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DTV Box
Features (List
of DTV Converter
Features)
--- CECB
Required
Features
Channel display on screen
Closed Captioning on screen
Electronic Program Guide on screen - these vary in size and
scope
F connector RF output
RCA Composite Video and RCA Audio outputs (yellow, red,
white)
Remote Control
Signal Strength Meter
--- CECB
Optional
Features
Analog Pass-Through - allows analog signals to "pass
through" the digital device (Low Power, Class A and
Translators)
Buttons on box - Channel and volume (if you can't find the
remote)
Channel edit capability without having to rescan
Firmware upgradable - to fix problems of early versions
Smart Antenna Interface - remembers and adjusts antenna
direction to best signal strength
S-Video - highest quality video output
option
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DTV
Glossary
ATSC - Advanced Television Standards Committee
CECB - Coupon Eligible Converter Box
DTV - Digital Television
EPG - Electronic Program Guide
LP - Low Power (LP stations will remain analog, along with
Class A and translators.)
NTIA - National Television Industry Association
NTSC - National Television System Committee
OSD - On Screen Display
OTA - Over The Air
SD - Standard Definition TV, also SDTV
STB - Set Top Box
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Watchability
Now - And
Unwatchability
After the Switchover (No TV
for you.)
The trouble is, that many analog channels which are
acceptably watchable now, snow and all,
will show "no signal" after the change to digital,
even though you have a brand-new digital converter box.
I currently can view about 4 of these analog channels (7, 9,
20, 46 - San Francisco Bay Area).
I expect, that after the digital switchover, I will see
nothing on any channel.
To complicate matters further, TV stations will be dropping
their output power to 85% of what it was using an analog
signal, since the new digital signal is "higher quality",
and the higher power is "not needed".
"The problem with DTV is that it doesn't degrade gracefully,
the way NTSC (analog) TV does: when NTSC signals are
marginal, you get snow in the picture, but the audio doesn't
cut out until the (FM) signal is too weak for full quieting.
With DTV, the audio cuts out as soon as the picture does,
and there's no "good enough" middle ground: it's either very
nice or very gone." . . . from W1AC on amfone.net
My Choice - #12
Since the government refuses
to send me a coupon, I
moved forward, and bought at full price Item #12 above, the
Zenith DTT901, even though it lacks an S-Video
output. I have always liked Zenith TVs, well-known for
quality and reliability. There is A LOT of positive feedback
on this unit from real radio-head type gurus (Radio
Amateurs) - you don't BS these guys. When swapped into
position, it is reported to receive signals that some others
do not! It appears to have the best "front end" - the
ability to capture weak signals (which implies high gain,
low noise figure first amp, and a high Signal/Noise Ratio,
manufactured by LG Electronics). Note that Consumer Reports
does NOT give it a top rating, for some reason. I think
they're wrong.
FOLLOW UP -
After purchasing the Zenith DTT901, I now
receive ZERO
CHANNELS. The box onscreen signal strength
meter (great feature) indicates a digital signal on
16 channels, but NO
CHANNEL is good enough to produce a picture or
sound.
Current Digital Channels
-
Here are 4 example representations of the Zenith DTV box
onscreen signal strength meter --->
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Signal
Bad
|
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Good
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Signal Strength Meter =
"No Signal Present"
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Most
channels
No picture or sound
|
|
|
|
.
|
|
Signal
Bad
|
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Good
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Signal Strength Meter =
"Weak Signal Present"
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Channels 10,
12, 13, 19, 24, 29, 30, 33, 34, 39, 43, 45, 56, 57,
58
No picture or sound,
ever
|
|
|
|
.
|
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Signal
Bad
|
|
Good
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Signal Strength Meter =
"Medium Signal Present"
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Channel 32
(46-1, 46-2)
Intermittent picture and
sound
|
|
|
.
|
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Signal
Bad
|
|
Good
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Signal Strength Meter =
"Strong Signal Present"
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No
Channel
Receives picture and
sound
|
|
.
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The Gold-bar goes from
left to right, as the antenna signal strength increases.
As signal strength varies,
the sampling rate (gold-bar update rate) is about once per
second.
This is apparent during windy weather, and other
poor-reception conditions (auto traffic,
etc.).
Analog TV
Reception vs. Digital TV Reception - Comparison
Chart
Signal
Strength
(measured
Oct. 6, 2008)
|
Tried and True
Old-Fashioned
Analog
Reception
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Nonfunctional
Newfangled
Zenith DTT-901
Converter Box
Digital
Reception
|
|
No
Signal
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No picture or sound
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Most
Channels
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Weak
Signal
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Sound only, poor
picture
Analog Channels 2, 4, 8, 11, 21, 27, 38, 44,
65
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NO picture OR sound
Digital Channels 10, 12, 13, 19, 24, 29, 30, 33,
34, 39, 43, 45, 56, 57, 58
|
|
Medium
Signal
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Watchable picture and
sound
Analog Channels 7, 9, 20, 46
(For the
"analog-pass-through" feature to work, you must
turn OFF the converter box).
|
Intermittent picture
and sound
Digital Channel 32 (46-1, 46-2)
Unwatchable with no sound
|
|
Strong
Signal*
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Good picture and
sound
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Perfect picture and
sound
|
|
.
Summary
.
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FOUR
channels to watch
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ZERO
channels to watch
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Notes
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* I have
ZERO stations that have a "strong" signal -
presumably, the picture and sound are
perfect.
For each channel above, the antenna mast was
manually rotated 360°, to detect the strongest
possible signal, and create a signal-strength
map.
I love the box - everything is done really well.
And it IS very sensitive. But the requirements of
digital Over-The-Air TV are far too stringent,
since IT
DOESN'T WORK! ON A SINGLE
CHANNEL! There
is going to be much screaming and gnashing of
teeth, on Feb. 17, June 12, 2009,
when analog TV will go silent.
With the old analog TV, the sound is the LAST
thing to go.
With the new digital TV, the sound is the FIRST
thing to go.
Your ability to use your TV as a radio has DROPPED
SUBSTANTIALLY, rendering your TV reception far less
reliable, as a communication device, than it was
previously with analog TV. This is ironic and
unfortunate, since the bill cites, and the
propaganda stressed, "improved emergency response"
communications ability.
WRONG. NOT TRUE. NO
SIGNAL.
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Conclusion
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Confirmation: Over-The-Air
DTV is a scam. The cable TV and satellite TV
companies KNEW FULL WELL of the problem (low
signal strength) when they lobbied for the bill.
The devious
motive was simple - To force 100 million TV
watchers to subscribe to cable or satellite, if
they want to see ANY TV AT
ALL. Once again, the
U.S. lobbyists and the U.S. congress have
collectively screwed over the American
people.
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The Bottom Line:
Digital Over-The-Air TV requires a
STRONG signal, if it is
to work AT
ALL.
100 Million homes are affected. No TV for you!
And they call this "improved"?
Just wait for the screaming to begin.
Here is an article describing the
situation - DTV
Spin.
Here is another article describing the situation -
DTV
Is A Fraud.
And another - DTV
Conversion A Fraud Bought By Congress
What is needed is a converter with adaptive technology that
can tolerate weaker signal strength (more dropped bits),
perhaps with some quality sacrifice. The way DTV is now,
it's all or nothing, with a very high threshold for
functionality. With current analog technology, we can at
least watch and listen to programs with a weak signal. Not
so with digital.
Here is the DTV reception
problem illustrated in a graphic -
 Analog
TV Reception Area vs. Digital TV Reception Area
If you want to receive the
new OTA Digital TV signals, you will PROBABLY have to buy a
huge, new powerful antenna, mast and rotor. With old analog
TV, you might receive a picture from 60 miles away, but with
the new digital TV, that distance WILL drop proportionally,
to perhaps 30 miles. The distance will vary greatly, based
upon terrain.
The satellite and cable
companies win. YOU
LOSE! Cute trick, huh?
The government is replacing a system that has
worked very well for
over 50 years,
with one that DOESN'T WORK AT
ALL for millions of
people.
And they call this "Progress"? Fascism is a more apt
description.
Greater corporate profits, at the expense of the populace.
Who asked us?
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Early
Tests
The first early test occurs
in the S.F. Bay Area on Monday Oct. 21, 2008, at 6:15 PM.
Other tests will be scheduled for December, January, and
February. Many stations in the area will perform the test at
6:15 PM. I will use ABC Channel 7, since it provides the
strongest analog signal.
For at least 1 minute, the
signal will switch to digital. If you are NOT DTV ready,
your TV screen will say so.
The test is designed for STAND-ALONE TV sets, to determine
if they have an ATSC tuner, IN ADDITION to the NTSC tuner
you have been watching. If you are ALREADY using a converter
box, you will have problems with the test.
I am already attempting to use my Zenith DTV converter box
on my analog TV. Since it does NOT receive a single DTV
channel, I always watch in "analog pass-through" mode (DTV
box turned off).
So, during the test,
1. If I am watching in my normal mode (pass-through mode,
box OFF), I will be told that I am "Not ready" (even though,
of course, I am . . . allegedly, irrespective of the low
signal strength issue).
2. If I switch the box on, I will have to manually set a DTV
box channel for Channel 7 (strongest signal), and be sure
that Channel 7 is selected. I fully expect to see nothing. I
will report the results after the test.
Results as
predicted. My new converter
box showed NO DIGITAL SIGNAL, whatsoever.
I was an Electronics Technician for 10 years. I was an
Electronics Engineer for 20 years.
Over-The-Air DTV = FRAUD. PERIOD. From its very inception,
it was a scheme to make people PAY. Now you have just two
choices - satellite or cable, unless you live close to the
transmitters.
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Free
Government Coupon (Yeah,
right.)
DO NOT HOLD
YOUR BREATH WAITING FOR THE GOVERNMENT!
To apply for your free, US
government $40 converter box discount coupon, visit
https://www.dtv2009.gov/.
WARNING!
DO NOT try to use a PO Box number for
an address.
I did, and I got "Request Denied. Coupons are NOT
sent to PO Boxes".
They FAIL TO TELL YOU this up front.
- You can NOT go back and change your information. Instead,
you must "file an appeal", explaining why you did not give a
physical address. Mine was mail theft. They took 2 weeks to
respond to my appeal.
It may be more prudent to print out the online PDF form, and
mail it in. On the form are places for BOTH physical address
AND PO Box address. So there is no "Zap! Got you!" like
there is with the online process. Exasperating!
THE NEGATIVE
OUTCOME - Two weeks ago, I
checked my application online, and it had been "Approved".
But the coupons were NEVER received. So I checked again
today, Oct. 4. - "Your application has been reviewed and was
not
approved." NO REASON WAS
GIVEN. Just go away, get
screwed, get lost! I was first approved, then unapproved,
with no explanation. Once again, I am screwed by the inept,
bureaucratic U.S. Government. Don't be surprised, if you get
the same treatment. The I.R.S. seems to be the only agency
working properly these days.
Your only option is to use a friend, who doesn't need the
coupons. Use his/ her name and address, and be done with the
Federal Bureaucracy silliness and incompetence.
Consumer
Reports Coupon Fiascoes - DTV
Coupon Questions
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The Big
List
By definition, this is a summary of only the 12 MOST
POPULAR converter boxes, sold at the LARGEST OUTLETS. For a
much larger list (92 units), check out the big boy
Wiki converter list at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_CECB_units.
Consumer
Reports - DTV Converter Box Guide
Consumer
Reports - Ratings of DTV Converter Boxes
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Vaughn's
Summaries
(One-Pagers)
©2008 Vaughn Aubuchon ...
All Rights Reserved
http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com
This Vaughns Digital TV Converter Box
summary web page was updated on 2009-09-23.
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