Because there have been some questions here on the subject, here is a
review
of one converter box I wrote for an Austin newsgroup. Please excuse the
lo-cal refs.
The converter boxes at the Beruit HEB which are free with government
coupon
+ less than $5 tax are labeled Philco model TB100HH9. Googling for this
model shows retail prices starting around $50.00 (before shipping and tax)
and you can apparently pay even more for them if you want. I don't think
Mr. Butts is losing money on these things, but he seems to be giving us a
break.
Overall rating: 4-1/2 Stars
Summary: This is just an excellent thing. I probably would have been
willing to pay some more money for this if I had been sure it would work
this well.
I tested this box on a more-than-10-years-old RCA analog set and on the
analog port of an 3-year-old Advent HD set. I used Thompson model ANT1020
*unamplified* rabbit ears with loop in a marginal area (indoors, ground
floor
apartment near Rundberg and I35.
The box looks like a piece of junk. It has RF-in, RF-out, and video-audio
out (red, white, yellow RCA plugs). RCA cables are not supplied, but a
short length of snap-on coaxial (RF) cable is included. The video-audio
out
was not tested. Output can be selected between analog channels 3 and 4.
RF
passthrough can also be selected, which you almost certainly do not want
to
do since Austin broadcasters are all broadcasting digital. Box is
slightly
thicker and shorter than a slimline PS2. I don't think this box should be
mounted on top of most sets --- no brackets or mounting system is supplied
for this purpose, and I am guessing heat would be a consideration with
most
analog sets.
Reception: reception with this box and unamplified rabbit ears was as good
or better than that of a three-year-old HD receiver with amplified rabbit
ears. (Both require slight antenna vector tweaking to receive all
available
channels in this marginal area: 7.1, 18.1, 18.2, 24.1, 24.2, 36.1, 42.1,
42.2, 54.1).
Connection: It was hard to go wrong. Connectors are on the back of the
box,
clearly labeled and in the case of video-audio out, color coded. AC power
plug is polarized, but not grounded.
Setup: Setup wizard works good, but you might want to run it yourself
before
handing it your maiden aunt.
Features:
* V-chip (not tested)
* CC --- highly configurable, best I have seen
* Lanuage selection (of course depends on whether alternate audio is
broadcast)
* Electronic Program Guide --- this is really the only flaw I found.
EPG is available to view schedule for current channel only. There is no
all-channels box grid.
* Aspect: choice of letterbox, zoom, and full screen. Zoom loses
right
and left ends of HD broadcasts and full screen bends to fit with the
necessary distortion. If you choose letterbox, you automagically get full
screen for non-HD digital subchannels (i.e. 18.2 "Create" and 42.2 "RTN").
There is a warning about potential burn-in of letterbox bars, but it is
not
clear to me that this will be a problem with recent CRTs.
* Audio volume: no audio volume control on the box. You have to keep
the set's remote handy (as well as for on-off of the set).
* Settings memory: box retained channels and other set up features
when
unplugged and moved to another room. Whether it will do so indefinitely
is
not clear.
Picture:
Excellent, but of course you don't get HD (not even on the analog port of
an
HD set --- this is *not* an HD receiver). Color and brightness were too
hot compared with analog antenna reception and required set adjustment.
Unacceptable interference was discovered when the box was connected
through
a game deck adapter (but this particular adapter was suspect, having
similar
but less pronouced interference when used with an antenna connection).
Controls:
There are no on-box controls. Everything this box can do is accessible
with
the remote. The on-screen menus are clear enough for anyone who has used
a
computer to get through most tasks without consulting the instructions.
For
dummies, the channel up/down buttons are small and not in the intuitive
place and the previous-channel button is very small. I'm guessing you are
SOL if you lose the remote --- no attempt was made to determine if any
"universal remote" can learn to use the box. Remote takes 2 AA batteries
(included).
Negatives:
EPG is the biggest negative. Channel up and down could be be bigger
buttons
and in a more intuitive place.
--
Lars Eighner <http://larseighner.com/>
usenet@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Countdown: 255 days to go.
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