Entertainment Center: TVs, Stereos, VCRs and DVDs - How To Setup A Converter Box

First post here, and a bit long.

I bought a RCA DTA800 converter box. I hooked it to my analog SD Mitsubishi CK-32308 TV. I live near Joplin, Mo and these are my OTA channels...KOAM-DT (CBS) Pittsburg, Ks...Channel 23-1 HD. KODE-DT (ABC) Joplin, Mo...Channel 43-1 HD, KFKX- (FOX)Joplin, Mo...Channel 14, KSNF-DT (NBC) Joplin, Mo...Channel 46-1 HD, KOZJ-DT (PBS) Joplin, Mo...Channel 25-1 (26-1). KOZJ-DT (PBS) Joplin...Channel 25-2 (26-2). KOZJ-DT (PBS) Joplin...Channel 25-3 (26-3)

When I did the channel scan (search), the converter only shows the three PBS (all KOZJ stations) stations. Not one other station...ABC,CBS.or NBC. The three PBS channels comes is very good now, and they were horrible before I setup the RCA converter.
I've tried everything to get the three network stations, but no luck.

Any ideas how to get it done, or what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks for the help.

I don't think you are doing anything wrong.

Looks like other people are having issues with it as well:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=934600&page=2

Could it be those other stations are not broadcasting in digital yet? This box does not have analog pass through from what I've been reading.

I'm not sure of your population in that area but here where I am it's under 200k.It may not make a difference just guessing at reasons.
My PBS stations here come in great .The CBS is broadcasting in full HD.The NBC is broadcasting in SD but not HD.The ABC is not broadcasting in digital at all.I think here the stations fall into that catagory thats not full power stations.They only broadcast out about 30 miles.:(
Maybe Rick will pop in here.He's up on this change.

Fox is the only one in your area that may be analog-only (depending on if they updated since April 2008 according to the gov website). Four others -- ABC, NBC, CBS, and PBS -- are digital.

Are you using a static antenna? Try rotating it.

AntennaWeb.org (http://www.antennaweb.org) shows the stations you should be able to receive and their compass locations relative to your location. All you need to enter is a zip code. The next page will display a map where you can fine-tune your location.

I have a Wingard antenna (big one) mounted on the roof and it's on a 20' pole. Plus I have a Channel Master 7777 amp ( I think that's the model no.)booster mounted right next to the mast outdoors. I've had no problem getting any of the Joplin stations, as they come in very clear and good signal. In fact, I can bring in Springfield, Mo stations which in some 100 miles east of here. Also bring in Tulsa stations fairly good, although, the antenna isn't pointed in that direction.

I would think I could get the Pittsburg, Ks and Joplin, Mo stations without any problems, due to the fact they come in very good before setting up the RCA converter box. I have a run of about 35' of RG6 coax to the converter box with a splitter. The OTA antenna (coax) connects to the C/M amp booster, and a coax to a splitter that has a coax going to a HDTV in the family room, and a coax from the other side of the splitter going to the converter box to the den. I've tried several times to re-scan the channels, but some old three PBS loads.

Do you get all the HD channels on the tv in the livingroom?

The HD TV in the family room gets all the networks channels...NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox. However, the HD TV does not get any of PBS stations.

Shortly ago I did another channel scan on the Joplin stations. I did get two more stations. They are KOAM- CBS Chan. 7 in Pittsburg, Ks., and KFSX-Fox Channel 14 in Joplin, Mo. KOAM is in HD. I don't know about KFSX= Fox station.

NOTE: I removed the RCA DTA800 converter, and hooked up a Digital Stream DTX9950. I couldn't get the D/S to work. It wouldn't even register the "menu" setting. I got it from Radio Shack, and it may not be any good. I'm back with the RCA DTA800 hook-up, and it's working with the stations (5 total) as of now.

Exactly what HD and SD channels are you geting in the livingroom.What I'm geting at is that it could be an issue with the splitters your using.Compare the actual SD and HD channels that you can recieve when you do a channel scan using the digital antenna in connection on the livingroom set with the channels your geting in the den.The fact you mentioned that the livingroom tv didn't get the PBS stations makes me think the cable is hooked up to the cable in connection which is analog.
Post back and let me know how it goes.If it turns out to be a amplifier or splitter problem we'll get Rick to respond.He knows alot more about that than me.

So much for the RCA DTX800 working. I had it working for five days, and Saturday it went south...scrap heap.
Only thing that works is the "green" light (on/off)... So signal, no nothing. I bought it from Wally Wonderful World in July. Might try to get my money funded ($13.88 with the $40 coupon), but doubt it.

I have another converter...a Digital Stream DXT9950 that has it's problems. I bought it from Radio Shack, paid $24.50 with the 40$ coupon. It will come on, but will not work from the menu.

I talked to a TV electrician about my problems. He told me he could wire a ATSC tuner in the TV, and not have to worry about the converter matters. He said, he has done three sets already.

I've heard the digital converters you buy for around $50 or so have a dismal failure rate. When I bought my two RCA converters at Wal-Mart a few months ago, the clerk made a special effort to remind me to hang onto my receipt, "in case I needed to return them". So far, I've bought 2 RCA's and one GE converter, but I haven't tried any of them yet, as two of my TV's are on cable, and I just bought a new HDTV with built in ASTC tuner. I will use a digital-ready Panasonic DVD recorder as the tuner for a fourth TV, so I may only have to use one of the converters. I may have to include the extra converters as "freebies" when I try to sell some of my old TV's at a garage sale! :(

When there's government money involved, there will be scammers. The interesting thing is that several trusted names in electronics have fallen victim to the scams. The "brands" are in name only, and the actual product has nothing to do with the traditional R&D/quality testing that those (and other) quality brands normally produce.

Everyone had to jump on the converter bandwagon in a hurry so they didn't miss out on government coupons. At least two global suppliers approached all of the manufacturers with "market-ready" products, and several of the manufacturers took the bait: Buy the product from the scammer, slap their name on it, and get it to market. (Of course, they didn't know they were dealing with shoddy suppliers.)

Wal-Mart, Radio Shack, and other major retailers also coveted that coupon cash cow, which completed the distribution chain.

One scammer has yet to deliver a working product, even though they have been accepting and cashing coupons since March of '08 and promising delivery dates that keep getting extended.

Recourse? Take the faulty product back to the store. It's under warranty, and Wal-Mart, Radio Shack and other major retailers have very generous return policies. Especially if they know now that they sold a bad group of products.

I can't mention specifics on this site (nor will I answer by PM), so my suggestion is to do a bit of homework by searching reviews for the brands in which you're interested.

:( The interesting thing is that several trusted names in electronics have fallen victim to the scams. The "brands" are in name only, and the actual product has nothing to do with the traditional R&D/quality testing that those (and other) quality brands normally produce.

You're right Rick, and along the same line of thought, many people don't realize the long time established electronics brands of our youth are no longer manufactured by the original companies. Old highly respected brand names such as RCA, GE, Zenith, Magnavox, and Sylvania have been sold off to second and third tier Asian manufacturers and products bearing their names today are in no way related to the products a few decades ago when they were manufactured by US-based companies.

My post was specifically about cable converter boxes, not other consumer electronics.

For the record, only the Sylvania and Magnavox names have been down-rated to the "low end" television market in the USA. Sylvania is owned by a Funai, a Japanese company. They also manufacture and market Philips and Magnavox.

Until this year the RCA group was owned by Thomson, a Euro-based world-wide leader in high-end broadcast video equipment. In December the RCA name was sold to Audiovox, an American company. What they do with the name remains to be seen.

Zenith was absorbed by the LG group. Zenith's entire TV line is virtually identical to LG except for the name plates. LG is holding to Zenith's long-time quality standards.

GE no longer makes TVs, but it is owned by Jasco -- an American company.