Digital flatscreen TV question (HDTV, cables, dish, outlet)

[rlrl]

I currently have an analogue TV and a converter box. I do not subcribe to any cable service. if i got a digital flatscreen TV without subcribing to cable or satellite dish (that's what my landlord suggested I get) can i still get basic broadcast stations (2,4,5,7,9,11,13) or am i forced into getting cable or satellite just to get the basic broadcast stations?

thanks in advance

RL

[jayrandom]

As long as you have a digital tuner (a.k.a. converter box), an antenna, and a strong enough signal, you should still be able to receive broadcast stations. If you can get analog signal in your current location chances are you will be able to receive digital signals, as well. If you can't get any signal, you'll have to get cable or satellite. Good luck!

[southgeorgia]

the new flat screen TV's have the same tuner that is inside your converter box. you will receive the same stations you get now, but with the benefit of actually seeing high-definition.

[rlrl]

rabbit ears on my current analogue tv. i also have a digital to analogue converter box which i hooked up but could not get a signal. the company that made the box told me that there was no signal yet in my zip code zone but there would be soon, so i disconnected the conv box for the time being

if i got a flatscreen tv i could use the digital to analogue converter box? how does it connect? the rabbit ears go into the conv box and the conv box into the tv? if the flatscreen is a digital why would an analogue to digital converter box be needed?

why is the govt making our lives more complicated? this is the last thing i want to do at the end of a workday

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by rlrl

if i got a flatscreen tv i could use the digital to analogue converter box? how does it connect?

You only need the box for older TV's, it's mandated new TV's have the tuner built in. Chances of buying one without a tuner are nil and the store has to clearly mark it as not having a digital tuner. So if you ca get a digital signal now you only need to hook an antennae up to it..

why is the govt making our lives more complicated?

You may not think so but it's progess. The short answer is analog broadcasts require a lot of bandwidth compared to digital transmissions. By converting to digital they freeing up a lot of space for other services.

you will receive the same stations you get now, but with the benefit of actually seeing high-definition.

Assuming of course the broadcast is in HD and there isn't a lot of stations doing that yet at least in my area.

[rlrl]

let me ask you, when i hooked up my analog- to- digital converter box to my analog TV i got a message that there was no signal. i called the company that makes the box and they checked my zip code and told me the signal has not yet been active but it should be closer to 2/18. however i have not re-checked it yet since it's such a royal pain to deal with

if say there is still no digital signal in my area when i got the flatscreen digital tv, what would i have to do? install the analog- to- digital converter box or would i have to subscribe to cable?

another thing is i have a small apartment and a big screen like my folks have would be way too big for my apartment. do they sell flatscreens that are only 13"-20 inch screens that won't take up so much space?

[rlrl]

hook up a dvd player to a flatscreen TV with co-axial av cables?

[psychofan]

This is what I have done (again no cable subscription like yourself) with both an older analog TV (in the bedroom) and a brand new flat panel HDTV (in the living room).

A) New flat panel HDTV
1) I bought a 22 inch Vizio 1080p HDTV from Sams Club two weeks ago for $289+tax.
2) Hooked an indoor antenna to the HDTV via the coaxial cable
3) Hooked the DVD player to the new HDTV via the three-colored (red, white, and yellow) cables
4) Plugged everything into wall outlet, turned everything on, and set the TV to searched for channels/signals
5) Voila! Started receiving "over-the-air" (OTA) digital HD signals for the basic channels (i.e. ABC, FOX, NBC, WB, CW, PBS)

B) Old analog TV (with only a single coaxial connection)
1) Hooked an indoor antenna to the converter box via the coaxial cable (there are two coaxial connectors in the back of the converter box PLUS the red, white, yellow connectors as well)
2) Using another coaxial cable, hooked the converter box to the back of the TV
3) Connect the converter box to the DVD player with the red, yellow, and white cables
4) Plugged everything into wall outlet, turned everything on, and set the TV to searched for channels/signals
5) Voila! Now am receiving digital (non-HD) signals for the basic channels (i.e. ABC, FOX, NBC, WB, CW, PBS)


By the way, I suggest a 20-22 inch flat panel HDTV. Anything smaller would be too small. Remember the dimension number you get (i.e. 20 inch) is the diagonal corner to corner number and since these TVs are rectangular and not square like the old ones. The image size of a 19 inch rectangular TV is smaller than on a square TV.

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by rlrl

let me ask you, when i hooked up my analog- to- digital converter box to my analog TV i got a message that there was no signal.

Recheck it, I have to ask the obvious, did you have the antennae hooked to the converter box?

if say there is still no digital signal in my area when i got the flatscreen digital tv, what would i have to do? install the analog- to- digital converter box or would i have to subscribe to cable?

You'd have to pay for service if you can't get any signal. All analog transmission will cease in June if that is what you are viewing now. It was supposed to be turned off last month but they pushed it back yet again.

[danameless]

Originally Posted by southgeorgia

the new flat screen TV's have the same tuner that is inside your converter box. you will receive the same stations you get now, but with the benefit of actually seeing high-definition.

The signals are going to broadcast in digital, but digital does not mean high definition. You will still need a high definition signal coming in and the OP won't get that unless they have a provider (i.e. cable provider) that is sending the signal through. Digital is definitely better than analog, but it's not HD.