Are you ready for DTV?
On February 17th, 2009, All television Stations have been mandated by the government to broadcast digital only signals. Is your television set ready? Get Started Here.
Over 100 articles of DTV (Digital Television) information are available on this website, and close to 50 personalized answers have been provided to viewer emails and questions to date.
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My TV converter box coupons have expired, what can I do?
A recent email from a TVConversionhelp viewer asked:
My TV converter box coupons expired on June 10, 2008 while I was on vacation and I didnt realize that they had expired what can I do?
Hello,
Unfortunately, it appears from this news article at Consumer Reports (http://blogs.consumerreports.org/electronics/2008/04/dtv-converter-c.html) that the government is unwilling to budge on extending the 90 days given to consumers for using the coupons. If you don’t feel like clicking on the link, here’s a highlight from the article, “Coupons expire 90 days after issue, and if you haven’t used them by then, you’re out of luck. You can’t request a replacement.”
Your best bet though is to contact the government Coupon Program through the following ways:
Call the Coupon Program 24-hour hotline 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009).
Deaf or hard of hearing callers may dial 1-877-530-2634 (English/TTY) or 1-866-495-1161 (Spanish/TTY). TTY Service is available from 9 AM - 9 PM Eastern Time Monday through Friday.
Good luck and let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. You can always voice your opinion about DTV and the converter box coupon program on our forum. Forum Link: http://www.dtvcouponhelp.com/viewforum.php?f=16
Jay
How can I make my non-analog pass-through converter box a pass-through box?
Here’s a recently posted converter box question by Armstrong8 on our forums:
I purchased two Insignia NS-DXA1 boxes from Best Buy in May 2008. My brother purchased two Philco TB100HH9 boxes from Summit Source in June 2008. My boxes are not pass-through, which I knew nothing about until after my brother purchased his two pass-through boxes.
Questions:
1. Non-Pass-Through Boxes:
- Can special cables/splitters/connectors/terminators be purchaed separately to make the boxes a pass-through box?
- Are there any cables/etc. that are required to be able to use this box?2. Pass-Through Boxes:
- Are there any cables/etc. that are required to ab able to use this box?The sales staff at Best Buy don’t knpow what I am talking about. And, the information on the internet is not really clear. (With the economy the way it is and everything going up, we don’t want to buy “stuff” that is not needed or the wrong stuff.)
Would like to get an answer before we try to set up relatives and friends.
Thank you.
Hello Armstrong8, and thank you for visiting,
Answer for First Question:
Yes, a splitter and/or AB box can be used to easily switch between digital and analog signals, but technically, it won’t make the converter box become a “pass through box”. You can however, set up a splitter to easily function in almost the same way that a pass-through box does. Check out this guide by the National Association of Broadcasters
The splitter will help you share the same antenna for receiving both digital and analog broadcasts. The above guide will help setting up a newer (1990-2008) style TV or an older television that only uses a coax antenna only input.
Answer for Second Question:
The only extra material’s you’ll need to purchase will be a splitter (Anywhere from $2.00-$8.00) and an extra coax cable if your TV is less than 18-20 years old. If your TV is a bit older and a A/B box is needed, it shouldn’t cost more than $5.00 or so to pick one up from your local Radio Shack.
Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions,
Jay
Trucking industry to be hit by the transition to DTV
The move to DTV (Digital Television) is coming on February 17th, 2009, and a recent DTV preparedness study by Nielson still shows that a little over 10% of American households are not ready for the transition. The digital transition requires that viewers of over-the-air television with an analog TV set must purchase a converter box to allow their televisions to function after the Feb. 17th, 2009 transition date.
What about the trucking industry?
The government is offering $40 Converter Box Coupons to provide assistance in helping the public upgrade their old analog TV sets, but recent complaints about the coupon program and its lack of coverage for nursing home patients and mobile television owners will probably also extend to the trucking industry as well.
What could prevent a semi-truck driver from receiving the converter box coupon?
Many owners of semi-trucks and employee’s of large trucking firms have outfitted their rigs with analog television sets . These TVs are the source of entertainment while truckers are on the road (technically speaking side of the road during breaks) for months at a time without taking days off or being in the comfort of their own home.
If a self-employed or corporate employed trucker has asked for assistance from the government to outfit their home with the maximum (2) digital converter coupons for 2 television sets, does that mean they will have to foot the bill and pay the whole cost of purchasing a converter box for their truck?
Consideration…
When the government reviews its converter coupon guidelines in the coming months, they may want to think about including the trucking industry and its 3.4 million employed drivers in the coupon program.
How can I connect a digital converter to a TV in my car?
Edwin recently posted a question:
where can i get a 12 volt inverter for my converter box to connect to my costum van with a tv in it?
Hello Edwin,
For those of you out there wondering what an inverter does…It converts DC (Direct Current) power to AC (Alternating Current) Power. An inverter provides a plug for electrical equipment or appliances such as video game consoles, TVs, and even digital converter boxes.
Anyway, I’m recommending a couple of inverters from Amazon. Both of these will plug into your cigerette lighter which will make for an easy installation!
Our large Yagi antenna gets a “weak signal” or “no program” on our digital converter box
Rod P. recently posted a question:
We have fringe analog reception between Tucson & Phoenix, using a huge yagi on the roof. (70 mi to Phx, 28 mi. to Tucson Mt.Lemmon). Reception is fine. With converter box, I get nothing but “weak signal” or “no program”. Are stations NOT yet transmitting digitally, or is our fringe distance hopeless. Nowhere can I find whether digital broadcasting spectrum is higher or lower than UHF channel frequencies. Thanks
Just about all television stations are broadcasting both digital and analog television signals, so you should be receiving digital programs on your converter box.
Yagi Antenna
What is a Yagi antenna?
According to Answers.com:
“A Yagi is an antenna in which the gain of a single dipole element is enhanced by placing a reflector element behind the dipole (the driver) and one or more director elements in front of it.”
Technical jargon aside, I think the problem lies with your reception of broadcast signals. Are you able to adjust the direction of the antenna? If possible (and be safe!) have one person go up on the roof top and make small directional adjustments to the antenna while another person stands next to the TV watching for changes in reception.
Generally speaking, Large Yagi antennas are more geared towards directional “narrowband” reception of television signals. This is especially troublesome for digital television reception.
One other suggestion would be to try a smaller antenna. Some folks have had great success with replacing their large outdoor antenna’s with a smaller indoor Yagi type which will actually receive a wider band of television signals.
Whatever you decide to do, this is another case where trial and error will probably net you the greatest results. Good luck and keep us posted!
Jay
Will You Help Me Select a Digital Converter Box?
RJM recently posted a question:
Will you help me select a model? I am confused. Please tell me the names and why one is better than the other. I would like to get one under $50?
Hello RJM,
It really doesn’t matter which model you go with, as long as you select one from the list of eligible converter boxes so that your $40 coupon will be valid.
I’d recommend the RCA DTA800. It comes with all of the typical features most converter boxes come with, plus the option of using a smart antenna (which can give you a better reception if you’re located within 30 miles of a broadcast tower). If the RCA is out of stock, you can opt for the Zenith DTT900, which has worked just fine for me, but was a bit more costlier than some of the other boxes on the market.
Options to look for when buying a converter box are:
Most Important:
ATSC Tuner (This is the single most important option that a converter box must have to view digital television, without it, your TV will not be able to receive television broadcasts after February 17th, 2009.)
Remote Control
Input for an VHF/UHF antenna
Electronic Program Guide (This option will allow you to view a list of programs on each channel, kind of like a live TV Guide)
Important but not Mandatory:
Analog Pass-through (This option is nice because it allows you to easily flip between both analog and digital broadcasting. For instance, if your reception is really bad on one of the digital channels, you can choose the analog pass-through option on the converter and watch the analog broadcast of that particular channel).
Good luck, and let me know if you have any other questions,
Jay
I heard on tv that we are supposed to buy a digital converter box that has both NTSC and ATSC tuners or it’s a hoax box.
Kathy recently posted a question:
“I heard on tv that we are supposed to buy a digital converter box that has both NTSC and ATSC tuners or it’s a hoax box. When I ask this question at Best Buy and Radio Shack and other places; no one can give me a clear answer as to whether their boxes have both tuners. What boxes have both tuners and what exactly are both tuners? And why do we need both tuners? I have an older model (#CF1927B) Toshiba, cable ready tv; and I hook up to VHF/UHF antenna. I just ordered and received a DTX9950 converter box from Radio Shack and was told this would work for me. (The clerk said the NTSC tuner was analog built into my tv.) Will this box work for me? Thanks for any answers you can give me to clear up this two tuner question. Kathy Payne.”
Hello Kathy, and thank you for visiting!
I believe you have been misinformed by the clerks at Radio Shack, so I’ll try to cover all of your questions.
“I heard on tv that we are supposed to buy a digital converter box that has both NTSC and ATSC tuners or it’s a hoax box.”
This is not true, digital converter boxes that are equipped with an ATSC tuner allow you to view digital television. This is the most important option to look for when ordering or purchasing a digital converter.
The NTSC option is also known as analog pass-through allows you to continue to receive the old analog broadcast (up until February 17th, 2009). This option is not mandatory since you will no longer be able to receive analog broadcasts after the Feb 2009 digital transition.
“I just ordered and received a DTX9950 converter box from Radio Shack and was told this would work for me.”
The Digital Stream DTX9950 is equipped with both the NTSC and ATSC tuners, so this converter box will work just fine for receiving both digital and analog broadcasts. Another nice feature is its signal strength meter (for antenna placement and adjustment), which is displayed in the program info box. You’ll also be pleased with the remote control button layout. Looks like a great converter box, let us know how it works out if you get a chance,
Good luck, hope this helped,
Jay
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