hd tv
 

i live near the U S boarder and receive both detroit and cleveland broadcasts. i'm on antenna so come feb i'll need a converter box. trouble is i can't get one in canada. we don't change till 2012. what's a box worth?? or do most recommend getting a new tv. shame to dump the cathode.

I've heard the boxes start at about $49US.

I got one NIB on eBay for $20. Used the two coupons already and needed a 3rd and this one will operate on 12VDC too. Something to consider if you have a battery operated analog TV for emergency use.

Sorry to be nit-picky, because I know what you mean, but don't confuse digital and the transition thereof with high definition TV.

Most digital transmissions will not be high def and the inexpensive converter boxes don't possess high definition capability.

Unless you are wanting a new TV there is no reason to buy one just because of the transition. As has been posted, converter boxes can be had for MUCH less than the cost of a new TV.

Hey those converter DTV converter boxes aren't that bad on standard TVs. I got two, a Magnovox from MalWart, and an Insignia from Best Buy. Both are have a clear picture, but I like the remote and usability of the Insignia. I think it was $59, vs te 39 for the Magnovox.

I found the picture resolution to be a huge improvement over the feed that Dish Network sends down of the local channels, plus the fact that they can send muliple channels on one stations just about doubles the number of programs.

Im on Dish network , just the standard stuff i havent ordered the HD yet . My tv is a Philips 50" Plasma 2 years old, i notice that the pic isnt all that great . Not crisp and clear as i thought it would be . Will these boxes help out , or do i need the Dish network HD upgrade to have that true Hd quality picture ?????.

The converter box may or may not give you a better picture than you currently have, but almost certainly wayyy less channels.

One thing is absolute and that is that these $40, give or take, converter boxes are not high definition receivers/tuners.

There is at least a 50/50 chance your Phililps TV has a digital tuner built in that makes the converter box unnecessary to receive digital broadcasts OTA (over the air). Check the specs to see if it has an ATSC tuner.

ATSC tuner = digital tuner for receiving OTA digital broadcasts
QAM = digital tuner for receiving digital CATV channels
NTSC = analog tuner for receiving analog CATV or analog OTA broadcasts

The bottom line is if you are going to stay with Dish Network, yes, you do need the HD upgrade to get HD picture.

The other alternative is to check the TV spec for the ATSC tuner I mentioned and if it has one, connect an antenna to see what you can pull in for free OTA. There's a decent chance you'll get at least one or two channels in true high def. Depending on what's transmitting around you, you may need a VHF antenna or UHF antenna. Antennaweb.org has that information.