The Digital TV Arrival
10-29-2008, 10:39 AM
#11
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Join Date: 08-18-2008
Location: Moved to Camaro 5 forum
Posts: 508
Correct-
Your local stations will be required to broadcast digitally by Feb 17. So as long as your LCD TV has a built in digital tuner, then yes, you can plug in a HD antenna for your over the air local stations. The nice thing about digital TV is no more snow. It's either locked on the signal or not at all. It may pixellate a little on a windy day, but the reception is awesome with HD.
Your local stations will be required to broadcast digitally by Feb 17. So as long as your LCD TV has a built in digital tuner, then yes, you can plug in a HD antenna for your over the air local stations. The nice thing about digital TV is no more snow. It's either locked on the signal or not at all. It may pixellate a little on a windy day, but the reception is awesome with HD.
10-29-2008, 12:02 PM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: 09-06-2006
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 1,222
I have cable on all my household TVs but not in my garage.
I use to use a standard antenna on the garage TV but local analog channels were always a bit snow.
I'm now picking up a beautifully clear digital image on my old 15 inch color analog TV in my garage. Just hooked up a free converter box and a HD compatible antenna and now I'm picking up more channels than ever before and each channel is chrystal clear reception...
Fox
NBC
ABC
CBS
3 -dedicated childrens channels
3 - PBS channels
dedicated news channel
dedicated weather channel
and multiple other channels that I pay for on my other TVs through cable.
As I understand... I'll be picking up more and more channels on my analog garage TV as Feb. 17, 2009 date gets closer and more channels go to digital.
I suggest if you have an analog TV and a converter box and anntenna - go ahead and hook it up and see what you can get in your area.
I use to use a standard antenna on the garage TV but local analog channels were always a bit snow.
I'm now picking up a beautifully clear digital image on my old 15 inch color analog TV in my garage. Just hooked up a free converter box and a HD compatible antenna and now I'm picking up more channels than ever before and each channel is chrystal clear reception...
Fox
NBC
ABC
CBS
3 -dedicated childrens channels
3 - PBS channels
dedicated news channel
dedicated weather channel
and multiple other channels that I pay for on my other TVs through cable.
As I understand... I'll be picking up more and more channels on my analog garage TV as Feb. 17, 2009 date gets closer and more channels go to digital.
I suggest if you have an analog TV and a converter box and anntenna - go ahead and hook it up and see what you can get in your area.
10-29-2008, 12:30 PM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: 08-06-2008
Location: Grand Haven, MI
Posts: 1,761
+1
Digital TV can be broadcast on higher frequencies that are better suited for local broadcasting. The old frequencies used for analog TV spectrum have already been auctioned off and will be distributed amongst commercial and public sector interests, including emergency management.
Dandhcomputers' post makes absolutely zero sense and I'd question his sanity if it wasn't so poorly typed on the internet. Digital TV is more efficient use of the limited radio spectrum resources available. The ability of the government to communicate with emergency management resources will be enhanced by the availability of new spectrum in the demise of analog TV.
In addition, only a SMALL percentage of the analog-only installed base of TVs will even require a converter box. This is because the majority of the country is already covered by cable and satellite services.
Digital TV can be broadcast on higher frequencies that are better suited for local broadcasting. The old frequencies used for analog TV spectrum have already been auctioned off and will be distributed amongst commercial and public sector interests, including emergency management.
Dandhcomputers' post makes absolutely zero sense and I'd question his sanity if it wasn't so poorly typed on the internet. Digital TV is more efficient use of the limited radio spectrum resources available. The ability of the government to communicate with emergency management resources will be enhanced by the availability of new spectrum in the demise of analog TV.
In addition, only a SMALL percentage of the analog-only installed base of TVs will even require a converter box. This is because the majority of the country is already covered by cable and satellite services.
Thanks guys, I knew there had to be a good reason.
10-29-2008, 01:41 PM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: 06-19-2008
Location: Indiana
Posts: 1,454
i like to provide information on this as much as i can since so many people don't have all of the details on it.
you would be amazed at the amount of people that think they need to buy a converter box even if they have dish or cable. When i tell then they'll be fine, they call me a liar until they read the facts.
This has a lot to do with the commercials for it. For awhile they were just saying that you needed a converter box and that was it. Now they have changed them saying if you have dish or cable, you'll be fine. But the damage has already been done.
you would be amazed at the amount of people that think they need to buy a converter box even if they have dish or cable. When i tell then they'll be fine, they call me a liar until they read the facts.
This has a lot to do with the commercials for it. For awhile they were just saying that you needed a converter box and that was it. Now they have changed them saying if you have dish or cable, you'll be fine. But the damage has already been done.
10-29-2008, 06:51 PM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: 06-21-2008
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posts: 332
Well, you won't be fine if your dish or cable goes out, which it is want to do on occasion.
I hooked up an HD TV tuner card to my PC so I get awesome HD when I do watch TV (which is not often). The HD picture is pretty sweet! I don't have cable or satellite. Any shows I feel like watching I'll just download.
One thing to remember, an old analog TV will not get HD quality picture. It will just receive the HD signal and convert it to analog with the converter box. The picture will be crystal clear, but not awesome like true HD. (Which is why I watch on my 22" HD monitor instead of my old 32" TV.)
I hooked up an HD TV tuner card to my PC so I get awesome HD when I do watch TV (which is not often). The HD picture is pretty sweet! I don't have cable or satellite. Any shows I feel like watching I'll just download.
One thing to remember, an old analog TV will not get HD quality picture. It will just receive the HD signal and convert it to analog with the converter box. The picture will be crystal clear, but not awesome like true HD. (Which is why I watch on my 22" HD monitor instead of my old 32" TV.)
10-30-2008, 09:38 PM
#16
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Thread Starter
Join Date: 07-16-2008
Location: Colorado
Posts: 158
Well I hooked up my converter boxes to my non satellite tv's today. learned a lot. The reception on the second floor is "good". The boxes I have display a freq strength meter. The first floor is horrible anywhere in the room.
With the wife not understanding some of this, I took the tv and stuff outside, plugged it in and no problem, so that reassured her the box was not bad.
Now another question is, are these so called "boosters" any good or should we foot for the $50 HD antenna vs the $10 HD we have now?
Thanks
With the wife not understanding some of this, I took the tv and stuff outside, plugged it in and no problem, so that reassured her the box was not bad.
Now another question is, are these so called "boosters" any good or should we foot for the $50 HD antenna vs the $10 HD we have now?
Thanks
10-30-2008, 09:50 PM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: 09-06-2006
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 1,222
Well I hooked up my converter boxes to my non satellite tv's today. learned a lot. The reception on the second floor is "good". The boxes I have display a freq strength meter. The first floor is horrible anywhere in the room.
With the wife not understanding some of this, I took the tv and stuff outside, plugged it in and no problem, so that reassured her the box was not bad.
Now another question is, are these so called "boosters" any good or should we foot for the $50 HD antenna vs the $10 HD we have now?
Thanks
With the wife not understanding some of this, I took the tv and stuff outside, plugged it in and no problem, so that reassured her the box was not bad.
Now another question is, are these so called "boosters" any good or should we foot for the $50 HD antenna vs the $10 HD we have now?
Thanks
I used this website to find the best position for my antenna... You don't have to enter all the info., just your zip code will work...
http://antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx
10-30-2008, 11:44 PM
#19
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 07-16-2008
Location: Colorado
Posts: 158
I purchased an small amplified HD antenna from Walmart for about $20.00. You may need to adjust the antenna to point in the proper direction for the best signal. From my home in St. Louis, most digital reception comes from the S-SW corner of the sky.
I used this website to find the best position for my antenna... You don't have to enter all the info., just your zip code will work...
http://antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx
I used this website to find the best position for my antenna... You don't have to enter all the info., just your zip code will work...
http://antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx
How do you adjust the antenna for direction?
10-31-2008, 12:03 AM
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: 09-06-2006
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 1,222
Living in Colorado with the various elevations, you may need a stronger antenna that comes with a plug in adapter to increase the antenna strength. Do you have a lot of city or mountain interference?
Rotate the antenna in the direction it suggest that your digital signal comes from on that website I posted (at least that worked for me). Some antennas come with a fine tune dial as well to help lock in the best direction for the antenna to point.
Best of luck...
Rotate the antenna in the direction it suggest that your digital signal comes from on that website I posted (at least that worked for me). Some antennas come with a fine tune dial as well to help lock in the best direction for the antenna to point.
Best of luck...