Digital Converter Box

Review of Sony DVP-NS57P/S Progressive Scan DVD Player, Silver

2008-05-10T01:33:00.000-04:00

I've had this DVD player a few weeks now and have watched a couple dozen DVDs. None have given me any problems, including scratched DVDs and DVDs burnt on cheap media which would freeze and skip on my old econo DVD player.

The pros: The user interface is excellent. It seems solid, quick to respond, and well made. I love the speed up/slow down feature, very cool. It's sleek and compact looking, excellent remote control response range.

The cons: The remote will not program for too many TVs, there's only about a dozen codes and none of them work for my older TV. I'm sure it's fine if you're TV is from the last 5 years or so, or a very common older one though.

This model is one of very few DVD players I looked at that wasn't made in China, definitely a plus in my book (although many other Sonys are).

I can't yet speak for long-term use, but overall, I'm very impressed.

Product Description
Sony's DVP-NS57P/S is a versatile DVD player with many features at an affordable price. It delivers excellent picture and sound quality so you get the most out of your movies. The Precision Drive 3 system allows you to playback some DVDs that may have been damaged or warped without a degradation of picture quality. Thought it's an excellent DVD player, it can also be used as your CD or MP3 player. For gatherings, use it to share photos with friends and families. You can't go wrong with this stylish home-theater sized DVD player, it is a perfect complement to your TV.

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Review of 2.5" Media Movie Player HDD /Juke Box w/ Remote Control

2008-05-08T17:05:00.000-04:00

I was excited to receive my first HHD player.Excitement quickly turned into frustration as problems one after the other ganged on me.The unit looks stylish. I have to admit that at least.I spend a good amount of time trying to make my PC recognize the new hardware.It turned out that the USB cable that came with the player is not as good as the one that came with my digital camera. The computer recognized it when i switched cables.This was my first indication of the cheap quality of the construction of this unit.The power supply is very cheap plastic construction where you actually ahve to bend and straighten the prongs to fit into the plug.The remote control is a very nicely credit-card-sized little gadget.The unit however, responds VERY slowly to it.I was never able to make this unit work on my TV.The ultimate disappointment in all this is that I got NO HELP from the seriously useless manual that came with.
I definitely do not recommend this. Save your money.My friend has a MG-25 and I will be buying the same one, especially after reading a lot of positive reviews.
I hope this help.Good Luck

Product Description
Description This multimedia player lets you carry your data anywhere you go! Compatible with 2.5"HDD, It is no longer just an external storage. It is also a portable music/movie theater for you!! All you have to do is just to connect AV inputs on any television, its user-friendly interface can play MPEG-4, DVD, VCD and Digital camera photo on TV or Computer monitor with a touch the remote control. It also supports Hi-speed USB2.0 for data transfer up to 480 Mbps

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Review of Terk Technology TV-1 Passive Indoor TV Antenna

2008-05-07T14:23:00.000-04:00

I honestly didn't think this antenna would work as well as it does.I bought it hoping I'd be able to watch local broadcast channels with only a few lines, instead of full-screen snow, and it actually gives me picture clarity equal to what I got with cable.The UHF antenna is supposed to plug directly into your tv (I think this assumes your tv was made a long time ago), which wasn't an option with my set, but it turns out I don't need it anyway; channels in the 50s and 60s come in just as well as lower ones.It's also a pretty small unit with a sort of retro 50s design, so it's not an eyesore.Great antenna, especially for the price!

Product Description
Terk Technology TV-1 Indoor TV Antenna - I have satellite TV and that makes me a very happy man. However I'm not so happy when a nice storm rolls into the area and kills my signal completely! When that happens I wish I had a old-style pair of rabbit ears like this Terk TV-1 antenna. With this you can get free TV at all times! And if you have a modern television set, it will fit inside the antenna receptacle in the back of it. A great convenience!VHF -Channels 2-13 Operating Bandwidth -54MHz to 806MHz Height of Base -3.375 Height with Dipoles -(closed) 12.5 / (open) 42.5

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Review of iLuv I182 Video Recorder and Converter for 5G iPod

2008-05-06T08:04:00.000-04:00

It is kind of simple to use, you just press a buttom to record and stop a program.It makes my ipod into a portable dvd/vhs player.Now I can exploit my ipod for what it was worth.The downside of it is, sometimes it doesn't work in my computer.It works intermitently.But still, it works most of the time, and that's good enough for the money and trouble that it is worth.

Product Description
Video Recorder and Converter for 5G iPod

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Review of Philips High Performance Amplified Indoor Uhf/Vhf/Fm/HDTV Antenna

2008-05-05T03:55:00.000-04:00

I'm a first timer at getting OTA HDTV. This has been an experiment in progress for the past 5 weeks. I have gone through four antennas (they are all here as I write this) before finding something that's satisfactory (rather than tolerable).

I live around 25 miles from Manhattan, where the towers of most TV stations are located. I am also aware of the directional information from [...], and have experimented accordingly with its effects on reception. My apartment's windows all face north, while the signals all comes from southwest. I cannot get signals from where it comes from, and thus needed to get signals from deflections perhaps off nearby buildings and trees. It's a very poor circumstance for over-the-air reception, maybe just slightly better than being underground. Signals are weak, and are affected by weather. Stormy and windy days have shown effects at disrupting signal reception.

With this said, and without going into much detail, let's talk about the antennas. Now all these antenna have been tested with the same equipment, setup, directional adjustments, location, etc. etc. and have been tested through good an foul weather, day and night, to observe differences.

1.Terk HDTVa Terk HDTVa Indoor Amplified High-Definition Antenna for Off-Air HDTV Reception- After reading some rave reviews and high ratings at [...], log periodic types (looks like a fishbone) seems to be the way to go. I got the Terk HDTVa first, thinking that the amplification and VHF antenna should nail my reception problems at the start. However, after more than two weeks of fidgeting around ad nauseam (directions, locations, amplifications, different devices, etc.), I only managed to pick up two ATSC channels' signals, and even those don't have strong enough signals to display anything. I thought maybe it's just my poor location, and that I should probably give up on the attempt. The included in-line amplifier dongle doesn't work at all. Powering it on makes no difference in signal strength readings, which hovered around 5-10%.

It is well built, looks nice, good concepts, but it just didn't work.

2.Phlips PHDTV1 Philips PHDTV1 Digital HDTV-UHF Indoor Antenna- The venerated "silver sensor" which was previously sold under the Zenith brand also had great ratings and reviews. It's in fact nearly legendary. I decided, in desperation, to try it out, even if it doesn't have amplification. It seems all my local HD channels are in UHF anyway, so I won't miss the VHF dipoles.

The unit has startlingly poorer build quality compared to the Terk. It has paint bubbles, hairs and dusts trappings in the paint, sharp edged cheap plastics and much thinner metal blades that's covered in oil and has some dings and bendings. I wasn't impressed with the quality, and didn't expect much from it as I set it up.

To my surprise, it picked up 9 working channels (note: the terk got two channels' signals, but they didn't work) from the start, even if it's randomly placed. It's thrilling as it was the first time I saw OTA HDTV. After some adjustment and location experiments, I was able to receive 19 channels. However, not all of these channels work well given the same direction.

The directionally sensitive antenna needs to be adjusted as I switch channels. e.g. NBC and CBS seems to work well in one direction, while ABC has its own favorite direction, which works also with FOX. I tried as best as possible to find a compromise point where everything works. I couldn't. It just needs to be adjusted constantly.

The transmission is often dogged by reception fluctuations. Signal quality tend to fluctuate quite a bit, especially affected by weather. That means the TV playback would get choppy at times, with its severity dependent on the direction I point the antenna at. I didn't think fluctuating signals was a characteristic until I tried the latter two antennas later. I also found that I had to constantly play with the directional positioning to get a stable signal from each of the stations.

It works, and I was impressed, but then in retrospect it could only be best described as a "tolerable" HDTV experience as I struggled for a smooth signal delivery.

3.RCA ANT111 Basic Indoor Antenna- While shopping in stores, I saw this basic and classic RCA loop/dipole antenna for less than $[...]. I couldn't resist the temptation to try it out, just for the heck of it. It is also a different type of antenna than the previous two.

Again, I was surprised. This cheap antenna worked well, especially considering how it's only a fraction of the price of the two I'd tried. I ended up getting 17 channels, a few less than the PHDTV1, with the same location and setup. Some channels also don't work, even if signals were detected. The quality of the signals seems to be the key.

So what's so special about it? It strangely had better signal delivery for the channels that worked. It's not as choppy, and quality level is very steady. It is also not as affected by directional positioning. I was for the first time able to view FOX, ABC, CBS, NBC without adjusting the antenna. However, the lack of directionality also makes it ambiguous when I lost the signal. It seems that there's no "favorite direction" for the channels, which also means I can't pull in stronger signals at my choosing. It is also quite susceptible to weather changes, particularly wind (which probably affected signals reflected by trees?)

The signal strength also seems to be a little weaker, though the signal quality tend to be higher in general. That probably contributed to the smoother video delivery. It also tempted me to get a similar design that has amplification.

4.Philips MANT510 Philips High Performance Amplified Indoor Uhf/ Vhf/ Fm Antenna- This unit has a "digital TV optimized, patent pending UHF panel array". I thought I'd try it out just for the slightly different antenna design, if not just for the adjustable amplification.

Well, it works, and works quite well. The antenna doesn't work without power, and with amplification turned off it works a little less than unpowered PHDTV1 and ANT111. Yet with the amplification turned on, I get 24 channels, with strength up to 81% (compared to 3-10% unamplified, and quality consistently above 60 and usually in the 70-90%+. That generates the most reliable video delivery of all the ones tried.

While thunderstorms still managed to distrupt signals, it's much less often and only momentarily. I also don't have to worry about hunting for signals as I just point it in one general direction and I get everything but three NJN channels (they are even further from here.. maybe a good 50 miles).

I finally can just set the antenna and forget it. It lets me focus on the programming rather than antenna adjustment. While it needs to be powered, it gives me the confidence to finally enjoy HDTV, rather than tweaking and tolerating it. It's good enough that I can probably stop searching. I hope it'll be helpful to you who may be going through the same purchasing decision nausea as I have.

Product Description
This 50dB amplified antenna has been optimized to receive digital TV broadcasts with a special UHF flat panel array. It also receives analog and FM signals. Includes 6 ft coaxial cable, 75/300 ohm transformer and AC power adapter.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Philips High Performance Amplified Indoor Uhf/Vhf/Fm/HDTV Antenna

Review of Sony DVP-NS700H/B 1080p Upscaling DVD Player, Black

2008-05-04T09:14:00.000-04:00

Just hooked-up this player to my new Sony 40" LCD TV via HDMI cable and the results from standard DVDs is excellent. Not HDTV quality, but very, very close and an improvement from my older Panasonic player. By the way, the complaint about this unit not displaying older 4:3 aspect ratio films, ie older classic movies, is not correct. I just watched a portion of the Wizard of Oz and several other older movies in the correct OAR. The answer is on page 56 of the manual. I am always amazed at how people complain about products without reading the manual. After a 15 second click of several buttons on the remote, the player automatically shows both widescreen and old-style 4:3 format films in the correct aspect ratio.

Product Description
Breathe new life into your DVD collection with the DVP-NS700H in both black and silver. Enjoy your DVD collection now upscaled to 1080p via the HDMI connection. Plus with BRAVIA sync, you can easily power on and synch the inputs of compatible Sony AV devices connected to the players via HDMI for hassle-free enjoyment.

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Review of Antennas Direct DB4 Multi Directional HDTV Antenna

2008-05-03T12:17:00.000-04:00

The DB4 was the strongest antenna I have tried. It is also the only one that receives every digital station at nearly 40 miles from the Kansas City stations, (and my signal meter pegged.) I was even able to pick up a few out of area stations I was not expecting.The build quality is better than anything else I have seen.

I have recommended the DB4 to several friends who are also having similar success. It would be hard to screw up HD reception with a DB4, but I would not use an antenna as strong is this if you live less than 5 miles from the transmitters as you may encounter multipath interference.

Also keep in mind, even a great antenna can not make up for line of sight obstaclessuch as buildings and hills, and no antenna will it solve installation errors with, poor connections, splitters, long cable runs, low elevation or faulty tuners.

Product Description
The DB4 has become our most popular model because it is simply the best Mid Range HDTV antenna on the market. With an approximate 13.7 dB gain, it is one of the strongest multi-directional antennas available and performs consistently across the entire UHF spectrum. It even works well in areas where HD transmitters are in multiple directions.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Antennas Direct DB4 Multi Directional HDTV Antenna

Review of Samsung DTBH260F HDTV Terrestrial Receiver

2008-05-02T04:44:00.000-04:00

This item has been hard to find in stores and online.After being waitlisted with Amazon for some time, I finally ordered it from another large electronics vendor that offerred free shipping, but I had to pay sales tax.

Last year I purchased two HDTV's (without built in tuners) thinking I would always get HD from my cable company.When I totaled up the cost of HD on cable with all of the extra boxes and fees, over-the-air HD for the price of a tuner seemed like a much more reasonable alternative.

The tuner was not difficult to hook up.I used an inexpensive HDMI cable (purchased off the web), regular rabbit ears/UHF antenna and plugged the tuner directly into my TV.(Remember to flip the switch on the back of the unit and to set your TV to HDMI input.)According to the manual, audio is supposed to be transmitted to the TV through the HDMI cable, but my TV does not accept dolby 5.1 surround sound.I had to change the audio setting on the unit to PCM to get sound out of the TV. Alternatively, I got stereo sound by running separate audio cables (included with the unit) to my home theater unit.

Being at an age where I grew up with over the air TV and recalling that we continually had to adjust the rabbit ears to improve the picture, I was astounded by the quality of the signal.The transmission towers are about 19 miles away and I was getting all bars on the signal strength.No fidgiting with the rabbit ears was required and the picture has no ghosting.Clearly, this is not the over the air TV of the 60's and 70's.

In addition to the HD shows, I'm also getting a 720 digital signal on most of the non-HD programming, which is a big improvement over the 480 analog. The improvement is so good, I'm thinking of getting another tuner for my other hd-ready TV.

I do have a couple of small complaints. As noted by other reviewers, the channels seem to change very slowly using the remote and you need very good aim. And, don't lose the remote because you cannot change the channel without it.Another reviewer noted that it takes a bit of time for the unit to boot up when first turned on, which I can also confirm. He also noted that the unit gets very hot, which is NOT my experience.

Happy viewing!

Product Description
Is your TV ready to receive digital TV broadcasts? If it was made before 2004, chances are it doesn't have an ATSC digital tuner. That's where this TV tuner comes in. Samsung brings you great flexibility for delivering FREE over-the-air digital television signals to a DTVready television or DTV-capable computer monitors. Award-winning Samsung technology easily tunes and decodes all 18 ATSC Table 3 broadcast formats. With the Samsung DTB-H260F, you can view HDTV and SDTV. You can listen to Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo or Dolby Digital 5.1 surround audio through your audio system (5.1 surround sound is encoded in ATSC HDTV broadcasts). Samsung solves output worries with a wide selection of output options including 1080i, 720p or 480p/i DTV formats, and connection options including HDMI - Component Video - Composite - Audio-Right/Left, Dolby Digital Optical. Attractive styling and affordable pricing make the Samsung DTB-H260F a perfect solution for upgrading your TV to receive DTV.High-gloss, stylish design Remote control Parent control Time zone setting Intuitive signal strength indicator Plug & play for easy setting Intuitive & iconic menu Advanced electronic program guide Mini guide with transparency Full guide with all information Channel info management Unit Dimensions -10.64 x 1.58 x 7.88 / Weight -3.3 lbsNote -Free HDTV broadcasts require this tuner and an extra HDTV antenna. Antenna is not included in the price of this tuner.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung DTBH260F HDTV Terrestrial Receiver

Review of Craig CVD506 DTV converter Box

2008-05-01T04:29:00.000-04:00

The Craig CVD506 DTV converter box works fine - if you know what you are doing with the antenna. Antenna reception has always been a science and that science just got harder now that we are picking up digital signals.

With a little cajoling this converter gave all the traditionally analog local channels, and then some. All with a pair of rabbit ears and bowtie antenna on a 20 year old 13" color Panasonic! I tested this with a similar Radio Shack antenna with VHF loop. The signal isn't as strong as a Channel Master CM-7000 on the same antenna. 20 to 40 percent vs 70 to 80 percent respectively. But even the Channel Master benefits from a better antenna.

The Craig CVD506 is unique as it has the "smart antenna" plug. I could not locate such an antenna but is supposed to be better at discriminating multi-directional signals for more channels and better signal strength. Perhaps this is where this unit truly shines. Scan time with such a smart antenna is said to take 50 minutes or more. Worth it if it works.

The remote control has obscure placement for the channel and volume buttons. The arrow keys double as channel and volume changers, so that improved the functionality.

Unlike some other units, you must go into the menu to set the picture for 16:9 or 4:3. No simple function on the remote control. I opted for 4:3 for the old set simply to keep a nostalgic full screen image.

The overscan might be wider than normal. The PBS channel logo is partially cut off at the end. While that is no great loss, if the picture is cropping more than it should, it could really effect the framing and enjoyment of shows. Some TV sets may have controls to adjust for overscan. Other channels appeared to frame fine. Must be the framing on PBS.

It does let you skip channels you don't want. Simply scroll down the favorites list, cursor left once and press the OK button. It does have an electronic program guide but you have to wait for it to update each time you bring up the favorites list. Depending on signal strength this may take a minute.

It does give the current show name and next show information on the banner each time you change the channel. It also shows a little antenna strength guide which you can see anytime by pressing the Info button.The channel banner is large and lingers too long for my taste.So I learned to press the Info button to close it immediately. No biggie. On the other hand, visually impaired people actually benefit from the banner size and post time.

In short it is a very workable unit with the proper antenna, positioning, and bit of patience. You may need to rotate your antenna and do an update scan to find new channels without losing the original ones. It is nicely sized for the top of smaller tv's. Plus the black plastic really goes well with my old black Panasonic.I am glad I have it for the potential of the Smart Antenna. A likeable unit.

Product Description
Digital to Analog Broadcast Converter with Remote Control. Accessories Included: Easy to use Remote Control with 2 AAA Bateries, RF Coaxial Cable.

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Review of GE 24746 Futura HDTV Ready Antenna

2008-04-30T13:22:00.000-04:00

I bought one of these at the local hardware store.It was out of the box and hooked up in 5 minutes.Downsides:No power light or switch, so when something doesn't work it's hard to tell if it is due to the hookup, tv settings, or power outlet.Also, there is a long telescoping antenna (not pictured) which makes this antenna much less wife acceptable.I managed to finally get 2 hdtv channels to connect roughly 100% of the time, but then magically the power adapter must have given its all - so back to the store for a refund.Happy Thanksgiving for HDTV!

Product Description
Futura TV Antenna receives the highest quality HDTV signal.

Click Here to see more reviews about: GE 24746 Futura HDTV Ready Antenna

Review of Philips PHDTV1 Silver Sensor UHF/HDTV Digital Indoor TV Antenna

2008-04-29T02:08:00.000-04:00

I'm a first timer at getting OTA HDTV. This has been an experiment in progress for the past 5 weeks. I have gone through four antennas (they are all here as I write this) before finding something that's satisfactory (rather than tolerable).

I live around 25 miles from Manhattan, where the towers of most TV stations are located. I am also aware of the directional information from [...], and have experimented accordingly with its effects on reception. My apartment's windows all face north, while the signals all comes from southwest. I cannot get signals from where it comes from, and thus needed to get signals from deflections perhaps off nearby buildings and trees. It's a very poor circumstance for over-the-air reception, maybe just slightly better than being underground. Signals are weak, and are affected by weather. Stormy and windy days have shown effects at disrupting signal reception.

With this said, and without going into much detail, let's talk about the antennas. Now all these antenna have been tested with the same equipment, setup, directional adjustments, location, etc. etc. and have been tested through good an foul weather, day and night, to observe differences.

1.Terk HDTVa Terk HDTVa Indoor Amplified High-Definition Antenna for Off-Air HDTV Reception- After reading some rave reviews and high ratings at [...], log periodic types (looks like a fishbone) seems to be the way to go. I got the Terk HDTVa first, thinking that the amplification and VHF antenna should nail my reception problems at the start. However, after more than two weeks of fidgeting around ad nauseam (directions, locations, amplifications, different devices, etc.), I only managed to pick up two ATSC channels' signals, and even those don't have strong enough signals to display anything. I thought maybe it's just my poor location, and that I should probably give up on the attempt. The included in-line amplifier dongle doesn't work at all. Powering it on makes no difference in signal strength readings, which hovered around 5-10%.

It is well built, looks nice, good concepts, but it just didn't work.

2.Phlips PHDTV1 Philips PHDTV1 Digital HDTV-UHF Indoor Antenna- The venerated "silver sensor" which was previously sold under the Zenith brand also had great ratings and reviews. It's in fact nearly legendary. I decided, in desperation, to try it out, even if it doesn't have amplification. It seems all my local HD channels are in UHF anyway, so I won't miss the VHF dipoles.

The unit has startlingly poorer build quality compared to the Terk. It has paint bubbles, hairs and dusts trappings in the paint, sharp edged cheap plastics and much thinner metal blades that's covered in oil and has some dings and bendings. I wasn't impressed with the quality, and didn't expect much from it as I set it up.

To my surprise, it picked up 9 working channels (note: the terk got two channels' signals, but they didn't work) from the start, even if it's randomly placed. It's thrilling as it was the first time I saw OTA HDTV. After some adjustment and location experiments, I was able to receive 19 channels. However, not all of these channels work well given the same direction.

The directionally sensitive antenna needs to be adjusted as I switch channels. e.g. NBC and CBS seems to work well in one direction, while ABC has its own favorite direction, which works also with FOX. I tried as best as possible to find a compromise point where everything works. I couldn't. It just needs to be adjusted constantly.

The transmission is often dogged by reception fluctuations. Signal quality tend to fluctuate quite a bit, especially affected by weather. That means the TV playback would get choppy at times, with its severity dependent on the direction I point the antenna at. I didn't think fluctuating signals was a characteristic until I tried the latter two antennas later. I also found that I had to constantly play with the directional positioning to get a stable signal from each of the stations.

It works, and I was impressed, but then in retrospect it could only be best described as a "tolerable" HDTV experience as I struggled for a smooth signal delivery.

3.RCA ANT111 Basic Indoor Antenna- While shopping in stores, I saw this basic and classic RCA loop/dipole antenna for less than $[...]. I couldn't resist the temptation to try it out, just for the heck of it. It is also a different type of antenna than the previous two.

Again, I was surprised. This cheap antenna worked well, especially considering how it's only a fraction of the price of the two I'd tried. I ended up getting 17 channels, a few less than the PHDTV1, with the same location and setup. Some channels also don't work, even if signals were detected. The quality of the signals seems to be the key.

So what's so special about it? It strangely had better signal delivery for the channels that worked. It's not as choppy, and quality level is very steady. It is also not as affected by directional positioning. I was for the first time able to view FOX, ABC, CBS, NBC without adjusting the antenna. However, the lack of directionality also makes it ambiguous when I lost the signal. It seems that there's no "favorite direction" for the channels, which also means I can't pull in stronger signals at my choosing. It is also quite susceptible to weather changes, particularly wind (which probably affected signals reflected by trees?)

The signal strength also seems to be a little weaker, though the signal quality tend to be higher in general. That probably contributed to the smoother video delivery. It also tempted me to get a similar design that has amplification.

4.Philips MANT510 Philips High Performance Amplified Indoor Uhf/ Vhf/ Fm Antenna- This unit has a "digital TV optimized, patent pending UHF panel array". I thought I'd try it out just for the slightly different antenna design, if not just for the adjustable amplification.

Well, it works, and works quite well. The antenna doesn't work without power, and with amplification turned off it works a little less than unpowered PHDTV1 and ANT111. Yet with the amplification turned on, I get 24 channels, with strength up to 81% (compared to 3-10% unamplified, and quality consistently above 60 and usually in the 70-90%+. That generates the most reliable video delivery of all the ones tried.

While thunderstorms still managed to distrupt signals, it's much less often and only momentarily. I also don't have to worry about hunting for signals as I just point it in one general direction and I get everything but three NJN channels (they are even further from here.. maybe a good 50 miles).

I finally can just set the antenna and forget it. It lets me focus on the programming rather than antenna adjustment. While it needs to be powered, it gives me the confidence to finally enjoy HDTV, rather than tweaking and tolerating it. It's good enough that I can probably stop searching. I hope it'll be helpful to you who may be going through the same purchasing decision nausea as I have.

Product Description
The PHILIPS PHDTV1 Silver Sensor indoor HDTV antenna is a HDTV/UHF antenna for use with high definition compatible TVs. It receives free high definition programming in its primary reception areas. The highly directional antenna, with high front-to-back ration, rejects signal corruption. The flat front gain slope balances the UHF reception for a consistent picture. This easy-to-install antenna receives all available local digital broadcasts in full 1080i or 780p resolution. It ensures densely populated urban areas receive clear DVB broadcasting signals and its weighted base stabilizes the antenna at any position.

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Review of GE 24734 VHF/UHF/FM Stereo Reception Millenium TV Antenna

2008-04-28T21:36:00.000-04:00

Ok now I'm mad I recently bought this antenna from Home Depot about 2 days ago and paid $14.97, $16.06 w/tax and its on here for $8 what a waste. This antenna is really not worth it. The little circle is supposed to increase reception but didn't do much. After adjusting the antennas & circle in every position imaginable the channels were still not viewable. The picture colors were off & it showed double images. The sad part is I recently moved and couldn't find my old antenna so I decided to go by a new one instead of searching for the old one. I found the old one in a moving bag this morning & 1 of the antennas had been broken off I stuck it back on & that old broken down antenna works better than this one!

Product Description
Millenium TV Antenna receives the highest quality HDTV signal.

Click Here to see more reviews about: GE 24734 VHF/UHF/FM Stereo Reception Millenium TV Antenna

Review of RCA ANT1500 Large Multi-Directional Digital Flat Passive Antenna (White)

2008-04-27T01:57:00.000-04:00

Let me start by saying you need to take all these reviews with a grain of salt, as each circumstance is unique - and may or may not apply to your situation. There are SO many variables, you just never know whether a product will work for you.

I have an HDTV and an old bedroom TV, both currently using amplified antennas with mediocre results. I bought the ANT1500 for a basement TV, based on good reviews, hoping that it might possibly work. I was not terribly optimistic, based on the fact that that analog signal in the basement produces a grainy, less than satisfying picture.

Imagine my delight when I placed the ANT1500 as high as I could between some floor joists and two galvanized heat ducts, connected it to a converter box and wala! 11 channels, locked in as good or better than my TV's upstairs.

I was stunned, and have ordered another to see if it can improve the other TV's. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Product Description
RCA's ANT1500 large multi-directional digital flat passive antenna (white) is a flat multi-directional antenna whose patented dual-plane design provides consumers with more antenna in less space. Designed to be hung on the wall, rest on a stand or lie flat on a shelf, the 10.4-inch square, 0.78 inch-thin antenna virtually disappears in a room. The ANT1500¿s patented design consistently outperforms traditional antenna designs when receiving signals across the VHF and UHF bands.

Click Here to see more reviews about: RCA ANT1500 Large Multi-Directional Digital Flat Passive Antenna (White)

Review of Artec T3A PRO Digital to Analog Converter Box

2008-04-26T12:49:00.000-04:00

If U live in an area with good receptions, this might be a good converter for U except for the fact that this box has a rather large & bright blue light that comes on when it's turned on....(The top center of the box has the buttons that can control the power, volume, & the channel changes that U can use if something happens to go wrong with the small remote, & I believe that this box comes with a 1-yr. warranty....)

However, if U live in a bad digital reception area like me, I just can't recommend this bcs. its reception strength seems to be somewhat weaker than that of either a Sony or an Insignia HDTV that I've tried before....(However, the reception seems quite stable on those channels that this cnvrtr. box has been able to pick up....)

Product Description
Tunes And Decodes All 18 Approved ATSC DTV Broadcast Formats;Standard Definition NTSC 480i Output;EPG (Electronic Program Guide);V-Chip Lock (Parental Controls);Closed Caption;Aspect Ratio Control In 4:3 And 16:9 Mode;One Screen Menu;CH3/4 RF Output For Conventional Analog TV Set;Signal Quality Indicator;Sleep Mode For Power Saving;Stereo Analog Audio Output;Multi-Language Support;Compact and Stylish Design;Extra function Key (CH up/down, VOL up/down);Full Operation by Remote Control.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Artec T3A PRO Digital to Analog Converter Box

Review of Magnavox DTV Digital to Analog Converter

2008-04-25T16:30:00.000-04:00

I bought this Magnavox from a friend for $20.I already had used my coupons to buy 2 other converters, so this was a good deal for me.The Magnavox was very easy to set up, and brought in as many stations as the 2 other converters I have, and the picture quality and sound are also just as good.I've had it for several months and it never gives me any problems, but compared to my Zenith and Dish Network converters, the Magnavox is lacking in features and convenience.For example, if takes a minimum of 15 clicks on various keys to change the aspect on the Magnavox.On the other 2 converters it takes only a click or 2.Also with a simple thing like changing stations, there is a delay of about 2 seconds before the new station appears.It is instantaneous with the other 2 converters.

If you get a really good price, I would recommend the Magnavox, but I noticed even better prices for the Insignia NS-DXA1 (also from Amazon), which is the same as the Zenith DTT 900 that I have.

Product Description
Digital converter boxes receive over-the-air digital TV broadcasts for viewing on TVs that do not have built-in digital tuners. If you wish to keep using your analog TV set, you must purchase a digital converter box. Digital converter boxes are available at Wal-Mart stores nationwide. For additional information and to apply for digital converter box coupons, visit www.dtv2009.gov or call 1-888-DTV-2009. This box receives over-the-air digital TV broadcasts for viewing on a TV that does not have a built-in digital (ATSC) tuner. Additional features include a trilingual on-screen display, audio/video output, antenna input (F-type connector), and remote control.

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Review of Antennas Direct DB2 Multi Directional HDTV Antenna

2008-04-24T18:37:00.000-04:00

We have a secluded lot, about 2 acres, with mature (40ft+) dense trees around us. The nearest antenna is 16 miles away and the Chicago antennas are 44 miles away. We use this with our Phillips Flatpanel 50" pixelplus 2 HDTV with its own built in HDTV antenna. With only the HDTV antenna that came with the TV we received maybe 2 channels on a sunny day.
We first plugged in this antenna in our ground floor bedroom and kept it right behind our right: obstructed view. We did a search and found 17 HDTV channels and another 20 clear regular channels.
When we then placed the antenna on the roof (used an old DirecTV cabling on the roof) we solidly got 20+ channels in HDTV and another 34 regular channels. Some aren"t prefect but most are as good as old 'regular' tv quality.

We will probably upgrade in the near future to the DB4 now that we know this works for us. This thing is no hoax but we do think you have to be within about 30 or max 40 miles to get any type of reception.

Our advice:
drop the useless expensive cable or satellite and take a 15$ per month Netflix membership to beat / defeat all the showtime or HBO stuff and add this antenna for the local news stuff. Saves us at LEAST 60$ a month.

Product Description
Although the DB2 was originally designed for outdoor use, it has quickly become one of the most popular indoor antennas due to its small size and extraordinary gain. The bowtie design provides strong gain across the entire UHF spectrum and it functions incredibly well in areas where a low profile antenna is required.

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Review of Sunkey SK-801ATSC Digital Converter Box

2008-04-23T21:32:00.000-04:00

I just received two of these devices and tested one of them.It seems to work well.Auto channel scanning is fast.You can also manually scan individual channels.It has a signal meter which is useful for antenna aiming.And you can choose how to display widescreen pictures (squished to 4:3, letterboxed, or zoomed).

The device has a plastic case, with very small cooling holes on top.I would worry about how long it will last with possibly inadequate cooling.Also, the remote control has a very flimsy battery cover.It has already begun to crack after opening it only twice.

Product Description
Digital ATSC compliant converter box with analog pass-thru.

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Review of GE 24775 Quantum HDTV Antenna

2008-04-22T22:38:00.000-04:00

This HTDV antenna is small enough to fit comfortably at the back of a shelf only 8 inches high, completely inside the TV stand.It requires very little space--it can fit behind another component, since it doesn't need any human access in use.One wire to the antenna socket on the TV, power cord to the power strip used for cable box and DVD player, and it's entirely invisible, wholly contained within the cabinet.I use it to receive digital signals (only) in a strong signal area (tower 2.5 miles away), and it does a great job looking out through a wood-and-steel TV-stand cabinet, through internal walls (old-fashioned dense lath and plaster), and then through external walls.It's great not to have a large and ugly indoor antenna visible in the room.

Product Description
Amplified Quantum Antenna is optimized for Digital Television.

Click Here to see more reviews about: GE 24775 Quantum HDTV Antenna

Review of USB NTSC Tuner / Digital Video Recorder

2008-04-21T15:10:00.000-04:00

I'm very happy with the Geniatech USB TV Tuner.It does it's job and was inexpensive.The video through the composite port is very good.The video through the tv port is decent, though a bit fuzzy.The picture size is completely adjustable on your screen, but the remote isn't great.
I didn't see it listed anywhere on the website, but the box says it requires a CPU of 2.0GHz or higher, but it works fine on 1.6GHz.

Two warnings:
1.When installing the tv tuner's software, you have the option of installing DirectX 9.0c.If you already have it or don't know if you do just go to the Driver and Software installs on the setup window and install those.It will tell you if you need to install DirectX 9.0c.I already had it, installed it again by accident, and it crashed my computer.I tried again without reinstalling directx, and it installed just fine.
2.If you have a Sigmatel Audio sound card like those on dell inspiron 1501 laptops, you have to download a new driver from LG at <<http://us.lgservice.com/index_b2c.jsp >> to get a line-in option to make the sound work.Go to the site, click "Software Upgrades", fill in "computer products", "notebook", your operating system, and search "sigmatel".Download and install the largest one and you're all set.

Despite those two hangups that most people won't even have to worry about, this is, overall, a very good buy.And after searching the web for many hours, I decided that FOR A PRODUCT UNDER $50, THIS IS THE BEST OPTION!!!

Product Description
UTV3 USB2.0 TV BOX is a new mini worldwide USB TV Box that turns your laptop/desktop into a portable digital multimedia center. The slim and compact design make it truly portable! Enjoy NTSC/PAL TV entertainment whenever you like and wherever you go. Capture all sorts of external video source and burn them to DVD files. This device also acts as a PVR (personal video recorder) with scheduling capability and time shifting function.Highlights *Watch TV on your PC *Play PS2/3 or Xbox games on your PC LCD monitor *Watch DVD/VCR on your PC screen *Record external videos into multiple formats *Capture still imagesDetailed Feature List *Watch TV on your laptop or desktop. *Worldwide support of NTSCPALand SECAM. Supports up to 181 channels. *Take external video signals from DVD/DV/VCR/Game Console and play in full screen. *Support scheduled recording as a PVR *Record in multiple formats (DVD/VCD/MPEG/AVI/WMV/MP3/WMA etc) *Capture still image in BMP format *Support Windows98SE/Me/2000/XPSystem Requirements*Intel Pentium 3 1.0 CPU or above *128 MB RAM256MB recommended. *1 free USB port *Video card with 32 MB memory *Windows 98/2000/XP (Service Pack 2) Package Contents *UTV3 USB2.0 TV Box *Remote control *High speed USB2.0 cable *Audio cable *Drivers and application CDWarranty: *One year standard manufacturer warranty.

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Review of Tivax DT-01 Amplified Indoor Digital TV Antenna (Black)

2008-04-20T02:32:00.000-04:00

I purchased the Tivax STB-T8 and this antenna (Tivax DT-01) and I'm having real good results. I turn the antenna amp on but leave the gain all the way down because I live about two miles from the John Hancock building and the Sears tower in downtown Chicago.That's where most all broadcasts originate in this city and with too much gain the picture will freeze and/or pixelate. I would recommend this.

Product Description
Enjoy high quality digital programming without paying monthly digital cable or satellite fees with this new Tivax DT-01 indoor DTV/TV antenna. The device is specially designed to receive digital broadcast signals from the major free networks. This product is suitable for use with an external 9V DC power supply for camper, boat, etc. Other features include rotatable dipole for the best reception of V/H polarization in UHF band, two adjustable stylus antenna for the best reception in VHF band, and changeable blue LED for reception indication.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Tivax DT-01 Amplified Indoor Digital TV Antenna (Black)

Review of Terk HDTVa Indoor Amplified High-Definition Antenna for Off-Air HDTV Reception

2008-04-19T07:32:00.000-04:00

Having spent a bundle acquiring a Sony LCD HDTV and upgrading our Dish service to include its limited set of HDTV channels, we were anxious to see what an Over-the-Air Antenna might add.

In all, we tested 5, including the highly rated Zenith log periodic (about $40 at Sears), an amplified Samsung (about $99 at Best Buy), an outdoor Terk 32 (about $80 at Circuit City), our old roof mounted VHF/UHF antenna (circa 1985), and the amplified Terk HDTVa (about $50 at Radio Shack). The Terk HDTVa won hands down; no contest, blowing away the much touted Zenith.

We live in the sparsely populated, low hill countryside of Western Massachuetts. The THDTVa effortlessly brings in between 20 and 30 analogue and digital (incl hdtv) channels broadcast most from 12 to 45 miles away, and some as far as 65+ miles away in Connecticut. Some digital OTA channels actually come in more sharply than some of the (Dish) satellite digital channels.

This is definitely a keeper: a great value, gem of an antenna. So good, in fact, we are debating giving up our $50/month Dish service, putting $15 of that to Netflix to replace HBO, and banking the remaining $35.

Product Description
Have you just bought a widescreen HDTV compatible TV? There are a few options on how to get any or good HDTV reception. Cable-TV and Satellite might be the best but the monthly rates are over $40 each month. HDTV is also available free over broadcast airwaves. This is an indoor antenna that's designed to capture HDTV from the air. At no monthly cost to you anytime. The moon belongs to everyone and you can receive hundreds of HDTV channels (depending on your area) on your new ATSC TV. Instead of paying Cable-TV or Dish bills, you can spend money on things that make you happier. Terk HDTVa is an indoor TV antenna with a built-in amplifier for better reception. A high-gain amplifier increases reception range without the necessity of mounting an antenna outdoors. From the reliable antenna manufacturer, turn on your TV and enjoy what you see and hear. Provides access to no-cost HD programming Excellent for urban environments where space is at a premium and outdoor antenna installation isn't possible Appealing design with small footprint Anyone can install HDTVa in minutes

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Review of PowerQ POWERHD-100 Indoor Portable Pop-Up Digital HDTV Antenna - Get FREE TV Broadcasts!

2008-04-18T07:06:00.000-04:00

This antenna picks up dozens of channels, is small and portable. I have a an AMD TV stick for my laptop and can connect this antenna and watch TV almost anywhere.
It's very easy to use, just connect to any HDTV ready TV or converter box and that's it.

I owned the TERK amplified antenna and this one is less of an eye sore and works as good or better.

I would recommend this antenna to anyone who may not want to pay to watch cable TV or needs a backup when the cable goes out.

Product Description
The PowerHD-100 is the first truly portable digital TV antenna that enables you to receive free off air digital broadcast stations in your area. Receive both high definition (HDTV) and standard definition (SDTV) digital programming using your existing digital TV, analog TV with converter box, or USB/PC TV tuner and laptop computer. It is a unique product in its compactness (6.5 x 2.2 x1.5 inches) and pop- up element design. The internal low noise amplifier maximizes reception. The PowerHD-100 can be powered via batteries, USB power from a PC or laptop, or by AC adapter. The PowerHD-100 is the only practical portable solution for viewing digital television on your laptop. Current USB tuner sticks do not come with usable antennas as an accessory, so a separate antenna is required to receive the maximum number of stations possible. The PowerHD-100 is the ideal antenna solution for watching TV on travel. With the mandatory ending of broadcast analog TV on June 12th, 2009, there will be an increasing demand for antennas for home use. The PowerHD -100 is an ideal antenna for your home, as it can also be used with any plasma or LCD flat panel TV with an internal ATSC tuner. Hook up the PowerHD-100 to additional TVs in your house to avoid added fees for multiple cable boxes. Everything you need to receive free TV immediately is in the box. Simple hookup, installs in minutes.You Receive: Product and accessories in full retail package. Includes AC/DC adapter, F/F coax cable (to connect to your TV/Tuner), USB cable, (2) AA batteries, and User Guide. One year warranty. Glossary of Terms ATSC - This is the North American standard for receiving broadcast TV signals. HDTV - High Definition TV format, 720 and 1080 lines of resolution. USB Tuner Stick - This is a TV tuner device that plugs into your USB port. Made by ATI, Pinnacle, Hauppauge, etc.

Click Here to see more reviews about: PowerQ POWERHD-100 Indoor Portable Pop-Up Digital HDTV Antenna - Get FREE TV Broadcasts!

Review of DTV Tuner Converter Box

2008-04-17T10:56:00.000-04:00

Strongest signal of the four tuners I've tried, and the best picture quality as well. And this unit has the quickest, most useful remote, too. It's universal, so you don't need to change back and forth between remotes for power, channel, and volume. Box responds quickly to signals from the remote. Setup was a snap, and the menu contains several picture settings. I did not notice any analog channel options, but that's no matter: analog broadcasts soon won't exist.

Product Description
Digital to Analog DTV Tuner Converter Box This converter box comes in a nice compact form factor and has buttons on the box for power on/off and channel up/down. The universal remote should be able to control the power, volume and input source on your TV. It is programmed by holding the "TV Power" button on the remote and then pressing the "Up" button until the TV set turns off. The instructions say if the TV does not respond withing 150 trials, then it can not control your TV. The instructions also have IR Code listings - so I assume that an IR blaster should be able to control it. The Electronic Program Guide is limited by the amount of data from the broadcast feed. Some other boxes (like the Zenith DTT900) only show what is currently on, and what will be on next. The tuner sensitivity is almost as good as the Zenith DTT900 - I think I get 1 channel less. If you like style and features, then this box is a good selection. If you want rock solid basic performance, then go with something like the Zenith DTT900/901.

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Review of Digital Stream Analog Pass-through DTV Converter Box

2008-04-16T13:38:00.000-04:00

Amazon has 2 Digital Stream units in their list.The other cost ~$30 more but looks identical (the other has a shipping weight of 200 lbs unless they fixed the error).The unit is made by NHENS Digital and is sold mainly at Radio Shack.

I've tried 3 units, the Tivax STB-T9 recommended by Consumer Report, the DTVPAL TR-40CRA, and this Digital Stream recommended by friends.

All 3 boxes converted the digital pictures well. All has the electronic program guide (EPG) but the DTVPAL and Digital Stream were the best.

The Digital Stream would be my top choice if it had a timer for the VCR.It has a very good universal remote(I was able to find the code for my old JC Penny TV), a seperate button for channel signal strength, a built-in transformer and manual On & Up/down channel buttons.

The DTVPal has a timer so you can program it to turn the box on and off for a specific channel to match your VCR timer.The remote is convoluted and non-universal so you can't turn on your TV with this remote. It has an little "brick" transformer, no manual control buttons, a very bright ON LED and a cheap looking plastic box.

The Tivax is built with a metal box instead of plastic and has a built-in transformer but seems to run warmer than the others.Manual On, Up/down channel buttons.Very basic but simple remote.I don't know why Consumer Report gave this unit such a high rating.I bought this unit from Amazon's link Solid Signal which handled the coupons easier than Amazon.

Product Description
Convert over-the-air digital signals so you can see them on your analog TV with this Digital-to-Analog Converter Box. Make the transition from analog to digital broadcasting with ease. The analog pass-through feature ensures that you will be able to receive signals from both analog and digital stations. New factory sealed item. Satisfaction Guaranteed. Ships immediately!What's in the box Digital-to-Analog Converter BoxRemote control"AAA" alkaline batteries (AAA)User's guideStartup guideRF cable

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Review of Apex Digital Converter Box - DT250A

2008-04-15T19:51:00.000-04:00

I purchased this item a few months ago and have been having problems for a couple of weeks.When I turn the unit on it usually does not turn on for several minutes up to several hours(I forgot it was on once when we left the house when I came home it still had not signal and my tv and box had been on the whole time we were gone).If the unit does turn on then I get a green screen which usually locks up at which point I have to unplug the unit to get it to turn off b/c the power button is useless at this point.

Prior to the unit breaking it still was not a great unit.
1. The tv guide doesn't always work.
2. Remote must be pointed directly at the box to get a response.
3. Unit gets extremely hot.
4. Universal codes are not available so you must have 2 remotes.
5. No buttons on the converter box to adjust channel

I called customer service today to try and get help,what a joke that was.I was told repeatedly how sorry they were but it would cost me $30 to get it fixed, plus shipping, b/c I did not have my sales receipt.Even if I did have my sales receipt it needed to be with in 90 days or else I still had to pay for the repairs.This is the worst warranty for an electronics item I have ever heard of and the people on the phone were not helpful at all.I was however given the option of faxing them a letter of complaint if I wanted but was basically told they would not help me.

I have owned one other Apex item and it is my estimation that everything they make is a complete piece of junk as the dvd player also broke soon after purchase.

Whatever you do don't waste your money on apex items!

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Review of Artec T3AP-LS Digital to Analog One Key Converter Box with Pass Through

2008-04-14T20:08:00.000-04:00

i bought this converter with indoor artec antenna, not from amazon. They work perfect inside my house. I do not expected them working so well.
The look of box is not cute ifnot dull.
One more thing , cheap batteries for remote control is leak and dead when i opened.

Product Description
Analog Pass-Through for receiving analog Signals;Tunes And Decodes All 18 Approved ATSC DTV Broadcast Formats;Standard Definition NTSC 480i Output;EPG (Electronic Program Guide);V-Chip Lock (Parental Controls);Closed Caption;Aspect Ratio Control In 4:3 And 16:9 Mode;One Screen Menu;CH3/4 RF Output For Conventional Analog TV Set;Signal Quality Indicator;Sleep Mode For Power Saving;Stereo Analog Audio Output;Multi-Language Support;Compact and Stylish Design;Extra function Key (CH up/down, VOL up/down);Full Operation by Remote Control.

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Review of Access HD 1080D NTIA-Approved Digital to Analog TV Converter Box

2008-04-13T17:14:00.000-04:00

I purchased this using one of the government coupons to upgrade one of my TV's that does not have a digital tuner built in.The short of it is that it does work; just not as good as I had hoped.

The positive is that the picture using the RCA outputs is good.Almost as good as a decent DVD player.It has an onscreen guide that will show you what is currently on a selected channel as well as what is on for the next few hours.The set up was easy using the onscreen guide and it found all the channels my other digital TV with the built in tuner found.

Now the bad.For some reason it has this kind of high-pitched buzz on every channel.It increases with the volume.It is there with both outputs and is incredibly annoying. It does get hot as noted in other reviews but not so hot as to pose a threat or hazard. The remote is terrible and is not always responsive and the unit takes a minute to boot up.

The bottom line is that this unit would work great for a TV in the kitchen or a guest room, but for your main TV, spring for a better unit.I am looking at the Samsung 260F for the living room.

Cheers!

Product Description
Digital-analog converter box enables analog TVs and digital ready TVs to receive free, off-air UHF and VHF eigital images.

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Review of Insignia NS-DXA1 Digital to Analog TV Tuner Converter Box for Regular TV Sets

2008-04-12T06:11:00.000-04:00

Insignia/Zenith/LG DTT901 DTV converter box review

LG makes these converter boxes and sells them as either a Zenith DTT901 or a Insignia brand (at BestBuy). After much research at AVSForum re selection, here is a quick summary of my own experiences.
Out of the half dozen or so READILY available boxes, this one is by far the best. Some other ones are prone to: locking up requiring a reset, sound problems, running very hot, may be impossible to add channels manually, and have difficulties setting the aspect ratio such that the program fills the screen best. These LG/Zenith/Insignia boxes have none of those problems, but make sure that you get one built after April '08 (there is a sticker on the side of the box with either ie "built May 2008" or something like 05A08). Setup is easy, sensitivity is great. With a set of rabbit ears I get stations from 70-90 miles away (see TVFool website for antenna directions and maps for your own area).
Picture Zoom is settable for each channel, box can turn off the TV, and has an independent volume control. There are a couple of small items not quite up to par: Program guide is VERY simple, only current program and NEXT program are described, power cord is only 5ft long, if you set the converter on top of a large tv on a stand, it has a hard time reaching a floor level outlet. The signal strength meter (used for fine tuning the antenna position)has its own button on the remote, with a bar and amplitude varying beeps, but it lags the antenna movement by second or two, so you have to pause after moving the antenna each time to get a true signal level. Oh, and by the way, the picture quality (PQ)is excellent over the composite RCA outlet, and almost as excellent over the RF coax output. And yes, when turned off, the box will pass analog signal to the TV (APT), I thought that would be important, but all of my stations analog signals are duplicated on digital channels, and once you see a perfect quality signal it is very hard to watch a snowy picture. The DTT901 boxes are approved for the 40$ rebate coupon (but some websites may have problems redeeming them and you may have to try a BM (brick and mortar store) instead.

Product Description
Don't toss that old TV - use this converter box to pick up the new Digital TV signals and watch them on your regular TV set!This Insignia NS-DXA1 converts digital TV broadcast signals to your analog TV and displays digital TV at standard-definition (480i) screen resolution! It supports 4:3 TV aspect modes, including set by program, letterbox, cropped and squeezed; also supports 16:9 aspect modes, including set by program, 4:3, 16:9 and zoom. The NS-DXA1 features On-screen trilingual (English, French and Spanish) menu, parental lock function, electronic programming guide, auto tuning and auto time setup! Analog TV signal ends on February 17, 2009. Buy this Insignia NS-DXA1 Digital to Analog TV Tuner Converter Box right now!

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Review of Lasonic LTA-260 ATSC Digital to Analog TV Converter Box

2008-04-11T20:22:00.000-04:00

I purchased the Lasonic LTA-260 from Amazon because it's highly rated by Consumer Reports. The unit is extremely easy to hook up. The instructions are clear and the unit is easy to use. The features are very basic, but the unit produces a very nice picture. I live between Chicago and Milwaukee. I used the channel scan function and the unit detected 44 channels - using only rabbit ears! The signal strength and picture from 75% of the stations are very good. I got excellent results at a reasonable price.

Product Description
The Lasonic LTA-260 is a converter box for television sets not connected to satellite or cable service to receive the new ATSC digital high definition signals. It supports both 4:3 and 16:9 video formats, displays antenna signal strength oh your TV screen, and even includes composite audio and video outputs. Includes remote control.

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Review of Magnavox TB100MG9 Digital to Analog TV Converter Box, Silver

2008-04-10T16:05:00.000-04:00

I purchased this converter box, Magnavox TB100MG9, but not from Amazon. It is good if you get a good signal but I much prefer the Insignia NS-DXA1-APT which is purchased from Best Buy as it is their brand. The analog-pass-thru for the Magnavox sucks big time, not important after the February 17th 2009 switchover but you may as well say that there is NO analog-pass-thru on this box as it sucks that much. The Insignia model has far better analog-pass-thru, almost as good as the box not being there. The Insignia costs around $10 more at Best Buy but in my opinion, it is worth it.

Product Description
Digital to Analog converter

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