The lack of analog passthru is not the only problem, of course. I suspect that there are people who don't yet realize that their VCR/DVD recorders will also stop working (as receivers) if they do not have digital tuners. I bought my recorder last year, before there was much awareness of this government-mandated obsolescence. Not only was there no warning on the box when I bought it, it is virtually impossible to find out whether it has a digital tuner by reading the printed manuals and specifications that came with it. I was able to find it for sale online, however, complete with an analog-only warning that confirmed my suspicion that it will stop working next year. I assumed that I could salvage it by buying *two* converters, one for the TV, which I love and do not want to be forced by the government to replace, and one for the VCR with which I record everything before watching it. Now I find that the available converters do not support channel-switching while recording, in effect requiring me to choose only one channel per day to record. The good news is that some higher-function converters will be released later in the year--after, OF COURSE, my coupons have expired. Am I pissed? You becha.

Philips electronics is garbage, they do not back thier products only give a one year warrenty. No one will service their products for after 4 years you might as well haul to the dump. That is as long as it lasts. No wonder the land fills and enviromental charge is there for philips no longer put any money in to the product that they sell

It sounds like we'd all be better off just reading more books. I think i'll be watching "TV" on my computer.

TO: " Matt - 01 May - read a book / use Computer..."

There's an element of "accuracy" to your posting - essentially all new computers either already contain an internal (digital) Video card or have available a model that does. These offer about the sole source of acceptable small display HD available.

It's been at least 4 - 5 generations since we've all experienced the multitude of roof antennas, the required maintenance, the very limited number of channels available, etc..

Successful, reliable Digital reception will be more difficult than VHF ever was.

Added to those new experiences will be the "severe cropping" on analog TV screens as 16::9 shows are attempted.

Before very long, the issues of Converter Boxes to save CRT may well be offset by the overall dissatisfaction with it all.

Electronics manufacturers and CU have seemingly forgotten CATV subscribers lately. Manufacturers (for the most part) no longer include a tuner (either analog or digital) with their DVD/VCR combo units - telling consumers that they'll need a set-top box of some sort to record shows. What about those of us who have cable and will continue to have cable after the analog-to-digital switch? Are we to be forced to buy or rent a box we don't really need, just to be able to record TV shows? If we buy or rent the box, how does it get switched between channels if we choose to program our VCR to record more than one program at a time? It seems that manufacturers have taken a step backward in not including a tuner in their products!

To John - 15 May - "NO RECORDERS ?" ......

There are very few HD Recorders Unless you do rent / lease the cable / satellite units .." The Digital Millennium Copyright Act" + the "Digital Rights Management", etc., have all but shut off any private, hard disk recording w/ "Do not Copy" signals embedded within the digital stream.

These dual tuner, hard drive HD Recorders are extremely easy to use / program, much more so than our others every were ! Choices include every episode / all season, search by Title, etc., and, the time of day, date, start / stop etc., are all items of the past plus there are marvelous "libraries" to retrieve all recorded shows.

Rather than buying a $799 TIVIO Ser 3, with it's $13/monthly fee & any repairs @ the owner's expense - consider instead these as alternatives - a "HD" Box is required anyway for Pay-for-View, On Demand, all of those channels not sent "un-scrambled" by the cable company which can not be seen by the "QAM" tuner, so the $9 - $ 13 "fee" for a HD Recorder is a bargain !

After fine tuning my TV and Magnavox converter to receive all the channels I used to: i.e. by cross referencing Analog station ch with Digital station ch and what location picks up what channel number. I still drop a station every so often, and have to rescan or if autoscan does not pick it up, manually add the channel back into the ch menu. I did know that the VCR will only record one channel at a time once connected to the converter box; but my problem is now. . .that it only records CH3 (one station). So far I've not got it to record any other station, unless I'm watching that specific station at the time and manually select the RECord button on the remote. DID THE GOVERNMENT EVEN KNOW THIS MANY PROBLEMS WOULD ARISE ? AND I'M EVEN NOT TOTALLY BLAMEING THE GOVERNMENT, AFTER ALL THE GOVERNMNENT IS NOT IN THE TV BUSINESS. HERE'S ANOTHER QUESTION...HOW MANY TECH PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE HELPING THE ELDERLY FOLKS SET UP THEIR TV'S SO THEY WILL WORK ONCE THE PLUG IS PULLED ON THE ANALOG SETS? (AND I DON'T MEAN CHARGING THEM FOR IT EITHER.)

Be aware of the expiration date on the Coupons you receive. Mine were mailed 5-9-08-received 5-19-08, and have an expiration date of 7/29/08. I don't expect a lot from government employees, but I can count 90 days better than that with my shoes on.

There is another set of consumers that have a digital TV with an
analog tuner (Sony MFM-HT75W )What is your recommendation for it to
receive digital signals?.Standalone ATSC tuners are hard to find
and cost around $180.Would i be able to use my DVD/VCR combo
recorder?Do you have reviews on ATSC tuners?

TO Leonard - 20 May "Sony digital TV - BUT -w/o tuner"

Since the majority of external digital tuners have "left" the market now, it's either ' buy another HDTV ' or simply get HD Cable with it's Box & use that Sony as a monitor.

Certainly, the $ 13 / monthly fee of TIVO in addition to the selling costs of $ 799 or about half for the smaller one will be out-of-reach, as well.

the fcc really screwed this one up! There ARE people who know how to set the 8 timers in the vcr and routinely have it record 3 programs a day while they are away. Simply claiming "you can use the conversion box with a vcr...but you have to set the channel before leaving" is bunk! Where are the boxes with 8 programmable timers that can switch the channel unattended?
I understand I can "renew" my coupon prior to expiration, and it looks like I will have to do it until some company produces what the consumer needs to fit in with the new edict from above.

We are in the very minority here in Upper East Tennessee. Most people have cable or sattelite in our area because of the difficult terrain. There is also no real coverage provided by PBS stations. The closest PBS transmitter is 32 miles from here. I would have to raise my antenna 200 feet to get that signal. FAA would have serious issues with this. The strongest and best PBS signal comes from WUNC, 78 miles away. The Panasonic VCR/DVR with ATSC tuner will not pickup any digital PBS signals, apparently because they are too weak. The VCR/DVR does pick up the local digital commercial channels which are not worth watching. Do the converter boxes have a signal strength meter and are they manually tunable?

TO: Sandra - " Have a Panasonic DVR w/ ATSC but ...?"

Your DVR is certainly made w/ a far better design criteria than any of the Federal Coupon Converters!

That unit only needs to have a proper or more powerful antenna than whatever is now connected. And, certainly Not at any 200' in height ... it's assumed you were teasing, of course.

IF that assigned frequency is on UHF { above channel 13 } there is a Channel Master # 4228 which would receive the signal from only 32 miles easily plus at most, from a normal mast on the roof of your home. A length of quad coax cable will also be necessary. NO Converter!

To find out what that frequency or channel assignment is, use your Zip + address & check "digital" at the www.antennaweb.org site --- it will list all the info, so that a proper antenna might be found.

Agreed, the other - at 78 miles - is WELL beyond the curvature of the earth limitation.

Many places - but - one web store for antennas is -
www.solidsignal.com

echostar dtvpal timer problems,repackaged as TR40 CRA..
I too have problems with my timers...on dtvpal, i contacted echostar in denver to resolve, however they were supposedly knew nothing about this problem and got the run around, i asked if they had internet access??
Then I said they should read up on the reviews of your timers....The lady said to make a complaint..I did I contacted the better business bureau...My dtvpal is 3 days old timers don't work which is the only reason I bought it......
Without timers vcr's will be worthless...argh...

Yea I live in Pasadena and every since we purchased our digital converter we have been unable to receive PBS. Every other station that comes standard is available. Not sure if other people around us are having this problem (or if they really care) but I know that friends and family from Houston to Port Arthur are able to and we are curious why we can not. If any one has any suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.
Our converter type is RCA.
Thanks

TO: John - "WHY NO PBS @ Pasdena, TX ..?"

From your 'post' - you ARE receiving KHOU/CBS AND KTRK/ABC all "O.K.?" That would suggest that your Outside Antenna is fully capable of receiving both VHF + UHF Broadcasting Bands, certainly.

Although you shouldn't NEED to do so since you DO receive all those other ~ ~ 15 TV Channels, have you ever "tried" the (double scanning) mentioned here by Mr. Paul Eng, Sr. Web Editor?

That's to electronically 'erase' that RCA's memory of the older PBS & then allow it to scan into memory the newer frequency ..

Try it - can't hurt!

everett

P.S. to "Pasadena, TX - John - " Consider ...."

With all those multitude of TV Networks available in your O.T.A.-DTV reception zone, please have "Santa" or @ your B.D., etc., bring a new, top tier HDTV set?

The huge improvement in P.Q. will absolutely be astounding! No federal coupon Converter, either.

Those Texas Football Games & the Pros on Sunday afternoons will be stunning!

AND, even the "Mrs." will approve after she watches one Rose Bowl Parade in 'HD!'

These are ALL on tremendous sales / promotions!

Lots more - pls do just ask?

everett