AfterDawn: News

Complete list of coupon-eligible Digital TV converters -- with specs

As the U.S. analog TV cut-off date is approaching, the public interest to government-sponsored coupon program is growing. But as our forum users have noticed and we noticed when we did some research into this subject, there's virtually no information available on the DTV converter boxes and their specs. Seriously, some of the products listed on official U.S. Digital TV are so difficult to find that it requires quite a feat to even prove that they exist.

To ease the process of comparing the converters that the coupons can be used for, we searched through the Web and compiled a full list of coupon-eligible converter boxes with all the tech specs we could find. Although the specs are mandated by the government guidelines, products still differ from each other -- some of the DTV boxes don't have EPG, etc.



Furthermore, we hope that as the cut-off date approaches and demand for the converters builds up, that our users would post their reviews to our DTV converter section, so that there would be a comprehensive list of reviews by real users (rather than lab tests published by newspapers).

All CECB certified DTV converters:
https://www.afterdawn.com/hardware/category.cfm/dtv_converters?feature_627=1

All DTV converters:
https://www.afterdawn.com/hardware/category.cfm/dtv_converters



Written by: Petteri Pyyny @ 8 Feb 2008 7:50

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• 12 comments

• snowlock

  my thanks to afterdawn, this is a possibly invaluable resource.
  
  i have no personal use for it, but i've taken to trying to inform any one i know who will be affected about it. i don't see why the government didn't compile this sort of list. if anyone was at home in those empty heads there would have been provisions for lists like this one written into the legislation.

  8.2.2008 21:02 #1

• DXR88

  I Honestly i want know who there going to sell the free'd up Spectrume band to im keeping my old tv handy just in case.
  
  that way i can sneak a peak at whatever there doing on that band

  9.2.2008 20:17 #2

• blairj

  The list of specifications for each box should include "Smart Antenna" capability. Some boxes are compliant with the EIA/CEA-909 standard that allows them to control a smart antenna that automatically adjusts to bring in the best reception for the channel chosen.

  10.2.2008 02:13 #3

• HearUsNow

  Consumer Reports and HearUsNow.org have a great information site on DTV.
  http://www.hearusnow.org/tvradio/12/
  
  And they set up a way to share your experience with the transition to digital television.
  http://cu.convio.net/HUN_shareyourDTVstorypage
  
  Consumer Reports site with all the info: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/elect...v-206/index.htm

  11.2.2008 15:58 #4

• jrm01

  The specifications listed for the Approved Devices includes categories that are prohibited on approved boxes, such as dvi, hdmi, component, ethernet, firewire, digital audio outputs as well as any inputs other than RF. Why even include them on the spec sheet. Only leads to more confusion.

  12.2.2008 11:58 #5

• dRD

  Originally posted by blairj: The list of specifications for each box should include "Smart Antenna" capability.Thanks for the feedback, this feature has been now added to the category and we've assigned this data to all DTV converters that we could find specs for.
  
  Originally posted by jrm01: The specifications listed for the Approved Devices includes categories that are prohibited on approved boxes, such as dvi, hdmi, component, ethernet, firewire, digital audio outputs as well as any inputs other than RF. Why even include them on the spec sheet. Only leads to more confusion.Because we list all DTV converters in that category, not just coupon-eligible ones -- if you look at the links in the bottom of the article, one leads to a quick search for coupon-eligible boxes, one for all DTV converters.

  13.2.2008 03:56 #6

• jrm01

  [quote
  Because we list all DTV converters in that category, not just coupon-eligible ones -- if you look at the links in the bottom of the article, one leads to a quick search for coupon-eligible boxes, one for all DTV converters.That is the list that I am talking about. When you click on the approved list and then check the specs of any of them you indicate "information not available" for many items which are on the not-permitted list. It just seems that it would be more meaningful to indicate "not-permitted for approved devices" for these categories.
  
  BTW, several of the approved boxes indicate they have composite inputs. They could not be approved were this true. I noticed it for the Sansonic and Homecast, but I only checked a handful.

  14.2.2008 09:02 #7

• Griobhtha

  AD is incorrect, as are many others, to report "the end of analog TV". In fact, only terrestrial (wireless) signals are required to go digital. Cable TV delivery is unaffected by the new requirements, and providers such as Comcast show no intention of stopping analog cable transmission.
  
  However, if you have recorded episodes of cable transmissions from a year ago, compare them to current transmissions of the same content and you'll discover that cable companies are degrading (downsampling) the digital and HD signals provided to them as default by the content producers. Artifacts indicative of poor conversion are meant to induce customers to switch to more expensive digital cable plans. And in the case of HD, at least with Comcast (and just like AT&T with default telephone ID components (Caller ID)), the HD content is blocked (downgraded) (even with digital cable) unless the customer chooses to fork over an additional monthly fee for the HD which the content producers provided in the first place.

  16.2.2008 11:13 #8

• borhan9

  I wish we had something like this for Australia.

  3.4.2008 17:56 #9

• dRD

  Originally posted by borhan9: I wish we had something like this for Australia.You mean coupons or a list of DTV boxes you could compare?

  4.4.2008 05:22 #10

• Ethernet Converters (unverified)

  Great job man keep it up.

  1.6.2010 00:22 #11

• xboxdvl2

  Im in australia and we have digital set top boxes to convert normal tv to digital or HD.I think if your willing to pay you might be able to get hd foxtel.i know they have Foxtel IQ here (standard definition pay tv).we dont have coupons, but at $39.95 to get digital tv on an old tv i don't think the need for them is that great.We probably won't have the analog signals turned off for a few years(in australia).
  

  PS2 with 12 games.
  pc-windows 7,intel core quad Q8400,4 Gb ddr2,WD 500 GB hdd,ATI Radeon HD 4550 graphics,AOC 22inch LCD moniter.

  1.6.2010 10:37 #12