March 19, 2009
Are you watching Digital TV but listening in monophonic?
********************************************************************
This article was originally published on May 26, 2008.
Since that time the government has moved the conversion date to June 12th.
Additional information has also been added at the end of the article.
********************************************************************
The government has decided that your analog TV won't work after February 17, 2009:
"At midnight on February 17, 2009, all full-power television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting in analog and switch to 100% digital broadcasting."
That leaves you with the following choices:
-Get a Digital TV Converter Box (least expensive option) so you can continue using your existing TV
-Get connected to your local Cable service provider or Satellite TV provider.
-Buy a new digital TV (a whole other set of choices).
If you only care about "regular" TV and not about any of the many other stations on Cable or Satellite, or if your finances are such that such extravagances are not an option, then your only choice is to get a Digital TV Converter Box.
To help, the government is providing you the opportunity to get a $40 credit toward the purchase of a Digital TV Converter Box. This may explain why these boxes, in this author's opinion, cost more than they should. Be aware that the credit is only good on a select number of such boxes, and there are differences between the boxes. To learn more about the rebate and the boxes they can be used with, go to the official government website: https://www.dtv2009.gov/ . For information about how consumers feel about some of the available boxes and to find out which ones might be available at your local electronics store (you can only use the coupon in a physical store, not online), you can use some of the search tools available at http://thisismystore.com/.
Here's what you need to know once you've gotten the box:
If your TV does not have any option except to connect the cable wire where an antenna would otherwise be connected, you are out of luck. No stereo for you. Just connect the antenna to the box, and an RF cable (sometimes included) from the converter box to where your antenna was connected. Then tune to channel 3 or 4 and use the remote that came with your converter box to change the channels.
If you have a stereo TV, your TV needs to have stereo RCA jacks for stereo sound to be fed to it. So to get stereo sound from your box, you need to connect the line-out jacks marked L and R (usually color coded red and white) to the line-in jacks marked L and R on your TV. But wait -- that only gets you sound. If you want a picture, you need to connect the yellow video-out to the matching yellow video-in on your TV.
Now when you turn on your TV, don't panic when there is either static or no picture or sound. That's because your input source is now Line 1 or Video 1 or some such similar choice. You are not using the TV tuner, so you are not watching through channel 3 or 4 (depending on where you live). And, you will probably notice (if you previously were connected as described for mono TVs above), that you have an even better looking picture, and now have stereo sound. Also make sure that your converter box is set for stereo (some have that as a menu choice).
What if you want to include your VCR/DVR or other video-recording device in the loop? You would follow similar instructions for setting everything up for stereo, except that you would, in essence, be doing the same thing twice. First replace the term TV with VCR/DVR in the instructions above for connecting up the cables from the converter box. Then, pretend the VCR/DVR is the converter box and follow the instructions again. And as in the direct from converter box to TV above, you will need to remember that you are now watching through Line 1 or Video 1 or whatever it is called on your TV. Note that if you connect a VCR/DVR or other recording device in the loop, you may need to first turn on that recording device.
Also, you probably need to turn up the volume on your TV and on the converter box, and adjust both until you find a combination that sounds right. If your TV volume is too low, you may find that sound is not great. This is probably not the fault of the box, so adjust the TV volume accordingly.
And finally, you will now also need to remember to turn on the converter box and then turn on the TV in order to watch TV. Get in the habit, because after February 17, 2009, your analog TV alone will no longer be receiving any signals from the TV stations.
Some extra information:
If you encounter difficulty getting some channels with a regular antenna, don't rush out to buy an expensive antenna before first moving the antenna around to see if different positions bring in different channels. Then, before giving up, try alternate channels. For example, if you are in the NYC area and having trouble getting channel 13, go into the manual channel selector option on your DTV box and try channel 61. That should resolve to 13. There are quite a few stations, at least here in the NYC area, that are broadcasting on more than one frequency, so try every single channel number and see what you might find.
[You may want to share this article with your friends and family, who may not know that they are probably watching TV and recording programs in glorious monophonic if they didn't set things up properly or are watching through channel 3 or 4. You may also want to help them out regarding alternative options if some of the stations are not coming in.]
Richard L. Kuper
The Kuper Report
http://TheKuperReport.com
* [Please post your job openings here] *
R.L. Kuper, Inc. - Management Consulting
This article was originally published on May 26, 2008.
Since that time the government has moved the conversion date to June 12th.
Additional information has also been added at the end of the article.
********************************************************************
The government has decided that your analog TV won't work after February 17, 2009:
"At midnight on February 17, 2009, all full-power television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting in analog and switch to 100% digital broadcasting."
That leaves you with the following choices:
-Get a Digital TV Converter Box (least expensive option) so you can continue using your existing TV
-Get connected to your local Cable service provider or Satellite TV provider.
-Buy a new digital TV (a whole other set of choices).
If you only care about "regular" TV and not about any of the many other stations on Cable or Satellite, or if your finances are such that such extravagances are not an option, then your only choice is to get a Digital TV Converter Box.
To help, the government is providing you the opportunity to get a $40 credit toward the purchase of a Digital TV Converter Box. This may explain why these boxes, in this author's opinion, cost more than they should. Be aware that the credit is only good on a select number of such boxes, and there are differences between the boxes. To learn more about the rebate and the boxes they can be used with, go to the official government website: https://www.dtv2009.gov/ . For information about how consumers feel about some of the available boxes and to find out which ones might be available at your local electronics store (you can only use the coupon in a physical store, not online), you can use some of the search tools available at http://thisismystore.com/.
Here's what you need to know once you've gotten the box:
If your TV does not have any option except to connect the cable wire where an antenna would otherwise be connected, you are out of luck. No stereo for you. Just connect the antenna to the box, and an RF cable (sometimes included) from the converter box to where your antenna was connected. Then tune to channel 3 or 4 and use the remote that came with your converter box to change the channels.
If you have a stereo TV, your TV needs to have stereo RCA jacks for stereo sound to be fed to it. So to get stereo sound from your box, you need to connect the line-out jacks marked L and R (usually color coded red and white) to the line-in jacks marked L and R on your TV. But wait -- that only gets you sound. If you want a picture, you need to connect the yellow video-out to the matching yellow video-in on your TV.
Now when you turn on your TV, don't panic when there is either static or no picture or sound. That's because your input source is now Line 1 or Video 1 or some such similar choice. You are not using the TV tuner, so you are not watching through channel 3 or 4 (depending on where you live). And, you will probably notice (if you previously were connected as described for mono TVs above), that you have an even better looking picture, and now have stereo sound. Also make sure that your converter box is set for stereo (some have that as a menu choice).
What if you want to include your VCR/DVR or other video-recording device in the loop? You would follow similar instructions for setting everything up for stereo, except that you would, in essence, be doing the same thing twice. First replace the term TV with VCR/DVR in the instructions above for connecting up the cables from the converter box. Then, pretend the VCR/DVR is the converter box and follow the instructions again. And as in the direct from converter box to TV above, you will need to remember that you are now watching through Line 1 or Video 1 or whatever it is called on your TV. Note that if you connect a VCR/DVR or other recording device in the loop, you may need to first turn on that recording device.
Also, you probably need to turn up the volume on your TV and on the converter box, and adjust both until you find a combination that sounds right. If your TV volume is too low, you may find that sound is not great. This is probably not the fault of the box, so adjust the TV volume accordingly.
And finally, you will now also need to remember to turn on the converter box and then turn on the TV in order to watch TV. Get in the habit, because after February 17, 2009, your analog TV alone will no longer be receiving any signals from the TV stations.
Some extra information:
If you encounter difficulty getting some channels with a regular antenna, don't rush out to buy an expensive antenna before first moving the antenna around to see if different positions bring in different channels. Then, before giving up, try alternate channels. For example, if you are in the NYC area and having trouble getting channel 13, go into the manual channel selector option on your DTV box and try channel 61. That should resolve to 13. There are quite a few stations, at least here in the NYC area, that are broadcasting on more than one frequency, so try every single channel number and see what you might find.
[You may want to share this article with your friends and family, who may not know that they are probably watching TV and recording programs in glorious monophonic if they didn't set things up properly or are watching through channel 3 or 4. You may also want to help them out regarding alternative options if some of the stations are not coming in.]
Richard L. Kuper
The Kuper Report
http://TheKuperReport.com
Labels: analog, antenna, cable, converter, digital, dtv, dvr, government, mono, monophonic, rca, record, satellite, stereo, television, tuner, tv, vcr, video
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December 19, 2008
Review: Composite and component cables for iPod from Griffin Technology
Richard Kuper
The Kuper Report
http://thekuperreport.com/
If your iPod is capable of sending video or graphic images to TV, then instead of viewing the videos or images on a tiny little screen, you can view them on your TV or monitor. If you want to hear the audio files you have on your iPod on a real stereo system, then these cables will give you that option. All connectors are color-coded for easy connecting.
With either of these cables from Griffin Technology and the included PowerBlock AC Adapter you can also:
If your TV or monitor has three video inputs (Red, Green, and Blue), then you will want Griffin's Component Video Cable for iPod.
Important caveats if you are thinking of getting these cables to see the video or images stored on your iPod displayed on your TV or monitor. First, check to see if your iPod has that option. Not all do, and the default setting is for this feature not to be enabled. So assuming your iPod has the option to send output to TV, you will need to first turn that option on. There are no instructions that come with the cables telling you this, so be sure to check your iPod first. I discovered, for example, that the iPod nano (1st generation) does not have an option to send the images to TV. I even went and got the latest software update but that option did not show up anywhere on the 1st generation iPod nano. Also, these cables are not for iPods that only have a usb connection.
If the caveats are not an issue, then check out these cables from Griffin Technology. They list for $49.99.
* [Please post your job openings here] *
R.L. Kuper, Inc. - Management Consulting
The Kuper Report
http://thekuperreport.com/
If your iPod is capable of sending video or graphic images to TV, then instead of viewing the videos or images on a tiny little screen, you can view them on your TV or monitor. If you want to hear the audio files you have on your iPod on a real stereo system, then these cables will give you that option. All connectors are color-coded for easy connecting.
With either of these cables from Griffin Technology and the included PowerBlock AC Adapter you can also:
- Connect your iPod to your computer to download songs, videos, images, and also charge your iPod via your computer.
- Charge your iPod from a wall outlet via the PowerBlock AC Adapter (and you can do this even while watching videos on your TV or listening to music on your stereo system).
- Charge any usb device via the PowerBlock AC Adapter.
If your TV or monitor has three video inputs (Red, Green, and Blue), then you will want Griffin's Component Video Cable for iPod.
Important caveats if you are thinking of getting these cables to see the video or images stored on your iPod displayed on your TV or monitor. First, check to see if your iPod has that option. Not all do, and the default setting is for this feature not to be enabled. So assuming your iPod has the option to send output to TV, you will need to first turn that option on. There are no instructions that come with the cables telling you this, so be sure to check your iPod first. I discovered, for example, that the iPod nano (1st generation) does not have an option to send the images to TV. I even went and got the latest software update but that option did not show up anywhere on the 1st generation iPod nano. Also, these cables are not for iPods that only have a usb connection.
If the caveats are not an issue, then check out these cables from Griffin Technology. They list for $49.99.
Labels: cable, griffin, ipod, monitor, stereo, technology, tv
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May 26, 2008
Are you watching Digital TV but listening in monophonic?
The government has decided that your analog TV won't work after February 17, 2009:
"At midnight on February 17, 2009, all full-power television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting in analog and switch to 100% digital broadcasting."
That leaves you with the following choices:
-Get a Digital TV Converter Box (least expensive option) so you can continue using your existing TV
-Get connected to your local Cable service provider or Satellite TV provider.
-Buy a new digital TV (a whole other set of choices).
If you only care about "regular" TV and not about any of the many other stations on Cable or Satellite, or if your finances are such that such extravagances are not an option, then your only choice is to get a Digital TV Converter Box.
To help, the government is providing you the opportunity to get a $40 credit toward the purchase of a Digital TV Converter Box. This may explain why these boxes, in this author's opinion, cost more than they should. Be aware that the credit is only good on a select number of such boxes, and there are differences between the boxes. To learn more about the rebate and the boxes they can be used with, go to the official government website: https://www.dtv2009.gov/ . For information about how consumers feel about some of the available boxes and to find out which ones might be available at your local electronics store (you can only use the coupon in a physical store, not online), you can use some of the search tools available at http://thisismystore.com/.
Here's what you need to know once you've gotten the box:
If your TV does not have any option except to connect the cable wire where an antenna would otherwise be connected, you are out of luck. No stereo for you. Just connect the antenna to the box, and an RF cable (sometimes included) from the converter box to where your antenna was connected. Then tune to channel 3 or 4 and use the remote that came with your converter box to change the channels.
If you have a stereo TV, your TV needs to have stereo RCA jacks for stereo sound to be fed to it. So to get stereo sound from your box, you need to connect the line-out jacks marked L and R (usually color coded red and white) to the line-in jacks marked L and R on your TV. But wait -- that only gets you sound. If you want a picture, you need to connect the yellow video-out to the matching yellow video-in on your TV.
Now when you turn on your TV, don't panic when there is either static or no picture or sound. That's because your input source is now Line 1 or Video 1 or some such similar choice. You are not using the TV tuner, so you are not watching through channel 3 or 4 (depending on where you live). And, you will probably notice (if you previously were connected as described for mono TVs above), that you have an even better looking picture, and now have stereo sound. Also make sure that your converter box is set for stereo (some have that as a menu choice).
What if you want to include your VCR/DVR or other video-recording device in the loop? You would follow similar instructions for setting everything up for stereo, except that you would, in essence, be doing the same thing twice. First replace the term TV with VCR/DVR in the instructions above for connecting up the cables from the converter box. Then, pretend the VCR/DVR is the converter box and follow the instructions again. And as in the direct from converter box to TV above, you will need to remember that you are now watching through Line 1 or Video 1 or whatever it is called on your TV. Note that if you connect a VCR/DVR or other recording device in the loop, you may need to first on that recording device.
Also, you probably need to turn up the volume on your TV and on the converter box, and adjust both until you find a combination that sounds right. If your TV volume is too low, you may find that sound is not great. This is probably not the fault of the box, so adjust the TV volume accordingly.
And finally, you will now also need to remember to turn on the converter box and then turn on the TV in order to watch TV. Get in the habit, because after February 17, 2009, your analog TV alone will no longer be receiving any signals from the TV stations.
[You may want to share this article with your friends and family, who may not know that they are probably watching TV and recording programs in glorious monophonic if they didn't set things up properly or are watching through channel 3 or 4.]
Richard L. Kuper
The Kuper Report
http://TheKuperReport.com
* [Please post your job openings here] *
R.L. Kuper, Inc. - Management Consulting
"At midnight on February 17, 2009, all full-power television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting in analog and switch to 100% digital broadcasting."
That leaves you with the following choices:
-Get a Digital TV Converter Box (least expensive option) so you can continue using your existing TV
-Get connected to your local Cable service provider or Satellite TV provider.
-Buy a new digital TV (a whole other set of choices).
If you only care about "regular" TV and not about any of the many other stations on Cable or Satellite, or if your finances are such that such extravagances are not an option, then your only choice is to get a Digital TV Converter Box.
To help, the government is providing you the opportunity to get a $40 credit toward the purchase of a Digital TV Converter Box. This may explain why these boxes, in this author's opinion, cost more than they should. Be aware that the credit is only good on a select number of such boxes, and there are differences between the boxes. To learn more about the rebate and the boxes they can be used with, go to the official government website: https://www.dtv2009.gov/ . For information about how consumers feel about some of the available boxes and to find out which ones might be available at your local electronics store (you can only use the coupon in a physical store, not online), you can use some of the search tools available at http://thisismystore.com/.
Here's what you need to know once you've gotten the box:
If your TV does not have any option except to connect the cable wire where an antenna would otherwise be connected, you are out of luck. No stereo for you. Just connect the antenna to the box, and an RF cable (sometimes included) from the converter box to where your antenna was connected. Then tune to channel 3 or 4 and use the remote that came with your converter box to change the channels.
If you have a stereo TV, your TV needs to have stereo RCA jacks for stereo sound to be fed to it. So to get stereo sound from your box, you need to connect the line-out jacks marked L and R (usually color coded red and white) to the line-in jacks marked L and R on your TV. But wait -- that only gets you sound. If you want a picture, you need to connect the yellow video-out to the matching yellow video-in on your TV.
Now when you turn on your TV, don't panic when there is either static or no picture or sound. That's because your input source is now Line 1 or Video 1 or some such similar choice. You are not using the TV tuner, so you are not watching through channel 3 or 4 (depending on where you live). And, you will probably notice (if you previously were connected as described for mono TVs above), that you have an even better looking picture, and now have stereo sound. Also make sure that your converter box is set for stereo (some have that as a menu choice).
What if you want to include your VCR/DVR or other video-recording device in the loop? You would follow similar instructions for setting everything up for stereo, except that you would, in essence, be doing the same thing twice. First replace the term TV with VCR/DVR in the instructions above for connecting up the cables from the converter box. Then, pretend the VCR/DVR is the converter box and follow the instructions again. And as in the direct from converter box to TV above, you will need to remember that you are now watching through Line 1 or Video 1 or whatever it is called on your TV. Note that if you connect a VCR/DVR or other recording device in the loop, you may need to first on that recording device.
Also, you probably need to turn up the volume on your TV and on the converter box, and adjust both until you find a combination that sounds right. If your TV volume is too low, you may find that sound is not great. This is probably not the fault of the box, so adjust the TV volume accordingly.
And finally, you will now also need to remember to turn on the converter box and then turn on the TV in order to watch TV. Get in the habit, because after February 17, 2009, your analog TV alone will no longer be receiving any signals from the TV stations.
[You may want to share this article with your friends and family, who may not know that they are probably watching TV and recording programs in glorious monophonic if they didn't set things up properly or are watching through channel 3 or 4.]
Richard L. Kuper
The Kuper Report
http://TheKuperReport.com
Labels: analog, antenna, cable, converter, digital, dtv, dvr, government, mono, monophonic, rca, record, satellite, stereo, television, tuner, tv, vcr, video
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April 05, 2008
Review: D-Link Powerline HD Network Starter Kit
Richard Kuper
The Kuper Report
http://TheKuperReport.com
As you might have surmised by the name of this product, it uses your electric power line. This kit comes with two DHP-300 Ethernet Adapter devices, two ethernet cables, a quick install guide, and, of course, a CD. Additional DHP-300 Ethernet Adapters can be purchased separately.
Setup is very simple. Follow the provided instructions (not my summary here) for the correct order of steps and specifics.
My goal was to be able to connect a notebook PC to the internet at the same speed as the desktop pc in a different room. I plugged one of the units into an outlet and connected it via a provided ethernet cable to my router. I plugged the other one into the outlet in the room near where I wanted to connect the notebook PC. I followed the onscreen instructions in the order instructed, including encryption information. Once I was done, I connected the other provided ethernet cable to the unit in the other room and connected it to the notebook pc. Within moments I was online and surfing away at the same speed as on the desktop pc via my cable modem.
You can also use the kit to set up a small network, or buy extra adapters to connect additional devices. According to the box, you can use the Powerline HD to "stream HD video and enjoy intense online gaming". And according to the website, "D-Link’s Powerline HD Ethernet Adapter is ideal for connecting an Ethernet-enabled digital media device such as a Tivo® or Slingbox™ to your network and the Internet."
Some things to note:
First, the ethernet adapters get very, very hot and stay that way, so be careful.
Second, for this to work, all the electric outlets in question need to be on the same self-contained grid. For most, this will not be an issue. However, if, for example, your had your home or office wired in such a way that the computer and such are on their own grid so that they are not affected by power issues in the rest of the office or home, then this won't work unless you run an extension cord or otherwise provide connection to that other grid so that the units are on the same grid.
If the caveats above are not an issue for you, and you want faster speed than wireless and a quick and easy way to set up a network or expand the number of pc's that can connect to the internet, then look into the D-Link Powerline Network Starter Kit.
* [Please post your job openings here] *
R.L. Kuper, Inc. - Management Consulting
The Kuper Report
http://TheKuperReport.com
As you might have surmised by the name of this product, it uses your electric power line. This kit comes with two DHP-300 Ethernet Adapter devices, two ethernet cables, a quick install guide, and, of course, a CD. Additional DHP-300 Ethernet Adapters can be purchased separately.
Setup is very simple. Follow the provided instructions (not my summary here) for the correct order of steps and specifics.
My goal was to be able to connect a notebook PC to the internet at the same speed as the desktop pc in a different room. I plugged one of the units into an outlet and connected it via a provided ethernet cable to my router. I plugged the other one into the outlet in the room near where I wanted to connect the notebook PC. I followed the onscreen instructions in the order instructed, including encryption information. Once I was done, I connected the other provided ethernet cable to the unit in the other room and connected it to the notebook pc. Within moments I was online and surfing away at the same speed as on the desktop pc via my cable modem.
You can also use the kit to set up a small network, or buy extra adapters to connect additional devices. According to the box, you can use the Powerline HD to "stream HD video and enjoy intense online gaming". And according to the website, "D-Link’s Powerline HD Ethernet Adapter is ideal for connecting an Ethernet-enabled digital media device such as a Tivo® or Slingbox™ to your network and the Internet."
Some things to note:
First, the ethernet adapters get very, very hot and stay that way, so be careful.
Second, for this to work, all the electric outlets in question need to be on the same self-contained grid. For most, this will not be an issue. However, if, for example, your had your home or office wired in such a way that the computer and such are on their own grid so that they are not affected by power issues in the rest of the office or home, then this won't work unless you run an extension cord or otherwise provide connection to that other grid so that the units are on the same grid.
If the caveats above are not an issue for you, and you want faster speed than wireless and a quick and easy way to set up a network or expand the number of pc's that can connect to the internet, then look into the D-Link Powerline Network Starter Kit.
Labels: cable, d-link, ethernet, general electric, home networking, internet, Kuper, kuper report, networking, power, richard kuper, web, wireless
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