best place to get a dtv box using govt. coupon? (and which dtv conversion box to get)

[Jeff]

Have an old analog 24" TV - I've made fun of the ads running giving people "only" a year to upgrade or get a dtv box, but now I'm thinking of actually doing it since on a whim I signed up for one of the coupons and got it in the mail as a little credit card (seems a pretty wasteful way to issue coupons, since it probably costs them a buck or two just to give the coupon itself and mail it, but that was the only way offered, no option for a simple online code giving the same thing as what's embossed on the dtv credit card.)

1.) Any recommendations on the specific dtv box to get (with budget in mind) or any to avoid at all costs, or is the digital to analog conversion so simple that even the el-cheapo boxes work just fine?

2.) Is there a best place online to buy a dtv conversion box using the government coupon? It kind of irks me that the price of one model at buy.com was something like $43 but they don't accept the coupon; the lowest price I could find from an online store accepting the coupon was around $60 so it appears they're simply upping the price by $20 to accept government's $40 coupon -- maybe to account for the trouble of getting reimbursed, but it seems a bit of a rip off.

[Kevin]

I don't have any direct experience because I have no need for one but everyone I know who has one got it at WalMart. I don't think there is much of a difference between the different models.

[Jeff]

Looks like walmart sells a magnavox box for $49 or $9 after the coupon, but

Not Sold Online

and

We found no stores within 100 miles that carry this product.

[Kevin]

None of the people I know who have one are very high tech. They are all old people with ancient TVs with knobs on the front of them (one is even black and white) and no cable or satellite TV service. They all just walked into WalMart with the coupon and said "give me one of these".

[Jeff]

I'm used to computer parts, internet services, etc. where there are tons of technical reviews to make a decision. Maybe I'll have to make this one on how pretty the box is It also feels a bit similar to researching analog modem commands 5 years after the rest of America had gone to broadband, but my theory is that if I have more channels via satellite tv, I'll end up watching more TV and being less productive; granted, in practice, it may mean that I simply enjoy my vegetative state watching poorer tv.

This seems like a decent matrix though I've never heard of 95% of these companies -- http://www.ezdigitaltv.com/Converter_Box.html

CNET reviewed 5 - http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-tv-converter/ including the dish network $60 box which has a dish-like onscreen channel guide. They probably know their stuff, though I have the uneasy feeling that this box would be trying its best to hook me into pay-by-the-month satellite tv

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/e...-and-notes.htm reviewed a number of others and said the best picture quality dtv boxes were the
Tivax STB-T9
Lasonic LTA-260
Sansonic FT300A
Microgem MG2000
none of which were in the cnet review and none of which I've heard of before.

[Tom E.]

I got a DigitalStream DTX9900 at Radio Shack a few months ago and the picture quality is as good as watching a DVD.

I'm using a cheap ($20-$30) powered antenna in the attic to get the signal and reception is excellent on most channels, but a few are subject to problems during stormy weather.

I know someone who got the other $60 converter that Radio Shack carries (RCA, I think) and the quality and features are about the same.

[Kevin]

I just want to point out one thing just in case some people reading this don't know...

You ONLY need one of these boxes if you have an analog only TV and you get your TV content from local channels over the air. Over the air as in rabbit ears or similar antennas. If you pay for any kind of TV service (like cable or dish) or if your TV is digital capable you don't need one of these boxes.

[tjlid]

Originally Posted by Kevin

I just want to point out one thing just in case some people reading this don't know...

You ONLY need one of these boxes if you have an analog only TV and you get your TV content from local channels over the air. Over the air as in rabbit ears or similar antennas. If you pay for any kind of TV service (like cable or dish) or if your TV is digital capable you don't need one of these boxes.

Don't forget about your analog recording devices. If you want to continue using them via antenna, you will need a converter box to feed them after next February.

I went for the DTVPal because of it's superior on screen guide and ability to set timers for future programs. It was $60 before coupon discount from solidsignal.com, but I was recently told that Sears now sells it. More information about the DTVPal is here. Be sure to click on the links in post #3 and post #4.

[Randall]

The reception in this part of state is so bad that a DTV converter would be superfluous. Cable is the only way to go.

We did an experiment once with my father's HDTV, which has an ATSC tuner. Managed to pull in one HD station, and it basically looked as bad as the standard version. Aside from the aspect ratio, you'd never know it was HD.

Granted, all we had at our disposal was a pair of rabbit ears, but the condo complex's antenna was removed a long time ago (and wasn't that great to begin with). I doubt anyone there gets their TV over the air.

Randall

[Kevin]

I do not have cable or satellite TV service. I don't use an antenna much either but I do occasionally use an outside antenna to watch the local news. My TV has an ATSC tuner though so I still don't have to care about a converter box. I might someday get a better antenna though. My reception is much worse than it should be.