Just got in a Tivax SDTV unit (STB-T8)and a Magnavox SDTV (e175216). Both were courtesy of the US government, thanks to my American brother in law and his 40.00 cards. Free shipping with Amazon too (back to his address, and then I picked them up).

BY FAR, the Tivax is a better unit over the Magnavox. The Tivax has a better menu, easier to read remote, faster auto scan and just feels better in terms of the plastic materials. The Magnaox is REAL cheap!!!

Full disclosure...the Tivax did cost me 10.00 over the 40.00 coupon, but it is definitely worth it. Now if someone could point me in the direction of a HDTV ATSC tuner for $10.00, I'll buy it.

After a few weeks of experimenting with the Tivax STB-T8 converter box, I returned it and swapped for an actual television set, the LG 32LH40, which I'd been eyeing for a long while now.
I suspected my reception woes were due to lack of receiver robustness, not the lack of signal availability in my neighbourhood.
It appears I was correct.
Using a SBGH as described in an earlier post, the signal meter on the TV hovers near the middle for CICT. For CFCN, the meter hovers near the right (very good signal).
I've also discovered I no longer need the temporary reflector to make it work (yay!) and the antenna doesn't need to be perfectly aimed, either.
So there you go: Add my voice to those who give a thumbs up to the 32LH40 and thumbs down to the Tivax STB-T8.

So there you go: Add my voice to those who give a thumbs up to the 32LH40 and thumbs down to the Tivax STB-T8.

I can tell you that this is not always the case. Over the past few years I have tested most low end D2A converter products such as apex, rj-tech, tivax and in my final evaluation I refused to sell anything but CM7000. Many have come to buy a CM7000 after returning their Tivax unit to where they bought it. Several others have even come in to buy a CM7000 D2A unit after buying a new DTV Television with a crappy internal atsc tuner.

In this business, you usually only get what you pay for.

I picked up a zenith DTT901 in the US for good price and compared it with my 2008 LG HDTV.

The zenith performed about the same as the HDTV's tuner. I used an A/b switch for side by side comparison. (For what its worth the signal meter on the zenith always showed a higher percentage than that on the HDTV.)

The zenith seemed to get better recepetion and for longer than the HDTV on all channels, but VERY marginally better!

Is anyone here on the forum have heard anything about Canadian government subsidy for ATSC converter like the one they have in USA?

Nope, there has been no discussion by the authorities or politicians of such a plan in Canada.

Canadian Govt is cheap!!!

Posts removed. Please see the Where Can I buy forum (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=164) for threads discussing retailers.

Posts removed. Please see the Where Can I buy forum (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=164) for threads discussing retailers.
Thank you for the link,could not find it through search.

Hi,

Putting a new Channel Master CM 7000 through it's paces with an indoor mounted CM 4221HD. Combo works great except....

Found with Sun 66, 41 global (worst cases but other channels affected) that when the volume is set at 100 on the CM 7000, I'm getting severe audio chopping on voice peaks and severe pixelization on screen. As the volume of the CM 7000 is reduced the problem clears. Also the signal meter will drop on these drop-outs from a rock solid 100%, sometimes to 0 for an instant.

Power supply issues?

Anyone else got this?

Cameron

The DTA800 RCA unit was available at Walmart last summer here in Hamilton. I think I've seen a couple of different units since, but oddly nothing that I can remember being mentioned here. (that's how I got to test the RCA box, a friend bought one) :-)

Cameron

So how do you like it? Is it good? I currently have Coby from Best Buy.

beer_wisdom, use the Search This Thread tool to the upper right beside Thread Tools and put in DTA800 as your search term. :)

I currently have Coby from Best Buy.

What made you choose the Coby over the Apex box (also available at Best Buy)? They are the same price, but on the surface the Apex seems better (S-VIDEO and Smart Antenna port). Am I missing something?

What made you choose the Coby over the Apex box (also available at Best Buy)? They are the same price, but on the surface the Apex seems better (S-VIDEO and Smart Antenna port). Am I missing something?
The Coby has really good Video and Sound Quality and better review.I also have Coby DVD player and it is really good product.I don't use s-video or smart Antenna.

beer_wisdom, use the Search This Thread tool to the upper right beside Thread Tools and put in DTA800 as your search term. :)
I did before but the search gives irrelevant results.I try now.

Re : Craig CVD508
I bought one for my folks' bedroom as there is only an ATSC-less LCDTV.

I tested Craig at my place. The tuner sensitivity is acceptable, got all the channels I got on my other 8 ATSC devices. However, I kept getting staticky breakup in stronger channels like CBC, City, Golbal, Sun, etc. None of my other ATSC devices did that and I watched them at the same time splitted off the same feed.

I got around and tested the Craig at my folks' place. The Toronto channels behaved better. I still got the odd breakup on random channels for no good reason. All I can say is the unit is incompetent in less than ideal signal. Oddly enough, the signal at my place seems fairly unclean but my other devices (except the Hauppauge HVR-1600) don't have any trouble with.

It looks like I'll have to eat $15 (30% restocking) and return the unit. I read on the DX thread and some guy was having big trouble with Tivax while his 2 Magnavox TVs were fine during rain etc. What am I supposed to get ??

I have the Tivax and can't say it's given me any problems. The picture is quite good and when it gets a lock on a signal, it's fine. I had a Magnavox too and I ended up selling it. The Tivax was far better at locking onto weak signals.

If you are wanting to get a CECB, you might want to monitor the supply on eBay, etc. Outside of HD capable boxes, and what is already retailing here in Canada, I doubt any manufacturers will continue their existing line for the Cdn market - it's just not big enough to warrant a manufacturing run.

From broadcastengineering.com (http://broadcastengineering.com/news/500-million-dtv-coupons-unused-1116/)
The last of the government-issued coupons for the purchase of a digital television converter box expired last week, with Americans redeeming just over half of the 64.1 million coupons that were distributed.

Last week, the final 200,000 coupons mailed by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration in mid-August reached the 90-day expiration date.

With about $1.8 billion in funding to help viewers prepare for the transition by offering $40 toward the purchase of a converter box, more than $500 million remained unused, according to rough estimates. Some states had poor redemption rates. Hawaii ranked lowest at 40 percent, while Iowans were tops with a 64 percent redemption rate.

Unused funds will return to the federal government’s general fund. Those still in need of converter boxes are now on their own. Most boxes have been sold and are now hard to find in retail stores.

Interesting that ~ 32 million boxes were bought. That's greater than 1 per 10 Americans. And that's just CECB boxes. It doesn't represent the penetration of OTA in the US, as there are typically more than one viewer per household, some households have multiple TV's, some households have other means to access to DTV, and some boxes would have been picked up for speculative reasons.

Well, they might keep some boxes in the works, for when Canada switches in 2011 and also for Mexico. However, by that time, more people will have digital ready TVs. I suspect they've already sold most of what was needed for the U.S. switch and things will be quiet in that market for a while. Since the boxes have already been designed, it wouldn't take much to dust off a production line or two, when Canada & Mexico switch.