Converters Signal a New Era for TVs

Posted in June 8th, 2007

Interesting, so the govt will provide vouchers for set top boxes when analog tv goes dark in 2009…. But, one should clearly note, antennas, make that huge, and expensive antennas will be required for viewing in fringe areas. Unlike analog tv, where one may experience snow, and picture degradation in a fringe area, digital is either going to work, or not going to work. This will equate to a large section of the viewing area of most broadcasters having to spend not $50-$75 for a set top box, but more like $200-$1500 for an antenna, a tower, installation, and a set top box.

Otoh, this does seem typical from a politics standpoint, RCA, LG, and the other large electronics manufacturers have huge lobbying power, something, the antenna and tower manufacturers clearly do not, as their business is so much smaller. The end result, the consumer looses…..

Should you want to see what your locations potential for reception is, here are some resource links.

TV Fool

3D visualizer

2 users commented in " Converters Signal a New Era for TVs "

Don said,

in June 9th, 2007 at 1:12

Gosh! where does $200-$1500 antenna price range come from?! You really don't need any special antenna for picking up digital signals. Many people are using antennas already, to watch over-the-air hdtv broadcasts and they do it with a regular TV antenna of up to $150, or even with rabbit-ears if they are very close to the towers. You can read reviews on hd antennas and to see that the most simple antennas work for OTA HDTV. It looks like CM4228 is the best in ~50miles range and it costs ~$40

amuron said,

in June 26th, 2007 at 21:09

The problem is tower installation, and that is anything but inexpensive. I agree with you about antenna cost.

The issue is fringe coverage, for example, I currently receive 8 analog stations, ranging from the closest one being roughly 45 miles line of site, to the furthest at close to 90 miles line of site. This is all accomplished with a relatively modest antenna, and an amplifier. For digital, the s/n would be so bad, that without a tower, there would be 1 channel, and most likely the others won't work at all. In addition, it appears that either I need to install an antenna rotor, or a series of antennas and a combiner, with associated filters.