HDTV Reviews Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Digital Analog’

Eagle Aspen Dtv2Buhf Directv 2 Bay Uhf Antenna

Hdtv-compatible Uhf Tv Antenna For Digital & Analog Reception Receives All Uhf Channels, 14 – 69 For Hdtv In Metropolitan Areas Easy Assembly & Installation Includes Outdoor Balun Cea: Yellow, Green, Light Green, Red

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Great Antenna
I got this because of the digital changeover and I am very pleased with it.

I was surprised how easy it was to install and amazed at how many channels I was getting. It picked up every Local channel from 3 to 12 VHF and every UHF in my state (AZ)By the way, this thing works great inside the house too!

I would recommend this antenna to anyone that is not too obstructed from their local stations.

2 Stars No reception in Santa Monica
After reading the other reviews (and seeing that it was billed as a great indoor or outdoor antenna) I figured the Eagle Aspen would probably be able to pick up a few channels from my apartment…. no luck.

I clicked through the hundred or so channels on my TV several times, always holding the antenna in different positions or putting it in different places. The best I could get was a less-fuzzy state of snow and static. Never even a hint of reception.

Obviously most reviewers loved this antenna. There are probably some places you can get a signal by waving your arms in the air while holding a cable wire between your teeth. Not in Santa Monica (maybe not in most big cities?). Definately did not pick up a darn thing inside my apartment. I even tested it out on the balcony … zilch! Would have done just as well with the arms-in-the-air and the cable-in-teeth thing.

We guys are easy, so I’ll give it two stars for showing up and looking good.

5 Stars Great buy on a UHF antenna
For under $15, you just can’t beat this antenna. I bought it as a backup since I didn’t have much room to mount it. I decided to install it as the main hadn’t arrived yet. Didn’t expect much but, was I surprised! This antenna is pulling in a low power TV station over 60 miles away with no problem. The antenna is mounted on a mast just 11 feet above ground!

BUY ONE!!!

5 Stars Great antenna for the price……Jump on this!!!!
After canceling our satellite service, we were unsure about which antenna to purchase.

I was referred to this one by a Digital TV site and it was a great purchase. For what we needed as far as signal strength, I would highly doubt there is a better antenna for the money. Well made, basic look and VERY easy to set up. I am not the most technically savvy person in the world but this was easy to assemble and hook up.

Picture quality and signal strength is nearly 100% on the 6 stations we can pick up.

Don’t be scared off by this price; “you get what you pay for” does not apply to this product. This is a quality antenna.

5 Stars Excellent Antenna
I purchased this antenna to replace my Tivax DT-01 antenna. I was getting about 8 stations with the Tivax antenna and as soon as I hooked up the Eagle Aspen antenna, I was getting 15 stations. The new antenna is mounted indoors in the middle of my apartment and the reception is excellent. It is ugly, I can’t deny that, but based solely on the performance, I highly recommend this antenna over the traditional loop and rabbit ears type.

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Elgato EyeTV 250 Plus Digital Analog TV Receiver and Video Converter

EyeTV 250 Plus is a hybrid TV Tuner for the Mac with a powerful hardware encoder for higher quality recordings and smaller sized video files. EyeTV 250 Plus receives both free over-the-air HDTV as well as analog TV, and offers a complete solution for moving your video collection from VHS tape to DVD-Video. EyeTV 250 Plus is future-proof for the upcoming digital TV switch-over in 2009, and is ideal for those who want the flexibility of a digital and analog TV tuner together with a hardware encoder in one device. EyeTV 250 Plus delivers free over-the-air digital TV to your Mac in stunning 720p or 1080i HDTV (MPEG-2) and other digital television standards, as well as conventional analog TV via standard cable or antenna. EyeTV 250 Plus also comes with a break-out cable for composite video and S-Video, enabling you to connect a set-top box directly to your Mac. EyeTV 250 Plus’ powerful hardware encoder also records high quality video from analog sources, compressing audio and video signals to small size MPEG-2 files and freeing up your processor for other activities. MPEG-2 is a premium-quality video compression standard which is the basis for DVD and digital television. Use EyeTV 250 Plus to capture video and convert VHS tapes into high-quality digital files. EyeTV 250 Plus’ easy-to-use VHS Assistant will walk you through each step, from connecting your VCR or camcorder right through to burning a DVD or sending the recording to iTunes. Export clips and entire episodes to your video-capable iPod, Apple TV, and iPhone Store your collection on an external drive, or burn it to disc using Roxio Toast 8 Basic (included) Convert old videotapes to digital files using the VHS Assistant

User Ratings and Reviews

1 Star Signal Strength is horrible
I have a Hauppauge 950Q and just got this one for the hardware encryption. The 950Q worked a heck of a lot better at live video playing than this thing. The 950Q I have 50% quality and 75% strength. This one has 100% quality but 10% strength. What gives?

Don’t buy this device. There are stronger signal strengths than this one has. Granted I have poorer quality but I rather have both at a marginal or better than one being the worst.

5 Stars Making the iMac a DVR, and TV
Outstanding product that has turned our new 24″ iMac into a cool TV and DVR. Have only scratched the surface so far, but program recording and basic edits are easy.

2 Stars Good product, AWEFUL customer support
This product was working well for me and I WAS very happy. The software that is included performs well, makes it easy to record shows, and has an easy-to-use editing component with which to cut out commercials.

Having said this, the customer support is terrible. First, there is NO telephone support. The only way to contact anyone, even for tech support, is by email. In my experience it often took up to 2 days to get a reply. Second, when my unit went dead and was no longer able to connect to my computer at all, I received very delayed and generic responses. I had to send 4 or 5 emails requesting a replacement before I was finally offered one. At first, they tried to tell me that my warranty was up. I don’t know where they got that information, but it was incorrect. Now, they are offering to send me a replacement, but they are making me pay for the shipping costs!! What a bunch of BUNK! I have a feeling that it will be several weeks before I get my replacement.

It is a real shame that their customer service is so poor. I would love to give this product a great review, but this element of my experience has really tainted my perception of Elgato as a company. Next time I am in need of a TV tuner for my Mac I will be looking elsewhere.

5 Stars Great product, beware service provider limitations
The EyeTV works exactly as advertised. The setup was easy and I could receive cable from my Comcast line with no problems. The only issue (and what led to me returning it) is that Comcast encrypts most of its digital channels so I could only view a handful of analog stations (mediocre picture quality at best) and very few digital ones. The digital stations that did come through looked good but my service restrictions made this product not worth it for me.

5 Stars Great product
This is a great product for the Mac. I had a major concern with the installing of all the cables, but most of them come included in the package. The placement of the included cables was self explanatory and fairly easy. What they did not tell you is that you need TV cables to connect input (TV) wire to the converter and also a TV wire to go from the cable box router, if needed then also a splitter for these cables. They also included Toast Version 9 to help with the transfer of the downloaded video to DVD, the problem with that is the instruction manual that you downloaded says that

you should get Toast 10 Titanium, an upgrade. When you download the enclosed software,you get an online screen controller and you are able to choose between the type of channels you want (TV, Digital or HD) > You aslo get a subscription to TV Guise on line for 1 year. I have it hooked up to a cable outlet and the video is quite clear Also the downloaded manual to me is more suitable for a teckie that someone with average computer ability. The instructions seem to be scattered in different areas. Instead they should be in sections IE: 1. Viewing Videos 2.Editing videos 3.Downloading videos. ect. Otherwise the other major problem is that there is no, I repeat no Tech Support via phone. Their phone number is a classified secret and not available, you do get some semblence of tech support via a web based forum. I am happy with this product and will put it to good use if I can get thru the instruction manual

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Channel Master 4228HD Long Range Outdoor Rooftop HDTV Antenna

receives digital & analog UHF and high-band VHF TV signals * range is 60 miles for UHF (ch. 14-69), 45 miles for VHF (ch. 7-13) * 8-bay bowtie dipole design * 41″W x 5-1/2″D x 33″H *

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Channel Master 4228HD
Great antenna for the money.Easy to install,put mine in the attic.It picks up about 22 channels.Antennas Direct DB2 Multi Directional HDTV Antenna

5 Stars Great
This is a great anntena. We seen our neighbors had one and they said it really worked well, so we ordered on and installed it ourselves. We were real satisfied and our other neighbor seen it, and asked about it. I ordered one for them and helped them install it. This last one was for another neighbor. We installed that one too, and they are real happy with theirsd too. So our neighborhood has 4 of these anntenas already this summer. An excellant item !!

3 Stars Didn’t Work for Me
I ordered this antenna as a last ditch hope for “free air” television after the analog to digital goverment ordered switch over. It did not work for me. I live on the south side of a hill and the transmitters I needed to receive signal from were not only far away, over 60 miles, but were transmitting from the north. Apparently the new digital signal requires a better “line of sight” position than my roof top. I have now installed DirectTV and am enjoying 50 clear channels from the satellite which resides in the southern sky.

5 Stars Great buy
After the digital switchover a couple stations here switched from uhf to vhf. My old antenna was uhf only. I am 38 miles from the transmitter site and got everything between 60-80%. I then added the channelmaster 7777 preamp I now recieve every station at 100% uhf and vhf. I even pick up the low power stations I did not get before. So the channelmaster 4228hd alone did the job but I would get the 7777 along with it if your 35 miles or more from the transmitters.

1 Star Not the same as the earlier (excellent) CM-4228
This is not a review in the traditional sense because after reading reviews elsewhere and examining the product in a B&M, I decided against purchasing the antenna. Instead, the primary intent of this “review” is to alert potential customers that earlier reviews here (>1yr) were for an entirely different product. The secondary intent is to provide a summary of information that I found elsewhere to facilitate your finding such sources (so that you can judge for yourself).

Note: Amazon collapses together reviews for models it thinks are (near) equivalent. This can be useful in cases such a paperback edition of a book or a movie in different distribution media (DVD, Blu-ray, download), but misfires badly in cases such as this.

Note: I cannot give links to the reviews I found elsewhere: For legitimate security–and commercial?–reasons, Amazon does not allow such links in reviews.

The predecessor CM 4228 (no “HD” suffix) was widely regarded as one of the very best antennas. A corporate change moved manufacturing from the US to China and introduced a major design change–you can find pictures on the web of the original model and see that it has a starkly different reflector grid. Consequently, disregard the (rightfully positive) reviews of more than a year ago as applying to that previous model (and some of the newer reviews may also be for the old model).

Note: There are very positive reviews here for the 4228HD model.

For the 4228HD, there was widespread complaints about manufacturing quality (many times in reviews comparing it to the original 4228 model). So although some may have good experience with the new model, YMMV. For something where I have to climb up on my roof, “YMMV” is almost an automatic disqualifier.

One review I saw (elsewhere) said that the 4228HD’s performance is so poor that it is roughly comparable to its 2-bay sibling, which has the advantages of being cheaper (about 40%), lighter and smaller.

Design problem: _Reportedly_ the antenna generates its own interference (but I don’t know how big an effect this is): The wires connecting the elements on each side to the balum are different lengths, thereby creating an antenna that is broadcasting into the intended antenna. This is so, so very basic that it is impossible for me to trust anything else in the design. Note: the _total_ length of each wire from one side to the other is the same, but the balum is connected at different points (relative to the ends) on the two wires, thereby creating the antenna effect (from a review by someone who appeared credible and that was consistent of what I remember of my course in antenna design).

Design problem, balum: Complaints about difficulties connecting to the balum (terminal is not adequately fastened and rotates until it breaks). Complaints that the projected/inevitable problems with the balum (as it weathers) are not easily fixable.

Design change: The reflector screens are very different and in ways that could produce substantial differences in performance between the original and current models.

Manufacturing is also a major complaint in the (credible) reviews I found: Proper connectivity and isolation of elements is crucial to performance, but poor quality construction and assembly negates some elements.

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RCA ANT1400M Multi Directional Digital Flat Passive HDTV Antenna White

Receives local hd* all digital tv broadcast signals; eliminates constant adjustments – hang stand or lay flat; exceeds performance of traditional antennas because of its patented design; complements sleek home theater designs; supports all digital & analog tv frequencies;

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Flat Antenna -flat out great!
Before I got a chance to hook the antenna up to my home T.V.; my son borrowed it for his place of employment- a restaurant. We are LSU Tiger fans. The restaurant installed a TV for the customers to be able to watch the game while they ate. It was a Saturday and the cable guys weren’t coming for a few days so we hooked up Flat Antenna. Poof the TV went from snow to crystal clear! It took a minute to hook it up. It’s out of sight. It was a great buy.

4 Stars antena
I’ve orderd this antena from Amazon and for less then 13$.It works for me.Ilive in Chicago area and I missing Ch2 only.

5 Stars It Just Works !
I purchased this RCA antenna not really thinking it could be very good for such a small price and odd form factor – however I was pleasantly surprised. It is thin and light and has one coax cable that you connect to your digital ready TV and in minutes you are done. A quick rescan for new channels and I found an additional 15 channels and the reception is outstanding. I highly recommend this antenna.

5 Stars With little effort…
I am very pleased with this product. I painstakingly read every review of every un-powered digital antenna. I labored over my choice and finally chose this RCA AMT 1400. It was shipped promptly to my home. I opened the box, unscrewed my bunny-ears, and screwed this antenna into my digital TV. With about a minute and a half of effort (including re-scanning my channels), I gained six more channels, and finally tuned in one that never quite came in correctly. Geez, I haven’t even played with its positioning. The product looks nice, has a low profile, doesn’t require a space on my already filled outlets, and had a very fair price. Now I’m just wondering if the new channels I get are worth wasting my already precious time.

5 Stars 22 stations
I have 2 of these. On one TV I pull in 22 stations. I like the design – I can prop it up between the window and the mini blinds. On a second TV at the other end of the house, it’s not any better than rabbit ears were. But that TV is too far from the window to put it behind the blinds, so maybe that’s why the reception is not as good.

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