Teach your old TV set new tricks -- Digital Set-top Box | Soukacatv.com

There are several ways to watch digital channels in analog, writes Adam Turner.

Technology is ever marching forward but there can still be a place for old gadgets in your lounge room.

The big push behind digital television has seen plenty of faithful old sets abandoned but it is possible to give your old television a new lease of life.

For less than $50, you can pick up a digital set-top box, which plugs into your aerial and converts all the digital channels for your old analog television.

Connecting a digital set top box to your old television means you'll be able to watch the new digital-only channels such as ABC2, ABC3, SBS2, GO!, 7TWO and One. Even community television's Channel 31 has made the move to digital.

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If it's a high-definition set top box you'll also be able to watch the high-definition channels, such as the ABC's new 24-hour news channel, although these high-definition channels won't look any sharper than the other channels if you're watching them on an old analog television. Apart from ABC's dedicated news channel, all the other high-def channels are merely simulcasts of a standard-def channel so you're not missing out on anything.

If you're connecting a digital set-top box to an old television, you'll need to dip into the settings and change the box's video output to a 4:3 picture rather than a 16:9 widescreen picture.

This means you'll get black bars at the top and bottom of most shows, an effect known as "letterbox".

You might be offered a choice between 4:3 Letterbox and 4:3 Pan and Scan. The latter will chop off the edges of the widescreen picture so it fits on your old television without black bars.

Most digital set-top boxes feature a range of video outputs on the back — HDMI and component video for high-definition televisions and composite video for standard-definition televisions.

You might even find SCART and S-Video connectors on the back. If you've got an old analog television, you'll probably need to use the set-top box's composite video "RCA" or "phono" connectors — a yellow plug for the picture along with red and white plugs for the sound.

If your television has a SCART input, you can buy an adaptor that converts SCART to composite, component or S-Video (check it's designed to work with a SCART input on a television and not just a SCART output). Of course, if your television is really old, it might not have any of these connectors, just an aerial input. One solution is to look for a digital set-top box with a built-in RF (radio frequency) modulator.

This lets the set-top box send the digital channels through its aerial output. Now you can connect the set-top box's aerial output to your old television's aerial input and then tune the television to the correct channel — probably channel 3 — as you would when connecting a VCR to an old television.

If your digital set-top box lacks an RF modulator, you can buy a stand-alone converter. An easier option is to use a VCR as the middle man, assuming it has composite or S-Video inputs for connecting to the set-top box.

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Now you can tune your television to the correct channel to watch the VCR, then switch over to the VCR's AV input to watch the set-top box (as you might if your DVD player is connected to your VCR).

The digital switchover has already begun in Mildura and, by the end of 2013, analog TV broadcasts will have ceased across the country. At that point, your analog VCR won't be able to record television shows and you'll want to upgrade to a digital video recorder that records to a DVD disc or internal hard drive. Hard drive-based recorders are a better option as most let you pause and rewind live TV, record two programs simultaneously and even watch the start of a movie while you're still recording the end.

Your VCR won't be useless after the digital switchover. You'll still be able to watch movies you've purchased or programs you've previously recorded.

You'll also be able to record the output from a digital set-top box. Most digital set-top boxes don't apply Macrovision protection to their composite video output, so you shouldn't encounter the strange fluctuations you see if you try to record a DVD to videotape. If you do encounter this problem, specialist electrical stores sell an "image stabiliser" that removes the Macrovision interference.

Your VCR will only record in 4:3, so your set-top box must be set to 4:3 Letterbox or 4:3 Pan and Scan video output. If you configure your set-top box for 16:9 widescreen, the VCR will probably squash the widescreen picture to fit your screen's 4:3, which looks terrible.

Of course, recording digital television with your VCR isn't as practical as upgrading to a digital recorder, as the VCR can't change the channel on the set-top box if you've scheduled a recording in advance. If you're not ready to upgrade your television yet, you can still upgrade to a digital recorder, which also offers fancy tricks such as pausing and rewinding live TV. You'll need to set the digital recorder's video output to 576i or PAL resolution, with a 4:3 aspect ratio.

If you can't connect the digital recorder directly to your television, run it through your old VCR. If your digital recorder has an HDMI output, you won't need to replace it when you eventually upgrade your television.

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Reach a resolution in the lounge room

The resolution refers to the number of dots, or pixels, that make up your television screen. The more pixels, the sharper the picture.

Analog televisions in Australia, with an aspect ratio of 4:3, use the PAL video format, which is comprised of 576 horizontal lines. The image is "interlaced", which means the television rapidly alternates between displaying every second horizontal line in the picture to create the illusion of an entire picture.

A new 16:9 widescreen television can display a widescreen 576 picture — wider than the old analog broadcasts but still only 576 horizontal lines. Widescreen standard-definition digital television broadcasts are in 576i, or interlaced. Any new widescreen television should also be able to handle 576p. The "p" is for "progressive", meaning it displays every line of the picture simultaneously rather than every second line alternately. Progressive pictures offer smoother playback than interlaced during fast-moving action such as sport. This is the resolution of most DVDs, so you should switch your DVD player's video output from PAL/576i to 576p if your television supports it.

While standard-definition television is broadcast in 576i, the high-definition channels use 576p, 720p or 1080i.

Blu-ray movies are in 1080p.

Most widescreen televisions labelled "HD" can only display up to 720p but will usually downscale a 1080i/p image to 720p (otherwise you can set your devices to do the downscaling). Widescreen televisions labelled "Full HD" can display an image of up to 1080i/p. If you've got a high-definition digital set-top box, it should be able to downscale the HD channels to 720p, 576p or 576i if required. Copy-protection features often mean Blu-ray players won't downscale Blu-ray movies via HDMI, although you might have more luck using component or composite connectors. Some Blu-ray players may still play DVDs at PAL/576i — these features vary between players.

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If you're looking to replace your DVD player but still own an old analog television, it's only worth considering a Blu-ray player if it can play DVDs at 576i via composite video. This way you won't need to upgrade your DVD player when you buy a high-definition television.

Most Blu-ray players and some DVD players can also upscale DVDs to 720p or 1080i/p.

Connectors

Most digital set-top boxes, Blu-ray players and DVD players feature an HDMI output — the format that supports high-definition audio and video with one cable. If you're buying a new widescreen television, consider HDMI mandatory — preferably several HDMI inputs to cater for a DVD/Blu-ray player, digital TV recorder or set-top box and a games console. You might also come across several other video connectors.

Composite connections are the most common and handle 576i/p video. Composite splits the signal into one video cable (a yellow plug) and two audio cables (red and white). Component video splits the video into three cables and the audio into two. Many devices will support 1080i/p via HDMI but only 1080i via component. Other connectors you might encounter include SCART and S-Video.

Established in 2000, the Soukacatv.com main products are modulators both in analog and digital ones, amplifier and combiner. We are the very first one in manufacturing the headend system in China. Our 16 in 1 and 24 in 1 now are the most popular products all over the world.

For more, please access to https://www.soukacatv.com.

Source: smh

Analog TV turn-off: help across the digital divide | Soukacatv.com Digital modulator manufacturer

Victorian stragglers have only weeks to upgrade to digital television as the networks prepare to scrap the country's remaining analog channels.

Almost 60 years after the first black-and-white broadcasts were introduced, for the 1956 Melbourne summer Olympic Games, the city is the last in line for the digital switchover, on December 10 at 9am. At that time, in homes from Geelong to Wonthaggi and as far north as Kilmore, analog television broadcasts will cease.

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The rest of the state has already made the move to digital. Australia's digital TV switchover began in Mildura in 2010 and reached regional Victoria in 2011. After years of planning, 95 per cent of Melbourne homes have made the switch to digital television, according to the Digital Switchover Taskforce.

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It isn't necessary to buy a new television to watch the digital channels. An analog TV can still be used with a $50 set-top box.

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The Household Assistance Scheme is still open to eligible pensioners who haven't made the upgrade to digital television, says the Minister for Communications, Malcolm Turnbull.

"If you haven't yet converted to digital, now is the time to get ready for the switchover," Mr Turnbull says.

"If you receive certain government full-rate pensions and you haven't already converted any televisions in your house to digital, you may be eligible for the household assistance scheme. It's important to check your eligibility now by calling the Department of Human Services, 1800 556 443."

Covering 1.7 million homes, Melbourne's switchover is the largest of the country's digital rollout. So far more than 34,000 households across the city have taken advantage of the Household Assistance Scheme and it remains open until January 10, 2014. Figures from previous switchovers indicate that 1 or 2 per cent of homes are unlikely to upgrade until after the switchover date.

Digital broadcasts began in the summer of 2001 with the promise of sharper pictures, improved sound and a wealth of extra channels. Melbourne's five main analog channels were all simulcast in digital - Seven, Nine and Ten, along with government broadcasters ABC and SBS.

Community station Channel 31 moved to digital in 2010 and has already ceased analog broadcasts.

Alongside these digital broadcasts, Melburnians have access to almost 20 extra digital-only channels. If you can see ABC2, you're watching digital TV. If you can only see the same old five channels you've always had, you're likely to be still watching analog television.

Switching off analog broadcasts frees wireless spectrum, which will be used to extend Australia's high-speed mobile broadband networks. It will also grant the television networks greater freedom as to how they use their digital channels for sporting events such as football, cricket and the Olympics.

Anti-siphoning laws through the Broadcasting Services Act 1992, help ensure all Australians can watch significant sporting events on free-to-air TV, rather than locking them away on pay television. This initially prevented the free-to-air broadcasters from screening major sporting events on their digital-only channels, so as not to create a divide between the digital haves and have-nots.

Making the upgrade to digital television is easy.

Digital set-top boxes sell for less than $50, although it's worth spending more on a high-definition set-top box for the five HD channels. It isn't necessary to own a high-definition TV to watch these channels, as an HD set-top box can "downscale" the HD channels for a standard-definition television.

After the switchover, every TV in the house will require a built-in digital tuner or separate digital set-top box to watch live television.

The box connects to the television's video input, similar to hooking up a VCR or DVD player. Your VCR will no longer be able to receive digital broadcasts, although you'll still be able to watch programs you've previously recorded to tape.

Very old TVs that lack video inputs will require a digital set-top box with a built-in RF modulator, which sends the digital channels to the TV via the aerial cable.

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It's important to check the features of the set-top box carefully. Some have an RF pass-through, letting you run an aerial cable to a second device, but lack an RF modulator for sending through the digital channels.

You might use a VCR as the intermediary device, connecting the digital set-top box to the VCR's video input and then the VCR to the television's aerial socket.

Many digital televisions and set-top boxes let you record live television to a USB drive. Another option is to invest in a set-top box with a built-in hard drive.

Established in 2000, the Soukacatv.com main products are modulators both in analog and digital ones, amplifier and combiner. We are the very first one in manufacturing the headend system in China. Our 16 in 1 and 24 in 1 now are the most popular products all over the world. For more, please access to https://www.soukacatv.com/

Source: smh

Convert ancient TVs to digital | Soukacatv.com Digital modulator manufacturer

Finding the right set top box for a really old television can be tricky.

As the digital switchover draws closer, around one in five Australian homes are yet to convert to digital. I'm guessing they're likely to be non-tech savvy homes, which means they probably haven't upgraded their television for a long time. Perhaps for such a long time that their television doesn't have any video inputs, just an aerial socket. There'd be plenty of other homes that are still relying on such a television in the bedroom, rumpus room or shed.

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Upgrading these old televisions to digital probably isn't as simple as buying a set top box. Remember when you got your first VCR? It might have had a composite video output on the back (the yellow socket, plus red and white for audio), but your television probably didn't have a composite video input. So the trick was to use an aerial cable to run from the RF output on the VCR to the RF input on your television. Now you could tune your television to channel 3 and see the output from the VCR.

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This trick worked because your VCR had an RF modulator, basically a converter which took the VCR's output and inserted it into the aerial signal as another channel before sending it out the RF socket. When the first digital set top boxes came along ten years ago, many of them also featured an RF Modulator, so you could connect the set top box to your television's aerial socket and watch all the digital channels coming from the set top box.

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The problem now is that very few new digital set top boxes include an RF Modulator. They might still feature an RF input and an RF output, but that RF output is generally just an RF pass-through. In other words, the set top box will relay your aerial signal to another device but it won't insert the digital channels in the process. So you can't hook up a new set top box to your television's aerial input, tune the television to channel 3 and watch the digital channels.

I rang half a dozen major electrical retailers last week and none of them sold set top boxes which featured an RF Modulator. The really disturbing thing was that some shop assistants didn't seem to understand the difference between an RF pass-through and an RF Modulator. If a shop assistant tells you that a new set top box features an RF Modulator, make sure they'll agree to refund your money if they're wrong.

If you do manage to find an old set top box with an RF Modulator, chances are that it's an old standard-def only set top box. These days you really want a high-def set top box, or else you're missing out on ABC News 24, One HD, 7mate, GEM and SBS HD. It doesn't matter if you don't have a high-def television, as the set top box can downscale the high-def channels to standard-def. They won't look as sharp, but at least you can watch them. Most of the shows on the high-def channels are in standard-def these days anyway. I'm pretty annoyed about the fact Nine hasn't been showing the cricket in high-def on GEM.

So if you can't find a high-def set top box with an RF Modulator, how do you upgrade an old television to digital? The easiest solution is to use an old VCR as an RF Modulator. After the digital switchover your old VCR won't be any good for watching or recording television, because it doesn't feature digital tuners. But if it's got video inputs, you could connect a set top box to the VCR's video inputs and then the VCR's RF output to the television's RF input. Now you can turn the television to channel 3 to watch the VCR and then switch the VCR to the AV input to watch the picture coming from the set top box. It's the same way many people hooked up their first DVD player. With a set up like this, you could even record the digital channels on your VCR.

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For the set top box and RF modulator, you'll find them from Soukacatv.com.

Established in 2000, the Souka main products are modulators both in analog and digital ones, amplifier and combiner. We are the very first one in manufacturing the headend system in China. Our 16 in 1 and 24 in 1 now are the most popular products all over the world. For more, please access to https://www.soukacatv.com.

Source: smh