Thread: Help. Luddite in need of assistance

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

yes thats why we've gone to these hidefinition TVs with wonderful digital singnals.

but isnt that the purpose of the digital set top box? to convert the new wonderful nearly useless at low signal strengths digital signal to old school analog so that everyone who cant afford a new tv, failed to purchase one with the "please remember this next election" rudd bux or the "buy yourself a new tv with that baby" plan can watch the free to air stuff on their old TV's.

Not anymore. They have always converted the satellite signal into one which can be played on a tele but whereas previously they were able to output to analog and digital tv, now most only output to digital (no analog output in their circuits). They still do the same job but their range of output is limited.

ahh I think Isee where the confusion is...

I thought we were talking about the digital set top boxes for the free to air digital TV not the ones for satellite broadcast...

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

I thought we were talking about the digital set top boxes for the free to air digital TV not the ones for satellite broadcast...

We are.

we've only got free to air tele so now I'm really confused but don't worry all is good now

Originally Posted by disco2hse

Not anymore. They have always converted the satellite signal into one which can be played on a tele but whereas previously they were able to output to analog and digital tv, now most only output to digital (no analog output in their circuits). They still do the same job but their range of output is limited.

If you have a digital tv, why would you want a set top box to convert digital to digital?
Surely all digital tv's have a digital tuner built in?

Mike

Originally Posted by miky

If you have a digital tv, why would you want a set top box to convert digital to digital?
Surely all digital tv's have a digital tuner built in?

Mike

Mike,
Not all widescreen, LCD tv's have digital tuners. A friend was given one for christmas 2008 and it was analog only ("digital ready" I think is the correct term). Some are standard definition (SD) only so the don'y play high definition (HD) programs/channels.
The tv that is the topic of this thread appears to be a CRT (cathode ray tube) tv which would not have a digital tuner (analog only tuner). I have a widescreen CRT flatscreen tv bought only three years ago which has an analog only tuner. I bought several STB's before I found one that would play on it. The wintal STB's I tried were designed to be used on LCD tv's that had analog only tuners.
I could go on and on all night. Suffice it to say, digital tv can be very confusing to a luddite. I have helped many pensioners set up a digital STB on thier older model tv's and the simplest solution I have found is to buy a new tv.

regards
Mick

Thanks for the explanation Mick.

Add me to the digital tv luddite list

With the analogue being phased out by 2013 I guess all of us who still have an analogue tv will need something if we still want to watch tv.
Wonder when Adelaide analogue will be turned off?

Mike

I am sticking with my analog until I can't use it anymore. The thing is that when analog signals are finally turned off you probably won't be able to use the analog TV anymore because none of the decoders will provide a feed for it and the hassle to get it going won't be worth it. By then, too, free-to-air digital decoders will be built into them so you shouldn't need an STB (saves money ). New TVs are already coming out with the decoders built in but it is not standard yet so you still have to pay a premium for it - wait till everyone expects it and then it will be incorporated into the standard price tag.