Where Can a I Buy a Digital Converter with Analog-Passthrough?
A recent email from a TVConversionhelp viewer asked:
“Who sells converters with analog pass-through? Local stores do not have them and a Internet search finds list of converters with features, but few who offer analog pass-through are out of stock and my coupon expires May 22.”
Thanks for the question - it’s a good one! I wanted to start off by defining what analog pass-through is and why some of you viewers (including us here at TVConversionhelp) may want it as an option for your digital converter.
Analog Pass-Through: A digital converter box with the analog pass-through option allows for the consumer to receive digital broadcasting….or, continue watching analog broadcasted tv signals all the way through February 17th, 2009 should the he or she choose to do so.
In other words, you can switch back and forth between analog and digital programming. It’s not a “must have” option since you’ll probably get the same programming on both broadcast types (although technically, with digital tv, you’ll receive more channels than with analog tv.)
Options are limited for Digital Converter Boxes with analog-passthrough feature
Unfortunately at this time, there are only a handful of manufacturer’s who have added this feature to their converter boxes and few are in stock. I think the government really dropped the ball with putting a 90 day limit on coupon expiration…..especially with the low limit of supply on TV converter boxes.
I’ve talked to a few stores (Best Buy and Circuit City), in Arizona, California, and New York, and most employee’s in the Audio/Video section of the store’s have no idea what the analog pass-through option even is.
Alternative to Analog-Passthrough Feature
I think, at this time…..your best option would be to get a regular digital converter and to purchase a 2-way splitter or A/B Switch.
If you connect your converter box to one of the outputs of the 2-way splitter and connect the other output side of the 2-way splitter to the RF (antenna in) on your television you’ll be able To watch digital programming by switching channels on the DTV remote.
If you want to watch Analog channels, you’ll be able to do this on your television by changing your channels on the television set with the TV remote.
I’ll keep everyone posted if an online retailer gets some of the analog pass-through boxes in stock within the next 30 days.
The DTV Converter Box Coupon Program and Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About It
Important: Consumers have from January 1, 2008 until July 31, 2009 to apply for the coupon’s or until supplies last. At this time, there are no plans by Congress to extend this date.
Converter Coupon Program Details and How to Sign Up
The coupon program allows U.S. households to obtain up to two coupons, each worth $40, that can be applied toward the cost of eligible converter boxes.
To Apply for a Coupon:
Apply Online: Government’s DTV Coupon Application Page - The whole process takes less than 2 minutes.
Apply By Phone: Call the Coupon Program 24-hour hotline 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009).
Apply by Mail: Mail a coupon application to: PO BOX 2000, Portland, OR 97208-2000. Download a Printable Coupon Application here from the Government’s DTV Coupon Website.
To Fax a Coupon: The Fax number for sending a coupon application to the Government is 1-877-DTV-4ME2 (1-877-388-4632)
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.
Where is My Converter Coupon?
To check your application or coupon status, go to https://www.dtv2009.gov/CheckStatus.aspx. Be sure to have your reference or coupon number to check your status. As of 10/19/2008, the following information was provided from the NTIA Government website for expected Mail Date’s for Converter Box Coupon’s.
Your Application Approval Date Target Mail Date January 1, 2008 2/29/2008 January 2, 2008 3/14/2008 January 3 - 6, 2008 3/21/2008 January 7 - 13, 2008 3/28/2008 January 14 - 30, 2008 4/4/2008 January 31 - February 16, 2008 4/11/2008 February 17 - 24, 2008 4/18/2008 February 25 - March 10, 2008 4/25/2008 March 11 - 23, 2008 5/2/2008 March 24 - April 7, 2008 5/9/2008 April 8 - 22, 2008 5/16/2008 April 23 - May 7, 2008 5/23/2008 May 8 - 22, 2008 5/30/2008 May 23 - 30, 2008 6/20/2008 May 31 - June 6, 2008 6/27/2008 June 7 - 13, 2008 7/4/2008 June 14 - 20, 2008 7/11/2008 June 21 - 27, 2008 7/18/2008 June 28 - July 4, 2008 7/25/2008 July 5 - 11, 2008 8/1/2008 July 12 - 18, 2008 8/8/2008 July 19 - 25, 2008 8/15/2008 July 26 - August 1, 2008 8/22/2008 August 2 - 8, 2008 8/29/2008 August 9 - 15, 2008 9/5/2008 August 16 - 22, 2008 9/12/2008 August 23 - 29, 2008 9/19/2008 August 30 - September 5, 2008 9/19/2008 September 6 - 12, 2008 9/26/2008 September 13 - 19, 2008 10/3/2008 September 20 - 26, 2008 10/10/2008 September 27 - October 3, 2008 10/17/2008 October 4 - 10, 2008 10/24/2008 October 11 - 17, 2008 10/31/2008 October 18 - 24, 2008 11/7/2008 October 25 - 31, 2008 11/14/2008 November 1 - 7, 2008 11/21/2008 November 8 - 14, 2008 11/28/2008 November 15 - 21, 2008 12/5/2008 November 22 - 28, 2008 12/12/2008 November 29 - December 5, 2008 12/19/2008 December 6 - 12, 2008 12/26/2008
A History of the TV Converter Box Coupon Program
In 1996, after years of studies by government/television industry committees, U.S. Congress deemed Digital Television as an acceptable upgrade to the 50-year-old analog television broadcasting technology.
At that time, Congress authorized the distribution of an additional broadcast channel (for digital broadcasting) to each broadcast TV station which would allow for broadcasting in both analog and digital channels simultaneously.
In 1997, the U.S. government mandated that all public TV stations were to begin broadcasting digital signals by May 1st, 2003, giving stations almost 6 years to comply. More than half of the country’s 357 public TV stations missed the deadline. (Source: Current.org).
It wasn’t until The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (Approved by Congress and President Bush), that a final date of February 17, 2009, was set for all TV broadcasters nationwide to make a complete transition to digital television and switch off their analog broadcasts.
The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 allocated $1.5 billion to the TV Converter Box Coupon Program as a subsidy to consumers to help purchase up to two DTV converter boxes. The converter box would allow most existing analog television sets to continue to receive broadcast TV signals after the transition occured on February 17th, 2009.
Additional contingency’s for allocation of funds to the coupon program were included if the original funds were exhausted.
Help With DTV
Digital Television will be an advance in technology, but could prove to be rough for a lot of consumers.
Have Questions about DTV?
Don’t count on the government to answer them. TVConversionhelp recently sent an email question to the NTIA (National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce) asking a few questions about the Coupon program for a recent visitor in one of our forums.
Here was the “automated” response from the NTIA:
“Thank you for your e-mail regarding the TV Converter Box Coupon Program. We are now accepting applications and will continue until March 31, 2009, while supplies last. Consumers may apply for up to two $40 coupons per household: online at www.DTV2009.gov, by calling 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009); or by mailing an application to P.O. Box 2000, Portland, OR 97208-2000. Coupons will be sent to households via U.S. mail.
Please visit www.DTV2009.gov for answers to frequently asked questions.
Sincerely,
Television Converter Box Coupon Program Team”
We then attempted to call the 1-888-DTV-2009 listed in the email, and were dissapointed by the lack of an option to talk to a human about DTV questions. Side Note: Instead of lobbying for more converter box funding, government officials might want to think about adding technical staff to answer questions from consumers.
Solutions for DTV questions remain limited
For the time being, TVConversionhelp has created a DTV Forum for questions regarding DTV, and will attempt to answer questions on a first come, first serve basis. You can visit the forum anytime by clicking by clicking here - DTV USA Forum. No account, registration, or any personal information is required at this time to view or post on the forum.
DTV News: Florida Television Stations Will Conduct 3 DTV Tests
Source: Broadcasting Engineering
Eleven Florida TV stations announced that they will conduct three one-minute tests which will occur on June 25th at 7:59PM. This means that they will stop analog broadcasting by removing the video signal that feeds their analog transmitters for a few seconds causing the screens of analog-only viewers (those with no converter box or DTV set) to go dark.
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The tests will help over-the-air viewers determine if they are prepared for the February 2009 DTV transition. These tests are quite similar to the ones recently done in Las Vegas as mentioned here on TVConversionhelp.
Consumers sound off with mixed reaction to DTV and the Digital Transition
Consumer opinion about DTV and the Digital Transition seems to be swaying from mixed to negative after reviewing recent blog articles and comments over at Technorati.
Mixed Reaction and Comments
A recent poll posted on TVConversionhelp seems to suggest that consumers are not exactly happy with the upgrade to Digital broadcasting. As of today, 38% of the viewers on this website think that DTV is a bad idea and a waste of money, 25% think that It might be a good idea, but it’s not worth the hassle.
Comments like this one posted over at Jossip.com:
“I still cannot believe this is happening. Our government in forcing us to get cable. How did this happen? I have two tvs that are not hooked up. One in my bathroom (to watch GMA in the am) and one in my kitchen (to watch mostly the news when im cooking) Why arent people protesting this?”
and another at Gemeniweb.com
“We have a family cottage in New Hampshire and right now most of the stations are Boston stations (Ch 9 in Manchester is the only local station that we can receive.) and with the change to digital we will not be able to get any over the air stations at all. The nearest cable is twelve miles away and the FCC answer to this is satellite DTV. How many New Hampshire families will not be able to afford $50 an month for what they use to get free?”
Show just a few differing opinions and problems with switching to digital television.
Headache’s for the Consumer and DTV
Hopefully the government will speed up the process of delivering the Digital Converter Box Coupons, but as the status stands right now, there is a backlog/delay of 2-4 weeks past the “expected delivery date” for the coupons.
Recent emails to feedback@tvconversionhelp.com have also voiced concern over the lack of time given (Only 90 Days) to use the digital converter box coupons. Huge demand for the converter boxes and limited supply have created a situation where the consumer is spending up to $25-$75 to upgrade their old analog television sets.
One thing’s for sure, as the deadline (February 17th, 2009) gets closer, it’ll be interesting to watch consumer sentiment/reaction to DTV.
Small Television Buyers guide (20″-29″) for May
Sony Bravia 26-inch Flat Panel LCD HDTV
Anyone looking to purchase a television that’s future proof should be pretty safe with this pick, it’s release date was less than a year ago, and it comes equipped with a digital converter, ready for digital and high definition programming. The S Series is the latest offering from the Sony BRAVIA line of high-performance and sleek styling LCD TVs. The whole TV set weighs less than 30 pounds!
This 26″ LCD panel features the latest in Sony’s unique S-PVA technology, which delivers vivid and accurate colors along with wide viewing angles and a blazing 8ms response time. Features such as PC input allow the user to connect a PC for viewing content in a 16:9 high resolution environment. And with integrated HDTV capabilities, you can enjoy digital programming with enhanced audio and video reproduction.
HDMI Connection(s) - 1 Rear (with L/R RCA audio connections) / PC Input(s) - 1 Rear (with D-sub 15 and L/R stereo mini plug connection) / Component Video (Y/Pb/Pr ) Input(s) - 2 (2 rear) / S-Video Input(s) - 2 (1 side/1 rear) rear with Auto S-Video Input Detection / Composite Video Input(s) - 3 (1 side/2 rear) / RF Connection Input(s) - 1 Rear / Audio In - 5 (1 side/4 rear) / Audio Out (Variable/Fixed) - 1 Rear / Digital Audio Output(s) - 1 Rear / Headphone Output(s) - 1 Side Wide Screen Mode allows you to watch 4 - 3 normal broadcasts in 16 - 9 widescreen Unit Dimensions (W x H x D) ? 25 29/32 x 20 5/16 x 8 5/8 (658 x 516 x 219 mm) including pedestal; 25 29/32 x 18 1/2 x 3 23/32 (658 x 470 x 94 mm) including pedestal / Unit Weight 28.7 lbs. (13 kg) including pedestal; 25.25 lbs. (11 kg) without pedestal
Samsung 22-inch 720p flat panel LCD HDTV Black
This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.
This slim HDTV has built-in tuners for both digital and analog over-the-air broadcasts (antenna required). These tuners ensure that you’ll continue to get a clean, vibrant picture well beyond the current transition and after the switchover to digital is completed in 2009. And if you’re a cable TV subscriber, you can take advantage of the LN22A450’s built-in “QAM” digital cable tuner to watch unscrambled channels without using a separate set-top box.
VIDEO
720p resolution
3000:1 contrast ratio
Built in digital tuner
AUDIO
Sound leveler (keeps audio volume consistent during channel changing)
Hidden bottom speakers
SRS TruSurround XT
CONNECTIONS
1 HDMI
1 Component
1 Composite
1 S-Video
1 RF
1 PC
Toshiba 26-inch LCD HDTV with Built-in DVD
This 23″ Toshiba LCD HDTV features a built-in DivX-Home-Theater-Certified DVD player and both ATSC/NTSC & QAM Digital Television Tuners for viewing Analog, Digital, and High Definition Programming.
Main Features
Built-In Slot Loading DVD player with internal up-converting
PixelPure® 3G 14-Bit Internal Digital Video Processing
DynaLight™ Dynamic Back Light Control
ATSC/NTSC & QAM Digital Television Tuners
Panel Resolution: 1366 x 768
TheaterWide® Modes 6 (inc. Native Mode)
Color Temperature Control
Native Mode™
Auto Aspect Detection
Dynamic Contrast (4-Mode)
Static Gamma
Blue & Green Drive Adjustment
DNR for all inputs (except PC)
4:3 HD Mode
Deals: Tops Sellers this week (Television Sets)
The top 3 sellers this week are Samsung TV’s in sizes 40″, 46″, and 52″. The 550 Series is a perfect way to step up to Full HD 1080p resolution. A fast 5 ms response rate produces smooth-motion scenes for sports and action movies, and a dynamic contrast ratio of 30,000:1 makes for deep blacks and crisp lines. Superb connectivity and networking with a USB port and 3 HDMI 1.3 ports with Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) means these HDTVs play well with all of your other electronics. Easily enjoy MPEG and JPEG files stored on external devices by connecting through the side-mounted USB 2.0, turn your LCD into a full-scale home viewing gallery, or connect your MP3 player for a dynamic audio experience.
DTV News: North Carolina town sacrificing analog TV as early as September 8, 2008
Source: TVsnob.com
A small town in Wilmington, North Carolina (Population 100, 000) has elected to cut off their analog signals permanently on September 8th, 2008 as part of a test run before the actual February 17th, 2009 date mandated by the government.
It’ll be interesting to see the results of this test, and how the citizens of Wilimington react.