TV Converter Box?

**pollypurebred39** · 01-03-2009, 03:03 AM

Have you made the switch yet ?

Anyone need to change antennas?

We tried last night and discovered to our dismay that our indoor antenna will not sufice and we need to purchase a long range roof top antenna due to the trees and our deep valleys and high hills.

**cmdarlin** · 01-03-2009, 08:35 AM

We haven't as we have satellite, and were told you don't need it with that. We currently live out in the sticks too and the antenna they had on the house is crap. Falls apart more and more each time the wind blows.

Debbie

**nvmommyx6** · 01-03-2009, 09:32 AM

You don't have to have them if you have a cable or satellite provider. However, we got 2 just in case for when we take the RV out or if I am ever lucky enough to be able to call the satellite company and tell them to stick it HAHAHAAA

**jacqueline** · 01-03-2009, 09:43 AM

I bought 2 - got lucky at Walmart when they had them on sale for $49.99. So they cost almost $20 total. I came home and tried one and could only get one channel and that one came and went. But when it was on it was good and clear. My rabbit ears came from a long ago purchase at the Dollar Tree so I would think maybe a better antennae may help. I still have my cable (I don't go out for entertainment so this makes up for not having that expense) I also wanted them just in case I do want to go no cable in the future. I'm anxious to see how everyone reacts/or how it goes in February when it does happen.

**Brat** · 01-03-2009, 09:50 AM

I got mine..on the old I have 22 chanels..with the box I have 6 and not one ABC..I have outside antenna that is less than 6 years old rotor booster and with box very few channels..I have a good picture on what I have...I called TV stations and they tell me I am just out of the 50 mile range that they will be feeding to..

**pollypurebred39** · 01-03-2009, 06:00 PM

I too am wondering how people are going to fair come Feb. We were unprepared for so few channels that come in. I have 1 or 2 at any given time, that just will not do. We will have to buy a long range antenna. We do not go out for entertainment really unless it is a church event or the free movies, this TV is really it for our family. Funny thing is our local TV station was saying since they started advertising the switch that the converter box will be all you need, no worries. I go to their web site and they have in tiny, tiny letters that some tv's may require a new antenna!!!

I'm going to need to get some more marketing research gigs real soon. Just did a $55 one but the antenna we need is $84, and that's not adding in the hardware to hook it up!

**claimsgirl66** · 01-03-2009, 07:16 PM

I have cable for my living room & bedroom but the spare bedroom TV is not hooked to the cable. It is where I have my exercise bike and where I work out ( in theory at least!!) I am in sort of a rural area & had to go get a new antenna just to get some signals in. I ended up hanging the antenna off the curtain rod as that was the best way to get reception, but I still need to adjust the antenna each time I change channels, rather annoying when trying to channel surf on a stationary cycle!

I ended up giving the old TV I had in there to my mom for HER spare bedroom and I got a new 13 inch digital TV/DVD last year. When the digital signal comes in it is crisp and clear but it is all or nothing with digital. Could be worse though, so I will not fret.

My daughter lives in an even more rural area than I do & I gave her a converter box. I also bought her a new antenna for Christmas in hopes they will be able to get some signals when it goes all digital in Feb.She has no cable or satellite so she is a bit concerned about the lack of reception due to the mountains all around her.
We shall see!

**guest002** · 01-03-2009, 08:02 PM

I applied for 2 coupons for the RV.

**fixer** · 01-03-2009, 11:45 PM

I installed two boxes for my parents. They were worried if they could find them, how hard would it be hooking them up, and would they work. I am sure there are things to worry about when you are seventy nine. TV should not be one of them. Both TV's got all of the channels and their old antennas worked. I am afraid other senior citizens will be taken advantage of. Even though the connection was simple, my parents were completely lost. I can see unscrupulous people charging outrageous fees for doing this.

**karone** · 01-04-2009, 12:51 AM

we have had the converter boxes for awhile now. when we get a better antennae (ours is made out of scrap copper wiring and a few other things from around here) i know we will get more channels. right now in the living room we have very basic cable (jason made a deal with the neighbors) and the converter box in our bedroom. both work great. our local stations have had tests and we have passed all of them with the converter box. later on today im going to drop off a book at the library then pay some of the fine on monday so that i can get some of the movies/tv series we like. that way jason can copy them and we can watch them when theres either nothing on or the cable/local channels go out.

**Laura2** · 01-04-2009, 04:30 AM

We bought two of them.

We have one hooked up in the living room where we also have "rabbit ears" hooked up.

The other one will go in our bedroom once we buy "rabbit ears" for that room too.

We are considering putting an antenna on the roof so that we only need the boxes hooked up to the tv's inside.

**KKCondrey** · 01-04-2009, 09:15 AM

We have cable and should be fine come Feb. but I told Joe "At least the Daytona 500 is the weekend before the change, just in case...lol"

Our local news station switched their signal one day during there lunch time broadcast but I didn't hear about it until that morning when I got to work. A lot of people complained that they should have done it at there 6PM news instead of their 12PM news and should have given much further notice so people could set there DVR's/VCR's to see if it would affect them.

**shadowfax** · 01-04-2009, 03:49 PM

I have Cable internet and my basic cable tv comes with so I'm set. Good thing because those new TV's are outlandish expensive.

I have heard it said on some of the commercials about some tv's needing a new antenna as well. I had an antenna called a signal booster that worked great back before I got cable. It was not too expensive and I did not even have to leave the house to set it up.

**NovaMater** · 01-04-2009, 05:39 PM

We got the converter box last summer and had to upgrade the antenna as well; even though we live in the middle of a fairly large city, there's a huge oak tree on our neighbor's property that overhangs our house, and apparently that interfered with the signal to the bunny ears.

We do get better quality picture now, but have to move the antenna when we switch between CBS and NBC

**BlessedMomof2** · 01-04-2009, 05:48 PM

We got converter box a couple months ago, and use it with our antennae tv. We get 3-4 channels with the antennae alone and get the only the same 3 with the converter box turned out. We do also get 2 24/7 weather channels with the converter box along with the 3 regular channels.