TV Converter Box Alternatives: Dish Network, DirecTV, Verizon Fios, Cable

From a quick scan of our comments section it is quite easy to see that converter boxes have, in some ways, been a failure. The reason for this failure hasn't been because converter boxes didn't do what they were suppose to do but rather because the large portion of them aren't reliable from a long term stand point. Unfortunately with converter boxes being manufactured so late nobody had the chance to review and test them based on long term reliability and as a result many manufactures got away with providing consumers with a shoddy product while sucking off the governments subsidization of said converter boxes. Another major issue that has made the digital transition a tough go is the fact that in order for most consumers to get a good digital TV experience they have been forced to go out and drop a pretty penny on a reliable antenna. Due to the reasons stated above we have provided a list of converter box alternatives below for those that are sick and tired of dealing with the hassles of converter boxes.

Top Alternatives To Getting A TV Converter Box

1) Subscribe To Dish Network or DirecTV Satellite - One of the best and easiest alternatives to a TV converter box is to subscribe to either Dish Network or DirecTV. Satellite TV is probably the easiest option because a professional will install everything and then you will be ready to go for good. No messing with reception, wires, or broken converter boxes. This option is of course only for those that are willing to pay the monthly fee but it is important to note that satellite TV has actually gotten quite affordable lately with both Dish Network and DirecTV often running specials that bring the base rate down to as low as $19.99 per month. Satellite TV has gotten a bad reputation in past but these days their customer satisfaction rates are on par or better than most cable companies.

2) Subscribe To Cable TV - Another very easy alternative to dealing with a converter box is to subscribe to a cable service such as Comcast, Time Warner Cable, or whoever your local provider is. As far as ease goes getting cable is exactly the same as satellite. Once the company comes and installs everything you will be ready to go permanently without having to do anything else. Like satellite, cable is only for those that are willing to pay a monthly subscriber fee. Cable however is more expensive than satellite and usually comes with less HD channels so we recommend Dish Network or Direct TV. Currently I am paying $40 per month for about 70 channels with Time Warner Cable and that's after I called and threatened to cancel unless they lowered my rate. Normal rates for digital cable are usually closer to $60 per month.

3) Buy A New TV With a Built-In Digital Tuner - The digital tuners that are built into TVs are much much better than the ones that come with converter boxes. If you go this route you will still have to deal with potential reception problems but it ensures that you won't ever have to mess with a failing converter box. This option can be cheap or expensive depending on what type of TV you want. This option will cost you more upfront but in the long run will be less than subscribing to satellite or cable.