"Philco" brand DTV converter boxes at Fred Meyer's - Videokarma.org TV - Video

wa2ise · #1 03-14-2009, 12:56 AM

Saw them on sale for $50. Couldn't tell from the box what sort of connections it has (S-video?). China's best.

Don't know if they're any good or not, didn't buy one (I have plenty of 'em now.

radiotvnut · #2 03-14-2009, 10:58 AM

The Philco's that I've seen are the same as the $49 Funai built Magnavox boxes. I've got one Magnavox box and I'd highly recommend spending the extra $10 on the slightly better box.

Carmine · #3 03-14-2009, 05:01 PM

My parents bought one of these POS units (although I don't know the model number). It has no controls on the unit, which means it's worthless without the remote. Avoid.

radiotvnut · #4 03-14-2009, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carmine

My parents bought one of these POS units (although I don't know the model number). It has no controls on the unit, which means it's worthless without the remote. Avoid.

Just like the Magnavox. The only control is a side mounted master power switch. Usually, the el cheapo remotes are the first things to go. I wonder how many of these boxes will end up in the trash because the remote died and there are no controls on the box. Mine came from a friend who lives out in the woods and discovered he couldn't get DTV reception with an indoor antenna. I bought his box for the $15 he had in it. I used it long enough just to see if it worked and put it in the closet. I like my $59 RatShack Digitalstream box much better.

wilkes85 · #5 03-17-2009, 03:47 PM

I just hate the whole digital conversion. We all know it's just a moneymaking scheme anyway.

jedo1507r · #6 03-17-2009, 07:47 PM

From what I've experienced from a friend's plastic fantastic DTV converter (Magnavox) was that it ran warm without much ventilation and we did not care for the Funai VCR remote holdover design. He promptly returned it for an LG (Zenith), which picked up more channels than that plastic Funai box. Of course, he paid the full price of the CECB just for that freedom of choice.

For that Philco brand, an outlet store in my city has a bunch (20-22 units) around for $25 (cannot use coupons). A few bit on them over the past month. Pass.

zenith2134 · #7 03-17-2009, 09:37 PM

I love how these boxes are mostly named Philco, Magnavox, & Zenith in a possible attempt to dupe older buyers into buying an American product...

Hey pa, we can go digital finally, I picked up a Setchell-Carlson ATSC converter!

radiotvnut · #8 03-17-2009, 10:02 PM

I wonder when the Atwater-Kent models will come out?

zenith2134 · #9 03-17-2009, 10:07 PM

...and will they be able to receive channel-1 in HD?

Maybe this will interest some of you guys...In one of my classes, the professor briefly mentioned how he was around for the advent of color TV, and how 'we don't even realize the innovation around us these days' what with wireless broadband services, digital TV, blah blah. I raised my hand and spoke a bit about the whole money-making side of it, and he said oh well that's what this country needs these days anyhow....I told him that my old TVs were built by and sold to people who were more moral, patriotic, and loyal than the people of today. He was pretty much speechless, and I swear that he has a newfound respect for me after this incident!