[drh4683]

I decided to go to a few more stores after work today in search for decent quality converter boxes. I turned up nothing for the most part. I say for the most part because I accidentally ran across a Zenith DTT-901 at radio shack! That was my first stop. I was surprised to see it, the box was rough, but unopened. I asked about it and the guy at the store says he is quite surprized that unit was still in the store. Next to it was a digital stream box. They only had one of each.
I'd say we can confirm the belief that the zenith/insiginal boxes are NLA. The guy even told me that he suggested I get the zenith box, as its a very good unit and they are no longer being made. I asked about the digital stream box as far as them being available in the future. He claimed they would get more, but the zenith I bought this evening would be the last one the store would ever sell.

My next stop was to Wal-Mart. I'm not a big supporter of that store, but I was curious what kind of converters they might carry. I've heard from others that they sell Magnavox and RCA. I exptected to see one of the two. I didn't see anything on the shelf so I asked the guy in the electronics department. Again, "long gone" was the quote. Wal-mart no longer sells DTV converters. The guy tells me "you might get lucky and still find some at best buy". I kind of laughed when the guy told me that. Its like these things are becoming so hard to find that you need "luck" to get one.

I then went to Target. There they had some converters. They had the cheapo Apex box, then next to it was some strange unidentified model. It just said "Digital to Analog Converter" On the actual barcode, was the RCA logo in very small letters. Again, not one indication of RCA on the box, converter itself or remote.

I think I've exhausted all of my resources. I've hit all the big electronics stores, the general merchandise stores. Only thing I can think of is that perhaps lowes or menards might happen to have a few in their audio/video components aisle, but if they did, I'm sure they're the cheapest ones you can get.

Since walmart told me they are no longer being sold, I now believe what the guy at frys told me about their current stock being their last batch to be sold then its over. These things are being obsoleted very quick. I remember earlier this year going to the stores and they literally had the "good" converter boxes stacked in pyramids in the aisles, plenty in stock. Just 3 weeks after the shut down now and basically everyone is phasing them out.

I guess if you are the average "normal customer" who really needed the converter that there should no reason for you to be needing one at this stage as you should have one already. I assume thats how its being looked at by all the big stores and thats why they are all disappearing so fast.