Is the Digital-to-Analog in 2009, mean better picture for standard T.V.'s?

Question

We have Dish Network and every room has it except my moms room. She doesn't wan't satelite tv in her room so we have to get her a Digital-to-Analog Converter Box. And I was wondering if the converter box is gonna make the picture clearer or is it gonna be the same as it used to be with an antana?

Answer 1

You should see an improved picture and, depending upon your location in reference to the transmitters, receive more channels.

Answer 2

With digital TV you get either a great picture or no picture at all.

There are already digital TV broadcasts in most areas of the US, What happens next year is that most of the old analog transmitters will be shut down on 2/17/09.

The converter box connects between the antenna and TV; it does not replace the antenna. If she gets good reception now, her old antenna is probably OK for DTV as well. It's a good idea to get a converter soon so you can see if the current antenna is good enough and give her time to get used to it before she doesn't have any choice.

Because you have satellite TV in the house, you only have a month or two two request your $40 off coupons for the converter. (Government rule!) It takes the government about a month to send you the coupon(s) and you have 90 days to use them after they send them out; so if you order them now you have until mid-Dec to use them.

The RCA DAT 800B1 is a good model for people who need a simple converter. The remote that comes with it is nice because it has big buttons and can control the TV's volume directly. With many of the other converters you still need the original remote to the TV.

On the other hand if you have marginal reception, a Zenith DTT901 is probably a better choice but the remote that comes with it isn't as simple.

Answer 3

no, its jus means ure **** out of luck if u have to use the old antennas

Answer 4

Analog signals can become distorted over time depending on what material the signal has to pass through, this ends up in a good signal in one position but once the antenna moves, you get a worse signal.

Digital signals pass through more material without getting distorted. With a digital signal, you either get 0% of the signal or 100% so you're getting the best possible picture.

Digital converter boxes will also slightly enhance the picture of an analog signal.

Answer 5

The digital converter box is a digital TV channel changer.  She will change the channels on the TV with the box and NOT the TV set.

The picture should be better as digital overall has a better picture than analog TV. Plus she will probably get more channels.  A TV station can broadcast up to 4 channels in the space allocated by the government.  Now they can broadcast only one channel.  

CAUTION!!  a digital converter box wants so much signal from the antenna, if it gets it you get a perfect picture, if the signal is low NO picture or dropped picture. NO such thing as a fuzzy picture.  Analog the picture just gets worse and worse until it disappears.  If you get a good picture from the antenna now you should have no problem with the digital converter box.  If you have a snowy picture now, you  may or may not get the digital channels.

Since the tuning will be by a box (digital converter box) I don't know what the difference for her would be between a converter box and a dish satellite receiver.

Answer 6

Let me make an assumption or guess here that your mom is elderly and doesn't want to be confused with the extra boxes and remote controls for satellite TV (my mom is like that too).

But consider that if you get a digital-to-analog converter box, she will still have to deal with multiple boxes and remote controls. She'll have to turn on the TV and control volume with one remote, and change channels with another one. There are ways to make the converter box remote control the TV, but they may not work.

See if you can convince here to give the satellite system a try. Sat providers usually will supply you with converters for up to 4 rooms at the normal price.

Answer 7

Well it will be as good as an anlog signal can get - she probably won't ever have a snowy signal.