Before you buy a digital convertor box for your TV... - Page 3

BradW · #31 Jun 29, '08, 7:16 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by BradW

I can get stations from a city 75 miles away. That's with a rooftop beam antenna on a 10' tower, antenna preamplifier, and distribution box with amplifier. Without all those advantages, I don't know what the reception would be, but I doubt that the amplifiers are so good they'd make up for a doubling in distance. If I can remember, I'll try bypassing the amplifiers and see if there's a difference.

Well I tried...and in the process of disconnecting the current antenna cables, broke the connector to the antenna. At that point, I became focused on fixing it. That particular cable is hard to work with, as it started out a pre-made 100' antenna cable and is some odd, not quite standard size, so the usual standard connectors don't quite work right, and once it's connected and working it's best to just leave it be.

So I hope you'll understand that I don't really want to experiment any further.

I did discover on my trip to the store to get parts that a new 4-way house distribution box with amplifier is $25. So if an amplifier is needed, they aren't horribly expensive.

CarolAnnSFO · #32 Jun 30, '08, 3:23 pm

Question: My TV is pre-2007, and I do have cable TV service (expanded basic), but I don't have a converter box (currently, the converter box is only needed for the digital cable service, or for premium channels, but not for expanded basic cable service). Will I need to get a converter box?

This will be a moot point if I switch to digital cable service before the deadline -- quite possible, considering the cable company has already started moving channels off the expanded basic lineup and onto the digital-only lineup (channel numbers higher than what I can tune in with my current service).

**Joe 5859** · #33 Jul 1, '08, 6:14 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarolAnnSFO

Question: My TV is pre-2007, and I do have cable TV service (expanded basic), but I don't have a converter box (currently, the converter box is only needed for the digital cable service, or for premium channels, but not for expanded basic cable service). Will I need to get a converter box?

This will be a moot point if I switch to digital cable service before the deadline -- quite possible, considering the cable company has already started moving channels off the expanded basic lineup and onto the digital-only lineup (channel numbers higher than what I can tune in with my current service).

I don't think you will need one. If you're getting your TV stations via a cable service, then they take care of the conversion before they send the signal to you. You only need the convertor box if you are trying to receive the digital signals that are broadcast in the air (via an antenna).

I have the most basic, basic cable package (network channels and not much else), and in small print on the back of my last statement, they let me know I did not need a convertor box.

davy39 · #34 Jul 19, '08, 5:07 pm

I have heard that the tv stations aren't really doing all of this just so we can get a clearer picture, etc. There are bidders lining up to buy the soon to be usused frequencies, and the fed stands to make billions of dollars from the sale. We had a very nice picture before this all started. The picture quality isn't the problem, it's the content of the channels. Most of them is pure trash, especially the major networks.

maize · #35 Jul 20, '08, 9:24 am

i dont understand why this is so hard to understand.

Pug · #36 Aug 18, '08, 9:12 am

The box is a disaster for us. I hope we can figure out how to fix it. On analog we receive about 12 channels. We got the rebate card and got the box and plugged it in and maybe we get two channels well enough to watch. We thought it was the box, since other people reported positive increases in what they could receive, so we returned it for another and it is the same. I went to some website that lists if your channels have gone digital, and yes, our channels have gone digital. We don't currently ever watch the two that now come in.

Do any of you have any input?

I know, we can switch to cable, but that is $$ for a couple of fuddies that don't really watch the tv much. It's not like we have any big shows we watch. Rather, we usually watch a news show here and there or a concert thing on PBS or a nature show, or a late night rerun of some old thing. I guess the most annoying thing about it is that I don't get the PBS station anymore (either PBS station, actually, there are/were two).

nice2000 · #37 Aug 18, '08, 9:16 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe 5859

I posted this in another thread, but thought it deserved it's own. I thought it might be helpful because I know I was confused about the whole convertor box thing until someone straightened me out. So I looked into it a bit more and thought I'd share my findings.

I know it's not clear from the TV ads, but you only need a convertor box if you only use an antenna to watch TV. In other words, if you have any sort of cable / dish whatsover, you do not need a convertor box. If your TV (or VCR or DVR) was made after March 2007, even if you only use an antenna, you will not need a convertor box as these new machines are equipped to receive the digital signal.

From the official FCC DTV website:

Many of the ads make it seem like everyone needs to go buy this convertor box. In fact, most people probably will not need to buy one.

This ends this public service announcement. We now return to our regularly scheduled Catholic Answers Forums.

Thank you for the info.
So in other words, if we do not have any kind of cable, we will need to purchase a converter box.....right?

**Joe 5859** · #38 Aug 18, '08, 11:23 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by nice2000

Thank you for the info.
So in other words, if we do not have any kind of cable, we will need to purchase a converter box.....right?

Right. Unless you have a TV, VCR, or DVR that was made in March 2007 or later. Those should already be equipped to receive the digital signal.

Although, I believe only certain stations are required to go digital with the switch. Some may still be broadcasting in analog after next February. I'd have to dig around to know for sure, though....

BradW · #39 Aug 19, '08, 5:21 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe 5859

Although, I believe only certain stations are required to go digital with the switch. Some may still be broadcasting in analog after next February.

Low-power stations (different class of license) and repeater stations do not have to convert. But one of our local low-power stations is planning to anyway. I bet most will if they can afford it at all. I'm not sure how easy new TVs make it to switch between analog and digital, but my converter box does NOT pass thru analog, so switching is difficult. And if it's difficult, they'll lose viewership if they don't go digital.

BradW · #40 Aug 19, '08, 5:24 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pug

The box is a disaster for us. I hope we can figure out how to fix it. On analog we receive about 12 channels. We got the rebate card and got the box and plugged it in and maybe we get two channels well enough to watch.

How far are you from the transmitters?
What kind of antenna do you have?

Pug · #41 Aug 19, '08, 5:58 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by BradW

How far are you from the transmitters?
What kind of antenna do you have?

I have rabbit ears. I've never needed an aerial to receive well. I'm close enough to a metropolitan area. There is only one major station that sends a weak signal that people have trouble receiving in my area. It varies how far away each station is. Maybe 30 miles, but the weak one is further away than that. One is at 40 miles, but it came in fine on the digital gizmo. Either it has a booster station or it is higher power.

Pug · #42 Feb 16, '09, 10:24 pm

Important Update:

I fixed it! The problem? Apparently older rabbit ears are incompatible with the box, although they will plug into the box like they belong there. A cheap pair of brand new rabbit ears fixed the problem. I assume the new ones are "digital" or something. What with all this advertising and stuff about the change, I have no idea why they don't tell you that you will also need to buy a new antenna along with the box.

Maybe most people don't, and it was just some fluke with me, I don't know.

Anyway, if your box seems useless, maybe borrow a new antenna from a friend and see if it fixes the problem.

**Joe 5859** · #43 Feb 17, '09, 6:39 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pug

Important Update:

I fixed it! The problem? Apparently older rabbit ears are incompatible with the box, although they will plug into the box like they belong there. A cheap pair of brand new rabbit ears fixed the problem. I assume the new ones are "digital" or something. What with all this advertising and stuff about the change, I have no idea why they don't tell you that you will also need to buy a new antenna along with the box.

Maybe most people don't, and it was just some fluke with me, I don't know.

Anyway, if your box seems useless, maybe borrow a new antenna from a friend and see if it fixes the problem.

Wow, this old thread!

I'm glad you finally fixed the problem! Not a moment too soon. Today is the big day! (or at least it was...well, I guess it still is for some stations...

).