Is my TV digital?

Hello all....not sure where to ask this question but I know there are alot of knowledgible people in this group so here goes.

I have a 27" Toshiba flat screen (#27AF44) I bought in 2004, it has a real good picture,. I'm trying to figure out if this televison is digital or not? I've done some research but still not sure. I know it has a 3-line digital comb filter, but not sure that makes it a digital tv?

As we know...in 2009 all tv's must be digital to function with new digital signal in 09. I have the website to order a digital converter box but want to make sure if this Toshiba is digital ready or....it's not? I would call best buy but figure they won't know or I would get run-around, they probably don't carry this model anymore. TIA.

Reply to
Chris
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If you use cable or satellite, then you will be fine; their set-top-boxes do the convesion already. If you use an antenna to capture over-the-air signals, then and only then do you need to obtain a converter.

Reply to
Dave Bugg

No, it is an analog TV. It needs to have a digital decoder to be a "digital TV" If there was one in this model, the manufacturer would not forget to emphasize that, I'm sure.

If you are a cable TV subscriber, you can forget about 2009 deadline. It is up to the cable TV company. If they decide to go all digital (like Verizon FIOS TV) they will either force you to rent the decoder box for $5/month or maybe (just maybe) give you one for free so you stay with them. Others plan on keeping supporting analog TVs. I believe, Comcast is one of those. The 2009 deadline only applies to the free air TV.

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Reply to
DA

Define "free." I say force the FCC commissioners to PERSONALLY pay for every analog TV to be replaced!

Reply to
Mike Dobony

Don't forget other TVs you may have on antennas, such as in an RV.

Reply to
Pete C.

What does the owner's manual say?

If you don't have the manual, you can download it at:

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Reply to
jJim McLaughlin

Didn't mean to start a fight. I simply meant "freely propagating through the air" as opposed to "channeled to your home through a cable of some kind for which you have to pay"

As for why the switch, get it from the horse's mouth, so to speak:

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Reply to
DA

Thanks for the input everyone....Yeah, thats what I thought it might be non-digital. and yes I'm using the free deal with the rabbit ears....I get enough channels that way and prefer to keep it free....the local cable co (cox) just wants too much. Anyway...here's the website for the converter box... DTV Answers : DTV Converter Box Details Address:

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So if I go with their deal it should only cost me like $20 after coupon to keep my Toshiba up and running in the year 2009. But on the bright side they claim you will get more channels with better quality picture. Thanks!

Reply to
Chris

Actually, there are vouchers available for $40 to pay for a converter. There are, or will be, converters available for that price.

Reply to
salty

Well, close.

There are a limited number of $40 set top converter box coupons available at

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two per person limit, and the boxes are expected to be available around March for $50-$70 each. You sign up for the coupons now, and they will be mailed once the boxes are available at retailers. The coupons have to be used in 90 days as well.

Reply to
Pete C.

Well, you'll probably get a better picture, but I'm not so sure about more channels. According to the mapper on antennaweb.org I can get like a dozen analog stations now with a suitable antenna, but only two are DTV. It's similar at my mothers house where analog reception is greater than DTV, at least according to current maps. I'll see once I get my converter boxes and start testing.

Reply to
Pete C.

Do you have a clickable URL?

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

The URL works when I click on it.....Give it another try. Now when you get to the site I couldn't get on the .gov URL for some reason so I just wrote down the phone number that's listed .

1-888-DTV-2009 I'm going to call them tomorrow and get my name in the pot for the coupon on the converter box..
Reply to
Chris

The antennaweb.org site is rather conservative as to which stations can be received. I'm between two cities using a directional rooftop antenna for one city's analog stations. I found that I could receive all that city's digital stations and a few from the town in the opposite direction. During some stormy weather last week I couldn't get a few stations -- I don't know if the signal doesn't travel as far in bad weather or whether the digital transmitter was down or running at reduced power.

As for more stations, several of the "big" stations have one or more subchannels -- check the station's website.

You can apply for converter coupons at

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Some retailers have announced that they'll have the boxes available for $40.

Reply to
Bob

OK, here's a related question. I'm using an outside antenna for through-the-air reception. I have a line amplifier just before input to the TV. Will the amp work with digital signals?

Red

Reply to
Red

An alternative site that provides more detailed information for the technically inclined is

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Reply to
junk998877

Antennas and amps that worked for analog will also work for digital. They simply take in and amplify whatever RF energy comes their way (within their respective designed frequency range).

The tuner is what ultimately determines whether or not you can make use of that RF energy. This might include analog TV (NTSC), digital TV (ATSC), FM radio, HD FM radio, and anything else that happens to be broadcast within those frequency ranges.

If you're using an inline amp, it's usually best to put is as close to the antenna as possible. That way, the gain of the amp can make up for any cable loss, splitters, tuner noise figure, etc. If you put the amp just before the TV, then you've already suffered some signal degradation from the cable run and splitters that came before the amp.

Chuck

Reply to
Chuck

e quoted text -

It doesn't matter what the owner's manual says. A 27" TV which is just a flat screen TV, purchased in 2004, almost certainly did not have a digital tuner built-in. Beyond that, it doesn't matter. The converter boxes that are being sold will convert digital ATSC broadcasts and output signals that any older TV with NTSC tuner can receive. It's similar to hooking up a VCR, etc.

Reply to
trader4

Ha! Thats an understatement. Antennaweb says I get 0 dtv stations. Fooling around with its inputs, it says I need at least a 500 ft tower to get any.

In reality, I get every dtv station from 3 urban areas with just a rooftop antenna.

Bottom line: If you get any analog stations with any kind of good signal strength, you'll be able to get dtv stations. And let me tell you, the difference in picture quality is astounding.

-dickm

Reply to
dicko

Just for the record...I called the DTV # today (1-888-DTV-2009) and it only took about 2 minutes to sign up. They inform me it should be in mid February I will receive my converter coupon as soon as the stores have them in stock. So that was a easy transaction. Easy because you don't have to give hardly any info...they already knew who I was, my name, my address,...everything...I just had to confirm by pushing 1. So if you want to go digital on your tv just call the number.

Reply to
Chris

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