A HDTV to Analog Converter Lets You Watch the Television of Tomorrow on Your Set Today
February 9th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
With These Tips and a Few Small Purchases, You Can Survive In the Digital Television Age With Your Current Television Set.
On February 17, 2009 all over-the-air television broadcasts will be exclusively in digital format. Because digital broadcasting is a much more efficient way of transmitting, the move will make it easier for public safety communications due to the reduction of traffic on the airwaves. With HDTV television sets widely available, the switch to all-digital means everyone will soon be able to experience digital-quality sounds and pictures. The one problem is, what if you don’t have the desire or budget to purchase a HDTV set? The answer to this dilemma is a HDTV to analog converter.
Do You Need a HDTV to Analog Converter?
If your current television was manufactured after March 1, 2007, then it will have a digital tuner built in, even if it not an HDTV set. The date it was manufactured is different than the date it was sold, so if you’re not sure when your television was manufactured, you can visit the manufacturer’s website or call their customer support phone number to find out if your set has a digital tuner. Have your television’s model number and serial number handy before you call or visit.
If you have cable or satellite TV, contact your provider to find out whether you need a HDTV to analog converter. They will be able to help you with what equipment you need. If you only watch over-the-air television, you will definitely need a converter if your television was manufactured after March 1, 2007, as well as a HD digital TV antenna. Your rabbit ears or rooftop antenna will not suffice for digital television. If you need to purchase a converter box, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has set up the TV Converter Box Coupon Program at www.DTV2009.gov, you can apply for up to two $40 coupons to help offset the cost of a HDTV to analog converter.
Other Analog Appliances Can Work With a HDTV to Analog Converter
Many people already have a lot of old appliances hooked up to their television, such as a VCR, old video game consoles, non-high definition DVD players, and camcorders. These analog appliances will still work with your television hooked up to a HDTV to analog converter, but obviously without the same clarity and picture quality that digital television provides. Your converter box won’t help these appliances if they only have analog outputs but there are connectors available for many of these products if they have digital outputs, which will help to somewhat improve the sound and picture quality by connecting the appliance to a HDTV to analog converter, although they will still be limited to the quality of the television set itself.
If you can put up with the fact that you’re not getting the absolute best sound and picture quality available, you can hold off on a major purchase like a new HDTV television set for some time with a HDTV to analog converter.
You can browse and purchase HDTV to analog converters and thousands of other HDTV products at eBay and Amazon.com.
