DTV Converter Boxes
A "DTV Converter Box" is an external digital TV tuner that can be used to tune in Digital TV stations and convert that
signal to an Analog signal for an Analog TV or VCR.
DTV Converter Boxes ONLY work with over-the-air DTV signals.
They will NOT work with Cable-TV.
To receive GCI's Digital cable TV signal, you will need a "digital cable" ("QAM") tuner. Generally GCI's cable boxes are
the simplest option and are guaranteed to work with their system.
Satellite TV has been Digital for many years now, the satellite receiver provided by DishNet or DirecTV is the only tuner
you will need to watch satellite TV.
If you have a TV with a built in Digital tuner, you do not need a DTV converter box. See the "General DTV Info" page for
details.
Some Juneau TV stations will not be switching to digital in 2009. To continue receiving these stations, you
will need a converter box that supports "Analog Pass-through", a feature which allows the analog signals from TV stations
to pass through the box to your existing analog TV.
AFD is a feature that allows the converter box to automatically adjust the aspect ratio to the viewer's TV in the most
suitable way for any paticular program. As of 1/26/09, no digital Juneau stations are broadcasting AFD codes, but may
in the future.
TV converter boxes are available from the following stores in Juneau:
Picture |
Make |
Model |
Price |
Analog Pass-through |
AFD |
Fred Meyer - 6/12/09 |
 |
Maganvox |
TB100MW9 |
$54.99 |
YES |
NO |
 |
Philco No longer available |
TB100HH9 |
$54.99 |
YES |
? |
Radio Shack (Nugget Mall) - 6/12/09 |
 |
Digital Stream No longer available |
DTX9950 |
$59.99 |
YES |
NO |
 |
Digital Stream No longer available |
DTX9900 |
$59.99 |
NO |
? |
Radio Shack (Western Auto) - 6/12/09 |
 |
Airlink 101 |
ATVC102 |
$69.99 |
YES |
? |
 |
Digital Stream |
DTX9950 |
$59.99 |
YES |
NO |
 |
Zenith No longer available |
DTT901 |
$59.99 |
YES |
YES |
 |
Artec No longer available |
T3AP Pro |
$69.99 |
YES |
? |
Sears - 6/12/09 |
 |
Maganvox Out of stock |
TB100MG9 |
$49.99 |
YES |
? |
Wal-Mart - 6/12/09 |
 |
Maganvox |
TB110MW9 |
$55.87 |
YES |
NO |
 |
RCA No longer available |
DTA800 |
$55.87 |
NO |
NO |
Dates reflect the last time the store in question was checked.
Prices are normal sticker price before the $40 coupon discount or any temporary sales. (At the time of this
writing, the Philco unit at Fred Meyer was on sale for $49.99, with the coupon, the box would cost $9.99
plus tax. However the normal sticker "pre-sale" price was $54.99, as is indicated in the table.)