Converter Box????

[dspa4398]

We have two digital TV's in our motorhome. I guess we need to buy a converter box for those times when the Direct TV satellite cannot be located. I tried to use the TV without the satellite last weekend and got nothing--regardless of being in a busy area with plenty of TV stations nearby. I feel pretty dumb about this stuff! :(

[bukhrn]

Don't feel bad, there's a lot of us that don't understand it, but as of the 12th of June I believe, you will get no signal without a converter box, & depending on your camping location, you may not get much with it. We don't have a dish for the MH, yet, so we are building our DVD collection for those times when we don't get much of a signal.
The gov't was giving coupons toward the purchase of the boxes,so they only cost $10, I'm not sure they're still doing that.

[geothom]

I have direct tv by sat as well as the ability to connect to cable, over the air tv & dvd thru a switchbox for both the front & back tv's I had to install a converter box between the over the air antenna & the switch box, works fine.

However, if your antenna has a power amplifier you may not be able to connect the converter box directly to that lead as the power may fry the converter, according to some fourms.

It appears that the Winegard Wingman works well for the batwing antennas, ($26.99 camping world presidents club price).

Perhaps whodo can/will weigh in on this issue.:)

[whodo]

We have two digital TV's in our motorhome. I guess we need to buy a converter box for those times when the Direct TV satellite cannot be located. I tried to use the TV without the satellite last weekend and got nothing--regardless of being in a busy area with plenty of TV stations nearby. I feel pretty dumb about this stuff! :(

1st) Are your TVs digital ready? (Does the remote have a ( . or - ) on one of the buttons? if it does it is digital ready.)

2snd) If your TVs are not digital ready you will have to get a converter box.

3rd)With Digital TV, gone is the ghostly picture that barely came in and allowed you to turn the antenna for best reception. With Digital either you have a clear picture or you don't have one at all.

4th) With Digital TV you have to rescan all the channels every time you change locations. You also have to aim your antenna in about 4 different directions and rescan all the channels to find TV Stations. Most digital TVs and converter boxes have a signal strength meter of one form or another built into them, sometimes they can be a bear to locate in the menu. Once you locate the signal strength meter you can use that to help lock onto a station.

Here is a couple of web sites that have converter boxes as well as Signal meters to help locate stations.
http://transatelectronics.com/store/hd-and-home-theater-hd-antenna_CA102_99 has converter boxes, antennas, signal meters

http://www.antennasdirect.com/sm100.html
has signal meters

Here is a few web sites that you can check out for more information, be sure and click on the links on the various pages.

http://antennaweb.org/aw/Welcome.aspx

http://www.dtvanswers.com/

http://www.fcc.gov/dtv/markets/report2.html

http://www.tvfool.com/

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Now as a side note concerning Satellite TV; (This helps when in the trees looking for a opening to get a Sat signal.)

For those that are not aware of this, the angle at which the Satellite signal hits the satellite dish is the same angle that you set your dish Elevation to.

Simply translated; if your location calls for 48° Elevation setting, that is the angle the Satellite signal is hitting your location. In this case look up at a 48° angle for a clear opening in the trees.
Same applies for any other elevation setting that may be called for at a given location.
Example: If your location calls for 33° Elevation setting, you will then look up at 33° angle for a clear opening.

Now remember when looking up, be sure and look up in the correct Azimuth plane. (The same direction the satellite dish needs to be aimed.)

[bukhrn]

I have direct tv by sat as well as the ability to connect to cable, over the air tv & dvd thru a switchbox for both the front & back tv's I had to install a converter box between the over the air antenna & the switch box, works fine.

However, if your antenna has a power amplifier you may not be able to connect the converter box directly to that lead as the power may fry the converter, according to some fourms.
It appears that the Winegard Wingman works well for the batwing antennas, ($26.99 camping world presidents club price).

Perhaps whodo can/will weigh in on this issue.:)Hasn't fried mine, "Yet", guess if it does, I'll know why.