Here at our retail store our customers often introduce themselves as “techno-challenged or computer-illiterate.” (My wife would still prefer a TV with a manual dial to tune in stations 2-13.) To some degree all of us struggle to adapt to modern technology. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines technology as “the practical application of knowledge especially in a particular area.” I prefer to think of technology as those mechanisms developed to make living easier and better. The problem is that sometimes things don’t work out as planned. Ever lose a 10 page term paper because your computer crashed? How about your cell phone dropping an important call?
While the stunning picture quality of High-Definition TV is certainly a testament to the value of new technology, the recent digital television changeover hasn’t been immune to the same phenomena. This is especially true for those trying to adapt an older analog TV to the new digital broadcasts via an antenna. This required the purchase and connection of a converter box, but for many of our customers this has left them wading in a digital stream of despair. (Cable or satellite users were virtually unaffected by the digital transition.)
Many are disappointed in the clarity and number of stations they are viewing on their TVs – these qualities were supposed to be enhanced by the digital transition! Here’s what I’ve learned from working with these customers: Digital-to-analog converter boxes can be problematic. They seem to work okay for some people, but many times the reception quality is poor. Case in point, I worked with a customer who unknowingly hooked up a converter box to her HDTV thinking she needed it for reception. When using the converter box as a tuner, she was only able to scan in a couple of stations. When I realized her HDTV contained a built-in digital tuner, I disconnected the converter box and scanned the stations using the HDTV’s built-in tuner. Lo and behold, she was able to tune-in several TV broadcast stations including high definition content. This result has been duplicated many times with customers who have given up on the digital-to-analog converter boxes and purchased an HDTV with the built in digital tuner. Certainly one should keep in mind that other variables may affect reception such as the condition of the antenna and the distance from the broadcasting station.
In summary, converter boxes may be a workable short term solution for reception of digital signals on analog TVs. However, to receive the best reception and clearest picture possible, the long term answer exists in a new HDTV.
-By Lanny Walker
dakotapc
