I'm not 100% sure, but I think that is right. I
think the boxes are for the people who have antennas.
Rabbit ears won't do it.

The only people who will be ok are the people who have
cable or DT I guess.

There was a show on this on my local PBS Station, and
people were calling in with questions. A lady called
in and asked if the box would work with her inside
antenna that she had in her attic - a rabbit ear kind
of thing - and they told her she would need an outside
antenna if she did not have cable.

Hopefully, someone smarter will tell you. :)

Will we have to buy a HDTV, or will having dishnet work? I'm confused also.

So, are we all being sold these boxes, and then, come Feb. we're going to discover we still can't get any reception unless we go out and spend MORE $$$?
No, I don't think so.

they told her she would need an outside
antenna if she did not have cable.
That sounds like maybe some sort of a 'canned' reply and that the person on the phone calling bank maybe didn't exactly understand that rabbit ears are an antennae.

Taken from the link below:
Don't get rid of those rabbit ears or rooftop television antennas just yet.

Those antennas are likely receive digital signals better than the analog signals they pick up now.

"Even rabbit ears, depending upon location, will pull in digital channels," said David Fries, owner of Fries TV Service in Salisbury. "It's the analog tuner (in television sets) that will be useless next February, unless it is hooked up to a converter."

By law, all high-power television stations are required to upgrade their technology from analog to digital only by Feb. 17, 2009. Most stations, including those which cover Salisbury, already broadcast digitally.

Everyone I know who has gotten their box hooked up early, is receiving additional channels now, so they must be getting the digital ones that have already switched.
I'd suggest getting the box hooked up now, and then you can see if it is pulling in additional, digital channels, even if the main channels haven't switched yet. I think you will be pleased and pleasantly surprised.

Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: Rabbit ears and rooftop antennas can be used after Feb. 16

Since this is a post about the digital change-over, I thought I'd mention that the RCA DTA800B1 converter can stand upright instead of lying down (I think this is the only one like this). That way you can set the converter up next to the tv instead of lying it down on top or stacked with your dvd player/etc. I got mine at Amazon.com, you can use your government coupons most places on line. It was easy at Amazon.

We haven't hooked ours up yet, so I can't comment on quality/etc.

I know that anyone with cable or satellite service will not need to buy this "special" equipment. So I'm safe. I haven't used rabbit ears since the early 70's. When I was a kid, we had a big metal antenna on the roof and a rotator box inside so that you could turn the antenna to get the best signal. We used to watch TV from Rochester and Buffalo NY and from stations in Canada, Hamilton and Toronto.

Under FAQs at this site, https://www.dtv2009.gov/ it states:

Will I need to purchase a "DTV antenna" or "HDTV antenna" to receive digital television signals?

You should be able to receive digital television signals with your existing broadcast antenna. If after you have installed your converter box you are having reception problems using your existing antenna, you may want to contact either your local broadcaster or the retail store where you purchased the converter box. Troubleshooting advice can be found at www.antennaweb.org or via the Federal Communications Commission at www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/dtvantennas.html.

And some other helpful answers here: http://www.dtvanswers.com/dtv_faqs.html

HDTV is a high-definition version of digital service.
You do NOT need an HDTV set or HDTV service from your cable provider.

Right now, TV signals coming from "in the air" are analog (waves). The big change in February is that the signals that will be sent through the air will be digital (on/off bursts).
Many older TVs can translate only analog signals...the purpose of the converter box is to "translate" those digital signals into analog waves that your TV can "understand"

And....digital and satellite TV signals are already digital, that's why cable and dish subscribers don't have to do anything.

If you currently have your coverage through cable or satellite - you won't even need the converter box.

A lot depends on where you live.

If you live VERY close to the source of the broadcast, you might have luck with rabbit ears.

I live about 1.5 hours from where the TV stations broadcast. With my older style TV and a set top box, I can get NOTHING with rabbit ears. Somewhat better with my rooftop antenna - but not all the stations.

Our PBS stations had a show about this - and the set top antenna they recommended to replace rabbit ears was quite expensive - and they said it would work very good if you were very far out. By the time you purchase a set top box, a new directional antenna, and all the other nonsense to set on top of your old TV, that won't work very well - you could nearly purchase a new Digital TV

With my new HDTV, I can get fairly good reception with the rooftop antenna - much better than the old TV, set top box, and the same antenna connection.

When the weather acts up at all - I totally loose the signal.

Digital TV is not a great thing if you don't live close to a metropolitan area. You must rely on cable or satellite for decent reception.

I think there will be some unsatisfied people come February 9th!

I did not see that show so I cannot comment on it but, I think that what they are trying to say is that most of the television monitors sold nowdays do not have antenna in them. Manufacturers stopped putting antenna in television monitors because most people use them with cable or dish. If you have a television monitor without an antenna, of course your converter box is useless because the unit can't pick up OTA reception. You would need an external antenna. Not everyones does though. It all depends on what kind of unit you have.

Back in the mid nineties when I was shopping in the electronics department, I noticed that many of what looked like televisions had big sticker signs on them touting *ANTENNA INCLUDED*. I thought this was redundant since all "televisions" had internal antennas. A clerk explained that most of what where on the shelves were just monitors. They had no antenna. They had ports to connect cable or dish hook-up.

So if you just have a monitor, then yes, you would need to get an antenna to use it with the converter box to receive OTA signals.

This situation would be rare though. Anyone with an existing television who is getting OTA signals already has an antenna in their television set. If by some chance it broke and they went out and bought a television monitor they would have to get an antenna for it.

Azzalea, your post is very important information. Many people like my parents, who never had (and never will) get cable/dish, have older television sets with antenna and probably do not realize that this. If their set would break and they would need to replace it, they will have to (#1): buy a television monitor and get and antenna for it and a converter box, OR (#2): buy a television set with an internal antenna (if they are still going to continue to manufacturer them) and use it with the external converter box. The other option would be (#3): to purchase a television set with an antenna and a converter built in internally which would mean they wasted their money buying an external converter box.

Another thing is, that you need an analogue converter box for your VCR if you are going to record programs or else you have to disconnect the box from the TV and connect it to the VCR in order to receive signals to the VCR anttenna. Or get two converter boxes if you like to watch one show while recording another.

If you get a brand new television that receives the new signal on its own with an internal converter, you will still need a converter box for your VCR antena.

I find all this stuff really hard to try to comprehend and I have to try to explain this all to may elderly parents who have a difficult time trying to learn all of this. I'm glad I went TV-less again. My life is more peaceful with out a TV.

Dilly-dally - you don't need two boxes for a VCR - you connect the output from the set top box to the VCR - then the VCR to the TV.

This is from the DTV Site:
Can I continue using my existing VCR with a DTV converter box for timed recordings?

Yes. However, after the digital transition, the tuner in the VCR won't be able to pick up over-the-air programs for recording. Instead, the input to the VCR must be connected to the output of the DTV converter box. You must set the tuner in the DTV converter box to the channel you want to record prior to the start of each recording period programmed in the VCR.

You will have to have the VCR set to channel 3 to record (that is what the set top box is using) - you have to have the channel preset to what you want to tape. The timer will work on the VCR, but you cannot have the VCR change itself to record different channels.

It is really simple - and totally complicated! ARG!

By "internal antenna" - do you mean the type that pull up out of the back? I haven't seen a TV with those for years. I have one TV that is a monitor, but the others that do not have internal antenna are not monitors, they are TV's. They did come with rabbit ears. I think stuff has been geared to cable/satellite for many years.

Here is a link that might be useful: VRC and Set Top Digital boxes.

Dilly-Dally - forgot to add..

If your folks ever had to buy a new TV - they could only buy digital. They don't sell the old type any more (at least not from someone reputable) You don't need any type of converter box for the new DTV or HDTV's.

You could probably try the exhisting rabbit ears with it. The best best would be an outdoor antenna.

My new digital TV (no need for the box) picks up the signal much better than the set top box (using my older analog TV) does - I have tried it plugged into the same antenna connect, so that is not any different. I have the RCA converter box from Wal-Mart.

It really depends on how far away you are from the signal. If your folks are close - they won't have any trouble.

Thanks iowagirl2006for the help. As I said before I find this tech stuff hard to digest. I have to help my parents make the best decision for the transition. Right now they have a TV of unknown age. It's "black" and has rabbit ears. They use the VCR with it all the time.

I've been trying to figure out if they can still record one station while watching another like they can do now, when/if they get a converter box.

I think they should just throw in the towel and bite the bullet and get a new TV. The worst part about this digital changeover is that it impacts the elderly on Social Security, and the low income families, who don't have a lot of other entertainment choices, and can't afford to toss out their perfectly good TV.

I am still wondering if the new TVs that are on the shelves currently, will support a VCR, since it is such old technology. I read conflicting advice. If they can't use the VCR and have learn DVD they are not going to fare well. My Uncle still can't get over the fact that his new car doesn't have a cassette tape deck to play his tapes. I think I am going to have to help him out with this digital TV transition too. He doesn't have a wife or kids to explain things to him and is panicking about this.

I hope I did not hijack this thread. Sorry if I veered to far off topic.

I think they should just throw in the towel and bite the bullet and get a new TV.
My guess is that a new TV would have to have some sort of an antenna or rabbit ears added to it too to receive any signals.
Why not get the government coupon, pay the additional $20, get it in place, and see just how well it works now?

Today's new TV technology has not been around long enough to even know for sure just how good it is, IMHO. Today's TVs are so costly, and I doubt if any of them will last as long as older TVs. My last 25" TV that finally went out, was bought for about $250 and lasted 25 years.

I think it is sad that there will likely be lots of folks who will, because they are confused, just get rid of their perfectly good TV instead of getting the box, for about $20, and getting it hooked up. The hook up is simple, no different than a VCR and almost anyone can handle doing it. I envision perfectly good TVs setting curbside to go fill the landfills, or worse yet, just thrown out along country roads.

Sue...who might hook up her boxes later today

My analog television is more than 20 years old. Canadians aren't switching to digital until 2010 or 2011 but since I live in a border city and most of my television stations are from the Detroit area I purchased a digital converter box - GE Smart Digital Coverter Box and a GE Amplified Quantum Antenna with HD3 technology that sits on my television. I also am using my rabbit ears so I can receive our local Canadian CBC station. I think we used some type of splitter or something to hook them both up. I turn on Channel 3 to get the analog to digital stations and if I want to watch CBC I just turn the analog station on.

My television has a much better picture using the converter box and GE antenna and the colours are so crisp and clear. I get more US stations than I ever did. There are now 3 PBS stations and once PBS station is called Create with cooking, craft, home, garden and craft shows. The other unique station is a retro station that plays old television shows like Leave it to Beaver and Laredo, Wagon Train and many others.

I can't wait to see what happens when the Canadian stations switch.

I didn't have a coupon so payed full price at Target for the box and antenna. I need to get another set for my bedroom television.

I don't have a roof antenna - just the converter box and the antenna which sit on top of my television.

Anne