Re: Something for the season

Nate Edel <archmage@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
"David G. Bell" <dbell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
archmage@xxxxxxxxxx "Nate Edel" wrote:
Marilee J. Layman <marilee@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Is anyone actually selling the set-top boxes yet? I'd forgotten about the
federal rebate program for them, but have a feeling that the $40 isn't going
to go very far.

We've had them in the UK for quite a while. Current retail pricing is
getting under $60 equivalent. PAL, of course, and we have the advantage
of Peritel/SCART for the connection to the TV.

Is your DTV on same standard (ATSC?) as what we're getting? That's an
interesting benchmark, in any event.

I imagine it will also depend here on which output system the box is
supposed to use - NTSC (whether RF or composite or SVideo) vs. component vs.
HDMI/DVI.

I also wonder how good the HD-to-standard downconversion will be on the
NTSC-based set top boxes, and if anyone will offer ones that do 480p
downconversion (I've been offered my inlaws' old TV, which will take a 480p
DVD signal and that might make it worth it to take it and replace the old
one in the bedroom.)

No idea of the quality (I don't own an HD set or receive OTA broadcasts), but
this one seems to do what you want:
http://www.cobyusa.com/_en/prod_item.php?item=DTV140&pcat=tv&pscat=settop&pscat2=

It's $96.13 at Amazon...

I suspect these are going to get more common and cheaper as the
switchover proceeds.

Robert
--
Robert K. Shull Email: rkshull at rosettacon dot com
.