Lars Eighner wrote:
>
> 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 ****pping 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 ****t 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 ****t
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.
TY
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