Converter Box installation--what they don't tell you

[dzneelvr]

Let me set the stage: we have no intention of buying a new tv, nor purchasing cable,our antenna is on the roof, and high hopes of better picture quality and more channels as the converter box deadline descends on America. Got the discount coupons, bought the 2 boxes at Radio Shack and ready to go. So far, so good Hooked up on Sunday night, well before the Tuesday deadline. Took about 5 minutes, no lie...wow! we're rolling Watching AI Tuesday evening and all of a sudden--the audio went "shhhhhhhhh". Picture still perfect. We panic Troubleshoot through the installation booklet which for audio was no help. Quickly stuck in a DVD to test the TV--perfect sound. Unplug and de-power the box. Reinstall the second box. Same thing. After an hour of frustration and repeated installs, I tell DH I am taking back the boxes and won't leave RadioShack without new ones because there is no other explanation and we're smart people, aren't we Well, Radioshack exchanged the boxes in 1 minute saying SOME OF THE BOXES ARE COMING BACK DEFECTIVE. Hooked up the box last night and PERFECT.
Advice: Keep your receipts for the boxes because you never know when something will go bonkers. It may be never, but it may be in 6 months that you lose your audio, or picture, or whatever. We were in agreement that this could be a long tail of problems for consumers.

 

[DisDreaminMom]

Hey, wait a minute! Are you trying to tell us that something the government did may not work and we should be cautious? Obviously your converter box broke because it did not have enough hope and change to get through this crisis...

Why didn't they just give out vouchers for the same amount of $ off the purchase price of a new TV? Instead, they had to make a giant mess with crap technology. Also, this might work in the WINTER, but as soon as the trees have leaves, good luck getting reception with your normal antenna. You are looking at almost $200 for a super duper new antenna that you have to install. Don't know if you read about this, but even the TV guys are talking about what a mess this is.

There is always TV on the computer or reading a book...

 

[msmayor]

Any electronic product can be defective, not just the converter boxes. That you unfortunately ended up with two bad ones doesn't mean the whole program is bad.

 

[seashoreCM]

I'm told that the Channel Master 7000, the Zinwell 950A and 970A, and Zenith 901 and 902 (Best Buy's Insignia DTA is a Zenith) are good and that there are a lot of defective Apex boxes reported.

The "good" boxes I named reportedly are quite sensitive and pick up lots of stations and are eligible for the coupon discount. This will hopefully avoid the need for a better antenna.

For now I am suggesting that people on the waiting list for coupons try to hold off even though a few stations are going digital-only as soon as now.

For the most part, only boxes intended for use with old TV's are coupon eligible. Notably those with HDTV (Y/Pb/Pr or HDMI) output are not.

Video hints: http://www.cockam.com/feb2009.htm

 

[d1gitman]

Any electronic product can be defective, not just the converter boxes. That you unfortunately ended up with two bad ones doesn't mean the whole program is bad.

I think I end up with every piece of bad electronic equipment While i don't need a converter box, i do think the program is bad.

 

[SandrA9810]

A year ago we purchased a new tv because our hand-me downs finally gave the caput on us. So we bought a nice insignia 24" flat screen (it's still a tube tv) so it was only a couple hundred.

Well all the time we have to go through the channel setup because once it looses signal with the channel, it'll knock it off. So every sunday and thursday we would have to run it just so it would pick up 9-1 (which is abc) because the 9-0 (which is old antenna) wouldn't come in well.
I'd rather deal with a fuzzy picture and sound rather than the annoying soundless or blue screen of death. On top of that the audio and video are sent on different frequency (as to why you lost audio and not video as well) so the sound does not match the video. You know how annoying it is to watch a person talk and know it's not in sync??

On top of that there were so many sattelites in our neighborhood we would have to string our rabbit ears clear into the living room from the bedroom to get a picture.

I wish they never did the change it's horrible and awful, and why change something that isn't broken. This new digital thing is horrible.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

that there are a lot of defective Apex boxes reported.

I don't think anything Apex lasts long so I'm not surprised. This whole thing is a mess.

 

[Imzadi]

Hey, wait a minute! Are you trying to tell us that something the government did may not work and we should be cautious? Obviously your converter box broke because it did not have enough hope and change to get through this crisis...

Why didn't they just give out vouchers for the same amount of $ off the purchase price of a new TV? Instead, they had to make a giant mess with crap technology.

You DO know this whole converter box conversion started a couple years ago during the BUSH administration? THAT explains why they pushed a DUMB process on everyone. it was at a level the previous president could comprehend.

 

[Imzadi]

OP, did your converter installation and diagnosis go anything like this video?

http://www.hulu.com/watch/36608/talkshow-with-spike-feresten-cable-psa

 

[Poohbug]

"blue screen of death" I hear ya!

 

[disneymomofmyca]

I am just curious how many channels you can pull in through the box...dish network costs are killing us each month! We were thinking of down grading to the converter box.

 

[S. C.]

Hey, wait a minute! Are you trying to tell us that something the government did may not work and we should be cautious? Obviously your converter box broke because it did not have enough hope and change to get through this crisis...

You DO know this whole converter box conversion started a couple years ago during the BUSH administration? THAT explains why they pushed a DUMB process on everyone. it was at a level the previous president could comprehend.

There are plenty of president bashing threads on the community board. This thread is about converter boxes.

 

[SandrA9810]

It depends on how many stations in your area are broadcasting on it.
Like with ABC channel nine, there's 9-1 which is regular programming, and 9-2 which is a weather/traffic with lots of local business ads flashing around the edges.
But like 15-1, 15-2, 15-3 are all PBS station each with it's own programing. Then there's 6-1 which is CBS but 6-2 is some latin tv with it's own programing.

We have basic cable from the people we're renting a room from, but even when I did the channel search, it brought up all the local digital stations that don't run off of cable.

 

[SandrA9810]

Think of what you like most about watching on cable tv. most the time now you can watch full episodes online. And if it's about the movies, sign up for netflix, they have the option of watching movies off your computer. And if I'm not mistaken most newer computers are easy to hook up to your tv so you can use it as a monitor. Instant movie right on your tv. and that's only 9 bucks a month.

 

[S. C.]

.

 

[dzneelvr]

Our converter box now gives us 5 additional channels, adding the CW, a weather channel, and 2 cable-like channels that seems to run movies and old sitcoms. We are paranoid to try and find the on-screen viewer listing because we might do something wrong and have to start all over again. Only downside so far is the loss of our PBS channel and my beloved "Antiques Roadshow".....may have to do something to get that in if everything runs smoothly for awhile. With our new channels and HBO dvds (we're starting John Adams tonight), we'll be more than fine

 

[swilshire]

We got nothing with our first attempt to install the box. Bought an expensive antennae and only lost a couple of channels from where we started, but also gained a couple of sub-channels. I miss Fox, but DS gets it in his room on the other side of the house. Guess if I got desparate I could watch there.

Sheila

 

[kaytieeldr]

You DO know this whole converter box conversion started a couple years ago during the BUSH administration? THAT explains why they pushed a DUMB process on everyone. it was at a level the previous president could comprehend.

Mm, the switch from analog to digital originated back in 1997 (or 95, I forget). I don't think either Bush was President at the time - but the President didn't "do it", in any case. It was the FCC and Congress.

 

[tink2dw]

So, if you want to weather this storm of analog to digital easily..................

go buy a new digital tv!

 

[Crystal824]

I don't think anything Apex lasts long so I'm not surprised. This whole thing is a mess.

I've had my Apex DVD player for 10 years now.