[J.Porter]

Greetings, all... new here.


I would love to be able to receive digital OTA programming, but I can't seem to find any current product that will allow me to receive and view OTA digital on an existing analog television.


The new Samsung DTB-H260F looks great for $179, but the on-screen menus won't work through any of the analog outputs. The SIR-T451 is end of life and no longer available.


I understand that Samsung is going to be releasing a budget tuner specifically for legacy television applications, ostensibly to support the Maximum TV initiative, but as of right now it's vaporware.


Can anyone help me get on board? Maybe point me to a good budget product available online, preferably one that's not 4 year old technology?


If it is this hard to buy a product to receive OTA digital, even for a techno-freak like myself, there is a problem! Why are there no consumer ATSC-to-analog set-top products widely available? That type of product is going to be huge in the next two years, as analog transmission is phased out. Are the various consumer electronics companies holding off until the government deadlines in order to maximize their profits off of existing inventory, at the expense of the consumer?



Thanks for any help you can provide,


J.Porter

 

[Ratman]

All you need is an ATSC tuner connected to your analog (NTSC) TV using the composite or S-Video outputs/inputs. All will be down-rezzed to automatically to 480i.

 

[J.Porter]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Ratman /forum/post/0


All you need is an ATSC tuner connected to your analog (NTSC) TV using the composite or S-Video outputs/inputs. All will be down-rezzed to automatically to 480i.

Yes, I understand that. That was not my question.


My issue is that I can't seem to find a decent budget ATSC tuner that will connect to an analog TV that is *currently for sale*. The SIR-T451 is end of life and no longer available, and the new Samsung does not really work via the analog outputs - it will display a picture, but none of the menus are visible.

 

[J.Porter]

Ok, let's do it this way...


Here's the current list of OTA tuners from the Synopsis thread:

Quote:
Over The Air DTV/HDTV


Most recently available:

· Samsung DTB-H260F $179 QAM in the clear

· Ezneo TR-100 $189

· PrimeDTV PHD-101 $159 QAM in the clear

· Hisense / USDTV $199

· Pro-Brand HD3150 $199

I have eliminated everything over $200 from the list due to being "not budget conscious". For anything over that, I could buy a brand new 27" TV with a tuner built-in.


Here's the breakdown:

· The Samsung doesn't do analog, not really.

· The Ezneo doesn't seem to exist.

· The PrimeDTV is based on an older chipset and its thread is full of complaints.

· The Hisense website has no products on it.

· The Pro-Brand (Digital Stream) is available but apparently difficult to find or purchase. At $229 (real price) it is also a bit higher than the rest.

 

[Roger Clark]



Quote:
Originally Posted by J.Porter /forum/post/0


Yes, I understand that. That was not my question.


My issue is that I can't seem to find a decent budget ATSC tuner that will connect to an analog TV that is *currently for sale*. The SIR-T451 is end of life and no longer available, and the new Samsung does not really work via the analog outputs - it will display a picture, but none of the menus are visible.

There are a number for sale on eBay.

Click here to see one that looks pretty good to me...


Edited to add: Well, it didn't like the link for some reason. Here is the item number: 200068545504

 

[kenglish]

The prototype/demo units for the RCA and the LG Digital-to-(SDTV) Analog boxes are being evaluated right now....I have them both sitting at home. My initial reaction is, they seem pretty good. They hope to sell for somewhere in the $40-100 range.


We have many different boxes here at work. All of them will output a composite video and analog audio signal. I do see some minor issues with some of them....the Samsung 165 "re-boot" issue, and some others have issues with display of 16:9 SDTV on 4:3 TV sets.


The USDTV box is probably still available in some places. The Samsung 451 is out of stock right now. The Pro-Brand was available in CC stores in November, so may still be out there somewhere.


But, you are right.....they are all getting hard to find. Hopefully, the "Voucher Program" boxes will be along soon. And, hopefully they will sell at a reasonable price, to the folks who don't qualify for vouchers.

 

[biker19]

Next gen DVDr.

- you'll have to wait a few months.

 

[J.Porter]



Quote:
Originally Posted by biker19 /forum/post/0


Next gen DVDr.

- you'll have to wait a few months.

Understood.


I don't really get it though... why are all the CE companies waiting for the mandated date to make such products available?


As a consumer, I feel abandoned by the system. We're supposed to be in the middle of a DTV transition nationwide that is largely based on transitioning existing television viewers to ATSC set-top boxes, and yet currently I can't buy a DTV tuner for my legacy TV for less than the cost of a new television.


That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Am I the only one?

 

[MAX HD]



Quote:
Originally Posted by kenglish /forum/post/0


The prototype/demo units for the RCA and the LG Digital-to-(SDTV) Analog boxes are being evaluated right now....I have them both sitting at home. My initial reaction is, they seem pretty good. They hope to sell for somewhere in the $40-100 range.


We have many different boxes here at work. All of them will output a composite video and analog audio signal. I do see some minor issues with some of them....the Samsung 165 "re-boot" issue, and some others have issues with display of 16:9 SDTV on 4:3 TV sets.


The USDTV box is probably still available in some places. The Samsung 451 is out of stock right now. The Pro-Brand was available in CC stores in November, so may still be out there somewhere.


But, you are right.....they are all getting hard to find. Hopefully, the "Voucher Program" boxes will be along soon. And, hopefully they will sell at a reasonable price, to the folks who don't qualify for vouchers.

Composite outputs? What about the bazillion sets/cheap sets out there with nothing but an Rf connector on the back? Even the old DTC100 had an Rf output for 3/4.Maybe they'll throw a cheap mudulator in the box in case you need one.


A good stand-alone tuner for an NTSC set is the Sylvania SRZ3000.Has both A/D tuners for a single remote channel surf,and a nice EPG.

 

[taz291819]

I agree with the above, find a DTC-100 on ebay, that'll do the trick. The DTC-100 is actually what we use at the station (besides a damn $5000 demod).

 

[kenglish]

The "subsidized" converter DOES have an RF output (Channel 3 or 4). I haven't checked to see if it is MTS Stereo or just mono audio, though. Original thoughts were that they would have only RF, and no video/audio. They also predicted no EPG or any bells-n-whistles....guess they were wrong.


I bought a couple of those Pro Brand units and a pair of cheap modulators to use on Election Night, so we could feed a good signal back in to the hotel ballrooms.

 

[MR12]



Quote:
Originally Posted by J.Porter /forum/post/0


Understood.


I don't really get it though... why are all the CE companies waiting for the mandated date to make such products available?


As a consumer, I feel abandoned by the system. We're supposed to be in the middle of a DTV transition nationwide that is largely based on transitioning existing television viewers to ATSC set-top boxes, and yet currently I can't buy a DTV tuner for my legacy TV for less than the cost of a new television.


That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Am I the only one?

I'm with you on this one and just had the same dilemma with my father in law's setup. He has an analog 35 inch CRT that he's perfectly content with. I set him up with an old ebay DTC100 and a CM 4228 in his attic. The DTC is starting to crap out on him and his reception with it isn't great, but he loves getting the digitals OTA for free. Back around Christmas we were trying to upgrade him to a newer generation receiver, but they just can't be found. Now I think he's going to hold out for a new TV, or I might try to talk him into the new DVD recorders that have ATSC. Those are supposed to come out around May.

 

[termyte]

Try a Zenith 520 on ebay. Directv reciever , digital ota, analog ota, cable, and DTV all in one guide. Great unit. Or Sony 200.

 

[J.Porter]



Quote:
Originally Posted by kenglish /forum/post/0


The "subsidized" converter DOES have an RF output (Channel 3 or 4). I haven't checked to see if it is MTS Stereo or just mono audio, though. Original thoughts were that they would have only RF, and no video/audio. They also predicted no EPG or any bells-n-whistles....guess they were wrong.


I bought a couple of those Pro Brand units and a pair of cheap modulators to use on Election Night, so we could feed a good signal back in to the hotel ballrooms.

Soo.... where can one find one of the "subsidized" converters? Are they still vaporware at the moment, or is it possible to get involved in some sort of beta test?

 

[J.Porter]



Quote:
Originally Posted by MR12 /forum/post/0


I'm with you on this one and just had the same dilemma with my father in law's setup. He has an analog 35 inch CRT that he's perfectly content with. I set him up with an old ebay DTC100 and a CM 4228 in his attic. The DTC is starting to crap out on him and his reception with it isn't great, but he loves getting the digitals OTA for free. Back around Christmas we were trying to upgrade him to a newer generation receiver, but they just can't be found. Now I think he's going to hold out for a new TV, or I might try to talk him into the new DVD recorders that have ATSC. Those are supposed to come out around May.

I'm glad I'm not alone in this! Thanks for your comments.

 

[MR12]



Quote:
Originally Posted by termyte /forum/post/0


Try a Zenith 520 on ebay. Directv reciever , digital ota, analog ota, cable, and DTV all in one guide. Great unit. Or Sony 200.

As the title of the thread states, OTA digital tuners are extremely difficult to find right now. I searched for both the Zenith and Sony units you suggested but got no hits on either.

 

[MR12]



Quote:
Originally Posted by J.Porter /forum/post/0


I'm glad I'm not alone in this! Thanks for your comments.

And Samsung lost my business also when I found out their latest receiver (H2060F) won't display menus via analog outputs. What were they thinking? It's like the were purposefully trying to alienate a perfectly viable sect of their potential customer base.

 

[biker19]



Quote:
Originally Posted by J.Porter /forum/post/0


Understood.


I don't really get it though... why are all the CE companies waiting for the mandated date to make such products available?

$$$$$ - if you owned a business and could put off an expense wouldn't you?


The volume is just not there at this point for these devices - and it will be low until 2/09.

 

[videobruce]



Quote:
Why are there no consumer ATSC-to-analog set-top products widely available? That type of product is going to be huge in the next two years, as analog transmission is phased out.

1. Most of these 'tuners' are sold by companies that sell TV's

2. There is far more profit in selling TVs' than STBs',

3. Too many varibles are still up in the air,

4. The manufactures are probably waiting to see exactly how the government will handle this,

5. They really don't understand what and if it will happen in two years,

6. They don't think there is enough of a market for these boxes,

7. They really don't care.

8. See above post.

9. They, as most members in these forums think everyone wants to rent/lease a STB (cable/satellite) instead.

 

[J.Porter]

I hear what you're saying... I'm just glad the FCC has demonstrated some backbone over these issues. This is the first time in my memory that the government has done anything to force companies to do what is right for the consumer.