digital to analog converter boxes for CABLE

[Soundguy]

I have a few expensive analog TV's, and only one digital ready tv. We have cable.. it is analog cable right now.. but in about a week, it will be going digital cable... meaning only the new tv with the digital ready tuner will work.

I know you can get D to A converters for 'broadcast' stations.. but are there any boxes that rcv digital cable and convert to an analog signal for an older tv?

Radio shack just has the ones that let an analog tv recieve digital broadcast..e tc.

My other option is to go dish with a package from the telco..... I believe the dish revrs put out an analog signal right? but then.. I'd need a rcvr for each set.. right?

thanks

soundguy

 

[ray66v]

I believe all non-hi def cable boxes are analog.
I suspect the digital box will have analog out unless its hi def.
Possibly even hi def cable boxes will have analog out.
I know my digital non-hi def sat boxes are analog.
Your only supposed to need a converter for off air antenna signals.
By the way those work great!

 

[hangnail]

If a digital cable box is put on any tv, it will work with any tv. So even your older tv's will work with new digital cable boxes. basically it the cable boxes recives digital signal, and convets it to analog depending on how you connect it to your tv. if you are using a coax cable to connect it from the cable box to the tv, you will be fine. you will need need a cable box for all your tv's though. there will be analog cable service for a little longer, and then how much analog service they actually keep after all broadcast goes digital is up the cable company. the cable company can take analog signal and make it digital, and vice versa.

unles it is stricltly an analog cable they all do digital. most how ever similcast analog and digital service. most people won't even know the difference.

 

[sunspot]

My other option is to go dish with a package from the telco..... I believe the dish revrs put out an analog signal right? but then.. I'd need a rcvr for each set.. right?

thanks

soundguy

Dishnetwork has models with dual tuners. That way you can have a second tv and watch differents shows on each tv.

 

[Soundguy]

Our cable company offers both analog and digital, however, just this month, basically 'gutted' the analog service and dropped it to about 20 channels, and then said if we wanted the rest.. swap to digital.. in feb 09 they will discontinue analog service altogether at my cable co.. so.. looks like I'm going digital.

I assume my cable co will sell me set top boxes for my tv's that are not digital ready.. hope so anyway..

soundguy

\

If a digital cable box is put on any tv, it will work with any tv. So even your older tv's will work with new digital cable boxes. basically it the cable boxes recives digital signal, and convets it to analog depending on how you connect it to your tv. if you are using a coax cable to connect it from the cable box to the tv, you will be fine. you will need need a cable box for all your tv's though. there will be analog cable service for a little longer, and then how much analog service they actually keep after all broadcast goes digital is up the cable company. the cable company can take analog signal and make it digital, and vice versa.

unles it is stricltly an analog cable they all do digital. most how ever similcast analog and digital service. most people won't even know the difference.

 

[hangnail]

Our cable company offers both analog and digital, however, just this month, basically 'gutted' the analog service and dropped it to about 20 channels, and then said if we wanted the rest.. swap to digital.. in feb 09 they will discontinue analog service altogether at my cable co.. so.. looks like I'm going digital.

I assume my cable co will sell me set top boxes for my tv's that are not digital ready.. hope so anyway..

soundguy

\

sell or rent, most rent, but soon you will be able to buy them from best buy ect. the huge bennifit from dropping the analog for the cable compnaies the amount of bandwidth that will become avalable. they can put up 15 channles in the same frequency that 1 analog channel takes. thats more channels, more hd, insanely fast internet speeds

 

[ultrarunner]

My local TV consumer reporter has done a couple of segments of people with very old sets not getting the converter to work properly...

Can anyone add to this?

 

[hangnail]

even really old, with no cable input tvs can be made to work. you can get an adaptor that goes from the atanee to coax that mounts on the back of the tv.. radio shack and others have them, for a few dollars

 

[RavensRoost]

Soundguy, I really doubt the cable Set Top Box (STB) will only hand off digital signal to you. For sure they will be using digital on their side of the box for all the obvious reasons, but I bet the STB has analog and digital output.

Problem is you probably cannot get real person on the phone to ask the qustion of, so just waiting for the conversion might be fastest!

I recently converted from 35" glass Sony connected to regular Dish Network box and upgraded to 46" Samsung LCD and Dish HD service. The dish STB does have both analog and HDMI (digital) connectors.

Ravens Roost

 

[Soundguy]

Ok.. here's the update... the cable co makes me rent the set top box for 5$ a month, per tv. YIKES!

I called embarq, who my phone and dsl is thru.. they had a special with DISH tv.. adds about 50$ ( 40$ with some taxes ) to my phone bill and I get a good dish package, that has 1 dvr, and will work with 4 tv's ( 2 dual tuner setups )..... no renting.. etc.. they give me the set top rcvrs for up to 4 tv's.

free instalation with 2yr agreement and good credit ( no problem on either.. ).. will switch my service for free to a new address if I move within the 2ys.

guess who I'm going with..:rolleyes"

soundguy