Question about my TV and DTV 2009?

Question

Okay, so I have a TV for my room, but it doesn't work properly becuase currently it has a cable hookup installed on the back through 2 wires that are screwed in. Will rabit ears work on this system if I buy them and remove the cable portion? Also, does a DTV converter box give you access to more channels than the standard 13?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Channels 2-13 are VHF (very high frequency). The channels numbered above this are UHF (ultra high frequency). Older television sets have separate VHF and UHF tuners, and for this reason have two pairs of screws for antenna spade connectors. New analog televisions have one tuner for both frequency ranges. A newer television probably has one pair of screws for spade connectors and one F connector for the same signal.

I would expect rabbit ears to work for your TV, but just as with cable, the signal from an antenna would have to be correctly connected to your television tuner(s).

You may be getting only the VHF channels from your cable because you haven't connected the cable to your television's UHF lugs. Fry's Electronics sells a TV signal splitter / transformer for about $2.50 that may help. Or it's about $7.50 from your neighborhood Radio Shack.

Television digital to analog converter boxes are designed to give access to all broadcast channels, but the digital signals are more difficult to tune than their analog counterparts. You might need a better antenna than rabbit ears, even if the rabbit ears brought in the analog signals.

Answer 2

Yes, your TV will work with a converter box. As far as your TV is concerned, a converter box just looks like  channel 3 or 4. You change channels on the converter box.

The converter boxes can pick up all over the air digital broadcasts but how many you can actually receive depends on your location. It could be anywhere between zero and dozens. How good is your analog TV reception  with rabbit ears?

However, you might have a better alternative. Most cable systems have more than 13 analog channels. It sounds like your TV is so old that it doesn't have a "cable ready" tuner or it's set for antenna service and not cable service.

If the TV is less than 25 years old you should find either a menu item or a switch (probably hidden under a door) to switch  the TV's tuner from antenna to cable signals. There may be more than one cable setting, if so, try them all and see how many cable channels your can pick up.

There is probably a label on the lower back side of the TV with the date it was  manufactured.

If your TV was made before about 1980, you might scrounge an old (made after 1985) VCR with a built in tuner. The mechanical part doesn't need to be in working order, you just need the electronics. Connect it between your cable outlet and TV and you should be able to pick up all the analog cable channels that newer TVs can.

Check the back of your TV to see if there are two sets of antenna connections. Both cable systems and converter boxes should be connected to the one marked "VHF". Newer TVs usually only have one antenna/cable connection.

Answer 3

The DTV converter box will work on that OLD TV set....you just need a balun to connect it to the Digital converter, and you will use Channel 3 on your TV set to watch all your Digital Channels.....

So, get a Balun from Radio Shack or the TV stores....Radio Shack is a better bet....

Then leave it screwed on the back of your TV set....PERMANENTLY.

And attach the rabbit ears directly to you Digital Converter box....they make a different type of BALUN for that connection too...you'll need a 300 ohm to 75 ohm Balun for that and a 75 ohm to 300 ohm for your TV set to Digital box connection.....

Geez you really should buy a NEW TV set....you're kicking a nearly DEAD horse here.....

I'll betcha you buy all that inexpensive stuff...the Baluns, the Digital Converter box....you'll install it all, then 3 months later....POOF! Your Tv takes a big dump on you.

Now you gotta RE-INVEST into a new TV set anyways.....