ATSC Converter Boxes (Non-HD, Non-Recording)

[Whidbey]

Got my CECB coupons the other day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CECB

so I went to Best Buy and bought an Insignia (Zenith/LG clone) and brought it home to try out.

First, I hooked it to my garage TV antenna, a CM 4221 clone mounted in my garage, and to my garage TV, a 21" Panasonic, circa 1993 or so.
First thing I noticed on the screen was that the menu images were shaking. No big deal, as long as the picture doesn't shake.
I ran it through the set-up, then ran the channel scan. In my garage, it only picked up channels 12, 13, 20 and 33. The first three didn't surprise me, since their signals so strong in my area. The fact it picked up 33 was a surprise, since it's weak in my area, especially with the antenna pointed away.

Next, I brought the CECB into the house an hooked it up via the antenna out on my Samsung DTB-H260F to my Sony TV. No more shaky menues, must have been the Panny TV. My main antenna is a CM 4228 with a CM 7777 pre-amp. The CECB picked up all the same channels my 260 does, with about the same signal strength. 34 in all, including sub-channels.

I didn't find anything much to say about the CECB that hasn't been mentioned in other reviews, except for one thing. While watching TV using it last night, we noticed a few very brief audio drop-outs. Just enough to be slightly annoying. I'm quite sure it's something to do with the box, not the signal, since it did it on more than one station, and I never get this with the Samsung box. PQ was about as good as it gets with composite video.

A couple of cool things about the box:
If you can make a universal remote operate it and the remote is lacking a "." button, that's OK. When you press the number for the channel, 9 for instance, the display momentarily shows a drop-down list of the available sub channels, 9.2, 9.3, 9.5 and so on.
The signal strength meter beeps.

[stampeder]

Originally Posted by canadianrage43

I picked up a ATSC tuner form ebay for 30 bucks used.

What is its brand name and model number?

[Paul777]

Hello,

I have an analog only TV, and I would like to get a digital converter box (if that's the right term (sorry, I'm very new to this)) to pick up Digital/HD signals, and an indoor antenna (I live in an apartment). The antenna (tuner?) can be separate or together (no preference other than I would like to get the best possible signal strength/quality that my situation/area can get).

I read through the FAQ, but I am completely new to this tech stuff (or any tech for that matter), and it only confused me and gave me more questions then when I began.

I live in Nepean (suburb of Ottawa, ON). If anyone has any recommendations on what kind of hardware would be good for me, that would be great!

Also, along with the hardware recommendations.... where I can purchase them. I could not find any such devices or antennas in Futureshop or Best Buy, but I'm not sure if I was looking for the right thing.

Thank you

[jeands8]

I recently bought on eBay a Hisense HDTV tuner that is compatible with a standard definition TV. I use it with a 5 dollars rabbit ears antenna. You may try it since it should not cost too much and the tuner is ready for 1081i and 720p resolution. Good luck. Jean.

[stampeder]

Paul777, I've merged your question into this thread about the kind of convertor boxes you're asking about. Lots of good info in here.

[Paul777]

Thank you. I will read through this thread.

[Rawker]

I just bought a referbished H260F off ebay, it seems to have alot of problems. It always locks up but it's different all the time. Sometimes it will just freeze the video and the audio will continue for a while but then it'll just go away as well. Other time it will just lock up completly, all the time however i cannot use the controller. I also always get vertical lines on the screen, skinny, and about 2 inch's apart, not whole lines but dots and lines in random sizes. Could it be the video decoder that's messed?

[stampeder]

Rawker, are you in a good location for Digital OTA with a good antenna, and have you cabled everything up according to the manual?

[bubba]

I have a T451. It has DVI but supports HDCP. I am trying to connect it to my new Elite 92TXH A/V receiver which uses only HDMI (and component, of course). The Elite is connected to a Sony CRT which has only a DVI but supports HDCP, too. I want to use HDMI to save the component connections.

When I connect the T451 with a DVI to HDMI cable and a SPDIF for audio, I get no sound (even though the Elite has been configured for both connections for the T451). Anyone else have such a problem hooking up the T451?

[El Gran Chico]

There is an audio setting on the T451 - Dolby or PCM - maybe it's set incorrectly?

[El Gran Chico]

I'm helping a relative set a a SIR-T451 to a standard television. For the moment, it's connected using a composite video cable and the stb set to 480i output.

The television has component video, but the stb doesn't support 480i over component. So what's the best way to connect them:

a) set STB to 480i output and connect over a S-video cable OR
b) use component video, and change to stb output (and to what?)

Thanks for any advice!

[bubba]

Interesting idea, what should the T451 be set to, PCM or Dolby? I can do either.

[El Gran Chico]

Originally Posted by bubba

Interesting idea, what should the T451 be set to, PCM or Dolby? I can do either.

I just re-read your post. No sound will be passed out the DVI on the T451 - that's a major difference between HDMI and DVI - DVI is video only. So you'll need to connect audio cable between you T451 and your receiver (RCA or Optical).

For RCA, I think the audio setting should be Dolby. I don't have optical on my unit so I can't comment on that.

[bubba]

I was using the SPDIF cable. I know DVI has no audio. I have not yet tried the PCM.

[bubba]

FYI, SPDIF stands for Sony/Phillips/Digital/InterFace.