I have a Sony FDL-250T Watchman somewhere. I never really used it that much. Seems a shame it’s ‘no good’.
The analog signal and the digital signal are the same signal. They carry a different modulation, but are both in the same VHS and UFH frequency bands as existing television signals. Both pass through, or are blocked, by the exact same materials. Analog is more forgiving than digital with marginal signals, but the same amount of broadcast energy is hitting your antenna as before. The main difference is that most of the new channels are UHF rather than VHF. So you might need an antenna with better UHF reception.
Message me, and when I’m back in Chicago I can drop by.
I’m keeping a few older analog TVs specifically to use with other older video devices. Modern TVs, even with tuners that ostensibly pick up analog NTSC, often don’t play well with 1970s-1980s VCRs, game systems, etc. Pretty important for me, since I’ve got a storage room filled with Atari 2600s, CED players, Commodore 64s, and so on. They’re still pretty handy to me.
Many of the old portable/pocket TVs don’t have normal antenna terminals, but have 75 ohm 3.5 mm external antenna jacks; older luggables usually have twin lead antenna terminals. A bit of googling shows cheap coax-to-mini adaptors out there, and 75/300 ohm twin-lead-to-coax adaptors are plentiful, if you’re so inclined to keep a portable out on the patio and might want to hook up a digital convertor (or other newish video device) from time to time. I’ve known a few guys who use pocket TVs with such adaptors to field-test yard sale/flea market video devices.
Well, I do know that in Montana we officially changed over back in February but I can still get analog signals on my TV (and no digital ones). Nobody in the state admits to broadcasting analog, but damned if they aren’t.
Are you using a traditional dipole (rabbit ears) antenna? If so, go to Target or Radio Shack (yes, they’re still good for something) and get a bowtie UHF antenna. Should cost somewhere around $2-$6. Plug it in and rescan your stations. I was amazed by the difference between my rabbit ears, my circular UHF and my bowtie UHF antennas.
You’ll need to take the television to the recycling center and pay a fee instead of throwing it into the trash. That’s an extra bonus to the government making them useless.
So - no more listening to Jeopardy on my kitchen radio? I 'd never thought of that - what a bummer!
Is Canada going digital?
This depends on locale. In my area, the garbage service picks up old TVs and CRTs no problem.
Toss it in a dumpster, or in someone else’s garbage.
Not on any schedule I know of.
*How well is that converter gonna work when the electricity goes out and we’re using a battery-operated portable TV? *
So, this is essentially a “im too cheap to buy a UPS for my converterbox” question?
*
but I suppose all those little TVs people used in their garages, battery powered sets folks took to summer picnics, and handhelds fans took to ball games can all be thrown in the trash?*
No. Buy a UPS. Or an inverter and connect it to a car battery.
Claire, I think that Hampshire is talking about things like this.
The last time I saw one of those was 10 years ago and the person who owned it was shocked at what replacement batteries cost for it. I dont think the landfill managers of the world are worried about this. These things are already dead.
I’m keeping a few of my old TVs, hooked up to my obsolete semi-working VHS players, on the theory that I might want to watch an old tape sometime when the new TV, or the digital system, or something, ain’t working.
Of course, I live in “The Big Museum of Worthless Electronic Gizmos” so one more piece drek dudn’t matter that much.
Pretty sure in California they charge you a recycling fee when you buy a TV.
Not until August 31, 2011. So maybe you can still get the Vancouver stations for a couple more years.
I’d love to see that. Some guy sitting next to me at the ball game with his handheld 3.5" screen Sony attached to a digital convertor box that is also attached to a UPS.