Tivax STB-T12 Digital TV Converter Box Reviews

Product Details: The new Tivax STB-T12 in most ways is exactly like the Tivax STB-T8 except for the added S video output that been wanted by many people. Before the STB-T12 the Channel Master CM-7000 was the only converter we were aware of that had the S video output feature.

Like its older brother, the STB-T12 comes with excellent picture and sound quality that makes it rate out as one of the best converter boxes around. It has also shown to be very reliable over the long haul as we have seen very few complaints about it breaking or refusing to run properly. The Tivax STB-T12 is available exclusively online and currently sells for $60-$80 depending on where you purchase it from. We highly recommend this converter box just like we did with all of the other Tivax converter boxes.

Tivax STB-T12 Features & Specs - Owners Manual Unavailable

Analog Pass-Through
V-Chip Lock Parental Control Setting
Configurable Closed Captioning
Electronic Program Guide
On Box Buttons
On Screen Signal Strength Meter
Smart Antenna Port
Energy Star Compliant
English, French, and Spanish Language Support
Compact Size
Supports Both 4:3 and 16:9 Aspect Ratios
S Video Output

What Is Included With Your Purchase?

Tivax STB-T12 Converter Box
Tivax STB-T12 Remote Control
Remote Control Batteries
RF Cable
AV Cable
1 Year Manufacturer Warranty

Buy A Top Rated Digital TV Converter Box For Free

If you are still looking to purchase a TV converter box for the digital transition then check out the chart below. This chart lists some converter boxes that are still available from online retailers. The chart includes the price for the converter box with a government coupon, a note on whether the box has analog pass-through or not and also a link to a retailer who still has the converter box in stock. There are some TV converter boxes that we have left out due to them being discontinued and unavailable for purchase. If you have any questions regarding the converter boxes below feel free to leave us a comment.

*The Government Is No Longer Accepting Coupons Toward The Cost Of Converter Boxes

Converter Box Model	Cost W/ Coupon	Analog Pass Through?	Where To Make Purchase From?
Artec T3AP	FREE	Yes	Sold Out
Magnavox TB110MW9	FREE	Yes	Sold Out
Craig CVD-508	FREE	Yes	Sold Out
Airlink101 ATVC102	FREE	Yes	Sold Out
Sunkey SK-801	FREE	Yes	Sold Out
Tivax STB-T8	$19.95	Yes	Sold Out
Tivax STB-T9	$19.95	No	Sold Out
Dish Network TR-40 CRA	$19.95	Yes	Sold Out
Dish Network DTVPal	$19.95	Yes	Sold Out
Tivax STB-T12	$19.95	Yes	Various Retailers

Blue Mesa Fishing Is Just The Beginning: Exploring Gunnisons Vast Vacationing Acitivties

If you are an avid fishermen and are looking for a great vacationing spot for fishing then I highly recommend that you consider Gunnison, Colorado. Whether it be for lake fishing, fly fishing, or ice fishing Gunnison has a little bit of everything. Gunnison is well known throughout many circles as a wonderful fishing spot and attracts tourists from around the world each and every year.

Located just 30 miles west of Gunnison is the biggest hot spot for fishing in the area, the Blue Mesa Reservoir. Blue Mesa is the largest body of water in Colorado and was made possible by the Blue Mesa Dam. The Blue Mesa Dam was completed in 1965 as part of a package deal that addressed water rights issues and provided hydroelectricity to the area. In conjunction with the Dam the government also created the Curecanti National Recreation Area which encompasses the Reservoir and surrounding area. Blue Mesa in roughly 20 miles long, has nearly 100 miles of open shoreline and is the largest Lake Trout and Kokanee Salmon Fishery in the United States. If you are interested in catching a trip here you can bring your own gear or hookup with a Blue Mesa Fishing Guide.

Located about 40 miles north east of Gunnison is the Taylor Reservoir with the Taylor River emptying into the Reservoir and continuing downstream after the Taylor Dam and eventually emptying into the Gunnison River at the acclaimed Three Rivers Resorts (a great place for whitewater rafting trips). The Taylor River is known for its trout fishing including Brown, Brook, and Rainbow Trout. In fact, the Taylor River is a great place for finding some of the biggest Rainbow Trout in all of Colorado. Downstream where the Taylor meets the Gunnison the amazing fishing continues as the Gunnison winds south through the Valley, into the City of Gunnison and then takes a turn west as it opens up to the Gunnison River Canyon and eventually empties into the Blue Mesa Reservoir. Most of the Gunnison River flows through private property and is classic choice for a floating fishing trip anytime best May and November. Like the Taylor, the Gunnison is known for is fantastic trout fishing and anybody who chooses it is sure to have a blast.

Besides fishing the Gunnison area also has Crested Butte, which is touted as the last great ski town in Colorado and a wonderful place for summer mountain biking and hiking. Crested Butte has absolutely breathtaking views year round. during the summer you can go for a hike near the beautiful Maroon Bells, saddle up for a mountain biking trip on the famous 401 Trail, or if you are really active take a hike to Conundrum Hot Springs.

All in all there is really way to much to discuss in one post regarding the Gunnison area. This post is getting very long and I haven't even touched on the Gunnison National Forest, The West Elk Wilderness (known for its great Elk hunting), the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, or many of the other outdoors activities that can be partaken in such as white water rafting and rock climbing.

If you are interested in taking the vacation of a lifetime you should consider Gunnison, Colorado. You can come during the winter and enjoy some awesome ice fishing and skiing or consider the summer where you can fly fish in the Gunnison River, lake fish at Blue Mesa, and also hit up some of the most beautiful hiking and mountain biking trails in the country all in one vacation. I can't speak for other vacationing spots around the world but I can assure you that if choose Gunnison you won't be disappointed.

MagicJack Plus Phone Review: Is magicJack Plus Legit Or A Scam?

What Is The magicJack plus?

The magicJack Plus is another groundbreaking release brought to us by Vocaltec (formerly known as Ymax). In regards to its basic functions it is exactly the same as the original magic Jack. It works via VoIP and comes with unlimited local and long distance calling. Like its predecessor it can also be taken anywhere that you can access your computer and can be used to make calls from anywhere in the world back to the United States and Canada. Despite its seeming similarities there are several striking differences that make the magicJack plus a much better version of its younger sibling.

For those that don't already know the original magic Jack is a USB VoIP telephone device that hooks into a computer on one end and a regular telephone on the other end in order to provide its users with a home based telephone line. In regards to overall function it is exactly the same as a traditional landline with the only difference being its 'behind the scenes' technology. The magic Jack was and still is immensely popular with over 10 million units sold and has been coined by Ymax for its unlimited local and long distance calling at an absurdly low price of only $19.95 per year.

So What's Different About The MagicJack Plus?

The primary difference is that the magicJack plus does not require a computer in order to work. The original magic Jack was a USB dongle and had to be hooked up to a computer in order for it to work. With the magic Jack plus however you get a stand alone device that works by hooking directly into your routers Ethernet port (although it can also be used in exactly the same manner as the old magic Jack if you so choose). Initial rumors suggested that it would work via wi-fi but this feature didn't make it in the final design.

Besides the preceding chief difference that magicJack plus has also received two key upgrades that are sure to eliminate most complaints regarding sound quality that some have become accustomed to with the old jack. These new features include HD Voice and Echo Control software which have both been vigorously developed by magic Jack due to their desire to provide not only the cheapest but also highest quality VoIP phone service in the world.

What Do These Differences Mean For Magic Jack?

These differences may not seem huge but they actually address the biggest concerns that consumers have had with the original magic Jack. The original magic Jack's reliance on a computer often made for tricky situations. One troublesome issue is that for the original magic Jack to ring through you had to have your computer on 24/7 otherwise it would simply forward to voicemail. Many people were unwilling to deal with this due to the potential for no telephone if there was an electrical outage, the strains it puts on ones computer, and the potential power wasted.

Another major point of contention for current and potential magic Jack users was its issues with sound quality and frequent echoing. Magic Jack knew that they had a good enough product (evidenced by its 10 million units sold) but that it could be better so they added the HD voice and echo control in order to further eliminate call quality problems. With these upgrades the company goes as far as to claim that their call quality is now better than that of all cell phones and maybe even better than landline quality.

How Much Does The New And Improved MagicJackPlus Cost?

In order to get the updated magicJack plus you will have to pay $69.95 for the device and one year of telephone service with all subsequent years of service costing just $29.95. This is a $10 price increase for yearly service but well worth it when you consider the upgrades you get with it. Consumers can also buy device insurance for $10 and port their number over for a one-time fee of $20.

Is The MagicJack Plus Easy To Install And Use?

It just might be the simplest VoIP telephone device ever, plug and play at its finest! All you have to do is hook it up to your computer to register an account and phone number and then into your telephone via the RJ-11 phone jack port on one end and into your router via Ethernet on the other end and you are ready to go all within 30 seconds.

The MagicJack Plus Bottom Line

The magicJack Plus is an absolutely amazing product at a totally ridiculous price. We said before that we thought the original magic Jack was an awesome product even with its flaws and the new magicJack plus is out of this world ridiculous when you consider that its upgrades have addressed nearly every single issue that its users had. At a price of only $69.95 for the device and a year of service with renewals costing only $29.95 everybody that has a home phone should at last give the magicJack plus a try. For more info read all of the user reviews and comments below and you should get a feel for the quality of the device.

MagicTalk Phone Review - Stand Alone Magic Jack Software

What Is MagicTalk?

MagicTalk is a 100% software based VoIP telephone service brought to us by the makers of the magic Jack and magic Jack plus. This new software program is free to download and offers its users free local, long distance, and international calling to all magic Talk and magic Jack users along with free incoming calls from landlines and cell phones. However, in order to make outgoing calls to cell phones and landlines you must upgrade from the basic service to magic Talk's preferred service. Like the magic Jack, magicTalk costs just $19.95 for a full year of unlimited local and long distance calls to the United States and Canada.

How Is MagicTalk Different From Magic Jack?

The primary difference is that magicTalk is not a device but merely a software program. This of course means that you are unable to hook up a regular phone to magicTalk and therefore all calls are made directly from your computer screen. Since there is no device to purchase magicTalk is offering some free services that aren't available with the magic Jack. This includes unlimited free calls to any magic Jack or magicTalk user along with free incoming calls from cell phones and landlines. As state above, in order to be able to place outgoing calls to non magic Jack numbers you must upgrade for just $19.95 for each year of unlimited service at all United States and Canadian numbers.

Does MagicTalk Have An App For Cell Phones?

Yes! MagicTalk has an app that will be released very shortly for Android phones, Iphone, Blackberry, Ipad, and other smartphones. This app will allow users to make free phones calls via their cell phone whenever they have a wifi connection. All they have to do is make their call directly through the app. The MagicTalk app is expected to be free and provide the same basic membership that the computer based program offers with the need for an upgrade to a preferred membership for all outgoing calls to non magic Jack numbers.

The MagicTalk Bottom Line

All magic Jack products are quite amazing and provide consumers with an unbelievably great service and an absolutely ridiculous low price. If you want most of the features of the magic Jack but would prefer to make all calls directly through your computer then magicTalk is definitely the way to go. No matter what you decide if you need a home phone then you can't go wrong with any of the current magic Jack products.