On 5/11/2008 10:20 AM PT, Wes Newell typed:
>> It is time for me to pick and buy DTV converter model(s) with the $40
>> coupons I got from the government. The expiration date is 5/27/2008
>> (after Memorial Day) and pefect timing to play with the new purchases
>> (not perfect for limited model selection -- DOH!). I have MANY
>> questions. :(
>>
>> After reading http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_CECB_units
,
>> http://www.freelabs.com/~whitis/electronics/dtv_converters/
, and a few
>> newsgroup posts, I am still confused on which model(s) to get for TV
>> setups I am going to hook up to. I read that Zeinth model is good, but
I
>> don't think that will work with my setup due to lack of analog
>> passthrough and I believe I need this for my setup based on the above
>> freelab link. Also, EchoStar has timers/scheduler, but that's in June
>> 2008 (too late). Please note that I am a TV expert (just call me a
>> newbie/n00b!). I also do NOT need TV guide (EPG) for converter boxes,
>> but I need a remote control, stability, should be able to handle hot
>> temperatures (heat waves in my room can go up to 90 degrees(F)),
>>
> I bought 2 of the RCA DTA800 units from walnart. They are making them
with
> passthrough now but I don't know if they are out yet either. Passthru
can
> be easily accomplished without the unit having it built in even if your
TV
> only has one rf input. Think about it. Split input to box. Now take the
As a newbie, I don't know what RF input is. How can I find out if the
TVs have this input? Is that same as coax input for antennae and cable TV?
> other side of that split and tie it back to the output of the box with a
> reverse splitter. Take that to the TV. Your passthru is to turn the box
> off. You might be able to use the passthru without turning it off but
> normally the output of the box will be so strong it will drown out the
> other channels. Of course if your TV also has AV inputs you wouldjust
hook
> the box up using them and take the split rf lead direct to the TV RF
input.
It seems like RCA DTA800 model is OK for the TV setups I mentioned.
>
>> Currently, I have these setups:
>> 1. An over decade old 20" CRT TV (only has a coax antenna/cable input
>> and the old To****ba VCR [almost a decade old] is connected to it
instead
>> of my shared two splitter bowtie antenna; there are no other inputs and
>> outputs I can see). On the VCR, I have it hooked to the TV, a bowtie
>> antenna, and up my Windows PC's video card for inputs (an old ASUS
>> non-ATSC TV card only for VCR and other composite video input
>> recordings) and output (fullscreen videos).
>
> I have never seen a VCR without AV inputs, so use a 3 way splitter from
> the antenna going to the PC, the converter box, and the VCR rf input.
Now
> hook the VCR's RF out to the TV. Hook the AV out of the converter box to
> the AV inputs of the VCR. That's all there is to it. Your VCR acts as
the
> passthru. Select internal tuner, or AV input depending on what you want
to
> watch.
>
>> 2. An old bigger CRT TV with
>> composite inputs and outputs, an old external VCR, a not so old
external
>> DVD player, and rabbit ears (will probably replace since they don't
seem
>> to do well with digital feeds). There are no plans to get cable and
>> satellite TV services. Just pure over the air (OTA).
>>
> Do it simliar to above. No problem, but there's more than one way
because
> you have more connections to the Tv.
OK.
--
"It is said that the lonely eagle flies to the mountain peaks while the
lowly ant crawls the ground, but cannot the soul of the ant soar as high
as the eagle?" --unknown
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