DTV Converter Box's "Easy Install Instructions" Anything But
"Good luck" shouts the instructions that came with Marc's aunt's Sansonic DTV converter box. No, really, it says right there in all caps, "GOOD LUCK," as in, "you have 50/50 chance your old antenna will not work well." Yes, that's another quote from the manual. "In her case, her luck was limited," writes Marc, "Great reception for everything except the local PBS station, which is about the only thing she watches." Full "Easy Install Instructions" inside...
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The first thing is utter crap. There is no such thing as an analog antenna. A "digital antenna" is just marketing.
Because there is nothing worse than when you "loose the picture."
@mantari:
Yeah there's no digital antenna, technically speaking. The digital TV transmits on different frequencies, so you may need a different antenna for that. Also, DTV is broadcast with less power, so you need an antenna with higher gain; probably directional. And then you need a rotor to tune your directional antenna. And then, there's a 75% chance you won't get some stations you got before if you live in a somewhat rural area because of the lower transmit power.
This whole DTV thing is one big FAIL. Digital picture and sound are nice, but the way it's been implemented is nothing but FAIL!
My parents watch a lot of PBS as well and they can't get it digital now.
They apparently hired sixth graders to write their instructions.
Seriously, I thought those were photoshopped. Those directions are absolutely horrible.
Did they not have spel chek?
@mantari: Absolutely no. There are many DTV stations that are staying on or moving to VHF. Most may be on UHF, but certainly not all.
You control the VOLUME of your TV through the converter box?? WOAH......
some of this is probably stupid deterrent. People will get confused and give up, and the only way they will be allowed to watch TV is wise up, maybe read a book, or they could just buy cable, which in their case would be a sort of "stupid tax." I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be a jerk, but being a computer technician, I support anything that wards off the unteachable.
Can't they not find its one who speak in English and they sold product will not please with GOOD LUCK customer.
@HalOfBorg: actuality some converter boxes do do that. I know the one I got with the government coupon has that option on the remote. its not really turning up and down the volume on the TV, its turning up and down the sound feed to the TV; kinda like how cable/sat DVRs if you had those services.
To be fair, these instructions seem like par for the course for any piece of electronics under $50. It's far from proper English, but you can figure out what you need to do. Also, I'm sure all that stuff about the antenna is just there so people don't think it's the converter box's fault they aren't getting the channels.
We bought a converter for my inlaws, and I am quite surprised with the signal level, indoors, with a regular VHF "rabbit ears" antenna. My inlaws only live about7-10 miles from the transmitter farm... so YMMV...
@Swizzler121:
You know, giving proper instructions is a good step towards educating people.
Just sayin' that you were ignorant at one time too.
@Swizzler121: I don't believe in "unteachable". In fact, that's the first time I've ever heard that word.
@chris_d: FWIW, I get all three DTV PBS stations, plus another one in NTSC that I didn't know existed w/ my old TV. Plus all the odd (formerly) UHF ones, plus the national broadcasters.
Except ABC. Try as I might, no how, no way. Luckily, I only watch Lost from them and there's bittorrent for that.
Versus my old antenna, which got nada on my DTV. So, a new antenna does help (powered indoor, in my case).
Thinking of getting an outdoor antenna and placing it in the attic - I heard from one of the commentators from the last thread here saying it works fine up there versus outside.
Questions to the savvy:
1) Will an outdoor antenna work as well in my attic?
2) Will an outdoor antenna reliably pick up more digital stations than my indoor one, or is it a 10% better odds sort of thing?
Thanks, oh wise DTV cloud intellect!
Were the instructions written by lobbyists for the satellite and cable companies?
My stepdad sent me that DTV video a couple weeks ago and I cannot stop watching it, that lady cracks me up. My favorite part is when she puts on the hard hat.
Yeah, except with ours, the converter box volume is too low. It's turned all the way up, but isn't loud enough, so we still have to adjust the volume with the TV. Then we have to try to remember to turn the TV off before turning the converter box off, or the static is really loud.
I literally hooked up a TV in my Mother's house this weekend. A lot of people are going to have trouble, mainly because if you're still using rabbit ears, you've surrendered to the fact that static in your picture is SOP. With a digital signal, there is no static, it just plain breaks up - as my Mother's did until I bought an amplified indoor antenna. Even then, if the signal dipped below 30%, which it did on a few major network channels, you were greeted with a lot pixelation and no sound. Hooray for innovation.
In my office at work, we attempted to view the presidential inauguration on our conference room HDTV with indoor "digital" antenna, and it was, indeed, completely unwatchable. It was as if we were looking at a slow-moving slide show.
The majority of the problems discussed seem to do with signal strength. But after DTV-Day, aren't the broadcasters going to boost their signals by some orders of magnitude? I don't remember the details, but anyway, I think it's hard to assess right now just how worthwhile the whole DTV thing is, until we see what the fully operating service can do.
Not that it matters much to me...I don't watch much TV at all anyway.
@chris_d: No, transmit power is not the issue. The "Digital Cliff Effect" is what you're dealing with.
Analog video broadcasts degrade gracefully - when signal gets lower, the picture gets fuzzier. With digital, there comes a point (the digital cliff) where signal can no longer be resolved, and it breaks up and goes away. Where you may have gotten fuzzy analog before, you'll get no digital.
Not so much attributable to lower transmit power as it is the realities of digital broadcast.
If I can't install my DVD Player or my game system, what chance do I have of installing the DTV box?
@DCvision: Surprised? A piece of dry string would have brought in the signal if they're that close to the transmitters.
Do they hear voices in their heads as well when it's quiet at night? :-)
@Trai_Dep:
1) I know several people who have mounted an outdoor antenna in their attic with great success. That said, if you have metal wall studs steel beams in your attic or a brick, or aluminum siding exterior your signal may be greatly impaired. Standard wood and siding will reduce the signal quality a bit, but typically only a small amount, but if you are starting out with a weak signal, the reduction from your house might mean the difference between signal or no signal (or signal and "blockies".
An outdoor antenna will pick up signals better because it is typically higher and can pick up weaker signals than a set of rabbit ears or similar.
You might want to check out [www.antennaweb.org] You can enter in your zip code and they will recommend the best type of antenna for you to get the channels that you want to watch. If you are like me and you live between 3 metropolitan areas and you want to pick up signals from both cities, you might consider an antenna rotator
I think if the first direction wishes you luck on your install, it's time to box it back up, buy a ticket to China to find the guy that wrote the directions, and bury your foot in his smarmy @$$.
@liquidnumb: Then, with all respect, you've never tried to teach someone who did not want to learn.
I agree that anyone can learn if they truly want to; if they don't, no amount of teaching will help.
Instructions??? Phft!!! Who needs them. I had everything converted in like 20 mins.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3150939&tab=support
This is a link to the product support for the Digital Stream converter box w/ pass-through. RadioShack wrote the linked instructions themselves after staring horrified at the instructions from the manufacturers.
@stini777: Yep, that's the whole "digital cliff" thing. I hate it. I would greatly prefer watching a station that's a wee bit fuzzy versus one that blips in and out with choppy audio and with those "digital squares" appearing all over the screen.
These instructions brought to you by Engrish.com
@ohenry: "GOOD LUCK" it says. Sounds like someone from China wrote and translated these instructions, they're really into "good luck" there.
Even with a digital tuner, my fox affiliate will not work on my tv unless I happen to have it tuned to the station when a local program (like the local news) is on. If it's a nationally broadcast show, the channel won't work. This and a number of other reasons are why I bit the bullet and decided to go with $50/month cable. That way, I don't have to worry about these reception issues and I get to watch top chef. win/win/lose (I am giving my money to TWC after all).
Two things. While there isn't an "analog" or "digital antenna, there is a difference in signal strength - the new digital signals are a bit weaker than their analog predecessors. So an antenna that worked before might not again (especially if it was at the limits of the signal range).
Second, broadcasters can either transmit digital stations in VHF or UHF depending on the local licensing. And those are two different types of antennas.
Also, depending on where you live, all your stations might be coming from the same location or different directions, meaning you need a directional or omnidirectional antenna.
So I think that comment about antenna not working was technically correct, just dumbed down too much.
@Trai_Dep: Seriously....first thing that came to my mind was that Comcast wrote these instructions. I dismissed that idea because there were only a few grammatical errors.
My parents called me last month, saying my grandmother couldn't get PBS either. Is PBS having secret troubles switching to DTV?
An amplified antenna made a huge difference for me; it brings in three times as many stations as I had with a regular antenna.
www.antennaweb.org is a great resource. Plug in your address and it will tell you what antenna will get you what stations.
@CheritaChen: Office buildings are not good for reception of most radio frequencies because thy have thick cement walls, and typically reflective window coverings that can contain metal.
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Regarding the Sansonic converter, that's the one I bought as it was one of only two that have a chip-based tuner, and was given a decent rating by (Consumerist parent) Consumer Reports. I think the converter is fine, and installing it was no harder than installing an antenna or DVD player. I can't recall the instructions per se, though I guess if anything they seemed typical for an imported electronics product.
What I DON'T like about it is the cheap-@ss remote which is about the size of a candy bar, and can't be used as a universal remote.
Another feature that it lacks, that might be valuable to many readers is the ability to program your reviewing so your analog-only TiVo or VCR can get the right channel to record. I still hope to get one more coupon, I'm high on the waiting list, in which case I;ll try to get a converter that has that, and universal remote.
@Swizzler121: I don't like the word unteachable either, but that's effectively what you 've got in some cases. I don't think it's a matter of not being able to learn, but not wanting to learn or felling like they shouldn't have to.
I understand the calls for simplification, but we've reached the point where should the information be further simplified, it would no longer be accurate. The situation seems complex because it is. The nature of the signal that supplies you with television is changing, and you need a new box to convert the signal if your TV can't do it already. . . . there just isn't any less anyone can say. Hooking up the equipment and keeping track of what does what will have to be your responsibility. If it's a difficult task, then you'll just have to put forth the effort if you value watching TV. You've studied for tests and new jobs before, and this is no different.
I do have sympathy for our older generations. They spent their formative years in an environment of rudimentary technology by today's standards. They just aren't hard wired for understanding "digital" things that lack obvious mechanical processes. That's not something a set of instructions can solve. The solution is personal responsibility; the only other solution would be some kind of mandatory massive reeducation program for anyone over 60, and that's a horrible idea.
You know what they need to do? Just ask for volunteers. Make a website, geeks like me sign up for timeslots for the month after the conversion and visit those who are having trouble.
@ManiacDan: I'd bet that they aren't running their DTV transmission at full power. My local NBC affiliate is doing that. I usually get about a 65-70% signal quality, but during a test they ran a few weeks ago, my signal jumped to 100%.
you know there's something fishy with directions when Good Luck stands out
at least they are honest