This product is no longer available and has been upgraded multiple times to different versions from GE. Unfortunately almost none of the other models seems to be much different or really any better.
Product Details: First and foremost it clearly does not come with the best picture quality out there. It is just below the "2nd tier" which means that almost all other boxes provide better picture quality thant his one. Despite this it is still an upgrade from the average analog broadcast, which isn't saying much to be honest. When we hooked this converter box up to our TV it revealed that its sound quality is very good and rates as well as most of the top rated converter boxes that we have reviewed. Its sound quality is better that the sound quality that you get from traditional analog TV, as is the case with every one we have reviewed to this date. It be purchased for $60-$80 which is quite overpriced. You can find much better ones for $20-$30 less and therefore shouldn't consider this one unless your are privy to the GE brand for some reason. With it no longer being available you can consider it's upgraded version which is the GE 23334.
It has one of the best programming guides of any that we have seen on the market, if there is one good thing that we can point out about it. It provides viewers with show descriptions and length for a few hours of programming on all channels. It allows users to use the auto scan function or individually tune channels, so that they can personalize there channel set.. It also comes with adjustable closed captioning, and on box buttons. This converter box does not come with analog pass-through.
We suppose that this product is good enough to get the job done but it is lacking features and top picture quality. Beyond this it is also one of the most expensive converter boxes out there. Due to these factor we recommend that you stay away from it and instead consider the other options that come at a lower price and with more features.
Features & Specs
Parental Control Setting
Configurable Closed Captioning
Electronic Program Guide
On Box Buttons
Smart Antenna Port
English, French, and Spanish Language Support
Sleep Timer
What Is Included With Your Purchase?
Converter Box
Remote Control
Coaxial Cable
Power Cord
Instruction Manual
It has one of the best programming guides of any that we have seen on the market, if there is one good thing that we can point out about it. It provides viewers with show descriptions and length for a few hours of programming on all channels. It allows users to use the auto scan function or individually tune channels, so that they can personalize there channel set.. It also comes with adjustable closed captioning, and on box buttons. This converter box does not come with analog pass-through.
We suppose that this product is good enough to get the job done but it is lacking features and top picture quality. Beyond this it is also one of the most expensive converter boxes out there. Due to these factor we recommend that you stay away from it and instead consider the other options that come at a lower price and with more features.
Features & Specs
Parental Control Setting
Configurable Closed Captioning
Electronic Program Guide
On Box Buttons
Smart Antenna Port
English, French, and Spanish Language Support
Sleep Timer
What Is Included With Your Purchase?
Converter Box
Remote Control
Coaxial Cable
Power Cord
Instruction Manual
Consumer Reports has rated some of the available converter boxes at:
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As for those viewers who wish to continue to view low power analogue broadcasts also, as far as I know right now, the $40 coupons can only be used on 16 brands of converter boxes with the "analog pass-through" feature: APEX DT250, Apex DT500, CASTi CAX-02, DIGITAL STREAM DSP7700T, DIGITAL STREAM DTX9950, DIGITAL STREAM DX8700, DISH Network DTVPal, Jiuzhou DTT9001, Magnavox TB-100MG9, Microprose MPI-500, Philco TB100HH9, Philco TB150HH9, RCA DTA800B1, Skardin DTR-0727L, TATUNG TDB3001 and Venturer STB7766G1. There are probably more.
It is true that if you live very close to the transition towers, a wire coat hanger can pick up some broadcast signals and higher is better, outdoor is the best. And viewers should certainly try their old antenna first. It’s also true that any of these older antennas will pick up some signals, maybe all the broadcast signals a viewer wants to receive, depending on their location. If they’re getting all the Off-Air channels they want, than they’re good to go.
What's driving this growth in the down market? It's simple -- while the costs associated with driving, eating and everything else have been on the rise, people are finding ways to save on entertainment costs by staying home and watching TV. But older antennas, especially VHF antennas, are not going to work well with the digital tuners in any converter box.
Most TV consumers think of antennas as low-tech devices, but there is more behind some of the newer antenna designs than just bent metal and plastic. Many of the TV antenna designs in use and on the market today such as the Yagi and rabbit ears you mentioned have technology roots going back 30 to 50 years or more.
The switch to digital broadcasts however is bringing consumers back to Off-Air reception and the increasing sales are providing the motivation and investments necessary to develop new models and new technology. The fact that most designs on the market now were developed prior to the advent of much of the computer technology, software and algorithms in common use today has left open numerous avenues to improve upon tried and true designs and develop new ones.
Additionally, recent regulations and standards are opening new doors for antenna engineers to develop smaller antennas with improved performance and aesthetics.
While it’s correct that antennas can’t tell the difference between analog and digital signals, there are definitely certain models which have higher DTV batting averages than others. Not all antennas are equally suited for DTV. Many viewers will require something a little more tailored for DTV reception.
The correct antenna, installed and aimed properly, unimpeded by obstacles such as building, hills, trees, etc. will receive desired local stations in range it’s aimed at. And the new antennas, working with the newer generation ATSC chips (in converter boxes or digital TV sets) will mitigate multi-path (bounced signals) and receive additional multi-cast programming adding several new local off-air programs and several in HD almost completely uncompressed, not available from cable or satellite.
Some viewers may even be able to receive out-of-town channels, carrying blacked out sports programs or network broadcasts not available in their home town. As an added benefit, an OTA antenna provides reception for second sets in homes not wired for whole-house signal distribution.
While cable and satellite program providers will continue to serve the great majority of homes as the primary signal source, missing HD local reception, compression issues, higher costs, billing add-ons, service outages, contact difficulties, in-home service waits and no shows have left many of these subscribers looking to OTA antennas as a good alternatives.
Depending on the level of desire to receive all the broadcast signals available free, considering the investment in TV entertainment already made by many viewers, shouldn’t they consider up-grading to a new digital OTA antenna or adding one to their reception options?
To check out free OTA options, viewers can go to antennapoint.com to easily locate the broadcast stations within range and other OTA helpful information.
I have a GE 22730 converter box connected to an new HD antenna. Reception is OK except for the screen gitter which I never had with the old analog signals and no converter box. The biggest complaint I have is that the unit has a manual scan which only allows channels from a list to be scanned and that list has only analog numbers to select from. There are no digital channels to choose from and you can't use the keypad to get them. The other problem is if I use the auto scan, it scans a lot of channels that don't even come in. The converter box does not have a way to delete or add a channel after performing the auto scan, thus when you use the channel up or channel down buttons, it may advance to a blank screen, then it shuts off and starts back up to the first channel with a signal. I've yet to find any kind tech support. I can remember when most user guides would have a "help" number to call. Now we're on our own.
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