How long will we be able to buy ATSC-NTSC converter boxes?

[Bill R]

Converters have been deleted at my WalMart. That doesn't mean we will not get any more. It does mean that the system will not automatically replenish them as they are sold. Someone at the store will have to manually order them. So some stores may have them and others will not. What I get a laugh out of is the people that say "You mean I need an antenna too?" Then I remember that in our area we are on the second generation of people that never had tv antennas only cable. And oh yes believe me the old lady in the You Tube video is out there. I see them almost every day. I also get tired of being cussed out becouse they can't get Memphis or Nashville any more. I just smile and tell them write your congress man.

Bill R

[compucat]

After hearing about the almost immediate phase out of converters, I promptly bought another Insignia box from Ebay. I have three of them in service for over a year with excellent results. I even have one connected to my ATSC ready TV because the built-in digital tuner has such poor reception. I need another one for my vintage sets. I intend to use vintage sets indefinitely so a converter is not an interim solution but a permanent way to keep the oldies in service. This whole transition is going to generate so much waste of otherwise serviceable equipment. I hate it. I honestly did not expect this. I thought converter boxes would be a permanent consumer item for several decades. I guess we TV collectors need to stash a few or resort to DVD players for programme content when the boxes are a long time unavailable. aside from portables, I really have no interest in flat panel sets. The digital artifacts are too noticeable. I just thought of something. Future DVD recorders should have digital tuners. That will keep the roundies glowing.

[zenithfan1]

There are almost no converters here either, Fuck the fcc, the us government, verizon, at&t and anyone else involved.

[drh4683]

Unreal isn't it? I really figured the converter box would hang in at the retail stores for quite a long time. All of this started with me because I honestly needed another converter for use upstairs in one of the unused bedrooms. Once I found out fry's didn't offer the channel master anymore, it sent me into a search for a decent converter by going basically everywhere they could be sold.

Look at marty's link he gave showing about the channel master CM-7000. If you click on the link for all the other converter boxes, there is quite a large list. Many of those converters listed are even indicated as "no longer stocked-no longer available" The CM-7000 is the most expensive one, so they probably have just a few left in stock. Who knows.

Granted, we can still buy them on ebay or some other source online if needed, but whats the average customer expected to do if they need a replacement box? Not everyone is going to go on a big search and hunt down for a converter box. Heck, I won't be surprised if there is some sort of programed failure time for the converters!

[DragonMaster]

All Best Buy has in Canada are the Coby and Apex units. Channel Master's website doesn't list the CM-7000 as discontinued, and you can buy it form their online store.

Samsung has the DTB-H260F which has HD and SPDIF outputs for HD-Ready TVs or a D-VHS . LG only seems to sell a VCR-DVD-ATSC tuner combo (RC897T for $450).

[Jeffhs]

I am almost convinced that the reason the converter boxes are so hard to find these days is because the makers of flat-panel sets do not want to see older sets in use anymore. They would rather see people junk their old (or not so old, but working perfectly well) analog TVs and buy new FP sets, now that the DTV conversion is complete and all full-power TV stations are digital, than to retrofit old sets with converters.

I am actually sorry this is happening, as it is eliminating the one way viewers can still get free over-the-air television in this new digital age. I was hoping to be able to find a converter to use with one of my sets just to see if I can get anything at all in digital in my area, which is 33 miles east of Cleveland (some 40 miles from the stations, as their towers are located in a Cleveland suburb seven miles from downtown) and is a poor-signal area for analog (I could only get one channel good enough to watch in analog with an antenna). The only boxes I've seen at this point have been off-brand converters offered at a local Rite-Aid pharmacy; I haven't seen them advertised anywhere else, and I don't think Rite-Aid will have them in stock much longer as the advertisement I saw the other day stated, in huge letters, "LAST CHANCE!". To me this means the converters will likely be available only until the stores' current stock is depleted, then they will be gone for good; the ad also mentioned this, stating that there would be no rainchecks.

This leaves viewers who still want access to local TV stations only two alternatives: one, get a new FP TV with an ATSC/QAM tuner (with a new outdoor antenna and a rotator on top of that needed in many areas), or two, get cable. I currently have basic cable (local channels only) from Time-Warner and am now buying (and renting from Netflix) DVDs for other programming not available on my level of service. Beats heck out of spending over $50 a month for expanded-basic cable. The only programs I really watch on a regular basis on cable these days anyway are reruns of the old late-1960s Bewitched series on WGN America, and the evening news on NBC.

BTW, I had been wondering for some time how Doug (drh4683) in west suburban Chicago is getting signals to his old Zenith and RCA TVs after the transition. However, I noted tonight in one of his posts that he did mention having an outdoor antenna with a rotor, so that answers the question...almost. The only other thing I'm wondering is whether he is using converter boxes on all his TVs, or does he have just one or two such converters that he transfers between sets? Hmmm.

[AUdubon5425]

Boy, they sure have some balls pulling something this blatant. Three weeks ago some stores were selling all the converter boxes they could get.

The Zenith/Insignia box appears to have been discontinued, which is a shame because it is a decent unit (performance wise at least.) Radio Shack is still stocking the DigitalStream boxes. I have one and it appeared to work well, although I live within five miles of all the local transmitters.

I am now curious about which companies made these suddenly discontinued converter boxes. I'm sure most if not all of them also produce televisions under some other brand name.

I also think a federal case could be made against many retailers and manufacturers for forcing the obsolescence of ntsc televisions, especially after the government doled out untold monies subsidizing converter boxes. But good luck finding a congressman willing to take on that cause - they're generally too busy pandering, whoring or stuffing their freezers with cash.

[DragonMaster]

I am almost convinced that the reason the converter boxes are so hard to find these days is because the makers of flat-panel sets do not want to see older sets in use anymore. They would rather see people junk their old (or not so old, but working perfectly well) analog TVs and buy new FP sets, now that the DTV conversion is complete and all full-power TV stations are digital, than to retrofit old sets with converters.

Yep, it does seem like DFP TV makers discontinued their converters(ie. the Zenith/Insignia/LG box), and brick and mortar stores would rather sell a new TV than a converter box, which is why they're getting rid of them, even if a lot of units are still manufactured and available (from a couple of small online stores that don't sell TVs).

Even if the converter boxes start to disappear, I don't think that DVD recorders and DVD/VCR combos will start to disappear soon. Almost every units have ATSC tuners.

[zenithfan1]

Goddamn fucking useless government and manufacturers. I apologize for the language but it was the nicest thing I could think of. Now, I'm going over to that site to buy an insignia before it's too late.



Edit: The deed is done, the insignia is now on it's way.

[radiotvnut]

These guys also have the Channel Master box.

http://www.summitsource.com/digital-...00-p-6886.html

I think I'll go ahead and order one before they become unavailable.

I thought I got lucky on the Zenith box. Sears shows the DTT901 on their website; but, claims the item is no longer available for shipment when checkout is attempted.

Now, I'm even more determined to keep all of my "outdated and un-eco friendly" televisions. They just THINK they're going to force me into buying a giant "etch-a-sketch" looking thing that masquerades as a quality TV. The day me and my "obsolete technology" part company will be the day I leave this world!

[Bill R]

Originally Posted by DragonMaster

Yep, it does seem like DFP TV makers discontinued their converters(ie. the Zenith/Insignia/LG box), and brick and mortar stores would rather sell a new TV than a converter box, which is why they're getting rid of them, even if a lot of units are still manufactured and available (from a couple of small online stores that don't sell TVs).

Even if the converter boxes start to disappear, I don't think that DVD recorders and DVD/VCR combos will start to disappear soon. Almost every units have ATSC tuners.

None of our DVD/VCR combos have tuners, and for that matter our DVD recorders do not have tuners. At our store we are workin on getting at least 200 more converters. We will see.

Bill R

[Jeffhs]

Originally Posted by Bill R

None of our DVD/VCR combos have tuners, and for that matter our DVD recorders do not have tuners.

Bill R

I think there are DVD/VCR combination units available with ATSC tuners, but they cost a lot more than the DVD/VCR players available for $30 or so at the discount stores such as Best Buy, Big Lots, et al. I recently saw an ad in my Sunday paper for a Sony DVD/VCR combo unit that was selling at Best Buy for well over $100.

You get what you pay for. The cheapies are playback only and may not last a year (!); the combos with tuners are probably better made and may last somewhat longer, but again, even those units are built with cheap plastic parts, like everything else. I have two Sony AM/FM portable radios from 1973 that still work like a charm today, but I wouldn't expect a modern Sony DVD/VCR player to last anywhere nearly that long.

My first DVD player was a CyberHome CH-DVD300, which looked and felt like it was built like a tank. However, it failed after three years. I replaced it last September with a Memorex full-size player which still works well, but I cannot say for how much longer. I recently read on another video forum (not AK) that these players will fail within nine months after initial purchase; the problem is a cheap capacitor that eventually swells and splits open, rendering the player inoperable. Again, you get what you pay for: these players sell for very low prices at discount stores (I got mine at Big Lots for $40), so the manufacturer (Changhong) cannot use quality parts in them and expect them to sell for such dirt-cheap prices.

Oh, well. At least the players with the built-in tuners can still be used as ATSC tuners when the DVD or VCR players, or both, go bad.

[AUdubon5425]

Originally Posted by radiotvnut

Now, I'm even more determined to keep all of my "outdated and un-eco friendly" televisions. They just THINK they're going to force me into buying a giant "etch-a-sketch" looking thing that masquerades as a quality TV. The day me and my "obsolete technology" part company will be the day I leave this world!

Damn right. I have no desire to buy anything other than a CRT television, and no real desire for anything bigger than a 25" set.

Also, I bought a Sony DVD recorder a few months ago, and it did not have a tuner. And it was not cheap, cost me about $100-$125.

[DragonMaster]

None of our DVD/VCR combos have tuners, and for that matter our DVD recorders do not have tuners. At our store we are workin on getting at least 200 more converters. We will see.

Toshiba has two DVD recorders and two DVD+VCR combos with ATSC tuners. JVC makes one combo unit with an ATSC tuner, same for LG. Panasonic sells two combo units and one DVD recorder, all with digital tuners. They all cost about $200 and up though. Of course, they all make tuner-less, cheaper versions of those units, and many stores only carry the tuner-less units.

[peverett]

My wife and I went to two different Radio Shacks. One had no Digital Stream ones in store but some were on order. The other had about 20 of them.