Let's Talk Digital Converter Boxes

Hi all.
I get my local channels through an antenna, so I'm going to need the digital converter boxes for my various televisions. I will settle for any old converter from Wal-Mart or wherever with one exception. For my projection TV I want to get the one from Echostar, the TR50. From everything I have read, this is the best one on the market, or at least it will be when it finally becomes available. It will have a built-in DVR and HD capability. Problem is, no one seems to know where and when to get it. I've been to Wal-Mart, Radio Shack, Best Buy, a couple of mom-and-pop places, and have scoured the internet for info. None of the stores have even heard of it, and all the internet sites can say is how great the thing is, but not when and where to get it. Any of you electronics geeks out there have any knowledge of this????

Do you have any premium services in addition to the local OTA? You might want to consider the Dish Network HD package and get the VIP622 which has a built in OTA port that you'd plug an antenna into.

Three HD tuners and DVR and output to two different TVs at the same time (one HD and one not)

In my quick little research I don't think it is available just yet. >> http://dishnetworktr40.com/index.php

I'm using 2 OTA digital receiver/converters. One is a Digital Stream one from Radio Shack, the other is a Magnavox from Wal Mart. Both were eligible and bought with $40 credit coupons from the FCC.

The Magnavox has some features I like, but I use the Digital Stream one more because it has better sensitivity, based on my own testing with the identical antenna. It also has controls on the remote that control my TV set as well, which the Magnavox one doesn't.

Wal Mart also has an RCA one, but I've never tried that one.

This thread also has some info.

Thanks Blender! I was looking all over for that info and couldn't find it! Still doesn't say where to buy when available though...........


Bobby, yes, I have Dish network, but they are already getting too much of my money every month. I'm not giving them any more for HD and local channels when I can get them OTA for free.......

Best one that has turned up from my research has been the ChannelMaster CM-7000. I think it's one of the few that has S-Video out and has been pretty well reviewed on AVS Forum.

Here's a nice wikipedia comparison chart: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_CECB_units

I've currently got the Zenith DTT900 and it does a fine job. Planning on getting the Channelmaster as my scond box, though.

we picked one up from Wally World with a $40 gift card from the dtv program thinger... paid $9.95 for ours... it works great but I'm sick of having 8,000 remotes!!

I thought when the Cable companies decided to do this, They were supposed to give you a converter free of charge. Did you talk to the Local Cable Company?

This is an FCC move, not a cable company thing. In fact, if you have cable, you don't need a DTV converter box at all. I welcome the transition, even though I don't yet own an HDTV. I went out and bought a converter box as soon as I got my gov't coupon. I don't have cable or satellite, but now I get crystal clear reception of local stations--and more of them. Instead of two PBS stations I now effectively have about 10 (with the sub stations) to choose from plus all the main local stations look as good as cable.

BraeHaus said:

we picked one up from Wally World with a $40 gift card from the dtv program thinger... paid $9.95 for ours... it works great but I'm sick of having 8,000 remotes!!

Click to expand...

That's one of the reasons I liked this Digital Stream one, as the remote will turn my TV on/off and Volume up/dn, plus change the video input. Now I'm back down to the Digital Stream and the DVD player remotes for everyday use. I still need the TV remote if I want to use special features/menus, but normally it stays parked on top of the ent. center.

I've got to get my antenna out of the attic and up onto the roof. I lose most of my OTA during the summer when the foliage is thick. The lucky coincidence is that I rarely need all three recording slot on the DVR during the summer anyway.