DTV transition: How's it going?

With the end of analog TV broadcasts now a year away—February 17, 2009, to be precise—debate is intensifying on the readiness of viewers and broadcasters for the upcoming transition to all-digital TV.

Two polls released in recent weeks suggest that a majority of consumers are aware of the TV transition. A poll from Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, reported 64 percent awareness, where one from the National Association of Broadcasters, the industry group that represents television stations, cited 78 percent awareness.

But being aware of the transition doesn't necessarily mean you understand its implications. The CU study found rampant misunderstanding among consumers about what the transition means for them—misunderstandings that CU fears could result in some households buying equipment they don't need. In an appearance this week before the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce's Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, Chris Murray, Senior Counsel for Consumers Union, warned that "along with the technical complexities of the transition are strong incentives by a variety of market players for 'digital upsell' to consumers," which could result in pressure to buy everything from more expensive cable service to a new HDTV set. "For vulnerable populations—such as the elderly or low-income households—the potential for being misled, intentionally or unintentionally, is significant," Murray said.

Meantime, another study by Centris, a market research firm, asserts that many households that now get their analog TV programming via set-top rabbit-ear antennas may have to upgrade to costly roof antennas in order to receive that same programming via digital signals. The study has prompted a whirlwind of commentary, including comments from Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin.

We'll continue to offer news and advice on the transition on this blog and on ConsumerReports.org. In the coming days, for example, we'll be posting updates on the availability of analog-to-digital converter boxes and of the coupons the federal government is issuing to offset their cost. We'll also publish the results of tests on one of the first boxes to hit the market.

—Paul Reynolds

Comments

[everett whitney]

TO: Pam Clark - " I'm writing my Congressman & ....!"

Other than making you "feel good" that will NOT fix your problem ! The antenna sold to you must be inappropriate, "IF" there's not a mistake in the hook up.

After using www.antennaweb.org for your 91101 ZIP (yours is obviously slightly different), all your very many channels should be received with great success! All well-grouped together ... perhaps you were yet another poor sole talked into a silly, special "HD" indoor antenna ? Return it !

Try a Channel Master # 3016 = a.k.a. #5646 in a different box / mounted outside as these are supposed to be and connected directly with a Quad RG-6 coax from the antenna balun directly to the Converter & it WILL work!

[Pam Clark]

I am extremely upset with DTV. I live in Pasadena, California is a well populated area. Last night I installed the converter box and antenna I purchased from Radio Shack. I can now say my reception is much worse than when it was analog. It isn't on those stations that have a strong signal, but those that don't have a strong signal are basically not watchable. For instance, KCBS Channel 2 goes in and out and I flat out don't get KCOP Channel 13. Other channels come in and out and I have to adjust the antenna constantly. I basically feel ripped off by a government who has forced us to purchase technology that we cannot afford and that is not ready for primetime. I plan on writing to the FCC and my congressman because this is unacceptable.

[Tom]

Here are some editorials I found that comment on the DTV transition.

http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/68338

http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/what-happens-after-tvs-mainframe-era-ends-next-february

[trudy]

Get rid of your television. Lots of programming is on the Internet and if not, Netflix. I got rid of my tv months ago, save myself a tidy sum each month, and don't miss it.

If I were still living in an area where rooftop antennas pulled in stations, I might consider that.

Paying for cable is crazy in these economic times when you can get most everything over the Internet anyway. For a month's cable fee, you can buy a bunch of DVDs.

[everett whitney]

TO: Babe - 06 Oct - "All TV Will Be Better ...."

It's very admirable to be "upbeat" ... but ... with the large losses of "coupons in the mailings", tremendously-more persons Not getting the Converters to function on all Channels / in all weather with old, existing indoor Antennas, sub-channels of Paid Advertising, etc.., No, it has a far greater chance to be far from ... all right !

The majority will find it necessary to either install "D.I.Y." all-new outside antenna systems or hire it done commercially, at frightful charges!

O.T.A. digital signals only provide for 100 % perfect or Zero picture at all ... no partial, snowy, displays! The new signals are too weak to properly operate 3 - 4 - 5 picture tube TVs throughout the home as was the case with our analog reception.

For many, it will be the end of any free television.

[Babe]

I think that dtv changing over is going to be the turn of TV when it happens next year. The TV will come in better and more clear and some people will have more channels. And all you have to do is buy the little box, its not like you have to get a new TV or buy cable and all that stuff but all you have to buy is a box. But there are the some who will have to put away the bunny ears and upgrade. I know that it is a big deal but when it changes it will be great. The people who will be changing the TV over have been planing this for a very long time. So they must have thougth about it a very long time.

[Craig Smith]

Additional information to supplement my previous post. My antenna is the radio shack badged equivalent of a Channel Master Mod. 3018 or similar multi-element antenna. If you have something that looks like this on your roof, or any similar multi-element antenna you are good to go.
the only antenna you should have to replace are set top rabbit ears type antennas.

[Craig Smith]

DTV update!
There is much misinformation being posted here, and some of it appears to be for the purpose of selling you something. Others are confusing HDTV (High Definition TeleVision) with DTV (Digital TeleVision). We are talking about Digital Broadcast only.
My experience is this.
I have an antenna of the older V type dipole FM/VHF/UHF broad band. It is roughly 8'long, with antenna rotater purchased probably 15 yrs ago. I made the installation my self, and the antenna is properly grounded (important for good reception, not just lightning protection)and mast mounted approximately 35' above ground.
Prior to installation of DTV converter, we could recieve maybe 8 or 9 channels, depending on the season (better in winter without foliage), none of them was crisp or clear. Our Television is a Toshiba 35" CRT, maybe 15 or so years old.
I completed installing and programming my DTV converter (Tivax STB-T9) yesterday and the results were truly amazing. With my old style V type dipole, (the kind someone is telling you will have to replace) we now recieve 36 stations from 20 broadcasters. Some broadcasters will have anywhere from 2 (SD Standard Definition and HD High Definition) to 4 (SD, HD, WX Weather, and other services) broadcast services available.
On the Tivax menu they show up as chxx-1, chxx-2, etc. With the antenna rotater it is also possible that you may have more than one broadcaster available on a given channel from a different direction.
I went to TVFOOL.com and printed out my channel list and plot. Using the plot, I would point the antenna on the recommended bearing, then select auto-program on the Tivax. The Tivax runs through a scanning process, and creates a list of channels that have adequate signal for viewing, then stores them in memory with identifing broadcaster information. Next I move the antenna to the next plotted bearing. This time, I use the ADD Channel program scan, and perform another programming scan. I repeated this for each bearing from the plot. New channels found are added and stored in memory without overwriting previously detected stations.
I'm extremely happy with the result, I didn't have to buy any new equipment, other than the Tivax DTV converter. The reception is fabulous for most stations, one or 2 have some dropouts. The Tivax has a signal strength meter you can turn on or off to fine tune pointing the antenna for optimal reception. It also has an output for a "Smart" antenna control, but I haven't found an antenna controller that works with it yet. So you may still have to re-point your antenna depending on which channel you want to watch.
I now plan to add a mast mounted booster amplifier, and distribution amplifier to clear up the weak channel and get the signal out to the rest of the electronics in the house, as it is now worth the small investment.
The image from the Tivax rivals that of the Dish network receiver. I have canceled the local channels service from Dish. We are now getting more local content free than we paid for with Dish. I'm even considering dropping the Dish service altogether. There is TV guide like programming information available at the push of the button with the Tivax, but only on the channel you are watching. You have to switch channels to see what's on later for each channel.
I haven't compared a "digital" antenna with my old V-type dipole, so cannot tell you if there is a real performance improvement. All I know is I have excellent performance from my existing "analog" antenna. If all you have is rabbit ears, I would recommend some other antenna if you wish to get free broadcast television. Be careful of what people tell you, particularly if they have something to sell. There are many unscrupulous businesses out there, who only want to pick your pocket.

[Suzanne]

I and many other low income older people are upset about this whole digital conversion fiasco. First we're told all we need is a converter box. Now we find out that many of us will need a special indoor UHF antenna and that indoor antennas don't work very well. It seems we are being pushed to get cable in order to watch tv, and many of us cannot afford this.

[everett whitney]

Hello Sam H. - 22 Aug - "Why not wait longer?.."

In our market, there is being offered free installation of (24) channels to all CRT tv sets in the home, thusly allowing all VCRs to function as always .... no Converters or new Antenna Systems ... now thru early 2012 ..

Total fee is $11.75/mo. New digital Antenna installations - if hired commercially - will equal far more in total than what this fee will would be for all the months between now & 2012 plus provide far more reliable, consistent channels than trying to "convert" at all.

An alternative (?) --- also available in most major markets.

[Sam Heavener]

To: Everett Whitney's post of Aug 9 Your comments to my blog of Aug 3. Don't get me wrong, I did't say we shouldn't go to digital tv. I said, why can't we wait, like to Canadians are doing, until Aug 2011 (3 more years) for the shutdown of analog tv? If you or anyone else has digital tv, what difference does it make to you if the analog stations stay on the air? You just don't watch them. It does to those widows on Social Security. The only reason for the fast shutdown is that the broadcasters don't want to operate 2 transmitters. They are the ones that started to blog that the "first responders" need the frequencies. Again what is so bad about Canada's plan. Again I'm not against digital Tv, but the change over has been much too fast requiring adapers to be purchased by many and the Canadians know it.

[John Johnson]

Just installed a Zenith DTT901 this weekend. Purchased at Circuit City - $59.00. Two dozen units in stock.

Great Results! Picture is sharp, Dolby stereo music is incredible. Gained seven new PBS channels!

I'm about 65 miles west of the Mount Wilson transmitters in Los Angeles. My rooftop antenna sits above a two-story house. It's old and battered and there are power lines in the line-of-sight. My low-frequency analog reception was often noisy with snow and wavy diagonals.

Now I'm getting all but one broadcast channels clear as a bell, and several new ones. Glad I got the pass-thru option, KCOP-13 is showing up as "no signal" - rumor has it that they're operating at very low power, but I'll trying shifting the antenna to see what happens.

I placed the DTV converter between the antenna cable and the VCR. The output signal goes to the L1 channel of the recorder (rear connectors). The antenna pass-thru goes to the VCR. Sound goes to the AV receiver.

Can't record and watch another channel this way. I have to power down the converter to get analog signal to pass-thru to the VCR , and the analog seems degraded - I plan to upgrade the cheapo "friction-fit" rf-cable with a better quality video cable. I may experiment with signal splitters and amps too... after the Olympics are over.

The Zenith's auto-install programming worked quickly and effectively. The remote is small (with annoying black on black buttons) but layout and menu organization is good and very good.

Very pleased with the switch to digital- I'm going back to CirCity for a second Zenith tonight. But - I may end up with cable anyway. I want faster internet, and my teens keep griping about how socially handicapped they are without MTV and ESPN.

[everett whitney]

TO: Tabitha - 09 Aug - "RCA Converter ..."

It may NOT be that Federal Coupon Converter at all -
absolutely mandatory IS a proper, digital antenna & Never the older, long wires in a "V" or rabbit ears shape of the former set top indoor antennas.

www.antennaweb.org

plus the ZIP, address & check "digital'" gives the distance, type of antenna needed by color-coding, plus which compass direction(s).

Most will be UHF ( channels #14 & above ) - some may be
VHF {#13 & below } - ie - Chicago / NYC..

Unless very close to the TV towers & not surrounded by other, taller buildings or trees, etc., digital indoor models may not be sufficiently "strong" - have the needed "gain."

One very powerful UHF model is the Channel Master 4228, which might work inside the rear of a closet or in one's attic. Best outside.

Another UHF series are .. DB-2, DB-4 & DB-8 - each respectively more gain / greater distance from Towers.

IF in a city using both bands, a proper "combination antenna" is the Channel Master 3016, A.K.A. # 5646.

Needed will be a proper length of Coax Cable, with the terminals already applied.

All will be far more than cost of Converter.

May be viewed, etc. at www.solidsignal.com
or
www.antennasdirect.com
as well as @ many more web stores.

[Paul Eng]

To Derald and all:

All the boxes we've tested performed comparably in their ability to pull in digital stations to our Yonkers, NY, location and in lab tests designed to see how well they performed with progressively weaker signals. But the number of digital channels that will be available to you depends on several factors: the number of stations broadcasting digitally in your area and your ability to actually receive such channels at home, which is affected by the local terrain (mountains, trees, and tall buildings can obstruct signals) and the type of antenna you use. It would be very difficult for any set of lab tests to accurately predict what you'll experience at home, given all these variables. Some readers have reported difficulty in getting stations, but our tests suggest that it is likely to be more related to their location or setup than the specific converter box they're using.

Our FREE (NO subscription to ConsumerReports.org required) Ratings of DTV converter boxes can be found here:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/televisions/digital-tv-converter/ratings/dtv-converter-boxes-ratings.htm

You can also access it via our FREE online Guide to digital TV transition:

http://www.consumerreports.org/dtv

("Ratings of DTV converter boxes" is the second link under the "For more information" section on the left of that page.)

Please note that we're in the process of updating those Ratings with at least 10 more DTV converter boxes. We hope to have that up as soon as possible.

Thanks,
Paul Eng
Web Senior Ed., Electronics

[Derald]

Can someone direct me to a useful comparative rating of digital conversion boxes? The nearest thing that I can find is the June, 2008 report which lists no criteria meaningful to me, primarily sensitivity and fringe reception. Help

[Bud]

I've switched back to analog reception for as long as they keep broadcasting because now I can receive only one digital channel, plus it's sub-channel. The converter coupons were an okay deal. However, it's too bad the government isn't tapping some of the money it will receive from wireless industries that are getting a valuable chunk of the broadcast TV spectrum and using it to fund coupons for antennas too.

[Tabitha]

I was just curious on if anyone was having problems with the RCA model. I've been getting Horrible signal strength and it turns black and white most of the time, It does nothing but cut in and out.

I didn't know if there was anything else i could do or if i was better off returning it for a better brand.

please post suggestions

[everett whitney]

TO: Sam H. - 03 Aug - ".. All a huge mess ..."

The digital transition has been ongoing for a decade or more .. the signing of the " Digital Millennium Copyright Act" was in '98, in fact & had to do with the end of endless VCR recording of analog w/o proper payment of royalties, etc..

One has had endless Public Forums during which to be heard or to hear of this coming digital broadcast deadline.
The actual cut-over has been postponed more than once!

This HDTV is the extension / application of very specialized, custom application of our computers to the way one will watch television from Feb onward. To continually postpone the date would simply increase the cost of doing so, as still more obsolete TVs would have been bought... i.e. - "HD-Ready" rather than those w/ a digital internal tuner for O.T.A.-Digital Signals.

One might exist today w/o computers - but - it would certainly be an extremely sheltered, backward existence.

Analog TV was very good as an initial step from radio --- now, it's time to "move on!"

[Sam Heavener]

This whole mess is a result of the big broadcasting companies not wanting the expense of having two transmitters on the air. They pressured the FCC and congress to mandate the shut off of standard transmission before even 30 or 40% of the US population purchased digital TV receivers. Corporate political contributions rule here in the United States. Canada has the right idea, their standard TV shutdown is August 2011. Forget that bunk about the "first responders" needing the frequencies. Most of the frequencies freed up by this shutdown are going to cell phone corporations.

[everett whitney]

To anyone Not satisfied w/ reception results on Federal Coupon Converters ...

Perhaps not as widely-mentioned as could be done ... NO Brand / Model of Federal-eligible Converter will Ever "do" correctly until / unless it has also been provided with an adequate antenna - certainly Not any of the older, analog ""V" rabbit ears set top ones.

It will require a specific VHF / UHF "combo" unit in some places or only a "UHF" for the majority.

www.antennaweb.org plus the address & ZIP, checking {digital} will provide that answer .

www.solidsignal.com
or
www.antennasdirect.com
are only (2) of a huge # of web stores for the viewing / purchasing of any antennas.

Reliable, consistent Digital Reception will be much more difficult than old analog ever was. Although stronger after next Feb, it will never "carry" as far in miles between the TV Towers & the Converter. Displays will be either 100 % clear or "no signal." Ghosts, snowy or partial pictures will not happen.

ONLY one of a variety of possibilities - a good "combo" antenna for outside mounting is a Channel Master # 3016 ... also know as model # 5646 except in a different shipping box. This is too large for many attics.

One for strictly "UHF" is their C.M.# 4228.... may do very well inside a small attic IF reasonably close. Signals are 50 % weaker inside buildings or the attic.

Another brand has their family of .. DB-2, DB-4, DB-8 , each for successive;y longer miles from the Towers. Also "O.K." for attic installations.

All of the above must be connected via a quality coax - preferably Quad RG6 ... in one length.

Only for those very close to the TV Towers, a "Picture Frame Antenna" might work... very weak, however.

Even IF one may "do" this antenna purchase / installation themselves, it WILL cost far more than any Converter Box!
At least $100 or higher.

[everett whitney]

TO: JMW - " HD .. local broadcasters .. cutting off HD before ..?"

Your 'post' is mixing two (2) entirely different subjects, perhaps.

HD has nothing whatever to do w/ Federal Coupon Converters, as these are only for analog anyway, never "HD."

All broadcast stations will have a 'learning' phase as they broadcast Both mediums currently. BUT - once they cut off / cease analog signals next Feb, their digital strength Will become stronger, both in standard definition as well as in HD.

[Craig Smith]

The retailers are now jacking up the prices of the converters. I paid $69.95 for a Tivak, from vendor CR paid $50 when they got theirs. Now Solid signal is asking $79.95. Some help the coupons are doing. Retailers are taking advantage of the consumers, and the short life of coupon cards, and short supply of top rated models.

[JMW]

The whole thing with HDTV and converson is totally misleading to the general public. Reading the reviews of the converters leads to the basic problem with HDTV, HOW WELL DOES THE LOCAL PROVIDER BROADCAST. Salesmen like to tell you you'll get HDTV when in reality it's a 50/50 proposition. In Boise we have a station that consistently cuts the HD broadcast 15 minutes before a prime time program ends let alone switching from pictures that look like they are filmed with vaseline on the lens to comercials with excellent pictures. If major broadcasters can't do it right what about the smaller providers? It leads me to question if the amount of dissatisfaction with the converters is the converter box or local providers being prepared for the switch over?

[Joe]

I got a converter box yesterday. Its a Lasonic, basic converter. I live in Kansas City, MO, and yes I do live in town, however with the LITTLE antenna I have (we're talking boom box type antenna) I would get all of the local stations, but with bad, bad reception. Well I hooked up the converter, it found ALL of my locals and they all come in GREAT!!! No station below 60% signal quality (the strenght suggested in the owners manual), and it seems to have a signal lock function. Of course the picture is amazing!!
This converter also has program information and volume control. It does not allow you to manually add or delete channels though.
Price: $48.00 les $40 coupon.

[Karl Zuk]

The Zenith DTT900 converter box has received consistently good reviews from TV DXers (hobbyists that enjoy long distance reception) nationwide. I own two. They work very well and are designed with the latest available chipset. Check a web site called TV Fool to see if you will have a chance at receiving DTV now or in the future. Unless you are very close to a metro area, you will be required to have a good (probably outdoor) antenna to consistently receive DTV.