How to get a Cheap Digital Tuner for OTA-ATSC Channels

[Jean0987654321]

better than an attenna

[theesixtiesguy]

I'm using the same HUGHES receiver without a satellite and it works as shown in the video. Channel switching (and channel-up/down) works. However, without the satellite hookup, the "Guide" feature is locked. I get by fine without the guide.

[wittyian]

Sigh...

[Kukenango]

Does not work without a subscription.

[crcooktube]

mine did no satelite but got the ota atsc channels free and it still does

[Kukenango]

Must be the receiver model. I have an H20 HDTV and I called DIRECTV to have the service suspended. I thougt I would be able to watch OTA channels but they "bricked it" Including OTA channels which come through the aerial antenna and are free. So, If I want HD, I have to buy a new digital tuner.

[denelson83]

June 12 is the analog switchoff date now.

[iliketyreek]

how can i get local channels without an antenna. my tvs antenna jack is broken

[crcooktube]

How are u watching it right with no antenna -- Charles?

[kdaveem]

If your television has line inputs, or what some would call RCA inputs, you can attach a digital converter to your set through those inputs. Just make sure you switch your TV input to line, or the video input.

[UberStarFkr]

How come everyone always mix HDtv with Digital? There is a big difference. HD is 16:9 at 720p resolution and higher. Digital is standard 4:3 but the signal is actually turned into data which is sent to a digital QAM tuner that take the data and turns it back into a signal. Digital on a HDtv will be crystal clear but if the digital channel does not support HD you will not get the full 16:9 ratio or high resolution of 720p and higher.

[ellokote760]

dumb ass you dont need a new TV dumb ass all you need a converter retard.Anyway i have 2 DTV tuners none of you guys wanna buy it of off me?

[rep0eagle]

i got my box with the coupon 2 months ago. First of all, i wanna say even though analog is all snowy, Analog BLOWS digital out of the water when it comes to reception. With digital i only get 1 station and it breaks up into squares. with analog i get over 15. In other words, unless you live across the street from the station your not gonna pick up anything.

[DonHoraldo]

check your wiring. I have a hd tuner card in my pc I have never seen snow. maby its the brand with a crapy wire going to 50 year old set.

[jesterAMVproductions]

something to point out here, 90% of the digital stations in the US today are broadcasting at 50% or less of their full power, which translates to 50% or less of their total range...

[rep0eagle]

yea i know all about that. I hope next year they when they shut down analog they go full power with the digital.

if not theres gonna be alot of unhappy customers. Especially us people out in the woods with no cable option.

[nsayer]

Untrue. Most broadcasters are transmitting with less power on their digital transmitter, but that's primarily because power is measured differently (average vs peak). What they are transmitting now is what most of them will transmit come February (except for those changing frequency).

[98770]

there is a RCA dta 800 converter sell at walmart they say that is a good brand? but I dont know somebody tell me

[ne014x]

Not to mention you get more channels on digital and PSIP or on screen guide information with digital

[jmailg]

I bid on one of these today on eBay. Lost by 50 cents...probably to someone lurking around here...

[crcooktube]

Yes I would not bid too high because I went to Best Buy and the had some set top converters for 59.95 then you could use the 40$ coupon making it 19.95 -- Charles

[sffea200]

I found one at Walmart too - Magnavox Digital-to-Analog TV Converter Box $49.87 ATSC (SDTV-Tuner 480i).

[vikingscool]

Yes. I recommend going to Circuit City for

getting a best DTV converter is Zenith that I seen on the reviews on Circuit City website.

[sffea200]

The Zenith DTT900 at Circuit City and the Insignia NS-DXA1 at Best Buy are the same (both are rebranded LG products). Apparently you're correct that these are much better than the Magnavox TB100MW9 that's selling at Walmart. I notice that all of them are SD-480i. They all qualify for the $40 coupon. None of them support S-Video, Component or allow Dolby 5.1 sound through.

[sffea200]

You can't get HD on a regular TV, but you can get digital TV (4:3 SD). That's exactly what crcooktube has shown is his video. My Comcast cable box converts standard digital to my analog TV so I can view it. His box does the same thing, only over-the-air. The tuner also allows you to tune in channels, that you cannot with a NTSC tuner (2.1, 2.2, 2.3 etc.) If you are buying on of these for a HDTV without a QAM/ATSC tuner, make sure you buy a "high Definition" receiver (1080i)

[crcooktube]

Thanks for the Info and Stopping By -- Charles

[sffea200]

Thanks for the video, very informative. Is it possible to hook a VCR to the back of your Hughes to record, let's say, channel 24.2 (my kid is hooked on reruns of Mission Impossible). It airs at 11 p.m. here on some retro tv network (which isn't available on cable) He's hogging my T.V., waaay past his bedtime...lol

[crcooktube]

Their is composite video outputs on the back so it should but I think your would have to watch the same thing I dont think you can watch one channel and record a different channel -- Charles

[sffea200]

I was gonna hook it up from the OTA antenna, to the Hughes, then to a VCR, then an analog TV, in a spare room. But I don't have a VCR with composite inputs, so that out of the question. I was trying to avoid buying a DVR, Tivo, etc...Thanks

[vikingscool]

Yes. If a HDTV cable box had only 1080i or

720p, you can switch to 480i through turning

it off, press menu, you can see white screen

with black letters of menu, like closed-captioning, screen resolutions, etc.

[charper1]

You can't get HD on a regular set regardless of what the poster implies; you can get downres'd digital.

[crcooktube]

If you read the intro it says that but you can watch HD Tv channels on a analog TV(SD down converted using the htl-hd receiver) and thats what every one is gonna have to do or pay big bucks for a new tv... - Charles

[pastacook]

I checked Ebay and did not find one like yours but there were other Hughes satelite receivers.

Could you list some alternatives.

How do you get to the .1 channel is the remote have a "." button?

Thanks.

[crcooktube]

Hi I haven't check out ebay in a while the nice thing about these is that they can be used with having a account their is a lg version of the direct tv its a lg lss-3200a which works the same way -- you don't have to enter the "." to get to channel 5.1 you would enter 0051 or say 34.2 would be entered 0342 when I was looking at the ones on ebay they would say in the auction that it would work with out a account. I heard the tuners will be on sale soon for around 50 to 60 $ -- See next comment--

[crcooktube]

Make you get the 40$ coupon from the goverment by going to their web site. You will be seeing a lot more on TV now its getting closer to the change over date hope this helps -- Charles

[pastacook]

Would there be any advantage of using the DirecTV LG LSS-3200A over the tuners that will be available. I have signed up fot the $40 rebate already.

Thanks

[crcooktube]

No I dont think so they would both allow you to receive ATSC Programs -- Charles

[pastacook]

I found a DirectTV HD Model H20, will it work in this application?

Thanks

[crcooktube]

What I could find on Google is that they do not have a NTSC tuner so no regular channels can be received -- and I could not find out if the ATSC tuner would work without a subscription to Direct TV Do you have a Direct TV subscription -- Charles

[pastacook]

No I don't have a subscription

[crcooktube]

Ok Well I would not but it unless we can confirm that it wiull work with out a subscription I'll Keep Checking and let you know if I see something.....Charles

[pastacook]

Thanks Charles.

I keep looking for one like yours, the H20 was $25 and here in Tucson.

[crcooktube]

Check out auction # 180212988715 ebay has one with remote starting at 15$ with 20$ shipping

I found 6 by searching htl-hd in the ebay search read description some have no remotes -- Charles

[unworlder]

If you buy a Hughes receiver without a remote all you need to do is get a RC24 Multi-Function Universal RF Remote Control (Google it). They are only about $25 and control all Direct TV boxes past and present.

[crcooktube]

Thanks for the info!!!

[trutexasgamer86]

hey crcooktube will this make all my basic cable channels look better like vh1, mtv, tnt, usa network, spike tv and comedy central look better? thanks

[crcooktube]

No it won't change the cable single it doesn't do a upconvert. It only receives the hd signals over the air and then if its broadcasted.....

[KnightRider64000]

I use the ATI TV wonder 650 pci tuner card for HD OTA TV. My LCD Computer monitor can display HD video. I still don't own an HDTV, but I can watch HD programing on my standard tv because my video card has a S video out to TV jack. It converts the HD ATSC picture to NTSC (old TV standard) The first generation HDTV's were "HD Ready" and did not have built in ATSC tuner. All new HDTV's do have a built in digital tuner.

[DTNguyen107]

Everyday TV?

More like an old box from the mid 90s

[diginando]

Very well explained and the pics a good.

However what you have discovered is the difference between "analogue" and "digital" TV, and yes, the pictures are going to be much better in DTV.

If you now attach the DVI or HDMI output from you DirecTV receiver to an HDTV monitor you will now discover the awesome images of true High Definition.

[josephcrew]

impressive! can it work with/around nondigital cable? I want one!

[crcooktube]

Yes it has three inputs ANT for the OTA Siginals Cable input and Satellite. When you search for channels it will search both. Since you are on cable they may be rebroadcasting the digital over the analog cable then the you might not see as great of a difference like I show here becauese of the Siginal strength of the Cable input. I am probally showing the bestcase since I am far enough from the stations for analog to be fuzzy but close enough to receive the digital channels.

[crcooktube]

Make sure you get the remote HMRC-14 with the Tuner It makes the Control of the Tuner Much Easier also you don't need the Direct TV card either!!!!!