TV Converter Box

[Matt B]

The converter box will go between the antenna outlet at the TV (after the amplifier) and the TV. Each TV will require a seperate box and the cheapies will NOT provide HDTV and MAY NOT provide component video out. Also no HDMI output or surround sound. It just converts digital TV to something your old analog TV can use.

That said it still should provide a nicer picture but, it is more sensitive to some types of interference. The bad thing is (or good, depending on your point of view) is you will either get a signal or not. NO in betweens. No snow if the signal is good, no nothing if it is not.

[jd_hoffman]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Gary the Wombat:
I'm still a little confused about the installation in a motorhome with 2 tv's. If I put one digital conversion box between the antenna and the switch box and I want to watch the bedroom tv, the remote may not work that far and around the corner, and wouldn't it change channels on both tv's?. Plus it may interfere with power to the antenna. So, would I need to have 2 converter boxes, and install them right at each tv, after the switch box? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'll try to answer everything here.

1 box can only watch 1 channel at a time. What this means is, it is probably best to have 1 box for each TV.

It is possible to run a converter box into the video switch and output it to both TV's, however to do this without blocking power to the antenna will require another power source (wall-plate power supply that Matt B referred to).

The converter boxes that qualify for the coupon program CANNOT output HD. Government coupons only qualify towards "bare bones" boxes.

[Gary the Wombat]

If we do indeed need two converter boxes, one for each TV, then I can see some problems we may all have. Mainly where to put the boxes? There may be room above the switch box in the front cabinet for one, but the TV in the bedroom (on my coach at least) has absolutely no room for another box. I would have to devise some type of bracket and hang it underneath which would look really ugly.

I hope before next Feb. someone comes up with a more elegant solution, otherwise I will just have to use satellite or cable only, or install new digital TVs.

It seems that the RV industry has not thought this through yet.

[Bill Adams]

Gary,
Do not hold your breath for what you describe as an "elegant solution". There is no economic reason for anyone to devise something for those few of us RVers that would like to have such a unit. There are, I don't know, 300,000,000 household TV's and what, 1,000,000 (to be generous) RV TV's? More than half of those will either already have a digital capable TV, have room for 2 boxes or don't really care enough about over-the-air TV to do anything at all. Remember, satellite TV does not require any changes at all. Now, if you were going to try to build and sell (and hope to make a profit) an "elegant solution" to a tiny little market, what do you think your investors would do?

[RVJeeper]

Interesting discussion about the converter boxes. One question that came up around the campfire last weekend was if you have a newer surround sound tuner that is digital and your TV signal comes in to it first, then the analog TV, do you still need the converter?

[SCVJeff]

There are a few of those around, although I can't remember the names.

What I'm waiting for is the production version of the National Assoc. of Broadcasters (NAB) prototype I have in the office. It is slated to be a coupon level receiver with A/V outputs (no HDMI or component outputs). What's cool about it is that is has an electronically steered (Smart)antenna that, once it scans the area, remembers from what direction it heard any particular station. I.E. No pointing, no missing stations that were in the batwing null when scanned. Is anyone aware if this ever hit the market? This is exactly what belongs in an RV as opposed to a manually steered antenna.

... In fact here it is:


I don't THINK it'll be a big deal to replace the batwing, but haven't gotten that far..

[wagonmaster2]

Gary - I have the same question (problem) as to where will I put one of the silly boxes. The cabinet up front next to the TV is filled with the selector panel and the DVD/VCR. I hardly have room to slip the TV guide out of the Sunday paper in that area. There is room at the side of the DVD/VCR for a couple remote controls and thats about all. I may have to run a couple of cables down to the dash and let the box set there, which will look terrible.
Wagonmaster2

[Gary the Wombat]

One thing that is really disappointing to me--not only are RV manufacturers not allowing for the placement of converter boxes, but there are some that less than a year from d-day (digital-day) are STILL selling new motorhomes with old-style analog tv's.

[John66]

At Wal-Mart, I got a coupon supported converter box from RCA, cheaper than the 'regular' boxes elsewhere, and it DID have the jack for the 'Smart Antenna'. Only problem, I can't find anyplace to get the antenna...

[NeilV]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Finhawk:
I bought a box from Camping World last year. Hooked it up thru the VCR and can't tell the difference. So I don't know if it works or not. Guess I'm outa luck on the $40 rebate thng too. Sometimes thing just don't go well! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

A converter box connected to an analog TV will only give you a small part of the benefit of converting to digital in that there is no real fringe snowy reception. You either get a solid picture, a solid picture with random dropouts, dropouts with a random solid picture or no reception at all.

A true Digital HD TV will give you resolution up to 1920x1080 which is a big upgrade from 320x200 VHS, Analog Broadcast or even a DVD.

[ichn2go]

Wow, Lots of responses. I am gonna wait and see what next months Service Tips is all about.

One answer for me is to go strictly Satelite and forget the Batwing antennae. Already have DirectTV in the house, a extra box, a extra Tivo and they will come out and hook it up as I have the customer care package. Just have to learn to use it.

Now if only I don't have any trees in the way of the "bird". Good Luck and Safe Miles

[diesellabs]

Certainly this is the topic of the day....

We're probably going to wait a couple of years before changing out the analog TVs for true digital (and HDTV), so we'll be wanting to use the converter box in the interim. I received our coupons yesterday and have until June 26 to use them.

It seems we have a Winegard rep contributing to this discussion, so between him and the Winnebago folks I hope there is a forthcoming "converter box installs for RV dummies" publication -- something that makes it fairly straightfoward (dare I say easy) for those of us with the commonly installed video selector unit, Winegard antenna and amplifier, and close quarters associated with the front TV configurtion in our Winny coaches...

[FrontRangeRVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ichn2go:

Now if only I don't have any trees in the way of the "bird". Good Luck and Safe Miles </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That's the problem. Most of the time we will have our sat. dish hooked up, or cable...but what about the (many) times we have trees in the way of our Sat.dish?

Like I said, there is no way I am going to dump our perfectly good Sony analog TV's, and pay $1,000 for replacment flat screens yet.

I just need to know how to wire up the government supplied converter boxes to our existing sets, and where to put the dumb things.....

[Bill Adams]

I have been full-timing with DirecTV since 2000 and nearly all of my TV watching is via satellite. However, I still like to watch the local news when I can and you need your batwing antenna to do that.
I do have room for a converter box for the front TV so I will be getting one at some point in the future. I had thought that you could sign up for a coupon but not have it shipped until 2009 but I guess not. I really don't want one now that expires in 3 months as the final standards are not set and the box manufacturers are still changing their designs.
I don't see a problem with using one box to control 2 TV's when I also have satellite. Assuming I can find a box with a coax output then it is just a simple matter of moving the TV input out of the Video Control Center and into the converter. Then it's coax out from the converter to the VCC and you are back in business. Set the TV's to channel 3 (or whatever) and use the converter to change channels.
Room is obviously an issue and I have no great solution to that, but we have encountered the same problem when we have tried to add a satellite TV receiver to some coaches. RVers are very inventive and if a converter box needs room, a little thought (and maybe some wood and screws) will find a place for that box.

[jd_hoffman]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by diesellabs:
Certainly this is the topic of the day....

We're probably going to wait a couple of years before changing out the analog TVs for true digital (and HDTV), so we'll be wanting to use the converter box in the interim. I received our coupons yesterday and have until June 26 to use them.

It seems we have a Winegard rep contributing to this discussion, so between him and the Winnebago folks I hope there is a forthcoming "converter box installs for RV dummies" publication -- something that makes it fairly straightfoward (dare I say easy) for those of us with the commonly installed video selector unit, Winegard antenna and amplifier, and close quarters associated with the front TV configurtion in our Winny coaches... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

We have worked on some converter box wiring diagrams (when the RC-1010 came out for HD viewing and again now that our RC-DT09 is out) and the problem we always run into is that there are so many different layouts for coaches and different options for wiring depending on what the consumer wants.

Our RC-DT09 box has coax out or RCA (composite) outputs to connect to the TV. Also, there are wiring diagrams in the manual itself, and we provide these to our dealers and CW. We will also be at the Winneabgo GNR in Forest City, but most likely won't have the resources for converter box installations, but certainly will have materials and information there.

Our box is going to cost more than the Wal-Mart boxes, we knew that going in, but what we're really hoping we can offer is an educated dealer network (and CW's) that can handle these installations (that can be tricky in some cases), which is something the Wal-Marts/Best Buys/etc can't offer.

[hamguy]

It appears the channel selection is done through the conveter. My question is, can you hit a button to pass the satellite signal through without resorting to an A-B switch or the likes?

I have a dual feed tracking dish and a separate receiver for each TV. I almost never use the OTA antenna but on occasion, it has come in handy. ('specially in Canada/Alaska.)

[SCVJeff]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John66:
At Wal-Mart, I got a coupon supported converter box from RCA, cheaper than the 'regular' boxes elsewhere, and it DID have the jack for the 'Smart Antenna'. Only problem, I can't find anyplace to get the antenna... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>It's made by DX Antenna. Model# DTA-5000

Edit: What receiver do you have? The DTA-5000 seems married to one or two STB's only.

[John66]

RCA DTA800(B)

The Digital Converter box manual does not say anything about the 'Smart Antenna' jack (sort of like a phone jack on steroids) except to see the manual for the antenna.

[SCVJeff]

Well, since I have 2 unused coupons and an antenna, it'll cost me $10 to find out if this one works.

[Don The Ham]

My installation of the converter box is on http://irv2.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/frm/f/9156094452 TITLE &gt; DTV $10.00 10 Minites.

Converter box works great!