Which CECB will you be buying?

VCR timer #1 option for me.
#2 would be S-out.
Planning on the TR-40 it sounds like it will be the only one with #1, but not #2.

The VCR timers along with Analog passthrough are important to me, although not so much on the timers with my new Hauppauge WinHVR1600 that I'm installing tomorrow

Coupons in hand, I'm sitting tight for awhile and see what becomes available before they expire. I may end up with the Digital Stream DTX9900 and the Zenith DTT900.

Well, I couldn't wait and got the Zenith without a coupon. Not a big deal, because I'll need to buy more then 2 boxes to cover all the TVs and VCRs.

The Zenith worked so well, for me, I feel very comfortable getting more of the same box for the other equipment.

Now there is an exception, when I have 2 boxes in the same room, one box must be different or the remote will screw up the VCR box when I want to change the TV. I don't know which box I'll pick for the second box.... Still thinking...

Bob Diaz

I already have a RCA DTA800B and an Insignia NS-DXA1. I think the RCA is a fine box, but the Insignia tends to pick up digital channels better on the whole. I will probably buy another Insignia box before it's over (but the RCA isn't bad).

(1) Zenith or its clone Insignia. Zenith appears to have the best tuner for picking-up weak signals.

(2)

Later I will probably buy the Echostar TR-50 with built-in DVR. Or if that's too expensive, the TR-40 to connect to my old analog SVHS unit.

I have applied for ONE coupon only and it's on the way. Now that TR-40 is getting delayed, I am wondering whether I can apply for the other box too. Although I voted for TR-40 (I need the VCR tune feature), the Zenith and RCA are also quite appealing because Zenith seems to be super sensitive. RCA seems to have the smart antenna feature which is kind of unique. Currently I am in a location which doesn't need smart antenna, but I am thinking that it may be helpful, if I ever move to a area with multi direction OTA feed. Currently I have the hisense tuner connected to my Sammy DVD recorder which records via S-video and 16x9 fine (no black bar) and the quality is near DVD quality. But I am hoping for uber RF sensitivity in these new tuners. If TR-50 is offered at good price without any subscription model, I might buy it too.

I'm not planning to buy a converter box. You didn't include that as an option in your poll. I think that would be an interesting data point.

Maxmedia seems to be best of breed. It has smart antenna and S video and Analog pass through. i would think the program EPG would be good too since they seem to be loading this box with everything you might need. Plus they answer e-mails right away. They will have pictures of remote soon I was told.

I do not know how good this box will be with weak signals. BUT with most major brands IE Zennth and RCA getting bad posts. I do not think a name means better quality in this case

You can apply for the second coupon--I did the same thing three days ago, and my first coupon was applied for on January 2...sigh, am still waiting for it to arrive...feel like an impatient kid at Christmas. Mailbox was full today...of bills...yuk....

I'm planning to go with the Zenith, based upon the many positive comments seen on this board and a couple of others. It's only going to feed a 14" set in this room, as that's virtually all I watch any longer. There's a 27" Panasonic set in the den, very high-end in its day--but it sits unused for the most part. I come home from work, sit in here in front of the computer for several hours, and sometimes have the 14" set on as background.

I wish that the converter had the RF pass-through feature, as Dish Network is fed into this room on channel 36, from the TV-2 out of the receiver--outdoor antenna is also fed into this room from the same coax. The plan, at this point, is to either split or A/B the coax signal, sending it both to the converter and the set, so that Dish can still be received. I then plan to hook the converter to the TV using the RCA video/audio jacks.

Applied for my 1st coupon online 1/1/08. Received it 3/3/08. Good through 5/26/08. Plan on purchasing in late April or early May. Seems like the Insignia is getting good reviews for sensitive reception. Am concerned about reports of "artifacts" produced by other units. Analog RF passthrough sounds interesting for connecting other devices that send on channels 3/4; no LP stations in my urban area. Smart antenna capability sounds interesting too.

When the second phase of the coupon program starts up (for us folks who only receive OTA and only have analog sets) I will order my second coupon. Might be more choices by then.

Why only ask for one coupon when the gov't is handing-out two? (just curious)
Those smart antennas are really not much better than an omnidirectional mounted on your roof. A directional antenna will outperform a "smart" antenna every time, because the directional can be turned in any 360 degree direction, whereas the smart antennas are limited to only 8 or 16 compass points.

Nope. The Electronic Guide is only a now/next function.
The Zenith is not getting bad posts. The Zenith is getting great posts with one owner getting stations from 120 miles away, and another saying he briefly received a NC station from 200 miles away.

That's one coupon at a time. The selection of boxes is likely to be different after the first coupon expires. By waiting for the second phase of the coupon program to start up, I don't have to worry whether they will run out of coupons before I order my next one.


The major appeal of the smart antenna feature is to have the antenna adjust automatically every time you change channels. For those who don't have their own roof, or who don't want to run wires up there, the comparision should be: "Would a smart antenna outperform a pair of rabbit ears?"

Buzzin Blair had a good observation for those who don't have their own roof (i.e. condo unit owners): "Would a smart antenna outperform a pair of rabbit ears?"

I'm not seeing Smart Antennas in retail stores.

I needed only one box and thought "that" time one box will be enough. But now with all these exciting development on VCR tuner feature, smart antenna feature coming in so late, I applied for one more coupon today.

I already own the RCA "B" model. Am waiting for coupons for the Zenith/Insignia.

I'm confused. How will self-limiting yourself to only 1 coupon prevent the gov't from running out? I don't understand.

Here's what I did:
- Ordered 2 coupons
- Wait until they reach phase two, and then order 1 more coupon.
- 3 total.
Makes sense.

I don't think this is going to be possible. According to the dtv2009 website, each household is only entitled to two coupons.

There's one additional limitation--the second wave of coupons are meant for folks who have no cable or satellite reception.

And is also against the rules for the coupons. As stated above, each household is limited to 2 coupons (at least until the program gets changed).

To check it out - https://www.dtv2009.gov/FAQ.aspx, Coupon Program :Getting a coupon, Question 8

Also - Phase 2 is limited to households with ONLY OTA, no cable / satellite households

Am I the only one that thinks these boxes will be selling for $19.95 after the coupon program expires?

Thats gotta be the smartest thing I've heard in a while. Stupid gov't....these converters look cheaper to build than a crappy dvd player.

Supply and demand...they would have been $60 without the coupons, and ocne everyone has them...they'll be worth 1/4 of that.

Unless they make too many of them they won't be that cheap but $29.95 in eighteen months sounds like a real possibility. Even at that price I doubt that more than a half dozen models will survive the end of the coupon program.

I wonder if these boxes would even have existed without the coupon program. The electronics industry would much rather sell us all new TVs. At the very least, I think the CECB specs have ensured these boxes will produce a picture that is tollerable for people who are used to watching SD analog CRTs.

I was under the impression each household was entitled to 2 for everybody + 1 for those who rely on OTA exclusively.
You're right. If the gov't had not stepped-in, everybody would be forced to buy either a new set ($150), or a VCR/DVD recorder equipped with the ATSC/DTV tuner ($200), or both ($350). By offering these coupons, the gov't provides us with a cheaper option ($10).

And once February 2009 hits, I suspect these D-to-A converter boxes will be in high demand, because people will be scrambling to remove the white noise from their televisions.

NO - it is 2 per household, period. The first 2/3 can go to anyone, the last third are reserved for OTA households only. Nothing in there about any household eligible for more then 2 CECB coupons. You may purchase any number of CECBs you want, but only 2 coupons.

That blows chunks.

I have three televisions that are used daily. Five that are used weekly. And they expect me to get by with only 2 coupons? Bogus.

This program should have specifically excluded those with cable or satellite service. They don't need converters. We who have nothing but antennas DO need them, and we should have been the only ones allowed to get these boxes.

That arguement has been gone over before the program was framed in its current configuration. As it is - the last third of the coupons ARE reserved for OTA only households. As for your arguement that Satellite / Cable subs should be excluded - We'll have to agree to disagree. Suffice it to say that as a Dish Subscriber - there have been more than a few occaisions that I needed to use OTA because weather conditions made DBS reception impossible.

All the coupons are intended for is that a household is not totally left out with the conversion. As I stated - you can BUY as many CECBs as you want - but you can only use 2 coupons. So if you need 5 CECBs - go buy them - nobody is stopping you. But you can use only 2 coupons.