HDTV Converters

[modelamac]

Searched this forum, Google, and a few other forums, and didn't find enough to give me guidance on this subject.

1. Our 3 analog TVs all have good quality performance. No plans to replace them until they fail or are rendered unusable.

2. Our TV viewing is limited to a few sports and a couple of other programs the wife likes. No pay channels subscribed. No movie rentals.

3. Found this link in an earlier forum post. Lots of good info, but no idea what features I should consider necessary for the long term.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_CECB_units

4. I have the gov't coupons for the discounts.

What should I consider necessary features in a HDTV converter that will give me the longest use of it before I replace my existing TVs? Looking for guidance on features, and hopefully reliability.

I will worry about price after determining which to buy.

[Chupa Chupa]

The DTV boxes are fairly simple. It's just a box w/ a digital to analog converter chip inside. There are not really any features to look out for, but the boxes performance does seem to vary widely. I think the Zenith (also sold by Best Buy under the Insignia brand) are currently rated the best.

Here is a review: http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_9308590

The Digital Stream box sold at Radio Shack is also well rated. Stay away from the GE box. It's one of the worst, if not the worst.

[sydric]

The converter boxes are digital to analog converter boxes only, like CC said. The converter boxes will not turn your existing TVs into HDTVs. They will allow your TVs to receive the new digital signal starting in February 2009.

High Definition TV will require a new HD TV.

[PeterB]

I have the DTT900, and it's decent -- not perfect, but decent. That review that Chupa gave is pretty much spot dead-on -- the unit's weakness is its audio quality.

One thing to keep in mind is your coupons' expiration dates, and whether a better unit will appear before they expire.

The one I'm currently looking for is the Apex DT250 -- only one currently listed with both S-video AND analog passthrough. Unfortunately, nobody seems to have it.

[Spiff]

Right. What sydric said. I think what's confusing is that companies are all going DIGITAL next year, but not all HD (High Definition).

Therefore, one will no longer be able to connect the cable cable directly to the TV (which is analog cable - all TVs can understand analog). In 2009, a digital converter box (converts the 1s and 0s to a picture) will be necessary to watch TV. One will still have to pay an extra premium and buy an HDTV ready TV to watch HDTV.

[PeterB]

[quote Spiff]One will still have to pay an extra premium and buy an HDTV ready TV to watch HDTV.
Not precisely -- I am myself now watching an HDTV-level definition program on a regular (analog) TV, using the Zenith converter. Of course, what I'm seeing is not true HDTV, but that said, the picture is great... crystal clear and very detailed. Am I going to buy an HDTV to be watching it as true HDTV? No way... not when I have four or five perfectly good CRTs which have great pictures.

[DavidS]

I just pulled out my converter box coupons, thinking they expire today. However, they actually expired last week. Pretty lame making them expire after 90 days when the best boxes won't be out on the market until later this summer or fall. Oh well.

[Wailer]

Wait, are you currently receiving your programming over-the-air (OTA)?

If you are receiving analog cable, you won't need to do anything and the converter box will do nothing for you.

The converter boxes are just for people who presently use antennas and will no longer receive anything after Feb 2009.

Digital signals are better than analog, but they are all-or-nothing.

[modelamac]

I understand that the signal will be digital, but the converter allows my existing TV continue to work. My TV is still an analogue unit.

I have basic cable TV, and do not have/need a rented cable "set top box". I now have a 100+ channels from which to choose. My understanding is that I will need a converter to continue to use my current TV sets.

As I said in my original post, I don't want to replace my analogue units with digital. HD quality is not that important in our schema.

I have over 2 months left on my coupons before expiration.

The features that are desirable are what I'm looking for. Do I need S-video, passthrough, etc.?

[OWC Jamie]

Your analogue TV will NOT stop working next February.
It will work fine.
There will not be any broadcasts for its reciever to bombard the screen with.
Your picture will look like this:


If you get a DTV signal converter, your OTA TV viewing pleasure(s) will return.

Adequite signal strength is required with DTV. If your current OTA signals are weak or are weakened under certain weather conditions and you ever get a tiny amount of the above picture , then your DTV experience will mimic that of watching a dirty or scratched DVD.
Yes, the same artifacts, still pictures with loss of in between content and even (book reading time) no picture at all . (not even snow - just a black screen with possibly the words:"no signal")

Isn't progress wonderful ?

If you match a HDTV TV with that DTV signal you get a great picture (on a good day).
Even better, sometimes you get bars on the sides and top of the picture. Makes you realize why some are buying 72 inch televisions. :-)