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"Great unit. I should have got 2" on by nimble2
Pros: Very well thought out remote control functions
Cons: no RF pass thru for antenna
Summary: I bought the RCA DTA800b and the Magnavox TB100MW9 converters at Wal-Mart.
Units cost $49.98 each ($9.98 after coupon)
The RCA is a far superior unit.
The Menu's and remote control functions are excellent.
Similar in nature to a satellite receiver.
Reception was very good even with just a "bow tie" antenna.
The Magnavox is not worth the money.
It is made by Funi Electronics and the remote control has tiny buttons.
The Menu's are just as bad.
Reception was not very good with just a "bow tie" antenna.
Not even close to the RCA. -
"So Far So Good!" on by sommer182
Pros: Great Tuning, good sound!
Cons: No digital audion out
Summary: Picked mine up at Wal-Mart for $49.99, minus the Government supplied $40.00 cash card. Hooked it up to the only non-DTV tuner equipped set in the house, a JVC 27" we have in the basement. So far it's GREAT, with a fantastic (for the 480i picture tube) picture and better signal strength than my 15" bedroom Sharp ED LCD. I've got sound running into a Kenwood THX receiver, and the broadcast sound is wonderful. I wish it had a digital sound output, and it could be nice if some of these boxes came with component video as well. But for $10 bucks, it will do the job of making my last tube TV function with digital clarity until we replace it in a few years.
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"Excellent Buy" on by hhoytjr
Pros: Intuitive Remote with large easy to read Buttons
Cons: TV guide only covers next program
Summary: RCA DTA800 DTV converter review.
After reading CNET reviews, I bought two RCA DTA800’s with the $40 government rebate coupons and paid $9.87 plus tax for each unit. The remote is well thought out and has large buttons for older users with poor vision who are likely to want to preserve a high quality older TV. With the unit, I was able to add closed captions to a set that didn’t have that option. Some flexibility is lost for people that time shift all programs with a VCR. You can’t watch one program and record another since the converter is first in line from the antenna. All signals pass through the converter so you have to set the converter to output the program you want to record to the VCR in advance. We decided that the default power saver mode was too green for us and in the setup chose “Always On.” The default settings would shut the converter off after 4 hours of no program change. The power consumption is only 8 watts. You want the unit to stay on while you are recording. There are vents top and bottom to let the heat out. You can stand the unit on end, or put spacers between the bottom of the unit and the shelf it is sitting on. This really isn’t necessary, but we think keeping electronic components cool increases life and reliability. We used two ball point pens as spacers. Video quality is great. Sound adequate. -
"Save your money" on by patrickcjohnson
Pros: did not cost too much
Cons: cheaply made
Summary: The set-up was a hassle as the instructions were little help. The unit lacks quality. After only less than 2 months of use, it crapped out and no longer displays a picture - we only get sound. Returning the unit this weekend. Luckily it has a 90 day warranty.
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"Found DTA800 at Wal-mart" on by ezeze5000
Pros: Easy setup, used my same antenna (outdoor), channels are verry clear.
Cons: None I can think of.
Summary: I hooked this up to my kids TV and now instead of 3 to 4 channels, they get 12 channels.
Now I can watch the shows I want on my TV.
This unit is great, I hooked it up then it found 12 channels and loaded information about the channels, without me having to do anything.