Just gave Myself a $6000.00 Raise. It was easy (1 Viewer)

[Dennis Nicholls]

I guess I posted at the same time as Thomas. I had run upstairs to check to see if my box was optical or coax, since I have the Samsung 260F for my front projector system. It's a good box and about the only one in its product category.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Based on what you and Thomas both told me today I had another Q/A session with some rather intelligent Radio Shack personnel tonight who told me that a standard Dig. converter box would NOT pass through an HD signal! I should have figured that based on the connections...but I believe someone had assured me in a prior conversation that it would. The Sammy 260F might be in my future.

And, I absolutely hate it when I walk away from my computer and later return to find that I had neglected to push "submit" on an HTF post. I'll then post and find that another one or two people have posted in the same thread and have wrecked the purpose of my post in relation to what had come earlier!

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Does your dad use rabbit ears or a roof antenna? The biggest limitation with digital OTA is that it was designed for roof antennas, because they underestimated how many people still use rabbit ears. I'm using two copper wires soldered onto a coaxial jack for an antenna now as make-shift rabbit ears, and get what I described for signal. If I was in a position to roof-mount an antenna, I'm sure all the stations would come in rock-solid. Having done a little research, apparently all of the local stations broadcast digitally from the Helderberg tower farm. There are rumors that WRGB is going to switch from broadcasting their digital station on UHF channel 39 (mapped to virtual channel 6 via Program and System Information Protocol) to the actual VHF channel 6 currently occupied after the switch-off in February (which this FCC document appears to back up). However, I've also heard rumors that the FCC is trying to keep digital television off the low-frequency (2-6) VHF channels, since they require the largest antennas and are at most risk for interference. IIRC VHF signals penetrate walls better than UHF signals, so I'd like to see them move all the digital channels to VHF.

 

[DaveF]

Nope. But you're talking about cutting cable to save $$$. My solution uses your current hardware. As the radio shack guy told you, the cheap HDTV converter boxes, often bought with gov't subsidies, are simply digital to analog converters to receive the digital broadcasts and provide an SD signal to an SD TV.

If you want OTA HD and 5.1 audio, it sounds like you need to spend some money and buy a digital tuner.

 

[Mike Frezon]

He actually uses rabbit ears, Adam...and cheap ones at that. No amplification or power. He is well-positioned geographically, though as he is situated high above (and near) the Hudson River. My elevation is pretty good, too. I was especially pleased to see the results of his tuner and antenna because my situation is similar to his. I dread the thought of mounting an antenna in my attic and running wires to the necessary locations. Dread it.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

In my case it was easy. My house is pre-wired with RG-6 to all rooms from a central patch-panel in the laundry room. The cable connection comes in from the wall on the garage and crosses the garage attic. All I had to do was cut that cable, put on an F connector, and plug it into an antenna.

Isn't there some cheap basic DBS still out there for baseball? Or the alternative, Legends Sports Lounge or the Recovery Room.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Deep brain stimulation?

Maybe I'll start spending my summer evenings in "The Dugout!"

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Have you learned the fine art of nursing a cheap beer for an extended period of time?

 

[Mike Frezon]

Certainly.

But it's really all about refillable Diet Pepsis for me.

"Keep 'em comin'!"

 

[Mike Frezon]

Dave: I wasn't happy with this answer when I gave it. I didn't want it to seem curt or ungrateful. Far from it. I am so appreciative of the discussion in this thread... It has been VERY helpful and supportive (and educational).

I guess the best way to sort out my feelings on this issue as I wrestle with the best decision for me boils down to (as so many dilemmas do) what can I afford and how much am I willing to sacrifice to grab the brass ring (my financial goals). While there's no doubt that most of my options will "hurt" to a degree, I am still determined to use my existing hardware to it's best advantage.

While I know I can still watch movies in HD on my set even if the cable goes, I figure I should still be able to watch broadcast TV in HD as well...although it may not be as easy as I thought.

And, of course, there are a billion other factors involved as well...many of them rather emotional.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Are you fellas 100% certain the Samsung 260F will still be in play after the February conversion date for a guy like me with an analog tuner in his HDTV?

I'm only having doubts because of one of the reviews at buy.com which says it didn't work with his analog (albeit SD) sets. It's the guy from Fond du Lac, WI. But it sounds like his problem was stemming from the fact he wasn't using component video out...but he keeps saying "analog."

 

[Mike Frezon]

Never mind. I just found the answer in this review of the box. It does unscramble the digital signals just fine.

I have taken in so much information on this issue over the past few weeks, my brain hurts.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

What kind of inputs does your set have? HD component? DVI? HDMI? I never got your link above to work for your set above.

What people have complained about the 260F is that it doesn't include an analog NTSC tuner - and why would it? After February the point is moot. During the cross-over, you have to move the antenna cable back and forth between your set (for NTSC) and the 260F (for ATSC), or send the antenna out to your set which means you have to leave the 260F powered up, or maybe use a splitter. However splitters always knock off some of the signal strength from the antenna.

"Cheap is the new black".

 

[Mike Frezon]

Some of these decisions are really tough, though. And while, on the one hand, I can realize that they are really no big deal and nothing is permanent...they are, nevertheless, stressful.