HD Television in Trailer

[Tin Hut]

We've got a flat screen that I'm sure isn't HD ready in the trailer. Is it true that come Jan. we won't get analog signals through our antenna & will need an HD converter box. I'd prefer not having another box in the trailer & would maybe just get a new flat screen with HD built in if that's possible. Mrs. Hut is worried that she won't be able to watch family members on the Jerry Springer show so I need to get this figured out.

[vajeep]

We just got a new lg 19" flatscreen, it has the hd tuner built in. It works great with our "batwing" and the hd is great!!
So far they only make the converter box that works on 110v.

Sorry about your family members.....

abe

[Tin Hut]

thanks much. that may be the way I go then.

[Minnie's Mate]

Your television doesn't have to be high-def, it only has to be digital. More than likely your flat screen is digital and has a built-in analog receiver for use with over the current air TV signal.

If you are connected to cable or to a satellite receiver, you won't need to worry. Cable is received by the cable company as a digital signal now and converted to analog for current TV's. The satellite receiver box converts the digital signal from the dish to to analog an signal before it gets to your TV at the current time. I'm sure that eventually the conversion will no longer take place as the current TV's are phased out through wearing out, but at least there will be no hurry to get a new set just because everything goes digital.

However, if your set is really old (9-10 years), you will need a converter box at the TV. Not really sure when mainstream TV's went digital, but I read somewhere it began about 10 years ago.

[GetOutDoors]

I mentioned in (http://www.airforums.com/forums/f450...-tvs-3892.html) that Jensen has a model (JE1908) with the hdtv tuner built in and works on 12 DC and/or 110/120 AC for such a question as this . . . but I hope I don't get in hot water again for mentioning it . . .

[HowieE]

Originally Posted by Tin Hut

We've got a flat screen that I'm sure isn't HD ready in the trailer. Is it true that come Jan. we won't get analog signals through our antenna & will need an HD converter box. I'd prefer not having another box in the trailer & would maybe just get a new flat screen with HD built in if that's possible. Mrs. Hut is worried that she won't be able to watch family members on the Jerry Springer show so I need to get this figured out.

As noted above HD reception and Digital Broadcasting are not the same thing. I would check your TV to find out what type of tuner it has, analog or digital. Unless you paid a hefty price for it I suspect it is not digital.

You may have noticed the picture quality of most of the major cities news programing is transmitted in HD and your TV will receive these transmissions in a higher quality than other programs on the same station. While you are receiving this improved picture it is not FULL HD. An HD TV is required to get the full benifit.

Now as for the the conversion from analog to digital transmission by the TV stations that will be effective next Feb. If you are currently receiving your TV through an off air antenna, roof top in an Airstream, and your TV does not have a digital toner you will need a converter box.

You can see my installation in my trailer on the following tread.
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f450...-tt-42731.html

[jcanavera]

I replaced a failing tube with a 24" LCD HD digital LG TV last fall. The neat thing is a lot of stations have already fired up the digital transmitters so not only are you getting the better pictures but in some cases there are some additional stations out there too.

Just a weekend earlier out at the Moraine View rally I had 5 digital channels available to us, 1 being the Fox network and the other 4 were PBS. Those not broadcast digitally were in their usual grainy mode. The bat wing antenna is already set to receive digital broadcasts.

If you are going to buy a converter be aware of a future offer from Dish network. According to their tech show, Dish will produce a digital to analog converter that will also allow a pass through of analog signals. According to Dish the some small stations will be getting an extension of time regarding having their digital signals available. With most converters, to receive the analog signal you will have to disconnect the box from the antenna and pass the line directly into the TV. Dish's converter will have a switch on it which will allow you an analog pass through without cables. Also Dish will sell these boxes for $40 each which means you will get the box for nothing if you use the government coupons. Currently I haven't seen a converter for less than $60.

Dish's converters aren't out yet but I'll probably pick up a couple when available since there will be no out of pocket.

Jack

[Jim & Susan]

Tin Hut, did somebody say this already? Take your TV out to the camper and hook it up. Go to the menu and tell it to "auto-scan" to find all of the local off-air (broadcast) stations. If it has an HD tuner, it will find both the analog and the digital broadcasts in your area. In the Houston area, there should be a bunch of both. The old style analog broadcasts will be in the normal channel locations (obvious, right?). The digital channels will most likely be right next to them. Channel 3 in analog will probably show up as channel 3.1 in digital (or maybe even 3.2 and 3.3).

Jim

[Jim Foster]

I installed a Visio 20" HDTV in our Caravel a year and a half ago. It gets both analog and digital/HD over the air using the original fold up outside antenna that came on the Caravel from the factory.

We also have Dish Network. The Dish box has a connection for the antenna as well as the dish. In an area such as LA for instance, where there is no channel 3, I set the dish output to channel 3. I then get 2, 2.1, 3 gives us the dish stations, 4, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 etc.

If an area has a channel 3, it will not have a channel 4. That's why some devices, such as dish boxes, give you the option of output on 3 or 4.

Using this setup gives us the nice clear digital advantage and channel selection of satellite and free over the air High Definition in most areas.

The digital satellite signal is changed back to analog by the dish box, but is still much clearer than the old analog over the air.

Love it

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by Tin Hut

We've got a flat screen that I'm sure isn't HD ready in the trailer...

really depends on the make and model...

for example many of the sony wega units a/s used in 2005/07 are HD ready...

and that only means the monitor/screen is capable of displaying one of the hd formats...

it also usually means that the units LACKs the hd tuner component...

BUT some of the lcd teles don't require a seprate EXTERNAL box,

instead they utilize a small add-in/on that fits INTO the back of the unit

and converts them from analog to digital signal capable...

then there is the issue of WHICH digital format and how much resolution can be expected from smaller screens

so ya might post the actual make/model for a little more specific help...

cheers
2air'