Help me clear up the TV confusion?

Question

Please help me clear up the looming TV signal confusion.

I have been hearing all the hype about local broadcast signals being converted to Digital format from their current analog settings.

I do know that Digital signals are presumeably "better" with more options and features.

I want to know what should be my options when this date (February, 2009) arrives.

I do not have CATV nor closed-circuit viewing service in my home, so I am either Very Lucky or DOOMED to the effects of staying with an analog antenna system in my house.

IF I do shell out the ca$h for a Converter box now, should I be able to give this a test-run using my current Analog TV?

And (ultimately) will I need to buy a totally new TV set in order to recieve Digital signals without also buying a Converter box?

Answer 1

First of all, the converters are not FREE.  Repeat, NOT FREE.  You get $40 coupons from the government from the website the other answerer gave you.  It will list the stores you can purchase the box.  If your antenna has UHF capability, then it should be OK, unless where you live they broadcast DTV on Channels 7 through 13 which is in the VHF band as oppose to Channels 14 through 69 in the UHF band.  Your TV should be OK if it was functioning fine with the analog signals.

Answer 2

I think you'll be okay with your current set as long as it's new enough not to have k***s to change the channel. But in case you need a converter box, if you apply at the website below, you'll get a coupon for a free one.

  Also, High Definition TV is different from Digital.

Answer 3

I understand your pain.  There is a lot of confusion and misinformation out there.

If you get your TV from an antenna, yes you will need either a converter box or a Digital TV before February 17, 2009.  The digital signals are in the air now so you can test drive things at this very moment.

The converter box will be the less expensive option; most are in the $40 to $60 range and there are government coupons available to cover $40.  This will allow your analog TV to still receive the digital signals, although they will be converted to analog so they won't look that much better than what you have now.  Maybe less noise and fewer ghosts, but not high definition.

Purchasing a high definition (HD) set is certainly an option.  It will give you a much improved viewing experience, wide screen, etc.  Not all digital sets are HD, but many are.  If you get a digital set, you won't need the converter box because the digital tuner is built into the set.  There are many different offerings for DTV sets, my advice is to stay with a brand name (Toshiba, Samsung, Sony, Mitsubushi, etc).  If you have never heard of a brand, chances are it will be difficult or imposable to repair.  Just ask some of the TV repair techs on this forum!  Most DTV sets also support analog so your existing CD player, VCR, etc. can still be used.  You don't have to drop a lot of money at once, just replace stuff as you see the need.

I hope this helps.

Answer 4

Full power analog stations are already transmitting both analog and digital broadcasts. The only significance of the 2/17/09 date is that they will shut down the analog transmissions.

A converter box will cost you about $10 - $20 after using a $40 off  government coupon. So the idea of procrastinating to the last minute to buy one doesn't make much sense. For one thing, the government only allocated money for 33 million of them so if you wait too long, you could be stuck with the whole cost of a converter.

If you request a coupon now, it will take at least a month for the government to send it to you. At that point you have 3 months to use it before it expires.

A good converter box will pick up all the digital stations that the best HDTVs will; you just hook it up between your antenna and your old TV.  

Most people can use their old TV antennas, but rather than speculate, spend $20 and find out. I found that my Insignia converter would pick up all the local digital channels with all 5 indoor antennas I tried, including one that was just a 7" long piece of wire.

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All HDTV signals are digital, but not all digital signals are in "HD".

Basically a non-HD signal is limited to about the picture quality you get from a DVD player. The lowest quality "HD" signal has about 4 times as much picture detail as "DVD quality". If you tune into an HDTV signal with an HDTV, you see the extra picture detail. If you watch an HDTV signal on an old TV with a converter box or a new SDTV, all you see is a DVD like quality picture.

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There are a lot of people who think they must have a HDTV.

I say that for ~$20 I can see more channels than I could before and they are in DVD like quality. HDTV can wait.