alisande, Do you have cable, dish, or converter box?
Kathy G in MI

I have a converter box. When I first hooked it up (January or February) I acquired several new stations. But when the NBC network affiliate switched to digital I lost it. And when the leaves came out on the trees I lost a bunch more.

I haven't lost any channels and did gain several channels, most of which are useless. I spend too much time adjusting the boxes and antennas and still can't always watch a certain channel.

What I don't like about my converter boxes is how iffy the reception is. I've even purchased amplified antennas and was hoping for improvement. They do work better than the old rabbit ears, but still so sensitive. PITA

Susan- With your son's experience with HAM equipmant and antennas has he ever suggested a satellite dish? I have no clue how expensive it might be or what the fees are but it might provide you with a few more channels.

We haven't had any problems here, but I have cable. I couldn't do without some of the higher channels, Hallmark, History, Animal Planet and channels like our 38, I think the name is life something. Lots of good movies.

Honestly, Mcmann, at this point I would not be willing to pay anything for more channels. I did without TV completely for many years. Then my son installed a huge TV antenna on top of a radio tower for me, and suddenly I was equipped! I got used to having some shows on in the background, but since I was out of the habit of sitting and watching, I rarely did that.

Now that I'm signal-impaired again, I find the less I have the TV on, the less I want it on. I've often said if I watched TV on a regular basis I'd never get anything done. As it is, I rarely get anything done! :-)

I've posted here about my difficulties with the digital conversion, mostly because I think the whole thing seems to have been mishandled--and I feel bad for those who don't understand the conversion (or weren't able to accommodate it) and are going to suddenly find themselves without TV. I can imagine this happening to some elderly folks, and I think it's a shame.

We live out in the country where there is no cable available and a dish doesn't sound very appealing. We have been using the converter box for several months now. There is only one station we can't get at all and others that are kind of iffy. I wonder what will happen when it totally changes? That's next Saturday, right? Oh, we also gained a few channels and our PBS channels now have 3 or 4 shows per each channel at once! Crazy!

P.S. I hate the danged box! We now have another remote to hassle with and the sound is of poor quality sometimes.

Do you think upgrading to a newer HDTV ready TV would work? Then you could skip the converter box altogether.

We have satellite for our main tv, but have 2 smaller tvs in bedrooms with the converter boxes. Neither are working right. I think it might be easier to figure out once the switch is complete? My parents are using the box and were having some problems with reception, so they upgraded to a small digital antenna and now they are getting clear channels. I don't think the antenna would be your problem though... but I don't understand all the digital/analog stuff.

Do you think upgrading to a newer HDTV ready TV would work?

I'm guessing it might, although before I invested any money in one I'd want to make sure. In any case, it's not happening this year.

I have another converter box that I bought to use with my bedroom TV upstairs. After the downstairs experience, I haven't been tempted to make the effort. But maybe the elevation of the second story could make a difference? I suppose I'll find out eventually.

I'm ready! All my tv's are. I have cable!

The news and many TV shows now can be watched online. Who needs a TV? Just a little awkward having the family gather 'round the laptop to watch Brothers and Sisters. LOL

Jodi-

Jodi, that's funny! Maybe you need a 25" monitor!
JOanMN

Ahhh, Joan, I'm pretty sure a 25" monitor, no longer falls under the category of "laptop". :-)

Jodi-

the cbs affliate has already warned a couple of counties in the detroit metro area, of possible failure...we'll just have to wait and see what happens i guess, before i spend mega bucks to replace tvs....sil in south bend bought a converter box, just in case...

You should not have to replace a TV because of digital transmission. You just need a converter box if you don't have a server of some kind.

You just need a converter box....

That's what they'd like us to believe. :-)

I have a new-ish digital television, and also have a "digital antenna", which I was led to believe I needed, but I don't think it helps. There are sooo many channels I can't pick up digitally, or they go in and out so much that it is extremely frustrating to try and watch. Currently, we end up watching the fuzzy analog channels more than digital because even though the reception is bad, at least it stays on rather can going in and out. I've been told it depends on where you live as to what channels you can pick up. I live in the middle of a major city! I'm so frustrated by the whole thing. Who cares if the picture is clearer if you can't pick up the channel most the time? I refuse to get cable or a satellite dish, and I don't think I should have to. I'm like you alisande, I don't watch very often to begin with and looks like my tv watching will probably be stopping altogether.

Have you tried to rescan your converter box to find those lost channels?

Maddielee, I think you're the first one to suggest the rescan and it sure might help Alisande and others. The last time I did that, I saw I had a few more channels..not that I can speak Spanish to watch them. :(

After June 12, I'm going to rescan again as TV recommends.

Maddielee, that sounds like a good idea. We did something with mine, but I'm not sure what. When I lost the NBC channel I emailed their head engineer. He said the problem was that their signal was too strong for me. (He must be a manly man.) :-)

I'll have to read my manual and learn about rescanning. I'll report back!

A new HDTV definately works better than the set top box!
I know it is wasteful to buy a new set if you have a perfectly good one - but I tried the set top box and they didn't do a good job. With a new HDTV - I get a good signal. I have a newer roof top antenna. I live about 2 hours from where the stations signals originate.

Weather is a big factor. It is very easy to lose the signal.

REMEMBER to rescan on Friday June 12!! You must rescan - even if you are getting the digital signal now. They switch over to a different type of signal brodcast on the switch over date.

Well, I just really resent being blackmailed into spending more money like this. I have cable at one house, guess I'll keep it till we sell, but I'm totally disgusted that right now, on my old (very old--my sets are about 15 years old) TV's I can pick up about 12 channels. With the converter box attached, I can get exactly TWO channels. First they told us all we needed was a converter box. Then, once most folks bought them, oops--you might need an antenna, too. And now, that's not even working.

You know what I think? (Just call me a conspiracist)--I think the pay tv companies had a lot to do with this switch. That's really the only way most of us are going to be able to get TV reception after next week. No, sorry. I'm not spending any more money on this fiasco. After next week, I'll be turning most of my TV's off, and leaving them off. I hear a lot of others who feel the same way. With any luck, this scam will take money from the pockets of the cable/dish companies, rather than making more for them.

Just one more example, though, of the smash and grab that's being perpetrated on the middle class as we gasp our last breaths.

I know that is what you need. Mom has an old TV and I hooked up a converter box and it works fine. As a matter of fact she gets more channels than she got before. Call your local TV station and talk to them about it.

Stargazzer, I already have a converter box. One of the things I said above in this thread is:

I have a converter box. When I first hooked it up (January or February) I acquired several new stations. But when the NBC network affiliate switched to digital I lost it. And when the leaves came out on the trees I lost a bunch more.

The converter box (and the whole digital mess) is the source of my TV problems. And I'm not alone. Your mom is lucky.

Well, I rescanned, but it didn't help. Nice try, though, Maddielee.

The problem with the reception of digital TV signal is that it is an all or none situation. The signal level must be strong enough for the set to assemble a line of display. When it is not, it stops. The old analog sets would continue with less than optimum signal It might become snowy with low contrast, might even loose the color content, but would continue so long as it could sync with the incoming signal. In this respect, the analog signal was superior to digital in locations with low signal strength.

At first, I suspected that the digital set makers had not put as much amplification into the front end of the receivers and had built for the cable environment. This would have been easy to believe, but now it seems that sucessful digital display requires better signal than the old analog; It is less forgiving. This issue was handily sidestepped when the industry began to tout digital TV to the public. If you have cable, it is not an issue, but is critical for through-the-air reception. My view: Why should I pay to have a station poke advertising at me all day long?

I've had mine set up since the fall and I love it. Once in a while I have to move the antenna around a bit to get a better signal with NBC but so far all the other networks are working ok. I wish the Canadian stations would move a bit sooner to digital so I don't have to use 2 antennas. I am loving all the other stations I am getting plus the reception and sound is better on my television now than it was before I had the box.

I am more upset at not being able to tape the shows I want to watch at a later time. I am going to have to give up some of my favourites. I tried watching shows on the computer but some of the sites like Hulu and others are set up for viewing in Canada which I hope will change soon.

I think if I find I am having problems I will just have to get a stronger antenna.

Anne

I think I am done with TV. I have Comcast cable which is a rip off to begin with and my service sucks. I hardly watch TV and cannot justify the $75 every month that I am paying when I don't watch 65% of the channels. That rate is the lowest package! As far as a dish in my area it would be $30 a month, but my building doesn't allow satellite dishes. What the cable companies need to do is have you select the channels you want to view on your TV and just have you pay for those each month.

I am not happy with the digital tv. Bought the converter box and had it installed, not happy. Bought a new television, still not real happy with it either. Can't get cable and probably can't get the dish either as I live in a woods.

Sue

Anne, you should still be able to tape your favorite TV shows but the box would have to be connected differently. You should be able to find out how to hook it up by googling the question.