Apex 250A
I know nothing about this box but can only fantasize about it being advertised as an "Apex View-A-Matic" . . .
I know nothing about this box but can only fantasize about it being advertised as an "Apex View-A-Matic" . . .
We Are Pulling The Plug......Finally ATSC Box
- Thread starter whirlcool
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whirlcool
Well-known member
And we actually got one of those government rebate coupons, but never used it because we thought we'd upgrade to HDTV before that. But the coupon is long expired.
I think we are going to go with the Homeworkx box.
I asked DirecTV can't they just offer a basic plan where you select the stations you want and only pay and receive those. They said "it can't be done". I told him, well I can see your point. You do have a lot of channels that nobody want's to watch and then what would you do with those?
It most certainly can be done. They just don't want to do it. Each box is really a terminal and they just turn on and turn off what channels your box receives. How do they handle pay per view movies?
I think we are going to go with the Homeworkx box.
I asked DirecTV can't they just offer a basic plan where you select the stations you want and only pay and receive those. They said "it can't be done". I told him, well I can see your point. You do have a lot of channels that nobody want's to watch and then what would you do with those?
It most certainly can be done. They just don't want to do it. Each box is really a terminal and they just turn on and turn off what channels your box receives. How do they handle pay per view movies?
Just a note, S Video connections are dead, dead, dead. You will not find them on any current equipment. You might want to double check and see if your set has Component inputs. They are Red Blue and Green plugs. They could be found on high end equipment from the late 90s on. They will give you a superb image. Functionally on modern sets they are equivalent to HDMI.
whirlcool
Well-known member
Our set does have the composite inputs. The only kind of input it doesn't have is an HDMI because it's not an HDTV. But it can display a large range of screen formats.
We tried to use the composite inputs on the set with the DirecTV DVR box. The picture was ok, but not dazzling. The coax input is just snowy.
The DirecTV DVR does have a S-Video out. The picture IS dazzling using that input to the television set.
I've helped other people I know add the S-Video to their television sets with similar results. All it takes is a set of audio cables and a good quality S-Video cable.
Even when I was a teen and color TV was selling like mad I'd go over to a friends or relatives house to see their new color TV. Usually the color was all out of whack. Or the brightness would be maxed out. And then the owner of the set would say "see what a nice picture this set gets?". I'd be thinking "if you only knew."
I would have to resist the urge to set in and set it right.
If I hadn't gotten the aviation bug when I did I probably would have been a television repair man.
Remember the guy with the exploding Caloric oven? Remember I told you how cheap he is? Well, he actually disconnects and reconnects his DirecTV box and takes it with him to Galveston on the weekends. Why? It's easier than paying DirecTV for another account. So every couple of weeks he'll call and tell me the picture isn't as clear as it was when I set it up. Turns out he just uses the coax cables not the S-Video cable. It's too much trouble to hook up the S-Video cable again.
With a lot of people if there is something, anything on the screen they are satisfied. Since I worked in television production at one time I know what a good picture looks like.
We tried to use the composite inputs on the set with the DirecTV DVR box. The picture was ok, but not dazzling. The coax input is just snowy.
The DirecTV DVR does have a S-Video out. The picture IS dazzling using that input to the television set.
I've helped other people I know add the S-Video to their television sets with similar results. All it takes is a set of audio cables and a good quality S-Video cable.
Even when I was a teen and color TV was selling like mad I'd go over to a friends or relatives house to see their new color TV. Usually the color was all out of whack. Or the brightness would be maxed out. And then the owner of the set would say "see what a nice picture this set gets?". I'd be thinking "if you only knew."
I would have to resist the urge to set in and set it right.
If I hadn't gotten the aviation bug when I did I probably would have been a television repair man.
Remember the guy with the exploding Caloric oven? Remember I told you how cheap he is? Well, he actually disconnects and reconnects his DirecTV box and takes it with him to Galveston on the weekends. Why? It's easier than paying DirecTV for another account. So every couple of weeks he'll call and tell me the picture isn't as clear as it was when I set it up. Turns out he just uses the coax cables not the S-Video cable. It's too much trouble to hook up the S-Video cable again.
With a lot of people if there is something, anything on the screen they are satisfied. Since I worked in television production at one time I know what a good picture looks like.
Composite and component are two different types of video inputs.
Composite is a single RCA connector cable. It is generally yellow and gives relatively low signal quality. Better than the RF input, but worse than S-VHS or Component. And Component has three RCA cables - red, blue, and green as previously mentioned.
Composite is a single RCA connector cable. It is generally yellow and gives relatively low signal quality. Better than the RF input, but worse than S-VHS or Component. And Component has three RCA cables - red, blue, and green as previously mentioned.
whirlcool
Well-known member
The cable I have that goes from the DirecTV box to my television has three RCA connectors(male) Red, Blue & Yellow. Then there is the S-Video cable that goes from the DirecTV box to the TV's S-video input. The audio is carried by the red & blue wires from the first cable I mentioned.
Channel 3 gets it's input from the coax input
Video 1 get's it's input from the S-Video cable
Video 2 get's it's input from the first cable I described.
So far we get the best picture with the S-Video cable.
Channel 3 gets it's input from the coax input
Video 1 get's it's input from the S-Video cable
Video 2 get's it's input from the first cable I described.
So far we get the best picture with the S-Video cable.
I'm already an Ooma fan. At the trailer I'm using an amplified antenna suppling a digital Sanyo TV. Picture quality is really good, much better than what I'm getting at home with Dish.
whirlcool
Well-known member
I thought that Ooma was an internet voice product. Do they carry television content?
Do you have a link? We are already using Clear for Internet access.
Do you have a link? We are already using Clear for Internet access.
I'm glad to see that so many others have chosen to go an alternate route! I went even further and totally gave up on television. When analog went away, so did my television. I have never subscribed to cable and can't see starting in the forseeable future. I get my information from the world wide web and the radio. So far I'm still happy with my decision.
lawrence
lawrence
<span style="font-size: medium;">Ooma is just an internet telephone service. I recently added Ooma to supplement my landline. It's been flawless so far. The only thing is old dial phones will not break the dial tone (will be corrected with a converter later), but they ring and answer calls fine. The dial tone is a bit odd, when you pick up the phone, you hear their corporate jingle, then the dial tone. To my knowledge, Ooma does not offer video content. </span>
Not to get too far off topic, but I'm a big fan and proponent of VOIP phone service, I use VoIP.ms, $25 lasts me 3-4months. I looked into Ooma but I don't feel they are sustainable and didn't want to pay for something that at some point might just stop working. With VoIP I can switch to any of dozens of carriers.
Back to Component inputs, even my moderate priced tv from the early 2000s had a set, they got to be pretty common.
Back to Component inputs, even my moderate priced tv from the early 2000s had a set, they got to be pretty common.
ovrphil
Well-known member
Apex -TV with Converters - Antennas
We've been accessing the free digital channels for about three years now. I'd like to get a flat screen, but haven't worked out what to buy and whether I would like to run the audio through a tv-console(eventually) and forego using the cathode ray tube.
I'm not familiar with the Apex -250A, but found an Apex DT-502 at Goodwill; I wouldn't recommend it, but after I added a GE antenna(model 24775 purchased at Target, it pulls in a lot of stations(46 if you count the sub-channels) and 57 in the prior residence, south Forsyth County.
The downside of the Apex DT-502 is that it won't allow me to manually add channels. Not good, but my overall investment was $6, the Sony Trinitron tv was free(people toss out perfectly good working CRT TV's here, all the time..I pick them up and donate to a favorite charity.
Just an idea - have you looked at the remote control external /attic mounted digital antennas? I know of no recommendations,but the idea interests me, vs. moving the antenna for best reception.
This thread has been very helpful, thank you everyone.
[this post was last edited: 7/14/2013-22:47]
We've been accessing the free digital channels for about three years now. I'd like to get a flat screen, but haven't worked out what to buy and whether I would like to run the audio through a tv-console(eventually) and forego using the cathode ray tube.
I'm not familiar with the Apex -250A, but found an Apex DT-502 at Goodwill; I wouldn't recommend it, but after I added a GE antenna(model 24775 purchased at Target, it pulls in a lot of stations(46 if you count the sub-channels) and 57 in the prior residence, south Forsyth County.
The downside of the Apex DT-502 is that it won't allow me to manually add channels. Not good, but my overall investment was $6, the Sony Trinitron tv was free(people toss out perfectly good working CRT TV's here, all the time..I pick them up and donate to a favorite charity.
Just an idea - have you looked at the remote control external /attic mounted digital antennas? I know of no recommendations,but the idea interests me, vs. moving the antenna for best reception.
This thread has been very helpful, thank you everyone.
[this post was last edited: 7/14/2013-22:47]
Allen, if the difference in S-video vs composite is meaningful to you I can't imagine how you'd perceive the 1080 vertical lines on your screen! Start taking that money you save from not paying the Satellite guys and you can buy a HD TV in a year.
As for VOIP calling I have a Google Voice number directed at an OBI Talk end point. The little box cost ~$30 and Google Voice is free! It has been nothing short of perfect and Google offers lots of great messaging features too.
As for VOIP calling I have a Google Voice number directed at an OBI Talk end point. The little box cost ~$30 and Google Voice is free! It has been nothing short of perfect and Google offers lots of great messaging features too.
I don't think any of the ATSC tuners I have (converter boxes and several flat panel TV's) allow one to manually add channels. Since most if not all of them are aliased, virtual channels, you have to do a full channel scan to discover any new channels anyway. Most tuners recommend rescanning periodically anyway to pickup new or changed channel setups. Once the digital channel has been found one can usually manually remove it from the lineup, and I think most allow it to be added back later if so desired. I usually zap the home shopping and religious stations.
whirlcool
Well-known member
Allen, if the difference in S-video vs composite is meaningful to you I can't imagine how you'd perceive the 1080 vertical lines on your screen! Start taking that money you save from not paying the Satellite guys and you can buy a HD TV in a year.
I can't see the lines. When using the S-Video input the picture on the screen looks like DVD quality. Even local stations.
You are right about saving money! I calculate that in the first year I'll save at least $800.00.
I have seen an outside antenna with rotator for $25.00 somewhere. In Houston all of our television stations have antennas in the same general vicinity southwest of town.
I think the locals are all on two or three towers.
What is the range of digital television stations? How many miles can it travel?I know VHF was line of sight technology.
I can't see the lines. When using the S-Video input the picture on the screen looks like DVD quality. Even local stations.
You are right about saving money! I calculate that in the first year I'll save at least $800.00.
I have seen an outside antenna with rotator for $25.00 somewhere. In Houston all of our television stations have antennas in the same general vicinity southwest of town.
I think the locals are all on two or three towers.
What is the range of digital television stations? How many miles can it travel?I know VHF was line of sight technology.
Range of ATSC may depend somewhat on the channel.
As I recally, channels 7 and 11 are broadcast digitally on VHF. The rest are all UHF. I may have the channels wrong, but you get the basic idea. I also seem to recall that UHF requires less transmitter power to go the same distance as a VHF signal.
Generally speaking, you'll get great reception up to 25 miles from transmitter. Over that, you might get some breakup esp if the signal is compromised by weather or intervening objects. Line of sight is not strictly necessary, but it does help.
I get very good reception from the SF towers on Mt. Sutro and Mt. San Bruno. My home is about 25 miles away from those two. There is at least one intervening building in between, but it is wood. I use a digital TV antenna on the roof, but a regular UHF/VHF antenna works as well. I've even got a small flat screen set on the patio hooked up to a set of rabbit ears, and it works fine to get most stations.
I'm sure some A/V gurus will give more precise advice.
You may not need a rotator if the local and distant transmitters are in the same general direction. Or if they are 180 degrees apart. The local may be strong enough to get good signals even if they are offset to the line between your set and the distant transmitters.
If you go on the web and google a bit, you may be able to find broadcast maps for each station, showing signal strength over the points of the compass.
As I recally, channels 7 and 11 are broadcast digitally on VHF. The rest are all UHF. I may have the channels wrong, but you get the basic idea. I also seem to recall that UHF requires less transmitter power to go the same distance as a VHF signal.
Generally speaking, you'll get great reception up to 25 miles from transmitter. Over that, you might get some breakup esp if the signal is compromised by weather or intervening objects. Line of sight is not strictly necessary, but it does help.
I get very good reception from the SF towers on Mt. Sutro and Mt. San Bruno. My home is about 25 miles away from those two. There is at least one intervening building in between, but it is wood. I use a digital TV antenna on the roof, but a regular UHF/VHF antenna works as well. I've even got a small flat screen set on the patio hooked up to a set of rabbit ears, and it works fine to get most stations.
I'm sure some A/V gurus will give more precise advice.
You may not need a rotator if the local and distant transmitters are in the same general direction. Or if they are 180 degrees apart. The local may be strong enough to get good signals even if they are offset to the line between your set and the distant transmitters.
If you go on the web and google a bit, you may be able to find broadcast maps for each station, showing signal strength over the points of the compass.
No matter if you can or can't see the lines of SD you will see drastically more detail with HD. The place I notice it most is looking at a persons hair during the typical interview. With SD a mans temple appears to just be grey, with HD you see each hair. Its like actually being there. Like many quality improvements until you learn to see it you don't realize what you are missing. As an aside when I was stuck on dial up Internet access I intentionally avoided high speed connections so as to not "see" what I was missing 
Range of digital TV is generally slightly further then analog TV was. Since they have abandoned the lowest frequency channels the antennas can have more effective gain which increases range. UHF is yet more line of sight then VHF and it does suffer more attenuation from foliage and obstructed paths. The good thing with digital transmission is that as long as you have a signal that is strong enough to get solid data you get a solid picture. The motorcycle going down the street won't give you ignition noise sparkles all over your screen! On the flip-side if you don't get enough data then you get no picture at all, but generally we aren't interested in watching a snowy TV picture anyhow so perhaps this doesn't matter.
An antenna and rotator for $25 seems to be too cheap to believe unless it was a used price. As Rich said perhaps you don't need a rotator. Only the people stuck between several markets really need to move the antenna around, typically a given areas stations all originate from one place. It depends on terrain, in mountainous areas they may spread the transmitters around a bit. Here in MN they are all in one place. Whatever you get be sure it covers UHF and check the link I posted earlier to see if you have any remaining VHF stations, in that case you need an antenna with VHF capabilities if you want to access those channels.
Range of digital TV is generally slightly further then analog TV was. Since they have abandoned the lowest frequency channels the antennas can have more effective gain which increases range. UHF is yet more line of sight then VHF and it does suffer more attenuation from foliage and obstructed paths. The good thing with digital transmission is that as long as you have a signal that is strong enough to get solid data you get a solid picture. The motorcycle going down the street won't give you ignition noise sparkles all over your screen! On the flip-side if you don't get enough data then you get no picture at all, but generally we aren't interested in watching a snowy TV picture anyhow so perhaps this doesn't matter.
An antenna and rotator for $25 seems to be too cheap to believe unless it was a used price. As Rich said perhaps you don't need a rotator. Only the people stuck between several markets really need to move the antenna around, typically a given areas stations all originate from one place. It depends on terrain, in mountainous areas they may spread the transmitters around a bit. Here in MN they are all in one place. Whatever you get be sure it covers UHF and check the link I posted earlier to see if you have any remaining VHF stations, in that case you need an antenna with VHF capabilities if you want to access those channels.
I can attest to weather influencing digital reception. Whenever the marine layer is thick and fog is obscuring Sutro tower, signals are compromised on all stations transmitting from there. Rainy weather can create similar problems.
I can second weather affecting digital reception. Along with cam-driven washing machine timers, opening and closing the refrigerator door, thermostats cycling, people walking past the antenna, etc. Compared to a pop or a split second of picture noise under analog, you now end up with audio dropout and a frozen picture.
With multiple TV's, various brands of converter boxes, and indoor antennas, I've made it a habit to keep a copy of the reception chart for my area next to each set so I can 'dial in' the antenna. This saves a lot of 'futz time' if I'm watching a show downstairs and decide to move upstairs during a commercial break. Under the analog system tuning feedback was real time and a few seconds is all that it would take to adjust for a clear picture. With digital (even with the on screen signal meters), there's a processing delay and setup time can get very annoying, especially if you have to run back and forth from the couch.
Something else to consider are the so-called sub channels. Various stations looking to cash in on advertising revenue are now broadcasting additional channels from the same transmitters and equipment. These are the x.2, x.3 variants. Of course the bandwidth is fixed so you lose picture quality each time another subchannel comes online.
And what a death-blow to handheld and portable TV's. -Cory
With multiple TV's, various brands of converter boxes, and indoor antennas, I've made it a habit to keep a copy of the reception chart for my area next to each set so I can 'dial in' the antenna. This saves a lot of 'futz time' if I'm watching a show downstairs and decide to move upstairs during a commercial break. Under the analog system tuning feedback was real time and a few seconds is all that it would take to adjust for a clear picture. With digital (even with the on screen signal meters), there's a processing delay and setup time can get very annoying, especially if you have to run back and forth from the couch.
Something else to consider are the so-called sub channels. Various stations looking to cash in on advertising revenue are now broadcasting additional channels from the same transmitters and equipment. These are the x.2, x.3 variants. Of course the bandwidth is fixed so you lose picture quality each time another subchannel comes online.
And what a death-blow to handheld and portable TV's. -Cory
