Converter box confusion.

[ccharles000]

I got a converter box coupon today for the tv in the kitchen. I got a letter with the coupon telling me the different brands of boxes and I don't know which one to get.

[meegbear]

1. The letter should also list retailers in your area that sell the converters ...

go to one of those.

QED.

[ccharles000]

2. THanks I just noticed that.

[Fumesucker]

3. I got the Zenith and have been pleased with its performance..

I researched a bit online and the Zenith seemed to have the greatest number of positive consumer reviews.

I've been told it is rebranded as "Insignia" also.

IIRC, Circuit City has the Zenith.

Try out your existing antenna before spending money on a "digital" model, radio waves are radio waves and the antenna doesn't care if the signal is digital or analog.

[liberalitch]

6. My 79 year old mom got an RCA that was only $5 after the coupon and.....

.... now she even gets some weird public access stuff she never gotten before. She says the conservative freaks make her want to kill but she likes the "How To" shows.

[Fumesucker]

7. Yep..

Quite a few of the channels have more than one "channel" on them, some of the stuff is a little off the wall.

A lot of the broadcasters are not at full strength on the digital signal yet, there will be more channels I think once the changeover date comes. We already get 19 channels here I think (I watch almost no TV but my wife does).

[pokerfan]

14. Yeah, it's a very flexible standard

Broadcasters can use the increase bandwidth to provide a higher definition channel or multiple channels at a lesser definition. The box is "smart" enough to sort it all out.

The only reason I hold onto to cable/satellite is college football/basketball.

[El Pinko]

4. Check with your cable company first...

They may not be turning off their analog signal for some time to come.

It's analog broadcast (antenna) signals that will be ending.

[Wilber_Stool]

5. If there's one from

Scientific Atlanta, go with it. They make a lot of the equipment for the cable industry.

[miles 2 go]

8. You might want to consider one that has analog pass through

which allows viewing of the analog stations without unplugging the box and plugging in the old antennae.

[Tesha]

10. At this point, I think most converters offer "analog pass-thru" but that feature only matters...

now, during the conversion period. After the analog switch-off in
February of next year, the feature becomes meaningless.

Tesha

[miles 2 go]

11. Most do not feature it. n/t

[Tesha]

13. 'Guess I just got lucky then because...

...when we were buying converters two months ago,
every one we looked at now included the feature.

Tesha

[Tesha]

12. (Replied to the wrong post)

[Betsy Ross]

9. We went to Radio Shack

and purchased the only model they had in stock: Digital Stream, www.dsconverter.com. It was easy to install and operate. The price was right too at about $60 less the $40 with the discount. We are very pleased with the quality of the video signal as one of our PBS affiliates has a bad signal on cable. Go figure. Ours is attached to the kitchen TV as well, never bothered to wire it for cable.

[hunter]

15. I'm happy with our little Zenith.

We live near high voltage power lines that always screwed up reception of a few channels. That's gone.

[ellacott]

16. Make sure you don't let it expire

I requested my coupons in January. When I received it I never opened it. I thought I had until 2/09 to use it.

Congress is trying to get them to address this issue. Currently there are about 3 million expired coupons out there.

[Left Is Write]

18. My coupons expire 60 days after issue, which is coming up soon.

Everyone who requests a coupon should check the date.

[DailyGrind51]

17. I got a Magnavox and it works really well.

[guitar man]

19. I've got two

I have the Insignia, which is identical to the Zenith at my home and the RCA at my travel trailer. IMO, the Insignia/Zenith boxes are better as far as reception/color/clarity goes, but they are about $10 more than the RCA boxes.

[ccharles000]

20. I have another question.

We have two coupons can we use them both on one box?