Digital TV

[jorgenl]

Hello Folks,

This may be a bit of dumb question.

I have not paid much attention to the Digital TV introduction, I thought it was due to happen back in March.

Anyway, I turned on the TV (14" Toshiba LCD) on my boat yesterday.

It's got a mast head antenna.

I was not able to tune in any channels.

This morning I googled digital TV and realize it was introduced June 12?

What type of converter would I need to buy to get my TV to work again?

Any recommendations?

/Jorgen

[escapaide]

if you have an LCD TV it is probably digital, try rescanning all channels to find the digital ones.

[DwayneSpeer]

Escapade is right, if it's a digital TV it will already receive digital signals, however if not there are dozens of digital converter boxes available. If you are looking for a recommendation as to which one, I'd recommend the dTVPal. It was top rated when I bought mine last January and it's worked well ever since.

[Freesail99]

The antenna may not be correct also.

[k1vsk]

Not all LCD flat panel TVs are capable of receiving digital signals. If it does not, you need a converter box. Easy enough to determine - just look at the manual for the TV or check the model number on the manufacturer's web site.

Any TV antenna capable of VHF/UHF will work - there is no such thing as a "digital" antenna except in marketing hype. If you are in a fringe area, you will be well-served to use a preamplifier.

[Freesail99]

Originally Posted by k1vsk

Not all LCD flat panel TVs are capable of receiving digital signals. If it does not, you need a converter box. Easy enough to determine - just look at the manual for the TV or check the model number on the manufacturer's web site.

Any TV antenna capable of VHF/UHF will work - there is no such thing as a "digital" antenna except in marketing hype. If you are in a fringe area, you will be well-served to use a preamplifier.

The local Tv stations here hammered you with the coming change over to digital Tv. Part of that campaign was the possible need to upgrade to a digital antenna. Who knew ......

[wrfbarrett]

Originally Posted by k1vsk

Not all LCD flat panel TVs are capable of receiving digital signals. If it does not, you need a converter box. Easy enough to determine - just look at the manual for the TV or check the model number on the manufacturer's web site.

Any TV antenna capable of VHF/UHF will work - there is no such thing as a "digital" antenna except in marketing hype. If you are in a fringe area, you will be well-served to use a preamplifier.

This is very true, as I just found last week. I have a Panasonic LCD flat screen on my boat. Only a couple of years old. It can be used for a PC monitor, so I thought I was fine. Not so. Turns out any Panasonic made before 2007, needs a converter. I had to get a converter for it. Turns out the tuner was still analog that were being put into these LCD tvs.

[corny]

Also bear in mind that digital tv is all or nothing. Unlike the old analog system, which would get 'snowy' or have various other watchable but degraded signal, sound and picture issues on a weakened signal, digital tv either works and is crystal clear, or you get nothing.

It's sad, but it's just a matter of time before someone dies needlessly because they didn't have a weather radio and missed the tornado warnings on digital tv in some rural area.

Why was the gov't so interested in going digital? Well, for one, the cable and sat lobby loved the idea of disrupting the analog broadcasts, and for another, commerce loves the idea of being able to target-market (much like ads on facebook, myspace, etc. are targeted directly towards your surfing habits) viewers - possible with digital tv - and the ability to have viewers buy things by entering their credit card numbers into the remote.

So, in essence, it was driven by greed. We're irreversibly on a course now whereas technology no longer improves our lives, but rather finds new ways to separate us from our money and our freedom.

Just my buck two eighty.

[PalmettoSailor]

Originally Posted by corny

Also bear in mind that digital tv is all or nothing. Unlike the old analog system, which would get 'snowy' or have various other watchable but degraded signal, sound and picture issues on a weakened signal, digital tv either works and is crystal clear, or you get nothing.

It's sad, but it's just a matter of time before someone dies needlessly because they didn't have a weather radio and missed the tornado warnings on digital tv in some rural area.

Why was the gov't so interested in going digital? Well, for one, the cable and sat lobby loved the idea of disrupting the analog broadcasts, and for another, commerce loves the idea of being able to target-market (much like ads on facebook, myspace, etc. are targeted directly towards your surfing habits) viewers - possible with digital tv - and the ability to have viewers buy things by entering their credit card numbers into the remote.

So, in essence, it was driven by greed. We're irreversibly on a course now whereas technology no longer improves our lives, but rather finds new ways to separate us from our money and our freedom.

Just my buck two eighty.

Well as a counter point, there are spectrum issues as well. The radio spectrum is finite and we keep finding more and more uses for it. Digital signals use less of the spectrum so more is available for other uses like you cell phone, cordless phone, wifi, bluetooth, GPS, etc, etc, etc.

I am also not aware of any need to change antennas to recieve digital signals. Apparently the digital signal is within the frequency range TV antennas are optimized for. The only place I have heard changing antennas might be required is in sailing forums so perhaps West Marine or someone is propagating some bad info to prop up tv antenna sales.

The amplified UFO type antenna that was installed on our 1991 boat works fine with our HD/DTV. I get about 25+ digital channels in my slip, but I did have to run a scan before and after the conversion so the tv could find the channels. Before I did that it looked like I was getting zip.

[wwilson]

Originally Posted by corny

Why was the gov't so interested in going digital? Well, for one, the cable and sat lobby loved the idea of disrupting the analog broadcasts, and for another, commerce loves the idea of being able to target-market (much like ads on facebook, myspace, etc. are targeted directly towards your surfing habits) viewers - possible with digital tv - and the ability to have viewers buy things by entering their credit card numbers into the remote.

So, in essence, it was driven by greed. We're irreversibly on a course now whereas technology no longer improves our lives, but rather finds new ways to separate us from our money and our freedom.

Just my buck two eighty.

Corny,

Luddite?

NTSC was over 6-decades old and produced a primitive picture compared to HDTV.

The government provided a standard (the level playing field) that allowed industry to develop a technology acceptable to manufactures and broadcasters. As one who's career spent some years in the pursuit of that goal (in the commercial sector) I can assure you that your buck two eighty [sic] is off by at least $1.280.

Wayne