Using ATSC Set-Top-Boxes with vintage sets.

[ChrisW6ATV]

Originally Posted by zenith2134

I use my digital cable box with my 1980 xl-100 at the moment, and the picture is perfect. Wouldn't this be quite similar to an DTV>SDTV converter, since the cable box is acting as a D/A converter? I'm not worried about that aspect of the conversion, but the weak digital signals can ruin the whole shebang. I mean, sometimes my digital cable freezes up and reboots. They told me we have 'weak signals' in my area...and thats over a cable line! So I cannot imagine how bad OTA can get...

Using your cable box that way is exactly how it will be once analog TV goes away.

For the cable company to say "the signals are weak" is inexcusable. It is their job to fix that, and provide flawless signals. That is what you are paying for. I remember in the 1980's, when I still had cable TV, I was getting herringbone patterns on the local channels that were part of the cable signal. I am sure the problem was from "real" OTA signals leaking into the system. The cable company swapped the box but the problem remained, and they said "it is probably just the limits of your TV's tuner". I told them I had one of the best tuners on the market (Sony Profeel VTX-1000R), and if they have a TV that will not display the problem, bring it over and show me. Gee, surprise, they actually fixed their broken system the right way within a few days...