Digital TV deadline extended

[JB4310]

There I'm using a $70 little convertor that plugs into the laptop USB port, very small not much bigger than some of the memory sticks. It gets analog and digital, has an F connector for a whip or an external antenna. Similar to this one but older- Computer TV Tuner and USB TV Tuner from Pinnacle Systems – PCTV HD Stick

Wow that's pretty cool, turns your laptop into a transportable wireless tv with no service charge. First I've seen of this.

I don't have a laptop yet but might have to look into getting a cheap one just to have a "TV" in work truck, to watch news at lunch time.

JB.

 

[MossRoad]

Do you still need to use an antenna of any type,

Yes. I first used rabbit ears and those worked fine. I also have an antenna outside that feeds our whole house. It works fine, too. I just unhook the T.V. from the existing antenna cable, plug that cable into the converter box, then plug an antenna cable between the converter box and the T.V. antenna jack. Then we leave the T.V. on channel 3 and off you go. We are about 10 miles from most of the transmitters, so no big deal.

Our little T.V. is compatible with the converter box remote control, so one remote to turn on the T.V. and converter. That is nice.

However, in our living room, we have too much equipment of varying manufactures. So, here is what I did...

We have a very nice Toshiba analog T.V. I leave that on VIDEO input #1. We only use it as a monitor, now.

We have a very nice surround sound system. I leave that on VIDEO #1 as well.

We have a selector switch that works by remote control. It has 8 inputs and two outputs.

We have a digital converter box into the #1 input of the switch.

We have the satellite T.V. into the #2 input of the switch.

We have the DVD player into the #3.

VCR into the #4.

Game systems in some of the others, etc...
The #1 output of the selector switch goes into the input of the surround sound. (eventually, the #2 output of the selector switch will go into a modulator to feed back into the whole house system so we can watch anything from the living room on any other T.V. anywhere else in the house).

We have a LEARNING REMOTE that is able to control everything including the switch, except it will not learn the remote codes for the converter box for some reason. So, we are down to two remotes for all of our electronic stuff. Plus the remote operates the lights in the house over Radio Frequency. The learning remote is the key to ease of operation.

I did talk with TV tech last week who runs a shop in my town and he was not very optimistic about the performance, said he's tried the converter and found that it's like others have said, weak signals equal no picture, so makes sense that it may be a problem in the fringe areas.

JB.

A T.V. tech thinks its O.K. to have a weak analog signal and not solve it? Weak analog signals can be solved with an antenna upgrade, relocation, amplification, etc.... The exact same thing can be done for weak digital signals.

The payoff is the beautiful picture of digital VS analog. There is just no comparison.

 

[tommu56]

Obousily the powers at be never had to clime up on a roof in febuary (read cold , snow and ice=danger) after the switch is made because the station they were watching wasen't simalcasting and now they cant get it at all.
Now in febuary they have to add or move the antenna to get reception.
June makes more logical sense.

tom

 

[Skyco]

HURRAY! The house voted to NOT delay the switch, so that means it will take place as scheduled next month

 

[schmism]

- I get more channels on the converter box tuner than the analog box tuner.
- 5 of those are in HD, which really looks nice.
- The ones that are not in HD look crystal clear. Perfect picture.

Conclusion: It works great! I got my $9.00 worth and more.

i can garentee you do not recive HD signals with a goverment coupon approved converter. Infact it was specifically writen into the spec that the DTV converter boxes eligibly for the $40 coupon NOT receive HD signals.

the House voted not to delay the switch over.
Slashdot | US House Kills Proposed Delay For Digital TV Transition

 

[IH3444]

My Toshiba CRT 32" is over 12 years old. Plays good. It was digital and cable ready from the factory. Cost $400 at the time. I almost went with the Sharpe CRT 32" for $249, but read reviews which convinced me that the Toshiba was worth the extra $150.

Now they are 20" CRT TVs which are cable ready for $129 at Bestbuys. Now I also understand that many people just can't up and purchase a $129 TV, but they are available.

Dynexï½® - 20" Class 480i Standard-Definition Digital TV - DX-R20TV

Now also I'm one of the people who sent away for the 2 coupons which allow a discount for a converter. Didn't think I would need it, but ended up giving both away. So they got used.

I believe that the newer TVs are more energy efficent, and the cost saving may take a few years, but why hang on to an older set?

 

[schmism]

My Toshiba CRT 32" is over 12 years old. Plays good. It was digital and cable ready from the factory. Cost $400 at the time. I almost went with the Sharpe CRT 32" for $249, but read reviews which convinced me that the Toshiba was worth the extra $150.

My 27" sony triniton CRT cost me ~$400 about 5 years ago.

you cant touch a 27" ish TV today for less than double that.

 

[IH3444]

WOW, CorrectO. The largest I can find is a 24" CRT for $179.

Dynexｮ - 24" Class 480i Standard-Definition Digital TV - DX-R24TV

 

[MossRoad]

i can garentee you do not recive HD signals with a goverment coupon approved converter. Infact it was specifically writen into the spec that the DTV converter boxes eligibly for the $40 coupon NOT receive HD signals.

the House voted not to delay the switch over.
Slashdot | US House Kills Proposed Delay For Digital TV Transition

O.K. So I may only receive digital signals and not HD signals. I'll have to check. You are most likely correct. My analog T.V. cannot display HD anyway, so it does not matter to me. I think the point of the converter box coupons was to assure people that they could still use their existing T.V.s and not be forced to buy a completely new T.V. when the analog broadcasts cease. (low power stations don't have to cease analog transmissions)

What I am sure of is the picture on my anaolg T.V. using the digital converter box is perfect. It never looked anywhere near that good before using the converter box. It is of the exact same quality as the picture over the dish. No snow, no fade, no double images, no buzzing if there is white text on the screen, and none of that wavy lines stuff you get when the weatherman wears a gaudy tie that buzzes when he's in front of the weather map. I still think it was worth the $9.00 I had to kick in after the coupon.

 

[MossRoad]

I believe that the newer TVs are more energy efficent, and the cost saving may take a few years, but why hang on to an older set?

Because, just like grandpa, it still works!

 

[vic4news]

i can garentee you do not recive HD signals with a goverment coupon approved converter. Infact it was specifically writen into the spec that the DTV converter boxes eligibly for the $40 coupon NOT receive HD signals.

Actually, the converter box can receive all digital broadcasts, both HD and SD stations. However, the box will down convert all signals to 480i which is what analog TVs display. So, if you hook a converter box up to a nice HDTV that displays 1080i or 720p, you will only be feeding it a 480i signal.

But for those that want to watch broadcasts on their analog TV. The digital signal usually produces a nicer picture than the analog signal does.

Vic

 

[mikim]

why hang on to an older set?
Because, just like grandpa, it still works!
and new ones --- plural --- just aren't in the budget right now.

 

[MossRoad]

why hang on to an older set?
Because, just like grandpa, it still works!
and new ones --- plural --- just aren't in the budget right now.

I agree. I would like a new T.V., but I don't need a new T.V. and have other things I would like to spend money on first... like tractor stuff and ice fishing!

 

[JB4310]

HURRAY! The house voted to NOT delay the switch, so that means it will take place as scheduled next month

Now it's off again, delayed till June.
Our local public station is announcing that they are going to stop analog transmissions on the 17th regardless, wonder if they can do that?

JB.

 

[BobRip]

O

What I am sure of is the picture on my anaolg T.V. using the digital converter box is perfect. It never looked anywhere near that good before using the converter box. It is of the exact same quality as the picture over the dish. No snow, no fade, no double images, no buzzing if there is white text on the screen, and none of that wavy lines stuff you get when the weatherman wears a gaudy tie that buzzes when he's in front of the weather map. I still think it was worth the $9.00 I had to kick in after the coupon.

After we got satellite, I commented how great the picture was with the old set. So she said "We don't need a new set". I am now stuck with the old set till it fails. That could be arranged.

 

[txdon]

Now it's off again, delayed till June.
Our local public station is announcing that they are going to stop analog transmissions on the 17th regardless, wonder if they can do that?

JB.

Yes they can.
According to http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/41...four-month-delay-for-the-switch-to-digital-tv

"The complicated part about the bill is that the delay is voluntary, meaning that broadcasters must turn off their analog signals by June 12, but they can do it any time after Feb. 17, as originally planned."

"Early indications are showing that nearly a fifth of the nations TV stations plan to switch to digital this month despite the delay. That would represent 300 of the 1,700 stations in the U.S., according to U.S. News and World Report."

What I can't understand, I guess because I'm in Texas and have to hunkerdown if the temperature drops below 40, is why anyone would rather spend money on ice fishing instead of a HDTV??????

 

[2manyrocks]

The PBS news here was saying that some stations may go ahead and make the digital switch anyway because it is costing the stations money to continue the analog broadcast. The commentator also said that the analog broadcasts were more powerful than the digitial broadcasts and some people in fringe areas won't see anything but snow unless they upgrade antennas, too.

 

[JohnDeere4300]

My local news station has been doing a test everyday for a month, and they are going with the switch after the 17th.

I am glad i have cable for my home and satellite for my camper, i just wished they would go ahead and switch over and stop those tests.


One day on my local news they was talking about the switch, and they had a man on talking about antennas, he said if you had the right antenna turned in the direction of the tv station, and didn't have a box you could still get the signal.

They said it worked, the next day on my local news they was getting emails from people that had already bought a box, and they was mad.

 

[aczlan]

One day on my local news they was talking about the switch, and they had a man on talking about antennas, he said if you had the right antenna turned in the direction of the tv station, and didn't have a box you could still get the signal.
They said it worked, the next day on my local news they was getting emails from people that had already bought a box, and they was mad.

They were wrong, digital tv is a completely different system than the old analog one. see here: Digital television - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for more information

Aaron Z

 

[Skyco]

I don't care when they switch...I'm just tired of the nonstop ads and crawlers about it