The DTV Converter Box is out in stores
Feb 17, 2008 | 2:05 AM
Category: News
If you didn't know already, the DTV Converter Box is now available in the stores. I bought a box (Magnavox brand) from Walmart yesterday and I hooked it up to an analog TV at home. Just to referesh your memory, the Government will be deleting the Analog broadcast and switching to Digital This month, next year. That will be February 19th 2009. So since all the hype of switching to digital on a regular TV, I paid my 50.00 at Walmart just to give it a try. And yes I did apply for a rebate coupon. Well anyway, I went into my kitchen and assembled the device to the TV. It's real easy to do. If you do get this, here are some of my easy steps to do it:
1) After the unpacaking, plug in the DTV Converter box into a wall socket by your TV.
2) Unattach the antenna's wire and plug into the "Antenna" In socket on the converter box.
3) Take the wire that came with the box plug one end into the "Antenna out" socket, and to the back of the TV.
4) If you have a Audio, Video wire set, the Red,Yellow and White Wires, plug those in the back of the unit and in the back of your television, if you have them. If you have the audio white and yellow video sockets, it will work with out the red.
Extra Note: If you have a connection of a TV, VCR or a DVD Recorder, the DTV Box will work with this. To do the work, plug in the audio/video cords in the back of the unit, plug in the same cords in the DVD Recorder or VCR's Audio/Video "In" section. And plug in another set of cords of the Audio/video in the back of the TV. Put your VCR/DVD Recorder into input modes for a picture view.
If you have a cable box, (without HD) use a RF Cable to connect to the Antenna In Jack on the unit. Plus, use the other end into it's Antenna In Jack on the cable box. After that, use an addtional RF Cable to connect the output jack on the cable box, and the other end to the back of the TV. Just for the record, this is an optional connection, but it's not needed entirely.
5) Switch your TV to channel 3 or Line In on your TV. Turn on the unit, and operate the remote by inseting the batteries.
6) When your unit and TV are on, you will see a screen that will first display the setup wizard. Select continue and the OK button on the remote
7) After that, select the language - either english, spanish or french. Then press the OK button on the remote.
8) Now you come to the screen of connection output. You have two choices: either select Audio Out, or RF Out. If you have an antenna, just select the Audio Out. If you have an RF Cable, use RF Out.
9) Now select your time zone. We all know this one. Select it and press ok on the remote.
10) This comes to DST, Daylight Savings Time. You can decide if you want it on or off. Since DST is coming up in March, you may want to select "on" and press ok on the remote.
11) This has the display modes: Letterbox, Full, or Zoom. Select what you want and press ok on the remote.
12) After that process is done, take your remote and highlight Autoscan and press the ok button. The box will begin to scan for DTV Channels in the area. Fox 6 is one of them. Another believe it or not, is Channel 4's Weather Plus. You rarely see it on Cable, but it's availble through the DTV box. And there are about 5 channels of MPTV, including weather updates from the NOAA. - That's part of the National Weather Service. This scan should take about a few minutes. When you see on the screen "Autoscan Completed", use the plus and minus buttons on the remote (the channels) to verify the unit is receiving the HD Channels. However, it would not pick up the Low Power Channels as of yet.
So there you have it. This is my basic way to get start by using the DTV Converter. Just to refresh your memory again, if you have Satellite, U-Verse or Digital Cable, you're just fine. This is really for those who just have Analog TV's. If you want to know which store has the DTV Converters either check out Walmart (that's were I got mine), Radio Shack, or Best Buy. The prices are different according to the stores themselves. Or you can check through the TV Converter Box Coupon Program Website to find out which stores carry the device. The address is https://www.dtv2009.gov/.
