which brand of digital conv box, pro's and con's

[jdsr]

I did a search and found alot of how to's but not on which brand seems to be the best. I think analog pass through is a must but what other features and which BRAND do yall like.

[jdsr]

I did a search and found alot of how to's but not on which brand seems to be the best. I think analog pass through is a must but what other features and which BRAND do yall like.

[Rocket Heart]

IMO it's really too new for anyone to have many opinions. I think a lot depends on what equipment you currently have and what you want to accomplish with the converter. There are some who want to have the pass through capability for those stations not going to digital. Some will hook it up to the entertainment center and have all TV's in the coach run on the same machine and same channel.

I am going to hook my Motorola direct to the TV in both the front and the rear. Don't think you need to spend a ton to get what you need.

Winnebago has a site in the Tech Section with how to hook them up.

[SCVJeff]

I'm up to a total of 10 converters at the office, including 2 lab prototypes (I was a Beta tester for MSTV & NAB) that are at least x4 the size of the present ones. My personal favorite is the Digital Stream 9950, mostly for the menu structure, and that you can "update" the PSIP (Channel) list as you find new stations without blowing away what's already captured. Since each station has its own unique PISP assignment, you can travel from place to place, and just update the tuner so you will have it in (non-volatile) memory. I'm not too thrilled about the heat that it generates though. I have it sandwiched in the coach so drilled a series of vent holes across each side to help it along.

Every new model that comes out seems a tad better than the last, but as mentioned, I like this one (today).

[Sixpack98]

Thanks Jeff, good info about updating the PSIP and not blowing away those already captured.

Do any of the converters have something more than just composite video or S-Video? I'm trying to find one with HDMI or Component. The LCD TV in our MH has component and HDMI but the Digital tuner no longer works and the set is just out of warranty.

mark

[SCVJeff]

Yeah there are, but they're not covered under the coupon program. We have a couple of boxes (RCA I think) that ran about $150 @ Best Buy

[DAN L]

i have 2 magnavox units with analog passthrough from sears. k mart has this model too. model # tb100mg9. there is some signal loss with the unit turned off (pass through mode). other than that they work ok, and the price was right. they are made by funai corp and the english part of the owners manual is 27 pages.
this digital thing is the death knell for vhs video recorders. mine will not record at all if the digital box is turned on. it still plays ok with the box on.

[Ray,IN]

Dan, I have the same Digital Stream as Jeff. I have everything in series; convertor box into VCR/DVD player/recorder, into TV. The convertor box converts the digital signal into analog so your TV can process the signal. Your VCR should function the same.

[DAN L]

that is how mine is hooked up too. i do not get analog pass through with the converter box on, just with it off. maybe this is a peculiarity of the magnavox unit. i cannot even record analog stations with the converter on
dan

[Sixpack98]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by SCVJeff:
Yeah there are, but they're not covered under the coupon program. We have a couple of boxes (RCA I think) that ran about $150 @ Best Buy </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks Jeff, I'll check out BB.

mark

[jdsr]

jeff, what is psip?

[Jerry Wessel KA8MBK]

I have one Zenith form Circuit City and one that starts with I from Best Buy. I have several frends that work at Best Buy and they tell me the Apex has better menus but they no longer suggest them, because so many have come back. My two work well. I put one on a friends house and his antenna was so bad he only had three channels now he has 11.

[SCVJeff]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by jdsr:
jeff, what is psip? </div></BLOCKQUOTE> It stands for Program and System Information Protocol PSIP. This is Metadata (data about data (hows that for a loop)) that tells the TV what station it just found, it's program guide, what format the station intends to transmit the picture in (4:3, 16:9, etc.), audio level information, and other really boring geek stuff that only the TV and the engineers really care about.

[Dsouthw524]

I suggest that you look at the converter made by Weingard. It has the pass through for none Digital built in.

I noticed that Camping World is running a special wherein you can use your coupon and they will sell you the Weingard converter and install it for you for less than $40.00.

Weingard will send you diagrams for the person that wants to install themselves.

[codgerbill]

If I have the Winnebago supplied head knocker analog tv in the front of the coach and a flat screen LCD digital TV that can be moved from bedroom to outside connection, will I need only one converter box for the analog TV? Will the instillation of the converter box direct in line from the "Batwing" antenna cover all the outlets in the coach?

[Bill Adams]

You will only need a converter box for your 1 analog TV. You will want to connect the converter AFTER the Video Switcher box where the coax runs from that box to the TV. This connection will be labeled as Out to TV1. Take a short coax cable and run that from the back of the switcher to the converter box and then connect the cable that was in the back of the switcher to the converter. Some converters also have a video output but you will need to be able to gain access to the rear of the TV. Either connection will work just fine. You will now set your TV to channel 3 or 4 and change TV channels with the remote that came with the converter.

[John_Canfield]

Article comparing converter boxes

[jdsr]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bill Adams:
You will only need a converter box for your 1 analog TV. You will want to connect the converter AFTER the Video Switcher box where the coax runs from that box to the TV. This connection will be labeled as Out to TV1. Take a short coax cable and run that from the back of the switcher to the converter box and then connect the cable that was in the back of the switcher to the converter. Some converters also have a video output but you will need to be able to gain access to the rear of the TV. Either connection will work just fine. You will now set your TV to channel 3 or 4 and change TV channels with the remote that came with the converter. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> I could be wrong but if you want to watchdiff channels you will need 2 boxes. Oops sorry bill i just reread your answer. 1 analog = 1 box

[jdsr]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John_Canfield:
Article comparing converter boxes </div></BLOCKQUOTE> looks like he and jeff agree. I just saw today where camping world has a winn conv box. has anyone compared this one?

[SCVJeff]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by jdsr:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John_Canfield:
Article comparing converter boxes </div></BLOCKQUOTE> looks like he and jeff agree. I just saw today where camping world has a winn conv box. has anyone compared this one? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>That's on my weekend To-Do list IF it's a pass-thru model. We are still gathering various models together to do a deeper comparison than the article, mostly because we have the test gear.