Can you use a Cable box as a converter box for an Antenna.

Question

Me and my cousins are trying to find out if you can use a Cable Box as an converter. Why? I don't want to fork out $75 dollars on a Converter that might not work

Answer 1

If you have cable you don't need a converter box.

And if you need a converter box the goverment gives you cards, at least 2, that are worth $40 towards a converter purchase, so a box will cost you about $20.

If you think that you can put a rabbit ear antenna on a cable box and use it as a converter to change a digital signal to an old TV, I doubt it.

Answer 2

A Cable Box is used to unscramble, decode, convert signals from your cable provider and feed it to your analog/digital tuner TV and can be tuned usually in analog channel 3 and 4 of your TV. You are actually contolling the cable box to change channels.

But the Cable Box is not a RECEIVER. It does not have a receiver circuitry inside such that it can receive over the air digital broadcast through an antenna.

So, as a converter, YES

But as a Receiver/Tuner, NO..

Get the government coupon for $40, and buy a converter/receiver box fom walmart for $50...thats it..