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ATSC Converter Boxes (Non-HD, Non-Recording)

339K views 1K replies 266 participants last post by  roger1818 
#1 ·
Will the samsung sir -t151 ota hdtv work on the sony 43in hdtv ready tv I live in Windsor ont have ota access
 
#27 ·
Pick up an OTA HDTV receiver such as the Samsung SRT-151 mentioned previously. Connect it up to the TV using component or DVI video and RCA audio or digital audio to a surround sound receiver. Then take your neighbor'a "big antenna" connection, remove it from the back of the TV and connect it to the antenna input of the OTA HDTV receiver. This should work. If it does not then look into getting a small tower or mast with UHF/VHF antenna and rotor. If some stations do not come in, high quality antenna mounted amplifier may help. The antennas for regular TV and HDTV/digital are the same.
 
#28 ·
all i know is i want my HDTV!!!

Got a nice 53 inch panasonic and I haven't gotten my monies worth out of it

So is the concensus that the Samsung 151 the 'receiver' to get or is there a specific reason why you want that one over others?

I have a home theater so anything other that optical is not an option and I'd like to have the option of getting the 'best' picture quality in terms of proper cables and such...which I assume is DVi

Are Bell receivers anygood? Not that I want a Bell receiver, but maybe I can get one of those instead....

Again, I just want something better than average/very good....
 
#29 ·
Viro said:
Are Bell receivers anygood?
3 reasons to get the Samsung over Bell (Echostar):

1) Less prone to effects of multipath. Multipath causes ghosts with analog, it can cause zero ATSC reception

2) Stand alone STB's like the Samsung do not have to be hooked up to sat dishes

3) When Bell receivers lose sat signal, the OTA signal is lost as well
 
#30 ·
The Samsung 151 only has component inputs as to whether DVI is better that's a whole other battle. It may seem like the receiver to go because it's been around for a while and is cheap when you buy it used.

In all honesty I would not go with any provider since you can get half the HD stations for free due to location. The other half are HD in name only, however there are HD PPV movies and such with the providers.

Of course there's always DirecTv ;) But that's a whole other battle.
 
#31 · (Edited)
On line reviews of the latest Samsung seem positive. However, when you check the availability at Circuit City stores in the Buffalo area, none can be had at present through the store pickup. They must have had a special or everyone south of us is buying them. Etronics ships to Canada through Canada Post. I have bought from there before. Are the manufacturers controlling the market or is this a CRTC decision?
 
#32 ·
OTA Tuner & Converter Boxes (Non-Recording)

jbracing24 said:
On line reviews of the latest Samsung seem positive. However, when you check the availability at Circuit City stores in the Buffalo area, none can be had at present through the store pickup. They must have had a special or everyone south of us is buying them. Etronics ships to Canada through Canada Post. I have bought from there before. Are the manufacturers controlling the market or is this a CRTC decision?
LG's ATSC tuners seem to be in a similar disappearing mode. Take a look at LG's main international web site and first select the U.S. location from the drop down menu so you can check out their highly rated ATSC receivers shown under Products -> Video. Now go back and select the Canadian site and you'll see that ATSC tuners are nowhere to be found. I think its just market economics but who really knows...

Anyway if someone is considering making a purchase from the U.S. you should consider whether you want to order something that may no longer be covered by warranty once it leaves the U.S. in the mail.

cheers,
stampeder
 
#33 ·
I live in St. Catharines and purchased an LG ATSC/DVD receiver about a 18 months ago through Value Electronics in New York. I first went to Sears in Niagara Falls New York and paid cash for a Samsung receiver that had continuous audio dropouts, I got my money back and ordered the LG. I did not have it delivered to Canada but had it delivered to a UPS store in Niagara Falls New York which charged $10 to hold it. I saved on brokerage fees and PST and GST. I thought I had a problem about 2 months after purchase and Value Electronics was willing to exchange it knowing very well that I lived in Canada, of course I would have to send it back the same way I got it. I first went to Sears because of their money back if not satisfied though you will pay a bit more.
 
#35 ·
Sir T-351

I purchased one in September of 2003 at Sears in Niagara Falls NY after researching it on the Web. A week after I purchased it I noticed through various forums that people were complaining about audio dropouts and as luck would have it my set had the same problem. I returned it and got my money back.
There were several attempts by Samsung to correct this but I do not know if it was successful. I think there was another release by Samsung within the past 6 months SIR T-451, I would stay clear of the 351.
 
#38 ·
HDTV101 said:
Lots and lots of bad reports around the net about the SIR-T351. Seems to had been a bad design from the start. I have a SIR-T151 and it's a great receiver.. don't know what they messed up on when they built the 351.
451 seems to be OK, so it's just the 351. It amazes me how many of these companies, not just Samsung, put out a lemon and then don't take them back after it becomes apparent that they are lemons.

Great way to ruin a brand name - especially since Samsung makes a few other items besides STB's
 
#39 ·
Samsung Warranty

I received my T451 set top box from the US and I was pleasantly surprised by the addition of a leaflet in the manual, "North American Limited Warranty Statement".
Quote..."Samsung will additionally provide warranty repair service...in Canada on Samsung products purchased in the United States, for the warranty period originally specified, and to the original purchaser only".
I haven't "played" with the unit yet, but will post my results later on the OTA Niagara thread.
 
#40 ·
jbracing24 said:
I received my T451 set top box from the US and I was pleasantly surprised by the addition of a leaflet in the manual, "North American Limited Warranty Statement".
Quote..."Samsung will additionally provide warranty repair service...in Canada on Samsung products purchased in the United States, for the warranty period originally specified, and to the original purchaser only".
Wow, that directly answers one of my biggest misgivings about buying one. I wish LG had the same thing because I've heard their OTA receivers are excellent and might be superior to Samsung's.
 
#41 ·
I posted this same question under the Samsung thread and HDTV Oakville was nice enough to post me this answer thats sounds like a good way to get a T451

As posted by HDTVOakville

I obtained my T451 from etronics.com. They partner with Canada Post's Border free service to ship items to Canada. The price on their site for the T451 is $230 U.S. By clicking on Canadian checkout you will get the price in Canadian dollars, including duty, taxes and shipping. It should come close to $400.00 Canadian in the end. I also considered ordering one through Circuit City and picking it up in Buffalo, however I went with etronics.com
 
#43 ·
I got my SRT-151 from Etronincs too about a year and a half ago for $525 CAN total, shipping border et al. Etroincs uses Border Free and it took abuot 2 weeks to get it and i'm very happy with it. The same model was a local HT store for over $900 way over priced.

I can't belive that Best Buy here in Windsor and other stores like it do not sell ATSC tuners. Just plain odd.
 
#44 ·
Etronics sounds like an ok option, but shop around for pricing. I just ordered and received 3 Sammy T451's from refurbdepot.com which were going for $169 US. With the usual rip-off brokerage fee from UPS it still put me at around $350 Cdn per unit, taxes in. The refurb units arrive in a sealed box from Samsung and were in pristine shape. There was the added bonus of some extra cabling that wasn't included in the brand new T451 that I purchased last fall for $250 US.

I did a couple of installations for friends on the weekends and they love the digital HDTV set-up, especially the monthly fee (i.e. nothing). Why anyone who isn't into specialty channels (and no offence to those who are) would pay for basic TV is beyond me.

Personally I can't wait until the price of HDTV tuners drops to around the $100 US mark or below. This could be a cable company killer for sure (at least in the Toronto area where we are being blessed with good reception for Cdn and US signals). Do the math. If you are paying $35 to $40 a month for basic cable (taxes in) how much money would you need sitting in a bank account earning interest at the best savings account rate (around 2 %) in order to just feed the cable company - its around $24,000 - and that's after tax dollars. So assuming a tax rate of 35% you would have had to earn and put aside every penny of a pre-tax income of $40,000 just to watch crappy basic cable. Why not spend a few hundred on some equipment and kiss the cable company good bye. Oh yeah I forgot you also get some HDTV and dolby 5.1 as a bonus for cutting your cable and going off-air. :)

I'm Cable Free and I'm loving it!
 
#46 ·
I purchased 2 sir-t451 at CC, tried them here in Dallas, picked up over 15 main channels with R.ears, can't wait to see how it'll look back in Toronto with my tower.

I was impressed that this unit can drive more than 1 at a time, currently I have a standard tv on the composite video as well as 17" computer monitor connected to the vga. both look so clear especially the monitor, I've yet to figure out all the different setting and screen formats, I'll wait till I get back home.


sam
 
#48 ·
not sold in Canada

Talked to Samsung customer serv rep in NY last week. He told me that Canada is waiting till all the bugs are worked out of HD broadcasting. Letting others fine tune and spend money doing it then, set tops will come down in price. Basically sounds like Canada lets others do the work then jumps on board.
My 351 has no sound issues if set to PCM and not Dolby Digital. Was watching FOX broadcast of the race last night and had it on DD too. The 351 still sounds very good in either mode
I had to give a US address to get the update kit sent for the 151 also. Would be nice if they were sold in Canada, your right.
 
#51 ·
shak911 said:
I purchased 2 sir-t451 at CC, tried them here in Dallas, picked up over 15 main channels with R.ears, can't wait to see how it'll look back in Toronto with my tower.

I was impressed that this unit can drive more than 1 at a time, currently I have a standard tv on the composite video as well as 17" computer monitor connected to the vga. both look so clear especially the monitor, I've yet to figure out all the different setting and screen formats, I'll wait till I get back home.


sam

I hooked up my 2 sammy 451, the reception is just great, especially on the Buffalo stations, nothing from Rochester though, liitle confused as to why the component output will not work to my 14" toshiba, then figured out that component can be SD or HD, right? on the 451 it is an HD output, but my toshiba is still sd, however I will get me a Svhs cable and go that way.
I also noticed night reception is better than daytime, is it something to do with bouncing the signal off the stratophere, or simply change in power output, I find it difficult to aim my tower to pick up all in one position during the day, however at night no problem, I get 10 bars( the max) across the dial,
I find chnl 66 and sometimes 53 are at odds with the rest.

One minor item with the t451, I was unable to program the volume/mute to operate my 14" toshiba using the codes provided in the manual, I think they were 16,90,95,96. if anyone has a more recent list please post other toshiba codes, no problem doing a samsung tv, code 001 off course!

I also wish the stations will complete their guide, also noticed the time is different from station to station.


sam
 
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