Feburary 17, 2009 is right around the corner; are you ready? Digital converter boxes are hovering around the $60 mark but Dish Network with a price drop on their DTVPal from $60 down to $40. (snap!) Take the $40 TV Converter Box voucher courtesy of the U.S. Government, and you have yourself an free DTV tuner. It is as easy as that. Dish even helps you out with getting the coupon with a link on the DTVPal product page. (Only takes 2 minutes — I just signed up for mine and will be shipped in Sep.)
As for the box itself, CNET and Satellite Guys seem impressed. The tuner is about the size of a paperback book and comes with a nice, little Dish Network-style remote. The back panel sports COAX in and out, along with RCA-type audio/video jacks. Not state-of-art, HD equipment, but we’re still impressed. What more do you want for free?
via TVPredictions
Since DTV converter boxes are intended for older, analog, standard-def TVs, why do you state — with a certain tinge of disappointment — that it’s not state-of-the-art HD equipment?
DTVPAL’s tuner, picture clarity, program guide all excellent. Mechanically a good piece of ewuipment. But, the event timer does not work. It will literally wipe out events you set up. Further the clock looses about a minute a day. Numerous calls to Dish were fruitless. They appear more interested in getting rid of you than helping you.