Cable digital converter boxes

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The best digital converter boxes elevate your TV viewing experience. These accessories have become a necessity ever since conventional "rabbit ear" antennas were made obsolete. A great quality converter will be able to work with both recorded and live programming in real-time, providing your screen with a clearer picture and more channels.

Most modern TVs already have this feature, but if you're still holding onto an older model, these accessories can be well worth having. Before reading this article, make sure you require a DTV converter first, but if you're sure you need one, keep reading to find the best digital converter box.

Attaching to any existing antenna on any analog television, the Mediasonic is easy to set up. The separate storage device can even plug into a computer so you can record programming with any compatible media player. The Mediasonic has some other great features, too. This eliminates the need for a separate cable box while still offering program recording and the electronic program guide for finding your favorite shows.

Dimensions: 8. A built-in HDMI connection allows users to send the signal from the unit to a multitude of display types. Dimensions: 5. The built-in USB port allows you to record your favorite programs directly to a flash drive or external hard drive. It is the most feature-packed DVR-capable digital converter box in our lineup; you can pause, fast-forward and rewind live TV with the Timeshift function, perform PVR Personal Video Recording and easily view videos and pictures from a flash drive or external hard drive.

Consider the ViewTV AT a good option if you have external movies you want to play via your digital converter box, or if you plan to often use DVR functions. Dimensions: Just like the rest of the entries on our list, this box converts over-the-air OTA signals to an analog or digital signal that can be displayed on your TV, projector, or monitor.

A big selling point for this inexpensive adapter is its front-facing USB port which allows you to connect up to 2TB of external storage for recording live TV and converting it into an avi, mpg, or mkv file. Besides integrated recording capability the HWSTB also features RF signal passthrough, a favorite channel list, support for Dolby Digital audio, and a parental control function. The robust list of features and low cost make this digital converter a remarkable value.

It's a strong digital converter that can attach to any existing antenna on any analog TV, making it easy to use. It also supports outputs ranging from p to p. Patrick Hyde is an experienced tech writer and digital marketer with more than four years of experience in the industry.

A digital converter box, or a cable converter box, is an electronic tuning device. It converts a channel on a cable TV from a digital to an analog signal on a single channel. Put simply, this allows a TV to receive cable channels, at least this was the case for older TV models. Most modern TVs aren't analog and have a converter built-in. Unless you have an old analog TV, you likely don't need a digital converter box.

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Updated 21 hrs ago. Updated 17 hrs ago. As booster mandate looms, WNY health care providers see need, worry about staffing. Updated 5 hrs ago. Many stations across the United States are already multicasting. If you have a digital-to-analog converter box and a terrestrial antenna, you can take advantage of your local station's multicasting, if they offer it.

Cable and satellite providers may not necessarily add the additional stations to their lineups, however, so you may not see them if you subscribe. You could also buy a new television with a digital tuner, if that's what you would prefer, though that's a more expensive option. For more information about digital television and related topics, tune in to the links on the next page.

The transition from analog to digital didn't go completely smoothly. The Community Broadcasters Association, which represents owners of low-power television stations, filed a lawsuit in that would block sales of converter boxes that block analog signals. And though the FCC requires retailers to label televisions with analog tuners to warn consumers about the coming switch to digital TV, several major retailers have been fined for failing to label their goods properly [source: SF Gate ].

Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close. Mobile Newsletter chat dots. Mobile Newsletter chat avatar. Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe. TV Technology. Do I really need a digital converter box for my TV? Digital TV Conversion " ". Do you need to send your old TV to the recycling pile, like this one in Norway?

Not unless it's actually broken. Getting a Converter Box. Analog to Digital Advantages " ". Hiccups in the System. A TV or cable converter box is used as an electronic tuning device that converts channels to analog RF signals on a single channel or to a different output for digital TVs, such as HDMI.

Does a converter box need an antenna? You are going to need a broadcast TV antenna to use a converter box. There are many indoor antennas that you can choose from, but first, you need to make sure you can get a signal where you live. What channels do you get with a digital converter box?

Why do I need a digital converter box? A digital converter box allows older analog TV sets to receive and display channels that aren't on analog signals, providing access to additional channels. Do smart TVs need a converter box? Many modern Smart TVs do not require a digital converter box to receive a broadcast.

However, it is best to read the fine print of the TV brand and model to find out whether or not you are going to need one. Sources Cringely, Robert X. Updated Jan. May 8,