Mixed reception
Digital TV converter boxes may need antenna help
Technology buffs love to chat about the latest touch-screen cellphones and quad-core microprocessor chips. But talk technology with elderly ladies, and they'll ask you why it's becoming so difficult to watch TV.
It used to be simple; flip on the set, and there's Oprah. But the transition from analog to digital TV broadcasting next Feb. 17 has complicated the lives of millions. About 13 percent of US households still get their TV over the airwaves, rather than through cable or satellite service. Some of these users already own newer sets that can receive the digital signals. But most will need to buy converter boxes.
Some gadgets can't be upgraded. Portable radios that pick up the audio portion of TV broadcasts will fall silent next year. Millions of portable TVs and battery-powered handheld sets are also doomed. According to the Consumer Electronics Association, such sets are found in only 7 percent of US households. Hardly any of them have digital tuners, and many can't be upgraded. A handful of companies sell digital portables - you can get a battery-powered 7-inch set from Radio Shack for $200. But that's a big investment for such a small screen. Those who must watch TV on tiny screens will probably fall back on their cellphones.
But for living room TVs, the conversion is meant to be easy. The boxes cost around $60, and the federal government is giving away coupons worth $40 toward the retail price. You can apply for a coupon at dtv2009.gov or call 888-388-2009. Nearly every major TV station in the United States broadcasts in digital already, so you can carry out the conversion right away.
I've tried three of these converter boxes: the Insignia NS-DXA1, the Zenith DTT901, and the Magnavox TB100MW9. All three do the job. In fact, the Insignia and Zenith boxes are pretty much identical. The Magnavox unit has a few odd variations. For instance, its remote control will turn the converter box on and off, but not the TV. So you'll need to keep your TV remote handy for switching off the set. Still, converter boxes deliver clear, bright digital video - most of the time.
The converter box I installed for my 83-year-old mother during a recent trip to Chicago wouldn't bring in the local CBS network affiliate. The old analog TV signal was sometimes snowy, but visible. With the digital tuner, she got only a blank screen. Back in Boston, one of the older members of my church made a similar complaint - her new converter box made one of her favorite TV channels disappear.
Time for another trip to the electronics store - not for a new converter, but a new antenna. Analog tuners will convert even a feeble signal into some kind of picture, but digital TV is far less forgiving. If the signal strength falls below a certain level, the screen goes blank.
The Zenith converter offers a "pass-through" feature that lets you fall back on your TV's old analog tuner. Thousands of low-powered analog TV broadcasters have been exempted from the digital changeover. These stations mainly serve small towns or provide niche services like religious or foreign-language programming. If you watch such channels, a pass-through feature will come in handy.
But it won't help with major TV stations after next February, when these stations will halt their analog broadcasts forever. So if your digital reception stinks, start shopping now for a better antenna. You can begin your search at antennaweb.org, a website run by the CEA and the National Association of Broadcasters. It's awash in facts about antennas and the digital TV transition.
"An outdoor antenna is always going to serve you better than an indoor antenna," said Dave Wilson, senior director of technology and standards at CEA. But that's not an option for most apartment dwellers, and many homeowners have no interest in climbing onto their roofs, or paying someone to do it.
But you can check out some advanced indoor antennas. I had good success with an RCA ANT1500, a flat plastic device about the size and thickness of Modern Bride magazine. You can place it on top of the TV or fasten it to the wall, and it delivered clear reception for 20 of the 21 digital channels I can pick up at home in Quincy. The ANT1500 lists for $60, but some Internet stores are selling it for half that.
I picked up the 21st channel with an archaic Radio Shack amplified antenna borrowed from a friend. This old-fashioned rabbit-ears design plugs into an electrical outlet, and uses its amplifier to jack up the TV signal before feeding it to the converter box. Similar amplified antennas sell for $25 to $35 online.
We'll soon see another gimmick - "smart antennas" that use digital electronics to home in on weak signals. RCA will introduce such an antenna this year. But smart antennas won't work with many converter boxes. If you're interested in checking them out, you'll also need a converter that's smart antenna-compatible.
If you live in an area with strong analog TV signals, your old antenna may be good enough to haul in digital TV as well. Only if you're missing a few channels should you think about a fancier antenna. You might have to experiment with several models till you find something that works.
But once you've got it right, watching TV will be as simple as ever. Just press a button, and there's Oprah.
Hiawatha Bray can be reached at bray@globe.com.
