DTV to Analog Converters showcased with vintage TVs

[matt_s78mn]

Just ran across this article in a trade mag that I get at work. Thought y'all would enjoy it.

http://www.tvtechnology.com/pages/s.0157/t.8709.html

[peverett]

These pictures look similar to what I get using the HDTV to analog converter that I purchased over the internet.

[Carmine]

LG hooked its box up to an old Zenith and RCA hooked its up to a vintage 1968 RCA set. Snowy images on some sets were attributed to the old tubes picking up plenty of electrical interference.

Huh, I never knew that tubes "received" electrical interference...

Perhaps they used sets so very old on purpose? For hoodwinking idiot politicians into believing an artifact-filled, garbage picture is the result of "tubes"?

[radiotvnut]

I got a good laugh out of them saying that the snowy picture was attributed to the tubes picking up electrical interference. You are probably right about them useing old sets to make politicians believe that it's the set causing the problem and not the signal. They could have also done it to push consumers to buy new "digital ready" TV's and dump their old analog "junk". I just remember my aunt had an RCA that was a little newer (still a tube set) than this one and hers had a great picture. A friend of mine recently bought an LCD set with built in ATSC tuner. He told me the digital reception was good when it worked. Other times, he said it would flicker, drop out, show artifacts, etc. He finally got fed up and got cable.

[peverett]

I also have seen the artifacts, picture stopping, etc. However, as all of the analog stations here (except 1) are UHF and my UHF reception is week, the analog picture would vary quality also.

The most irritating difference between analog and digital is that when the digital drops out the sound stops. This is not true of analog. I can imagine how this could affect people during a storm warning(The very time that the digital signal is prone to drop out).

[radiotvnut]

I'm really afraid this whole digital thing is going to bite someone in the butt unless things are improved between now and early 2009. I suspect s..t will hit the fan when people turn their TV's on in 2/09 only to be greeted with snow instead of the analog signal they were used to receiving.

[fsjonsey]

Thats funny, because the 1968 zenith in my garage recieves crystal clear NTSC pictures with nothing but a pair of rabbit ears, no "tube interference" to be seen. What a pile of bulls*it.

[fsjonsey]

I take it that RCA and LG/Zenith keep a fleet of old sets in the wings for occasions such as this? A ct-100 would have been more impressive in my opinion. I'm wondering if the "snowy picture" was in reality a weak CRT or a improperly converged and adjusted set.

[Carmine]

Well let's see, this one is OTA with rabbit ears, in a basement with at least 6 florescent light fixtures within 3-15' away. I'm guessing that's a pretty bad reception scenario... Where's my snow?



Although, in this day & age of digital photography, it would have been nice if they at least made a half-assed attempt at taking a good picture... I spent very little effort on mine other than shutting off the flash.

[markthefixer]

Their converter's output is probably so crappy they NEEDED a set with limited bandwidth, misconvergence, weak tuner and tubes and a washed out display to hide the artifacts. Those politicians are in for a S#@#%storm when people start hooking them up to more recent sets. The manufacturers responsible had BETTER look out for their STOCK values as well.... they may NEVER recover........

And they made D$%$ SURE the changeover doesn't happen until just AFTER the elections, giving them a year plus to spin the damage and try to recover before the vengeful public takes it out on them in an election....

They have forgotten that you don't mess with the bread and circuses that keep the "masses" mesmerized...

[Adam]

Is that even a tube set in the picture?, it looks to me like it says 'solid state' in the bottom right corner under the controls.

[compucat]

Two words, Bah-Loney. I've had my Zenith roundie connected to an ATSC converter since I restored it four months ago and the picture is great. There is no "tube interference". In fact, the converter just died the other day but the Zenith is still going. The problem is not going to be the tv sets. It's the poor reception that makes digital almost unwatchable nearly every night. The slightest hint of bad weather or high winds knocks it right out. They should have left well enough alone. Of course, if it were up to me we would still be manufacturing tube tv for the larger screen sizes and using solid state only for portables but that's just me.

[fsjonsey]

We should get a grassroots movement going to stop this. Compucat, your converter died that fast? I guess the government had them build those converters as cheaply as possible for a reason.

[OvenMaster]

I have two questions.

1. Are they implying that tube-based television sets might be picking up electrical interference from all the digital RF being sprayed in the room from the converter boxes themselves, because they're connected to indoor antennas and in the immediate vicinity of the converter? If so, they're not making that very clear and they're implying it's the receiver itself that's at fault.

2. " LG’s box used a $12 bow-tie antenna. RCA used a more advanced “smart” antenna, and Broadcom used a “smart” antenna from an antenna company it bought, Pause TV."

I'm getting the very strong impression that the converter boxes mentioned are integrated units with indoor antennas. Why is there no mention of boxes that could have an outdoor antenna connected to them for improved reception range? Will those even be offered, or will enterprising people have to jerry-rig a solution?

Tom

[zenith2134]

Jeez I sure wish someone would build a decent-quality, higher-end SD-HD converter already. What the hell are we waiting for, most people here already switched to HD and the 2009 date is right around the corner practically. Besides the rebates they will offer, does anyone know how much these things actually cost? Can't be much for such a low-grade product.