One of the often overlooked aspects of the analog-to-digital TV transition is that the vast majority of portable TVs have an analog tuner and won't be able to receive signals after the big switch on February 17, 2009. Earlier this year, we wrote a blog titled, "Don't buy a portable TV this year" to warn consumers about the coming switch, plus the fact that the FCC had stated that it didn't expect any battery-powered DTV converters to be released. Well, that prediction was a little off the mark, as we recently posted our review of the Winegard RCDT09A, which is the first battery-powered DTV converter box that we've seen.
The battery pack is sold separately and requires six D batteries.
The RCDT09A can work off standard power like any other DTV box, but you also have the option of purchasing a separate battery pack and run it off six D batteries. While that might be a lot of effort for a tailgate party, it's an excellent solution for those that use portable TVs for news in emergency situations where there's no power.
The bottom line is that it's still probably not a good idea to buy a new analog portable TV--using a battery-powered converter box is a pretty kludgey workaround--but you may be able to extend the life of your existing portable set with the RCDT09A.
The new DTVPal Plus is just like the TR-40, except it costs more and offers an enhanced tuner.
Way back at CES 2008, Dish Network announced a DTV converter box called the TR-40 that was going to cost $40, include an electronic program guide and it seemed like it was going to be a simple, cheap choice for buyers looking to handle the upcoming analog-to-digital TV transition. Shortly afterward, the TR-40 became the DTVPal and the price went up to $60. Then the TR-40 CRA came out, which was exactly the same as the DTVPal, except it cost $40. And, as of now, you can buy both products from the DTVPal Web site, essentially giving you the option of donating an extra $20 to Dish Network for exactly the same product. If you're confused, don't worry--so are we.
Now, Dish continues to muddy the waters with the DTVPal Plus, which is essentially exactly the same as both the TR-40 CRA and the DTVPal, except it includes a more sensitive tuner and costs $70. A DTV converter box with a stronger tuner might be worthwhile for some buyers, but we're disappointed Dish hasn't been more forthcoming about the company's DTV plans. Buyers of the original DTVPal may feel slighted since they only had to wait a couple months to save $20 (on the TR-40) or have the option of buying a box with a stronger tuner. And while we're on the the subject, what's up with the TR-50, Dish?
There are a lot of DTV converter boxes on the market now, and while they all look pretty similar from the outside, there can be significant differences in their features and performance. The Magnavox TB100MW9, widely available at Wal-Mart, is one of the more basic converter boxes we've reviewed, lacking extra features such an advanced electronic program guide, analog pass-through, or S-Video output. While we could live without the extra features, we had a harder time struggling with the poorly designed remote. That being said, the TB100MW9 does do a good job with the DTV basics, as it pulled in a respectable 24 station from our Manhattan location and its video quality was only a notch below top performing boxes. But at the end of the day, we didn't find any reason why buyers should prefer the TB100MW9 over the competing boxes on the market.
If you were wondering whether the DTV transition was really coming in 2009, the recent early test in Wilmington, N.C. should convince you that there won't be any push backs this time. That means that if you're getting your TV using free, analog over-the-air signals, you should start looking at DTV converter boxes before the big switch on February 17, 2009.
The Apex DT250 is a pretty interesting converter box because it includes several features missing form many competitors--S-Video output, a "Smart Antenna" port and analog pass-through. We were even more impressed when started watching digital TV with the converter box, as its video quality was very good, rivaling even the Zenith DTT901. However, when we started comparing the DT250's reception to other boxes, we were surprised to see that it was pulling in 4-to-5 stations fewer--including NBC. The full details are in the review, but our summary is that unless you live in an area close to DTV signals, the extra features probably aren't worth the mediocre reception.
Read the full Apex DT250 review.
- prev
- 1
- next
