Digital TV Planning for your TT - Page 2

**PTHutch** · 03-26-2008, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnB

Thanks for digging. Where did your find that site???

You're welcome.

Wrt to finding the site, I just Googled "RCA BD20TF10" and that was one the first sites listed. So I can't take much credit for digging.

Hutch

Indy-Jim · 03-26-2008, 02:22 PM

John-
Got good news and bad news. The bad news is that according to the RCA tech rep, your model RCA TV set does not have a ATSC (digital) tuner. So that takes care of that.

The good news is that you now have 5 options as follows:
- Purchase a TV Digital Converter.
- Purschase a new digital capable TV set.
- Use satilite TV - Receivers presently put out analog signal to TV set.
- When the switch is made to Digital transmission only, watch only DVD's.
- Don't watch any TV at all.

Just joking in a way, however, in reality, that is what it will amount to when the time comes. The cheapest and dirtiest way is to purchase the basic TV Digital Converter.

I have the same problem myself. I bought an LCD tv for the trailer several years ago, and it does not have the ATSC tuner, not even an issue at that time, so I am in the same boat also.

The basic TV Digital Converters are very small in physical size (Approx. 6x6x1.5 inches, sizes will vary by manufacturer) so could easily be tucked into a small space in the trailer. Maybe velcro it on top of the TV for instance, or whatever.

Sorry about the bad news John, but I know with your capabilities, this will be a minor effort if you chose to go that way.

Jim

**JohnB** · 03-26-2008, 11:17 PM

Jim

Thank you so much for the super digging. WOW.

Well now I know... I have yet another TV to add to the pile of analog ones I have around the house....

Some body is going to make a lot of money selling convertor boxes or new TV's or both....

Oh well, will over come.

Thanks

John

**PTHutch** · 03-27-2008, 09:24 AM

The DTV Answers web site seems to indicate that if you receive your signal from a cable company, such as Time Warner, etc. or a satellite service, such as DISH Network, etc., your TV won’t be affected with the transition to full digital transmissions.

Jim - do you have any additional information or insight on this?

Steve Collins · 03-27-2008, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PTHutch

The DTV Answers web site seems to indicate that if you receive your signal from a cable company, such as Time Warner, etc. or a satellite service, such as DISH Network, etc., your TV won’t be affected with the transition to full digital transmissions.

Jim - do you have any additional information or insight on this?

Hutch, that presumes that you get your local channels through your satellite or cable provider. In your case, I am guessing that you have Time-Warner which provides all the local channels via cable. I do not know if that includes the additional digital channels that each local will transmit or not.

Your cable/satellite receiver will not function as a digital convertor for local reception.

We have Dishnetwork way out here, and do not get any local channels via that. We still rely on antennas and tuners in the TV's for that. So we'll need the convertor boxes.

And, it is possible that, in the future, items like DVD recorders (which contain tuners) will be offered with DTV tuners.

Indy-Jim · 03-27-2008, 11:52 AM

This transition to Digital subject is going to get more and more complicated as time goes on. And there are a lot of gray areas at this time.

Hutch - The present claim is that receiving TV programming via cable or satilite receivers, your analog TV will be acceptable. It is true that satillite TV has been digital from the getgo, however, that is only from the satilite to the home receiver. At present, the home sat. receiver processes the signal to an analog signal which you then receive on your TV via a coax cable and tune your TV to Channel 3 or 4. Also, you can connect the TV to the sat. receiver via cables with RCA jacks to the TV component inputs (video, audio left and right) if your TV has those inputs available. This being the case, use of an analog TV will be acceptable. At some point, I'm sure that new cable boxes and sat. receivers will transition to the digital output to your receiver.

Regarding local TV stations via satillite receivers, this is available for an extra charge, and only applies to your home area, unless you change your account to authorize another area that you might be camping at, if you are beyond your home site limits. The local channels are transmitted by elements within the satillite that are tightly focused on a given city/area. In general, that signal will cover a circular area of approx. 70 miles in diameter. I do believe that one satillite signal provider does have a program for folks with RV's that travel, however, I am not familiar with how that is handled as far as charges, etc. are concerned. I do know that for new accounts, they will provide a receiver and portable antenna for your RV.

Steve - I would tread lightly when it comes to buying a DVD recorder as many manufacturers have ceased building them as the industry is swinging over to the Blue Ray disc system (and these are expensive at this time). Several movie companies are also only manufacturing and distributing movies on Blue Ray discs now. We are in the 8-track vs. Cassett or the Beta vs. VHS battle that we went through years ago and it looks like the Blue Ray method is winning out. Of course, one will need to keep a DVD player handy if they have a library of DVDs. So, like I stated at the start, this is getting more and more complicated as time goes on.

And setting up and programming for these new equipments, remeber the old folks saying "I can't figure this thing out" when it came to setting up their VHS recorder? You ain't seen nuthin yet. Wait until you get that new Digital TV, particularly a high end model with all the bells and whistles.

Jim

chuck & lori · 03-27-2008, 07:59 PM

The local Pittsburgh news has been reporting that Wal Mart among others have been overcharging for these new D-A converters. It seems that if you use the government issued $40 off coupon, they deduct the $40 but still charge the state sales tax for the full price. Sales tax in Allegheny County is 7%, so they collect an extra $2.80 on each converter. The state does NOT require tax on the entire amount, only on the final discounted price.
The good news is every time they talk about it, they mention again that you do not need a converter if you have cable or satellite. Buy a converter if you use an antenna-which is most of us when we take our act on the road!

Steve Collins · 03-27-2008, 08:09 PM

Jim,

I've had my DVD recorder for several years and am not in the market for another, yet.

My point really was that whatever recorder is currently popular in the future will likely have an ATSC digital tuner in it once the market settles out.

I realize that these things turnover on an irritatingly regular basis, but do want to point out that eventually, there will be multiple choices for tuner capable components in addition to the current choice of simply an ATSC TV or a convertor box for your older TV.

And, truthfully, an ATSC capable recorder doesn't necessarily provide a satisfactory solution for the RV application anyway. I think many of us want a small, cheap tuner that we can plug into our current TV just to keep on watching without replacing the whole TV.

A huge bonus would be a 12vdc convertor....

**JohnB** · 03-30-2008, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Indy-Jim

This transition to Digital subject is going to get more and more complicated as time goes on. And there are a lot of gray areas at this time.

snip...

We are in the 8-track vs. Cassett or the Beta vs. VHS battle that we went through years ago and it looks like the Blue Ray method is winning out. Of course, one will need to keep a DVD player handy if they have a library of DVDs. So, like I stated at the start, this is getting more and more complicated as time goes on.

And setting up and programming for these new equipments, remeber the old folks saying "I can't figure this thing out" when it came to setting up their VHS recorder? You ain't seen nuthin yet. Wait until you get that new Digital TV, particularly a high end model with all the bells and whistles.

Jim

Jim

You missed a few. Remember the 4 track... My step dad gave me his old 4 track player with dozen or so of 4 track tapes that went with it. I can still hear that Johnny Cash, Ring of Fire tape.... The original... Short lived as 8 track came along can could get twice as much on the same size tape.

Reel to Reel was in there somewhere too....My brother was a huge music listening person and went reel to reel.

Actually your post and leading me to finding a manual to my present day camper TV, while analog

with the words digitial on the front

, made me figure out how to use the tuner. It has Guide Plus on it. I punch in a zip code and wamo, all the stations in that are now come in.... So far they have not replaced the zip code.... and most camp grounds still have a zip code...

Thanks

John

PS. Yes I can still hear my step dad calling the VCR, this stupid thing, how the heck are you supose to use it....