Looking for a cheap HD Tuner

[kb7oeb]

The cheapest can be old HDTV satellite receivers some people dont like them because their isnt any program guide information. The only alternative is old out of production HDTV set top boxes.

Samsung recently released an updated HDTV set top box. Goes for around $180.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=cat03022&type=category

 

[Cynthia Blue]

I am watching a few on Ebay:
Samsung SIR-TS 160
Samsung SIR-TS 360
Hughes HTL-HD
H20-600
Zenith HD-SAT520

Which one do you recommend for my TV. Thanks
I don't want to spend more than $100 for one and so far all of them are around $50-70 still with a few days left.

I'm with you. I've been thinking, since I got HDTV... my parents have a big flat screen tube TV they bought a year of so ago.. I need to find out the make/model, but if it's HD ready I'd buy them a tuner for Christmas. They'd get a number of channels they don't now, they only get regular TV, so it'd be an upgrade for them. They have no interest in cable or satelllite.

 

[dougruss]

I'm with you. I've been thinking, since I got HDTV... my parents have a big flat screen tube TV they bought a year of so ago.. I need to find out the make/model, but if it's HD ready I'd buy them a tuner for Christmas. They'd get a number of channels they don't now, they only get regular TV, so it'd be an upgrade for them. They have no interest in cable or satelllite.

Check first on www.antennaweb.org and see what's Available and the Antenna that would be recommended for there location. Just put in their Zip Code. :up

There's no sense going any further until you see if they would have troubles receiving the signals.

 

[Cynthia Blue]

yeah... before we got the Dish HD Package I just had our new HDTV with tuner hooked up to the antenna and we got a number of good substations. My parents are close by me and would enjoy them I think, especially the local PBS substation. Even if they only get SD with the TV and not HD, might still be worth it.

 

[jssat]

Yea, except you CAN'T reprog the off-air portion for a different off-air area, or even if YOUR locals have changed since VOOM went off the air...

I did. I bought Scotts old Voom box and had no problem scanning Indianapolis locals into it.

 

[dougruss]

yeah... before we got the Dish HD Package I just had our new HDTV with tuner hooked up to the antenna and we got a number of good substations. My parents are close by me and would enjoy them I think, especially the local PBS substation. Even if they only get SD with the TV and not HD, might still be worth it.

Some of the Programming on the PBS stations are awesome in HD !!

Good Luck !!

 

[raoul5788]

Will a previously activated now unactivated h20 still work for ota???

If it has been deactivated, I don't think so. I'm not sure, though.

 

[roashru]

Samsung recently released an updated HDTV set top box. Goes for around $180.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=cat03022&type=category

I dont consider $180.00 U.S. a cheap price. Im not a big fan of Samsung products anyway.

 

[kb7oeb]

Its not expensive either considering there is no subsidy on it like a satellite STB

 

[Cynthia Blue]

So these old DTV boxes can pick up OTA without an access card, right?

 

[roashru]

The United States is moving broadcast TV to digital there are ATSC digital television only set top boxes none of these require any activation or card. The brand new receivers of this type are still currently expensive.
Their are old satellite TV receivers that can be used to watch ATSC digital television without paying for the service. I made some buyers guide web pages on this subject.

http://home.att.net/~roashru/Voom.html
http://home.att.net/~roashru/Directv.html

 

[Cynthia Blue]

Oh that is excellent, thanks for those articles! I will forward for my Dad to read too.

 

[Hall]

So these old DTV boxes can pick up OTA without an access card, right?

Some will require a card to be in the slot in order to access the "Setup" menu, where you need to tell it "No dish" and also so that you can re-scan for your local channels. The card does NOT need to have an active subscription on it. In fact, it's possible that any ISO smart card could do the trick. Lucky for me, I had one of my old D* access cards to use. Didn't need it anyway as the seller included his old card with the box.

 

[RandallA]

Some (or maybe all) of the satellite receivers also require signal from the dish to display the guide. I'm using a Zenith HD receiver from Directv that requires signal from 101 to get the guide.

 

[Hall]

I own a Samsung TS160 and can personally vouch that it requires NO signal from DirecTV to display the guide. That would be real difficult here as I haven't had a D* dish in 5+ years.

 

[RandallA]

The model is Zenith HD-SAT520 and I have to use two D500 dishes to get 119 and 129 on one and 110 and 101 on the other one. It works but I don't like the fact that the receiver needs signal from the dish to display the guide.
Anyone interested in a Zenith HD-SAT520?

 

[Cynthia Blue]

Excellent, that's the model I'm interested in. No access card, and no dish. Just want it for OTA signals.

I own a Samsung TS160 and can personally vouch that it requires NO signal from DirecTV to display the guide. That would be real difficult here as I haven't had a D* dish in 5+ years.

 

[Hall]

The TS160 does require an access card to get into the setup menus though.

 

[MW390]

I dont consider $180.00 U.S. a cheap price. Im not a big fan of Samsung products anyway.

I've only had Samsung tuners and they were all good. I'd recommend a SIR-T451 or the newer one (smaller than a coffee table book) DTB-H260F. I'm sure it is as GREAT as the 451. Really an excellent tuner.

 

[roashru]

A used old Samsung SIR-TS160 is a cheap purchase a new or even used Samsung SIR-T451 or DTB-H260F purchase is not!

Used Samsung SIR-TS160 prices
http://electronics.search-desc.ebay...msungQ20SIRQ2dTS160Q22QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZbs