Rate your DTV converter

CU doesn't rate fringe reception, which is what the OP was asking about.

I got the standard box the satellite company provided. It works good. I live in the XXXtreme SW corner of Utah, and I get stations from all around the US.

Steve

The same old signal amps will work fine for digital. If you aren't running a mast mount antenna and RG6 coax, that is probably your signal problem. UHF is higher frequency than VHF, and there is quite a bit of loss in coax, particularly cheap coax. The old twin lead is even worse.

Mast mount amplifiers are the best, but more work to install. If you use an inline amplifier, mount it as close to the antenna as possible, and before any splitters.

A dollar says that what you've actually got is a station in your market that has the DT license, transmits its primary signal on VHF in analog, ("business as usual") and operates a UHF "translator" (possibly at a reduced power level) that's simulcasting the same material as the analog/VHF signal (and probably one or more "extra" sub-channels) in digital on the UHF frequency. When the switch hits, expect the VHF signal to go dead.

The whole point of the switch is to get broadcast TV off the VHF bands so they can be used for other purposes. Leaving some stations on VHF would defeat that purpose. ("low power" stations are the exception - While I haven't been interested enough to chase down exactly what makes a "low power" station, it's a pretty safe bet that they're all so "quiet" they won't cause anything but minimal, if any, interference with whatever use the VHF band gets put to after the switch is completed.)

Only about half of the VHF band is being repurposed. Some stations will continue to transmit a VHF digital signal.

Don, you really need to stop posting misinformation like this. Many VHF stations are broadcasting a DTV signal on a temporary UHFfrequency. When they kill their analog VHF broadcast, it will be replaced with a digital VHF broadcast.

Again, if you'd like a reasonably understandable article on the topic:

No, it isn't. The frequencies that are being auctioned off are high UHF.

What may be the source of your confusion is a proposal to utilize the "white space" VHF frequencies for other purposes.

Currently, VHF TV channels are not allowed to be adjacent to each other so they don't interfere. That leaves a lot of unused VHF frequencies around the country. IIRC, the thinking is that when TV goes digital, there won't be as great a potential for interference and thus those blank channels could be used for other purposes.

Which reviews and where did you read that actually reviewed anything that one could relate to such issues as S:N, input sensitivity, noise, etc., that have direct correlation to signal pickup? All I've seen is stuff that is peripherally related at best ("slightly fewer pixel dropouts") while concentrating on peripheral issues like setup and convenience of program content.

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OK.

On Jan 8, 8:10 am, Don Bruder wrote: ...

... Excepting, of course, for the case were raising it clears an obstruction or echo path or similar physical change as opposed to simply elevation above clear, flat ground.

I wasn't replying to the OP. Look back in the thread; it was someone else who posted that the CU report rated "reception". Posting the url clarified that and any misconception that it is "pay" content. The information in the report may be useful to those interested in "picture and sound quality and features". Anyway, since when has staying on-topic been a requirement for posting to m.r?

Sorry, you are just completely wrong. I know the engineering manager at that station and have seen most of their equipment and know how it works. I also know they were overjoyed to get the VHF DT allocation which they elected to keep.

Actually the whole point was to lower the amount of spectrum allocated to TV services and transfer it to other uses by decommissioning a block of the *higher* UHF channels.

the lower elevation may be better, or worse.

Radio signals are like waves in a pond, drop a couple rocks in, ever notice where some waves get larger and others smaller and sometimes disappear altogether.

as to the ham radio antenna for tv viewing.

it can work if the antenna happens to be a multiple of the desired frequency.

this is part of how multi band antennas are designed

I obtained the RCA converter early last year, before the 'B' model came out, but it works fine. By the time I received my coupons, Wal-Mart was out of the RCA units while still awash in the Magnavox units. I picked up two of the Zenith converters from the local Radio Shack. It works well too. My local station transmitter farm is about 50 miles south. I also got a new antenna from Radio Shack but have not installed it yet. Still using an older 'outdoor' V-shape antenna that's 20+ years old hanging in the attic. Too cold to go swap it out right now.

And here in W. Michigan the new channel assignments for digital TV broadcasting include channels 5 (moved from 52), 7, 8 and 11 -- all VHF.

Perce

This is *not* true -- some (not all) stations that are now broadcasting digital on a UHF channel will switch their digital broadcast back to a VHF channel.

Check

I believe the FCC has similar information available somewhere online.

Josh

These maps show the both the individual stations' analog coverage areas and new DTV coverage areas. For example three fringe VHS stations I now receive have cut their coverage areas (and changed the pattern) - which explains why I don't/won't receive their UHF digital signal.

"Map Book of All Full-Power Digital Television Stations Authorized by the FCC"

I just ordered the TIVAX STB-T8 , supposedly top rated. I'll report my findings.

Huh? Mine expire on the day of the switch-over in Feb. I didn't realize there were different expiry dates.

Thanks

Twayne

I was not impressed by

snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net (---MIKE---) wrote in news:25094-496601D0-506 @storefull-3172.bay.webtv.net:

You don't get ch 3, WCAX (CBS) out of Burlington? They transmit digital from the top of Mt Mansfield. You're around Mt Washington. You on the wrong side of the mountain or do you have sequoias outside your door?

Next door neighbor huh? :-)