Who pays to put FTA out there?

[tvropro]

I am frugal and also very happy with FTA.

I just recently filled out an online form for the 2 HDTV converter boxes coupons the goverment is giving out to subsidize costs , and there are 2 priority levels, 1 for those who subscribe to satellite or cable and 1 for the others who receive TV via OTA.

I checked off the second box , I do not subscribe to Satellite or Cable, there is of course a warning to those answering that the information provided shall not be false or may constitute as perjury ......yada -yada-yada.


I curently own 3 SD TV sets and the oldest is 6 yrs old and the newest I've had for a year , I definitely need an option for OTA reception because I've never felt it a neccesity to pay for my local programming thru dish or cable.

I signed up for them too. I get my OTA locals via antenna not satellite so I checked the same option you did. BTW the coupons are for ATSC SD boxes not HD. If you want a box with HD outputs these coupons are no good. There for basic SD boxes that the goverment approved only. Hey at least the goverment is doing something for us for a change.

The models the goverment approved so far are:

DigitalSTREAM D2A1D10
DigitalSTREAM D2A1D20
Zenith DTT900
Magnavox TB100MW9
Philco TB150HH9
Sansonic FT300A
Philco TB100HH9
MicroGEM MG2000
Sansonic FT300RT
MaxMedia MMDTVB03
Apex DT1001
ECHOSTAR TR-40
AMTC AT-2016

 

[jayelem]

BTW the coupons are for ATSC SD boxes not HD. If you want a box with HD outputs these coupons are no good.

I disn't mean to confuse anyone , you are absolutely correct and the converter boxes basically downconverts HD to SD so that all the old TV's can continue receiving locals OTA.

Funny ........... I have an old 13 inch Commodore 64 computer monitor with no tuner that I connect to a VCR to get locals , I'm currently using it with my Analog receiver and DSR-905 alongside my 20 inch SD RCA TV , have both TV's on when I'm searching for Ku Analog and blindscanning FTA Mpeg 2.

 

[turbosat]

Jay I had one of those old monitors too, died last summer,, I think it was a Daytron. It had an excellent picture for a lot of years. Used it outside a lot while dish-tuning, set it down in some grass that looked dry but wasn't!

 

[Mr Tony]

Funny ........... I have an old 13 inch Commodore 64 computer monitor with no tuner that I connect to a VCR to get locals , I'm currently using it with my Analog receiver and DSR-905 alongside my 20 inch SD RCA TV , have both TV's on when I'm searching for Ku Analog and blindscanning FTA Mpeg 2.

good lord there is someone out there still doing that besides me

 

[iafirebuff]

AHHH the C-64!

 

[N5XZS]

Ah, these are the good old days when I was playing C-64 and my favorite game called Space Rouge!!

Damm I should had kept it long ago......

Man I was just teen at that time in the 80's

 

[jayelem]

Jay I had one of those old monitors too, died last summer,, I think it was a Daytron. It had an excellent picture for a lot of years. Used it outside a lot while dish-tuning, set it down in some grass that looked dry but wasn't!

Awesome picture quality uses s-video from the 80's , I thought it broke so I unplugged it for awhile then recently turned it on again and voila still running.
Anyone find one of these monitors in a Garage Sale , I recommend them and on Ebay they are still selling them and not cheap.

Yeah .... like I said , I have my 20 inch TV connected to my coolsat and the slaved analog and 4DTV connected to the monitor , I scan DVB and Analog at same time without having to change inputs on one TV.

I get great results with my setup and it's so cool when you catch a couple of College games on Analog while logging feeds on FTA.

 

[Tron]

Had one of those great C-64 monitors until Katrina submerged it It felt horrible to put it out for the trash...