How to use a converter box & antenna to get DTV

Digital TV offers potentially better picture quality and more channels than analog over-the-air broadcasts, but getting digital signals might not be as easy as plugging a converter box between your antenna and TV. Here's why.

Most analog stations are in the VHF band, channels 2-13, while digital signals are transmitted mainly over the UHF band, 14 and higher. (However, digital stations in some areas may move to the VHF band next February, when analog channels vacate their station frequencies.) The UHF band is more directional than VHF and more sensitive to obstacles (such as trees, tall buildings, and mountains) that lie between your antenna and the broadcast tower. So getting good UHF reception can be more difficult than pulling in VHF, affecting your ability to get digital broadcasts.

The all-or-nothing nature of digital broadcasts also comes into play. With analog stations, a weak signal can still yield a watchable picture—it might be snowy or have ghosts, but you'll get a continuous picture and uninterrupted sound.

If you're getting marginal reception of digital signals, both the picture and sound might freeze or break up to the point that it's not watchable. If you're really on the fringes—either too far from a tower or with too many obstacles in the way—you'll see a black screen that says "Weak or no signal."

You don't have to wait until next year to get an idea right now as to what kind of reception you can expect after the transition. Here's what you can do right now:

• If you have an analog TV but no converter box yet, you can test UHF reception for analog channels 14 and higher, provided any are broadcast in your area. That will give you some indication of the reception you can expect with digital signals. If they're fairly clear, odds are you might be OK. But if they're snowy, you might have trouble.


• When you get a converter box, try it as soon as possible. Most areas currently have access to at least a few digital stations, so see how well you can pull in digital signals. Reception is likely to vary by channel, depending on the location and broadcast power level of a given station.


• Even if you have a digital TV that's connected to cable or satellite, you might want to try it with an antenna to see whether you could get over-the-air broadcasts in the event of an emergency that shuts down other services.

With any of these scenarios, you should first try a basic indoor set-top antenna designed to pick up both VHF and UHF. If you're close to a broadcast station and there are minimal obstacles between your antenna and the tower, you should see a clear, continuous picture that might be better than what you get with analog. (Sound quality will be about the same, though.) Basic indoor antennas start at about $10, though some cost much more.

If reception isn't great, move the antenna around the room or close to a window. Most converter boxes indicate the signal strength you're getting as you adjust the antenna position. If you can't get a strong signal from any position, try a set-top antenna that has a built-in signal amplifier. No luck? Try an antenna mounted on your roof or in your attic. The most effective type of antenna is a rooftop model equipped with a rotor, which can point the antenna in different directions to pull in broadcasts from various towers. Basic outdoor models start at about $50.

You'll find information on antennas and more at www.antennaweb.org, www.hdtvantennalabs.com, and www.antennasdirect.com.

Unfortunately, there's a chance no antenna will work for you. Recent reports indicate that some households are in fringe areas with poor reception, and for them, off-air digital TV might not be a good option.

In any case, start soon. If you encounter problems, there will be plenty of time to resolve them before next February so you're not left out in the cold.

For more helpful advice and links to other DTV resources on the Web, check out our Digital TV Transition information center on ConsumerReports.org.

—Eileen McCooey

Comments

[Milt Snitzer]

Darlene:

Yes, you can connect two antennas (one vhf, one uhf) to your converter box. Since most boxes have only a single input, you will have to get a splitter/combiner (perhaps from Radio Shack at about $5). This will combine the two antennas into a single coax output that can be connect to the converter box.

Milt

[everett whitney]

TO: Darlene -"Two separate antennas to get all channels?"

It certainly CAN be done - BUT - is not necessary !

" IF " yours now or that newest one IS of the appropriate type required for your address/ZIP, (1) will do 100 % of all the digital channels available.

Just do be aware that ~~ 400 TV Stations across the country WILL be changing from UHF Band back to their former or new Hi VHF Band - i.e.- now, in Chicago, NYC + others, digital is sent via channels 2.1, etc..

Go to www.antennweb.org - input ONLY the Zip/address, check 'digital' but leave all else Blank!

Listed will be yours, both for now & Post-Feb, what Compass Heading, Distance, & by a color coding, which strength or electronic "gain" is recommended.

www.solidsignal.com has available almost all outside antennae possible .... view & compare your (2) with the ones recommended for you Post Feb & only use it .

For many, a "combo unit" such as the Channel Master # 3016 - a.k.a. # 5646 - will be capable of getting Hi VHF and UHF Bands adequately.

[darlene]

I understand that you can hook up two antennas with the digital converter box so that you'll get all the local stations. How do we go about doing that. We have two antennas because my neighbor gave us her new one she just bought

Thanks,
D

[everett whitney]

TO: Sam - " Will house wired w/ coax system work?"

Certainly it will ... the coax doesn't "know" from where the TV signals are coming from ... so, O.T.A. digital will do just fine w/ your appropriate Hi-VHF and / or UHF antenna.

www.antennaweb.org .. only input your ZIP, check 'digital' & leave all the rest blank for a listing of your channels, Compass Headings, whether Hi-VHF or UHF or both & by Color-codes, what strength or "gain" is recommended.

www.solidsignal.com is only (10 web store of a great many that has about all for viewing / questions..

[everett whitney]

TO: Paul - " SHAME ON ... C.R. ?"

And, just what would you suggest ? ... Make everyone Certified Installers & Licensed Calibrators of HDTVs ..? There is simply no means of having sufficient printed, brief instructions and / or Videos as Tutorials over & above those now available.

For those buying new HDTVs, certainly their discretionary budgets must be sufficiently-large to afford the needed delivery, set up and Calibration anyway. Those same folks usually have paid access to C.R. org for still more details, if a "D.I.Y." individual.

The ones that can not WILL be using the C.R. many helpful hints / these blogs to properly hook up the federal coupon Converters ...

You simply have Not read all these various places herein @ C.R..

[Paul Cherubini]

All the DTV transition websites, including Consumer Reports, FAIL to show the public the exact hardware they need to buy (cables, adapters, etc) and how to connect it to receive DTV using an antenna. So the transition will be very complicated and fustrating for millions of people.

Also complicated and fustrating for the millions of other people who buy a HDTV only to find that the process of actually getting it to display a true HDTV picture is enormously complicated, hence only about half of them will succeed.

Shame on Consumer Reports for not helping the public work through
these technical hurdles.

[sam Walton]

I have got my house wired for cable TV and dropped it for certain reasons. I'm curious if I get a fancy outdoor antenna that it might put enough signal to feed my internal cable wiring and into a converter box?

I just don't want to junk up my outside with antenna wiring when I've done the internal wiring anyway? thanx, sam

[outdoor antenna]

Very good info here for the consumer. As stated above..I usually tell customers after finding out their terrain and distance to try a indoor hdtv antenna before an outdoor antenna. Most are very surprised to learn they can get great reception going this route first...they save money and time! It seems like the myth going around is digital signals are hard to receive and nothing less short of an antenna on the roof will do. Not always true! Great article!

[everett whitney]

TO: JOHN - 16 Dec - " OLDER RCA TV w/ screw terminals?"

FINALLY ! --- the other was NOT correct ... here's what one looks like ... on the peg boards of most LOWEs / H.D. / Wal-Mart's SuperCenters, etc.. - under $5 locally -----

http://www.summitsource.com/75300-ohm-matching-transformer-balun-10-pack-jvi-mt1-tv-antenna-twin-lead-indoor-offair-uhf-vhf-audio-video-coax-cable-female-balum-adapter-gold-part-mt1-p-1182.html

sorry for the "false start!"
everett

[everett whitney]

P.S. to - JOHN - " Older TV w/o coax terminal input..?"

My apologies ! .... not an easy task, since these might not be on every store's shelf ... here's one that'll "DO" your task! --- http://www.cablewholesale.com/specs/rf-modulator/40x3-30400.htm

everett

[everett whitney]

TO: John - " 1975 TV w/ mechanical tuner/no "RF" ...?"

Hey, not to worry ! You are fine ... (A) do order your pair of free federal coupons before it's too late !

(B) - go to your nearby electronics store or any of the web ones ... find / buy an "RF" adapter ... it creates a Coax Cable connection to those existing TV's screw terminals.

(C) - leave the TV tuner on either 3 or 4 ...

Now, you will in all likelihood need a new antenna system ... NO set top, only analog "V" rabbits ears will ever be sufficient!

www.antennaweb.org (free) - input ONLY the ZIP , check 'digital' - leave all rest blank!

Listed will be your channels, which Band(s) for today as well as post-Feb., Compass headings, distances & by a color-coding, recommended strength or electronic "gain."

Digital antennas Will do "best" when mounted high, outside, atop your rooftop. Entirely a different thing than out former analog!

www.solidsignal.com is (1) of many web stores at which one may viwe all antennas available. May also still have your "RF" adapter! Good luck.

[John]

Help! I have an old Sony TV (circa 1975) that has a rabbit ears antenna with 2 VHF wire leads
that screw into the back of the TV. The same thing with the UHF antenna. There is no co-axial receptacle on the TV because that technology came several years afterward.

Also, this TV's remote control actually physically turns the channel selector knob (CLUNK ... CLUNK ... CLUNK ....), in other words, the channels are not selected electronically.

Will a digital converter box work on an analog TV this old with this type of set-up?

Thanks,

John

[everett whitney]

Kevin - " Interference issues from inner city ..."

That will be totally eliminated " IF " you might consider the local cable's standard digital subscription instead of analog cable .... we had to do so for the very same reflections, ghosts, etc., on analog cable.

This does work perfectly on ALL tv sets, too.

everett

[everett whitney]

TO: Kevin - 03 Dec - " IF I get cable ....?"

NO Converter involved at all !

Every customer on cable or satellite can NOT use / doesn't need any federal coupon Converter at all. These are strictly for use with an Over-The-Air customer using strictly an antenna on analog TVs.

You may also "OPT" for their standard digital service at a slightly-increased charge to have many more channels plus an excellent Recorder rental service , since there are no current, successful, commercial ones available other than the TIVOs which also require the very same $13 / monthly fee anyway.

everett

[Kevin Jackson]

questions and it may be silly compared to the technical jargon used in here.

I live in a big city downtown where analog tv antennas do not pick up signals or picture and so i must purchase cable. If I purchase the converter box and drop cable, will i get a picture or will it still be the same issue do to the buildings and other interferances?

[Milt Snitzer]

Gene:

Just buy a balun from Radio Shack (about $5) to convert from twinlead to coax.

Milt

[everett whitney]

TO: Gene - 01 Dec - "Flat ribbon 300 ohm rabbit ear antennas ..."

You are "spot-on!" None of any such very old set top antennas will ever receive digital signals at all, other than the very few cities which have some TV stations returning to their former Hi VHF channel assignments the morning after shut down ! And, even those must get a 300 / 75 ohm transformer or balum ... Lowes, H.D., R.S., etc.. for about $4.

Instead, everyone must plan on getting some sort of successful UHF band {# 14 & above } antenna system.

Lastly, consistent digital reception via "rabbit ears" will require constant adjustments between each channel selection , stormy days, leaves on the trees verses Winter, etc.. How are these bed-fast folks going to cope ?

Hopefully, they can afford the new, available low channel count analog cable service, good thru 2012 .. Cox = (24) channels/$11.75 monthly --- Comcast = (20) / $12 ....

[Gene]

Some folks will be trying to use rabbitear type antennas with their converter box. Dont many of those antenna units have the 300ohm "flat forks" connectors? The directions I've seen assume you have a coaxial cable antenna wire. I feel for the nursing home residents and staff that are going to have to deal with this

[Dan Mulford]

I live in the country in southeastern Indiana. I am 50 miles from Cincinnati and 75 from Indianapolis and 85 from Louisville..
I had about 5 good channels on regular TV. I bought a new big screen TV and hooked it to my directional antenna at about 20 feet, with rotor. I immediately picked up about 8 new channels.
The digital was dropping in and out some, so I got the Radio Shack push.pull TV amplifier and now those dropout are gone. Fantastic signals now and I am down in the Laughery valley, maybe 100 foot lower than sea level.
Its almost like cable on my bog tv.

I am hoping more turn their DTV to high power next year.
so far so good
dan

[Sonja]

Koss,

I particularly responded to your comments on the cable (and, I'm sure, dish) industries.

You said: "I will not subscribe to cable because it's loaded with commercials more than OTA. Cable was intended to be commercial free when it originated and look how they now have their customers hanging by the u know whats....What a rip off the cable companies are. I've seen ads for charging extra for receiving HD broadcasts (free?) which I don't understand how someone would subscribe to that service. If the masses were not asses and unsubscribed, I bet we would be able to get cable for much less. To be competitive they can offer extras like movie channels for free."

We had had cable for a number of years but got rid of it last month for just the reasons you cited. Plus our local cable company had the nerve to take away over 12 channels we had been paying for, including Animal Planet, Tru TV (formerly Court TV), A&E, and many others, without reducing their bill by once cent. One day, all of a sudden instead of the channel went blue and their message "shouted" at us that we would now have to rent one of their boxes (not a digital converter box) in order to view that channel -- even though it's advertised all the time and everyone knows that if you have cable you don't need any kind of box. Their box *rents* for $10 per month -- and then you'd have to rent one of their VCRs to be able to program multiple channels while you're out -- and that rents for $69 per month!! And that's on top of the arrogant way they talk to people and the 20 minutes of ads they hit us with each hour!
Thus, we went back to the antenna we'd had before cable invaded our house and it's doing great. Fortunately we subscribe to Consumer Reports, and we'll be able to choose an appropriate converter box as a *one-time purchase* and enjoy both its excellent reception and the fact that we have done the right thing in not supporting such arrogant, greedy people! And we're thrilled that we now get overall more programming per hour than we ever did with cable.
I also agree with you that it's just terrible that most people haven't been doing anything about these terrible cable/dish companies... and that's just entertainment! Americans need to learn again to live their lives in ways that support the good guys or at least not support the bad guys!

[William]

Digital television signals are weaker than analogs by about 96%. Who's the bone-head that decided this would work? Digital television signals need to be just as strong as the existing analog signals are now. I will tell you why, but please help me convince the FCC to boost digital signal strength back to the level of their analog counterparts by calling 1-888-CALL-FCC and telling them that the digital signals are too weak.

I live in a very rural area and have watched over-the-air television for all of my life. My location is about sixty miles from most television broadcast towers. I have a decent antenna, rotator, and preamp setup that has provided me with moderately good television service for many years.

I understand that digital television tuners only need a minimum of 15.2 db.(decibels) of signal to noise ratio in order to produce a perfect picture. Analog sets need instead 40+ db. to produce a very good picture. At first it seems reasonable that you can reduce the 40 db. down to 25 db. for digital tuners and still have a few db.'s to spare. This would save power, but what other benefit's it might have, I don't know. At any rate, the FCC has decided to ratchet down the digital signal strength.

Now let's consider what happened to me when I got my first digital-to-analog converter box the other day with my $40 government issued coupon. I only receive signal to noise ratios of 25 to 35 db. on most analog channels (this gives a very watchable picture). The FCC has set my digital signal levels at 15 db. below my represent analog signal levels (this is my best guess as I do not know the actual reduction amount the FCC has targeted). My digital signals now provide me with 10 to 20 db signal to noise ratio. Like I said, most of the new converter boxes need about 15.2 db of signal to noise ratio to lock onto a station and display an image. It is evident that I receive some signals that are now too weak to watch (i.e.. 25 db. minus 15 db. equals 10 db. This is below the 15.2 db. that the converter box needs to produce a picture.) The channels that I can still watch are very marginal and will pixilate or drop out altogether in poor weather conditions.

I have read that the broadcast coverage areas were supposed to remain unchanged, but as I have shown, that is not the case. Fringe areas will lose channels.

The FCC failed to consider that many of us in rural areas were happy watching less-than-perfect analog pictures because that is what we could afford or wanted to afford. How did the FCC (our government) decide that if would be alright to exclude those of us living in outlying areas from the benefit of receiving over-the-air television programming? I am a US citizen and I matter just as much as the next guy! Who wants to watch a screen that only reports "NO SIGNAL"? I generally get bored and turn it off after a couple of hours.

Even if I upgrade my antenna system to the best available consumer equipment, my reception will not be as reliable as it has been up to now; and, the upgrades will cost me several hundreds of dollars. I may even be forced to purchase satellite television service. Perhaps the FCC will send me a $40 coupon every month to help me pay for satellite service. As I said before, I watch free over-the-air television, because that is what I can afford.

The FCC is stealing television service from fringe area viewers unless and until it allows or even requires broadcasters to boost digital signal strengths to historical analog levels.

I hope that the FCC can quickly amend its digital conversion plan that is giving rural television viewers a raw deal. In the meanwhile, I will be buying a new pair of reading glasses.

Please call the FCC and demand that digital signals be broadcast at the old analog levels. This would prevent a huge number of people from having to buy new antennae, rotors, and signal boosters only to still have an unusable signal.

1-888-CALL-FCC Let 'em know the signals are too weak!

[Milton Snitzer]

Koss:

Many TV stations are currently broadcasting at reduced power or with temporary transmitters until February, 2009. After Feb. 17, everything should be up to full power with final digital transmitters and antennas.
If you want to know the exact current status of the TV stations in your area, just go to www.rabbitears.info This will show exact current status of TV stations in your area.

Milt

[Koss]

Does anyone know for sure when the digital change is made that the broadcasters will improve on the signal strength? I was getting analog OTA perfect on my new Sony DTV ready and live 42 miles from Chicago. Re aimed our (log distance) powerful outdoor antennae with info from antenaeweb site, which narrows the element of poor signal reception. When stations started dual signals and added channels noticed the HD signals fades at times. I live across Lake Michigan (in Indiana) and on fair weather days, actually pick up Milwaukee and Madison stations clearer than Chicago. Also the latino and religious stations come in with less fading. Are these stations broadcasting with a more powerful signal? I will not subscribe to cable because it's loaded with commercials more than OTA. Cable was intended to be commercial free when it originated and look how they now have their customers hanging by the u know whats....What a rip off the cable companies are. I've seen ads for charging extra for receiving HD broadcasts (free?) which I don't understand how someone would subscribe to that service. If the masses were not asses and unsubscribed, I bet we would be able to get cable for much less. To be competitive they can offer extras like movie channels for free. There are few choices of cable providers unless you go satellite.

[Hal]

This change not only affects entertainment, but also public safety. I live in a rural area with no cable service but lots of fringe stations. On analog I can get about 16 stations scattered all directions from me, depending on atmospheric conditions. Digital cuts it to 4 stations, all from rhe same direction. Two of those have some secondary stations. Living in "Tornado Alley", it's good to be able to watch the stations downwind and get a preview of what's headed our way, or to be able to watch a nor'easter approach in the winter. Also, television has much better weather coverage that AM radio, which becomes useless in electrical storms. FM radio, which penetrates storms well, might break away from their important music broadcasts if the DJ's happen to notice a storm threatening them personally. For the stormy seasons and their trips to the cellar and frequent power failures I have a handheld television and a crank rechargeable radio/flashlight with tv vhf sound. Next spring will leave their tv portions useless. As I've always said, "New and improved usually isn't."

[ART SURGES]

There seem to be a lot of sales people trying to sell their products here!! Not ALL channels in EVERY city will be on UHF! In Chicago CBS is on VHF 2 and goes to VHF 3 in 2009. Since it's snowy now, AND THERE IS INTERFERENCE, I'll never see CBS.

A GREAT place to start is http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx. Put in your address and they will tell you the frequency status now and in 2009. Then you can determine if you need VHF, UHF or a VHF/UHF antenna. They also tell you where to point your antenna for best reception. (Most of my stations will be at 48 degrees +- 1 degree.

To top it all off they tell you how far you are from the transmitter.

I agree with the previous comments. DTV won't improve EVERYONE's reception.

Also, check on Amazon.com and other sites before you buy that box. I bought a Magnavox "junk" as others have said, but I also bought a SANYO $151.00 box. Right now I get twice as many channels on the SANYO! How could it be so hard to design a good tuner??