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Posted by Jangchub on July 5, 2008, 6:57 pm
On Sat, 05 Jul 2008 13:31:22 -0700, Karen C - California
>Jangchub wrote:
>
>>
>> The converter box connects to the television, so if you have reception
>> with no antenna, you will still have it,
>
>
>Unfortunately, the TV I attached it to gets a dozen channels with the
>antenna and when I tried to program the converter box, it said "zero
>channels available".
>
>Since the most powerful station in the area is already broadcasting on
>digital (and I think some of the others are, too), if the box can't
>receive any digital channels at all, that means that the antenna built
>into the TV is not pulling in signals for the converter box. Which I
>didn't think it would, since the built-in antenna signal wouldn't be
>going through the converter box before going to the TV; of course, my
>broadcast engineering training was eons ago and pertained only to radio,
>so I was holding open the option that someone at the manufacturer had
>thought about the many people who watch TV in the back yard or at a
>campground or somewhere else where all they have is the built-in antenna.
>
>I offered it up just as a "food for thought" for those who (like me)
>were dithering on whether to buy the box or a new TV. Since I'm in a
>Historic Preservation District and am not allowed to put an antenna
>outside the house, for the cost of the box + separate rabbit ears, and
>the hassle of dragging the box + rabbit ears around as I move the
>portable TV (i.e., three trips down the stairs instead of one), I
>would've been better off to just buy a new digital TV. Which is what
>I'm going to do, and give the old one and the converter box away to
>someone who does have a rooftop antenna and can make use of them.
>
>Just ticks me off that with all the PR that they're giving about "you
>must get the converter box", none of the media have let us know that if
>you use only the antenna in the TV, the box alone is not enough. I
>would've preferred not to spend the money on the converter box if I was
>going to have to spend even more money to make it work.
As far as I know there are no channels over the air currently
broadcasting in digital format. That may be why you didn't find any
channels using the converter...Just a thought. If you are receiving a
channel, and you don't have a digital television, the broadcast is
definitely not being sent out in digital format.
The TV in our bedroom went out and I bought a 20" RCA digital for
under 150. Smaller sets were much cheaper. Nobody is broadcasting
digital signals until 2-17-2009. However, there may well be a few
doing so, and if so, you can go to www.dtv2009.gov and find out why
the converter is not picking anything up. Maybe it's a setting.
My MIL, I just found out from my husband as I type this, does have her
box set up and she is receiving ancillary channels, secondary PBS
stations, etc. But she has a roof antennae.
Personally, I have satellite, but I'm with you. Forcing this
technology on everyone stinks. I don't blame you for being annoyed.
Victoria
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