A Review of TV Converter Boxes … Are they all the Same?
The advent of Digital television in the 21st Century and its truly rapid growth have created a need for TV Converter Boxes. When the federal government mandated the switch from Analog TV (over-the-air) to Digital television in 2008-2009, the need for TV Converter Boxes became immediate and national.
Every household had to have a TV Converter Box if its TV was Analog. And, as recently as two years ago, the vast majority of television sets in America were Analog. Of course, even Analog TVs could provide “Digital-quality” entertainment if the household that had the TV subscribed to a Cable television or satellite TV service.
But, cable television or satellite TV or straight over-the-air television, it didn’t really matter … you needed a TV Converter Box to enjoy all the magic of television. In fact, the only homeowners that didn’t need a TV Converter Box were those that had an actual Digital TV in their homes. And, while the number of homes that fell into that category were substantial, the number of homes without Digital TVs was far greater.
Even today, most homes do not have a Digital TV. They need a TV Converter Box in order to enjoy at-home programming. And there are countless of these devices available – all good, some however, better than others. Interestingly, the prices for TV Converter Boxes vary, although none are expensive. Here’s a brief rundown …
- The Most Expensive TV Converter Boxes … all cost $19.95 and are among the best available. These include all of the following: the Tivax STB-TB … the Goodwiind DTA-1100 … and the Dish Network DTV Pal. These are three of the better-known and more reliable TV Converter Boxes … and among the most costly. You can purchase them at any store that sells electronics and/or home entertainment products.
- The Least Expensive TV Converter Boxes … all cost you NOTHING. That’s right … the following TV Converter Boxes are 100% Free – no charge. These include: the ArtecT3AP … the Magnavox TB11OMW9 … and the Craig CVD-508. The fact that they are free does not mean they are worthless … nothing could be further from the truth. You can use any of these devices to successfully convert your Analog TV into a Digital TV so that you can continue to enjoy your favorite programs without interruption.
- The TV Converter Boxes That Fall In-Between … there is a whole range of TV Converter Boxes that cost around $9.95. Are they any good? Of course … although they may have fewer “bells and whistles” than the more expensive TV Converter Boxes mentioned above. They are also likely to be better than the TV Converter Boxes that are available free of charge.
So … should you opt for a Free TV Converter Box or should you elect to pay a few dollars, perhaps up to $20 or so for the “best” TV Converter Box? It really depends on what you want. If the “bells and whistles” matter, you’ll buy the more expensive TV Converter Box. If they don’t mean as much to you, it’s likely that you’ll settle for the less expensive TV Converter Box. And if you want to go “bare bones,” the Free TV Converter Box will probably meet your needs best of all. Happy searching and shopping!