OT DTV rant

[Young Ed]

I finally decided I better accept my fate and about 2 weeks ago I hooked up DTV convertor boxes on both my tv's. Let me tell you I hate them! The extra remote is annoying and if the signal gets slightly interupted the words and picture get scrammbled or stop all together. I might break down and either buy new tvs or get basic cable. How annoying they fixed what wasn't broken!

[Normspeed]

I had one for a while in CA. The signal was basically clearer but I lost some stations and gained others. My converter box went bad after a couple months.

I can't begin to imagine how much money changed hands under the table in congress to get this done. Overall you'd probably be best off to upgrade to a new set though.

[1948Matt]

FYI, my TV with the built in DTV scrambles and freezes when the signal is weak too. I think the only way to get around this is to get cable or satellite.

[Norm's Coupe]

I think Matt is correct. I have the boxes on three TV's and the same thing happens. I've had two of the boxes since they first came out with the coupons last year. Hooked them up about March or April of last year.

Actually, those boxes are nothing more than something like an antenna booster to receive the digital signal. So........it's basically the same as when you used your old antenna, in fact you are still using your old antenna with the box. Before the box is hooked up, you picture could have been affected by the wind or someone walking by the TV. That's the same thing that causes the digital signal to change the picture and sound. Bottom line, except for receiving a lot more channels and a little better picture you haven't changed anything. You're still using an antenna. So........when you have a problem as mentioned, move the antenna around like you always did. Sometimes it will help clear things up.

[Niel Hoback]

If you put two tvs side-by-side, one with a converted signal, and one without, you will see the converter slows down the signal to the tv by about a half second.

I do have too much free time.

[Norm's Coupe]

Niel,

I noticed the same thing. One with the box and another running on the old analog system.

[oldmopar]

Reading your stories I would think you would be better off with cable beside no tv problems the computer connection is quick. Only complaint I have with cable is it does cost extra $$$.

[Young Ed]

I already have DSL so thats not much of an improvement.

[BobT-47P15]

Haven't tried the converter box yet......did use the coupon and buy one.

May use with our small older set on the back porch this summer.

Bought a new flat screen type tv for the living room and replaced the

early american style console set from 1976 or so. We have satellite

already.

[TodFitch]

I already have DSL so thats not much of an improvement.

Check out places like hulu.com (and others): You can watch many of your favorite shows delayed by a day or so from when they are broadcast. They still have commercials in them (but fewer, so an hour show takes maybe 45 to 50 minutes to play).

My TV has a video in that is compatible (with appropriate cable) with the second monitor video out on my laptop computer, so I just hook it to the TV. If you have broadband (DSL, etc.) the service is free (ad supported).

Turns out all of the shows we were paying DirecTV to watch are on Hulu so it made sense for us to simply cancel the satellite service.

Resource list:

http://www.pbs.org/video/

http://www.hulu.com/

http://www.fancast.com/

http://www.joost.com/

(And there are probably others)

[T120]

Fortunately we can still get local TV off air -I get 4 channels with rabbit ears

I don't watch a lot of TV.Eventually progress will intervene and I suppose I'll have to get cable.

[T120]

Who needs TV?

[Norm's Coupe]

Some here have dropped the analog signal already.

When the rest go I will lose stations as we are out of the signal range for their digital broadcast.

Cannot get cable. Refuse to pay for networks on the satellite as they are not local.

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. I've tried to get DSL but there are no open lines for me to get it, and we live in a major city. We also don't have cable or satellite either because we see no point to pay for something we don't need, but we do get the digital signals through the converter box. We won't pop for a new TV until our old ones die. Who knows when that will be.

[RobertKB]

Who needs TV?

I think most people think they need TV. I know I have my favourite channels and shows I watch but do I need it. If I got rid of my TV I would have to read more, work on my old cars more, upgrade my stamp collection, play more with the grandkids......etc. Hey, maybe I will get rid of my TV.

[grey beard]

I still use dial-up connections - very slow. Wife watches TV with rabbit ears. I don't watch the stuff at all - more important things to do, like lurk on this forum . . .

That outhouse sure was cold this past winter:mad:

[greg g]

Consider your self fortunate, I get pixilazation, unsynched sound, and screen pics that look like I,m watching in a fun house mirror. Plus I get to payfor it.

In other words, Time Warner Central NY Sucks.

[Norm's Coupe]

Consider your self fortunate, I get pixilazation, unsynched sound, and screen pics that look like I,m watching in a fun house mirror. Plus I get to payfor it.

In other words, Time Warner Central NY Sucks.

Greg,

Don't need cable for that either. We get that using the conversion box and rabbit ears. At least we don't pay for that though, it's free.

I guess it's, so much for the new and improved TV reception either way.

[Young Ed]

Ya another case of someone fixing something that wasn't broken.

[TodFitch]

Ya another case of someone fixing something that wasn't broken.

Depends on your point of view about "wasn't broken".

Wireless spectrum is limited and the demands for more of it are high. DTV uses less bandwidth than analog TV. There were plenty of businesses lobbying for the change so that they could get their hands on the spectrum that was being "wasted" by the old broadcast standard. So from their point of view the old analog TV system was broken and needed to be fixed.

Even if they were right (which is debatable) the transition has been totally bungled.

Turns out that we replaced our one TV about 3 years ago and I made sure at the time that the new one had a digital tuner built in. And where I live I actually get more DTV channels that I got with analog. So for me the transition has been painless and beneficial.

But I only knew to get a TV with a digital tuner because I am a "techie" and was aware of the upcoming transition. And at that time you had to look hard to find a TV with a digital tuner built it. And you had to pay extra for it.

That is the crux of the problem: They did not require DTV receivers in TVs and VCRs until about 9 months ago. They should have had a multiple year window where any TV you bought would be compliant before they started shutting down the analog system.

[Plymouthy Adams]

lawmakers usually have the inside track on this stuff as they do the regulating..thus they know to corner a market..and let me tell you they do just that...

[Dennis_MN]

I ordered one coupon for my old RCA tv in the basement and in the meantime I decided to see what digital channels were available in my area by using a new flat screen tv/monitor that I bought for my wifes computer. I thought sure that new modern flat screen tv had a digital tunner. Wrong! So then I thought that I would use the scan feature on my new Panasonic Flat Screen TV and use the digital tuner in that. Wrong again. I couldn't believe it so I even contacted Panasonic to see if I was missing something on the menu. The only thing I was missing was a digital tuner. I thought I had the world by the tail when I had a new modern flat screen tv, and was I wrong. So when my coupon came, I dashed out and bought a cheapy unit at Target and then realized that I had to pay sales tax on the whole thing, the $40 coupon just reduced the price by $40, but it still cost $49. Oh well.

Hooked it up with a set of rabbit ears and only got 4 channels. I live about 40 miles West of Young Ed and he lives close to the broadcast towers. So next I bought a powered antenna from Phillips and bingo, I could get every channel except for ABC. I disconnected the expensive DishNetwork service and now our only service is DTV. Works great.

By the way, http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Welcome.aspx is a big help. The broadcast tower for Channel 41 (ION) is 6 miles away.

Dennis in Monticello

[TodFitch]

I ordered one coupon for my old RCA tv in the basement and in the meantime I decided to see what digital channels were available in my area by using a new flat screen tv/monitor that I bought for my wifes computer. I thought sure that new modern flat screen tv had a digital tunner. Wrong! So then I thought that I would use the scan feature on my new Panasonic Flat Screen TV and use the digital tuner in that. Wrong again. I couldn't believe it so I even contacted Panasonic to see if I was missing something on the menu. The only thing I was missing was a digital tuner. I thought I had the world by the tail when I had a new modern flat screen tv, and was I wrong. So when my coupon came, I dashed out and bought a cheapy unit at Target and then realized that I had to pay sales tax on the whole thing, the $40 coupon just reduced the price by $40, but it still cost $49. Oh well.

Hooked it up with a set of rabbit ears and only got 4 channels. I live about 40 miles West of Young Ed and he lives close to the broadcast towers. So next I bought a powered antenna from Phillips and bingo, I could get every channel except for ABC. I disconnected the expensive DishNetwork service and now our only service is DTV. Works great.

By the way, http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Welcome.aspx is a big help. The broadcast tower for Channel 41 (ION) is 6 miles away.

Dennis in Monticello

Yep. When I went shopping for a new TV three years ago there were tons that said "digital ready" but basically all that meant was they had a video input in the back. I had to know that "digital ready" was crappy marketing for "you are screwed". There sure was no easy way for the average person to learn that. Other than reading a lot of tech industry trade magazines I don't think I would have known different either. Certainly the sales people in the stores either did not know or weren't going to tell you.

As I posted earlier, I had to look hard to find a TV that wasn't just "digital ready" or "supports high definition" but actually had a ATSC tuner built into it. The DTV transition was mis-handled from the start.