important to some folks.

The LG/Zenith is pretty widely recognized as having the best tuner reception but lacks any of the additional features I mentioned and with certain audio sources has a nasty buzz or hiss in the left channel. That can be eliminated by putting everything into mono (box, TV, A/V receiver) as a work around.

Bottom line, since the coupons have a 90 day expiration, don't be in a great hurry to get yours. There are other converters coming that should be better and more fully featured.

[ChampcarShark]

I knew I could count on you guys, what is funny is that I subscribe to Dish and got the coupons just in case my wife decides not to renew the contract.

I am planning to use those for a couple of 32 inch tvs that I am not planning to replace anytime soon. I give them another 3 or 4 more years of useful life. Our local DTV programming is limited, according to all websites I should be receiving about 10 additional channels, even TV Azteca and Televisa from Mexico. But my DTV does nto pick up any of those channels even with a new DTV amplified antenna.

Will wait to see the analog tvs once I get the converter boxes.

I checked some of the stores in the coupon list and they all where out of stock.

Those things are flying off the shelves.

[eiregosod]

What can you convert a TV into with one of those? :confused:

convert it to a DOOVDÉ

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fEk6Hkdtquw

[STD]

Now that was funny.

[Warlock!]

Got my two discount cards on Friday, and happened to be near a Best Buy later that day so I went to check their "selection".

One f***in' type of converter box. Some cheap-o, $59 Insignia model. Well, being the cheap, impatient bastard that I am, I picked one up thinking if it was junk I'd just throw it in the pond and get a better one later. It's only gonna be hooked up to bedroom TV or the workout room TV, so I wasn't too concerned.

Welp, it only has coax and RCA outputs, which worked just fine for the inputs on the cheap TV. It did, however, turn my slightly snowy 5 channels (abc, cbs, nbc, fox, and pbs) into 15 crystal clear channels that even switch to 16:9 widescreen when available. Even the toy remote that came with it was able to sync to my TV and work without a hitch. For the $23 over the value of the discount card I was plenty happy.

Sweet deal, this digital TV thing. :cool:

[extramundane]

I played with this particular converter (http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/genericContent.do?oid=197457&plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3a43329ae7-dd15-478e-a6e0-1c47604211faPost%3a35b95f38-fcd6-49cd-9354-995367fe2ad3) over the weekend, and it does the job nicely. Only ended up costing ~$10 with the subsidy coupon.

[G.]

Who sends out these discount cards? I'll need to keep an eye out.

Never mind.

Apply at dtv2009.gov to get yours today!

[SurfaceUnits]

Getting 20 channels on the south side of indy. Some are flaky periodically.