As those of you in the US may be aware, the analog signal for TV sets is going black on Feb 19, 2009. The government has a program to subsidize the cost of converter boxes that will allow you to receive the new high def signals for your old TV sets that don't have digital tuners. These set-top converter boxes should make nice input device for the OSD since they output composite, and have access to all the ATSC stations. I say should because they are not yet available, so we haven't been able to test them, but as soon as they are available, we'll do that. In the meantime, there's no harm in reserving your coupons. For more information see www.dtv2009.gov
Comments
Converter Boxes & RCN
First thing See this page for a slowly growing list of specs on the converter boxes & where to get them:
http://www.ezdigitaltv.com/Converter_Box_Retailers.html
Of the boxes listed tonight the COSHIP N9900T Looks promising in features and has a service port (firmware/hacking):
http://www.ezdigitaltv.com/COSHIP_N9900T.html
as for The RCN issues it depends which of the boxes you have.
If you have the little fin STB (about the size of the OSD,) It has really had problems. Initially the software was incompatible and required a pushed signal to reboot it even. They worked that out, but it really is a piece of crap. I returned them and upgraded to the full sized STBs. One is the "Standard" STB view only. The other is a dual tuner HD DVR, which is just blah by TiVO standards, though both STB's are full power tuners that give good pics on my analog sets. (Yea, no HD TV yet, I like the programing on NGC & DiscoverHDT, but I Really like HDNet.) Considering I am renting a STB the Price difference is no big thing At the Moment. I really have RCN for the internet connection, I would prefer not to give money to comcast or AT&T.
Anyhow, one thing I like to do is use the DVR box to record the HDNet Concerts, or WTTWHD SoundStage, than use my OSD to split the programs into tracks. :)
Paul
Responses
The Coupons will not be mailed until mid march which is expected to be the time when the converter boxes start to arrive on the shelves. Then the 90 day (3 month) period should take you all the way though mid June or later which should be plenty of time to get your hands on a digital converter box.
Additionally, I believe that the boxes have both digital and old analog tuners so you will be able to pick up both broadcasts - at least until the analog frequencies go dark in february of '09.
I'm not sure if the lack of a tv tuner in the Neuros OSD was a strategic insight into this move away from analog broadcasts, or just a cost savings mechanism. Either way I am pleased that I will not be losing a great deal of functionality from yet another TV recording device because of the switch to digital.
Actually, there is harm in reserving the coupon now
Once you request a coupon, you only have 90 days to use it, then it expires. So best to wait until you know what you want to buy, and find a place that has it in stock and then get the coupon.
New Digital Signal from RCN
RCN in Chicago is killing their old Analog signal on Feb 05.
I received my Digital Signal converter last week. The quality is awful. It is like watching an old VCD.
This evening, The Hunt for Red October was on. It was nearly unwatchable. Please give me back the old analog signal.
In other words. Don't get your hopes up.
RCN
it's an RCN digital tuner box with composite output? I assume it wasn't the standard OTA converter box, has anyone had any experiences, positive or negative with them?
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