digital tv converters..

[thatguy]

We have an older tv that does not have a digital converter that we want to use for over-the-air broadcasts.. We have DirecTV but do NOT want to pay the extra money for another box for a tv that wont get watched much. The wife unit wants this tv functional but im guessing it will get used very little..

Does anyone have a good digital TV converter they recommend? I see stuff online BUT the reviews are horrible for most of the boxes - reviews say they stop working rather quickly or just poor quality materials..

My google search has also failed me on this: Does anyone know of a DVD player that has a built in digital tuner? We have a dvd/vcr with a tuner, but it doesnt appear to be digital..

thoughts or suggestions or help?

Brian

 

[Mighty Dodge]

I've been using converters from Radio Shack with no problems so far.
I also watch some cable programs free on my computer via Hulu.com and Crackle.com.

M.D.

 

[MossRoad]

I've been using these ever since the government voucher program. They work great! :thumbsup: I have two in service, 3 spares and one dead one. To be fair, it died because someone thought it was a plant and watered it! :laughing:

I got them on sale and with the vouchers, I think I paid 10 bucks for each one. I had 6 vouchers from family members.

Digital Stream Digital-to-Analog Converter with Pass-through : Converters | RadioShack.com

 

[grsthegreat]

Can you run a catv cable to the main set from the unused set?? then you can watch the sat by tuning the front room to the show you want to watch. I did this, and radio Shack sells an infarred broadcaster so i can switch the sat dish in the front room from the bedroom. Those things are wireless.

theres also a completely wireless version http://www.ambery.com/24ghzwitvtua.html but im not sure what they cost. but it would be aq 1 time cost and not $10/month... oops,... they sell for $138.00 yup.. not cheap.

 

[Welshman]

I've got 6 Zenith converters that have been in use since the changeover, and the only problem I've ever had is sometimes the timer on the one in my bedroom will turn off the converter but not the tv. Other than that, they've worked great.

 

[Redbug]

I am still using my Radio Shack converters that I bought with the help of the vouchers. With the price of pay TV, it's hard to justify that kind of bill. We will continue to watch over the air free TV until pay TV drops in price and becomes more reasonable. I can see TV over the internet on the horizon...maybe it will be cheap...

 

[chopped]

I agree with the great...If possible the second coax to the second tv and then I have used thes infered re broadcasters that are cheap.(it just plus in the wall and its like suing the remote in the original room..and you would have to fuss with an antenna.

 

[ragkar]

My understanding is that the analog to digital standards conversion affects only tv signals taken by the the antenna on your roof.
I have Dish satellite and this standards conversion didn't affect me at all since satellite signals are totally different from off-the-air. If I were to pay extra for the Dish HDTV option I could receive it with the only problem that I'd have to watch a 16:9 picture on a 4:3 screen.

 

[deepNdirt]

if you are having to put together all theses things the cost can add up,
a good converter box = 75.00 + aerial antenna = 150.00 + coax cable =35.00
don't know what size TV you have... but I've seen (digital) LCD tv's ranging from sizes 19" for 149.00 to 32" for 289

 

[MossRoad]

We have an older tv that does not have a digital converter that we want to use for over-the-air broadcasts.. We have DirecTV but do NOT want to pay the extra money for another box for a tv that wont get watched much. The wife unit wants this tv functional but im guessing it will get used very little..

Does anyone have a good digital TV converter they recommend? I see stuff online BUT the reviews are horrible for most of the boxes - reviews say they stop working rather quickly or just poor quality materials..

My google search has also failed me on this: Does anyone know of a DVD player that has a built in digital tuner? We have a dvd/vcr with a tuner, but it doesnt appear to be digital..

thoughts or suggestions or help?

Brian

You can run a coax cable out of the back of your DirecTV box and into the antenna in connection on your old TV in the other room. Switch the old TV to channel 3 or 4 and you can watch what is on the dish in the other room. Or, as others have mentioned, you can use wireless devices to do the same thing. However, they coast more than a piece of coax.

If you buy a digital converter box for over the air broadcast, try using an old TV antenna that you might have lying around before you go buying anything. My old antenna works fine with our digital boxes.

 

[thatguy]

I ended up getting the RCA converter that was recommended..

MossRoad - funny you should mention using the old antennas - I went up in the attic and could not find a single set of rabbit ears.. I know I had quite a few sets of them at one time..

For those that need to buy an antenna (learn from my mistakes) - Because of where we live i bought a 'amplified' on from Lowes for $50 months ago to see what channels we get. Yesterday I bought a similar appearing 'amplified' antenna from Big Lots for $17 and it works just as well as the $50 one.. :-(

Brian

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Scan for channels on a regular basis. New ones are being added all the time. I get more than 40 here including several that play movies, vintage TV, and even one that plays nothing but country music videos. The big ol' Channel Master type antennas still work great to pull in distant stations.

If you buy a new TV most broadcast channels are in HD. All of my paid content comes from Netflix. I haven't paid for cable or satellite in 15 years. I do have a nice 46" Samsung LED.

Thrift stores might be a decent source for digital convertor boxes. Mine went to goodwill when I finally ditched the CRTs.

 

[CATMAN]

I have Digital Stream from Radio Shack, too.
My Dad, in Iowa has the same unit, too. He uses his for local News Stations. I only use mine with outside antenna.(cheap, no cable or dish)

They both work great, never had any problems. They do have pass-thru, as others have mentioned, but Dad and I haven't needed that function.

A while back, I did read, that some Canadian folks, do need that function.

 

[MossRoad]

Pass through is kind of an odd function. As far as I can tell, pass through and OFF have the same effect... it lets other signals through the box. The only difference is pass through doesn't turn the box off. However, when you activate and deactivate pass through it takes almost as long as the off and on function to get your off air signal back. Therefore, I never use it.