Free Digital Converter Box Governement Program

[Kevin Greene]

Just a heads up.

If you have Cable or Dish and have a TV that isn't hooked to it that no longer will receive a signal Government coupons are still available. $40 coupon will get you a converter box and HD antenna shipped to your house free if you shop around.

Hit the "Get a Coupon" link at the top of this page:

https://secure.freetvsignal.com/viewAll.php

After you've applied for and had your card shipped to you look for a deal like this:

https://secure.freetvsignal.com/viewBox.php?productNo=antennaDeal

It's free, why not.

Good luck.

[Darth Biscuit]

I hooked one up for my MiL... the only problem I see with digital TV is no more static... if you have a weak signal, the picture and audio just stutters and is unwatchable... with old school VHF you could watch a weak signal, it was just staticky...

[cookinwithgas]

haha Kevin Greene is hawking a government program that has handouts for the poor that we all have to pay for like its a good thing

[Kevin Greene]

haha Kevin Greene is hawking a government program that has handouts for the poor that we all have to pay for like its a good thing

Everyday when you get up in the morning you have a choice whether to be an @hole or not.

[Go To Girl]

I got mine a while back - I only got 1 - just as a back up in case cable ever goes out, I can still hook up the analog TV

[cptx]

haha Kevin Greene is hawking a government program that has handouts for the poor that we all have to pay for like its a good thing

Well, considering that goverment mandated the switch in the 1st place...

Its just another case of them creating a problem just so they can offer a solution. Par for the course these days.

[cookinwithgas]

They didn't create the problem; if the government didn't step in we would still be in the equivalent of the TV stone ages. NTSC was already a laugh to the PAL based world, and without some prodding we would still be wondering what HDTV is.

[cookinbrak]

My question has always been how useful a converter box is with no electricity. I have a small battery operated TV for hurricane season, but no way to power the box. There's a link on there to buy a battery conversion kit for 20 bucks, so I might get one of those.

[mmmbeans]

They didn't create the problem; if the government didn't step in we would still be in the equivalent of the TV stone ages. NTSC was already a laugh to the PAL based world, and without some prodding we would still be wondering what HDTV is.

what are the advantages of PAL over NTSC? 5 less fps?

[cookinwithgas]

I don't know, but by European friends back in the day called it "Never The Same Color".

http://www.michaeldvd.com.au/Articles/PALvsNTSC/PALvsNTSC.asp

Its about max presentable resolution. OK after looking, PAL has 6FPS less updating - but 24FPS is what you can see, so that part is useless. PAL has over 60,000 more pixels available at 16x9 resolution.

[Darth Biscuit]

My question has always been how useful a converter box is with no electricity. I have a small battery operated TV for hurricane season, but no way to power the box. There's a link on there to buy a battery conversion kit for 20 bucks, so I might get one of those.

I think that in typical government fashion, this was overlooked in the transition. Yes, digital TV is great, but you're right, unless there are battery powered DTV converter boxes, you're screwed if the power is out. I suspect someone somewhere is working on battery powered DTV's, but I also suspect that they won't be cheap.

[cookinwithgas]

Ya know, they make UPS "power strip" boxes with batteries as well...and of course newer smaller TVs would have the digital tuner built in, I don't think its a power hog compared to translating analog signals to the screen...

[cookinbrak]

I think that in typical government fashion, this was overlooked in the transition. Yes, digital TV is great, but you're right, unless there are battery powered DTV converter boxes, you're screwed if the power is out. I suspect someone somewhere is working on battery powered DTV's, but I also suspect that they won't be cheap.

Yeah, see, you live in Wilmington, so you know exactly what I'm talking about. The 20 dollar battery pack thingy is what I need, tho the website has a battery operated digital 7" TV for a little over $100.