LG readies $60 digital TV converters for 2008 release

You won't find a bunch of happier folks than us when bringing up the (slowly) forthcoming analog-to-digital cutover, but we aren't looking forward to picking up one of these newfangled converter boxes for the grandparent who refuses to swap out that cabinet-based CRT they've had for decades. It shouldn't come as any surprise that these things won't be handed out for free, and since the vast majority of analog TV owners are certainly looking to remedy the imminent issue a full year or so in advance (ahem), we've already got manufacturers lining up to hit the market early. Following in the footsteps of RCA's DTA800, LG is reportedly readying a digital converter of its own for a 2008 release, and while it didn't divulge many specifics, it did note that the selling price would hover around $60 -- or $20 if you manage to snag one of those $40 government issued coupons.

[Carlos @ Mar 21st 2007 8:00AM]

Lets hope LG does a better job with these than they have with their TV's in Australia >> http://www.smh.com.au/news/home-theatre/case-of-the-csi-lg-tv-freeze-cracked/2007/03/21/1174153126015.html

[DAZA @ Mar 21st 2007 8:18AM]

Why are digital set top boxes so dear in America?

Just curious, as here in Australia you can pick one up (DVB analogue->digital set top box) for around about $50, without even trying. During some silly sales they were as low as $39 I believe. This is of course for a standard definition unit. Since we hardly have any HD content they are working like a charm.

We're also cutting over to digital but it will be sometime in 2011 I hear. At the going rate, they should be as cheap as chips by then.

When you consider that the AUD is weaker than the USD, I just have to wonder why people think they are so dear? I would have thought a $40 coupon would have been able to buy you one with change to spare.

[ecobore @ Mar 21st 2007 8:24AM]

no big deal at all, we have been using these in the UK for years and years now. They are extremely inexpensive and many of them incorporate HDVR as well, in fact I just bought one with an 80Gb hard drive for my sister for £70.

[Scooter @ Mar 21st 2007 9:13AM]

I suspect US OEMs lobbied to set the $40 limit, since it will support prices of these units until the analog phase-out. Once government money runs out the prices (for what will essentially be a chip or simple circuit board) will probably hit $5.

[Bryce @ Mar 21st 2007 9:43AM]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but an old TV + one of these converters + appleTV won't work, right? Or will it?

[Steven @ Mar 21st 2007 10:09AM]

You guys are getting it all wrong. This is a digital to analog box for analog televisions that will obsolete in the near future. This is not for analog to digital and cannot do HD because HD is digital. This primarily to prepare for the digital transition. I sincerely doubt that either the UK or Australia has these boxes yet because they are useless considering there is no force to digital tv just yet.

[steve @ Mar 21st 2007 10:34AM]

Well Steven i think you'll find that even though Analogue is still very much alive in the UK, we have had terrestrial digital services for a while

We can purchase a set to box that connects to your aerial and bog standard analogue CRT to give you digital programming which forgive me if im wrong are all these converters are doing.

[Steven @ Mar 21st 2007 11:14AM]

Yes that what these are doing, but the reason these are important in the US is that, while we have had boxes like this for years for cable and satellite tv, we have not had them for regular broadcast tv because these broadcast stations have always broadcasted in analog. Now, with the transition, people that don't already have cable or satellite will need these boxes when they previously did not. Now I don't know the exact circumstances in the UK or in Australia, but I would think they would have similar circumstances because they both are starting their own transitions.

[Matt B @ Mar 21st 2007 11:15AM]

I guess some people just REALLY like their old TV.

[Steven @ Mar 21st 2007 11:59AM]

Actually, the deadline to force manufacturers to stop making analog tv's was March 1st, meaning that many individuals may have bought an analog tv recently without the knowledge that they may need a new tv or a converter box in two years. So while some people may REALLY love their old tv's, some may also REALLY love their new tv's and cannot afford or are not willing shell out the money for a new one. Therefore, while you and me will be ok after the February 17th deadline, may people would be left without tv if not for these converter boxes.

[steve @ Mar 21st 2007 1:55PM]

As it stands in the UK we currently have 5 Analogue terrestrial channels and Around 35 Digital terrestrial channels plus 28 Digital Radio channels.

The analogue switchoff will not be fully completed until 2012 but some places will be shutting down earlier that 2012.

There is also a Digital Terrestrial service called TopUpTV and another arriving from Sky soon

[mark @ Mar 21st 2007 3:48PM]

$60?! I brought a Sagem digital terrestrial set top box for £25 a couple of months ago... that's about $13

[Steven Moore @ Mar 21st 2007 5:00PM]

$60?! I brought a Sagem digital terrestrial set top box for £25 a couple of months ago... that's about $13- Mark

25 UK pounds = around 48 dollars
25 AU pounds = around 20 dollars

[Tom @ Mar 21st 2007 3:55PM]

@Steven:

Sorry but you yanks are just late on the scene this time. We've had free digital tv through our aerials for about 5 years now. We get 40(!) digital TV channels and 30 digital radio stations. Analogue switch-off starts this October in Cumbria and 80% of UK homes have some form of digital TV.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeview

[Steven Moore @ Mar 21st 2007 4:27PM]

My point was not that you guys don't get many digital tv channels, it was that you don't need digital to analog converters just yet. Here in the US we at least 4 or 5 digital channels in many markets that multicast at least one HD and one SD channels and sometimes other all-news or all-weather channels, but we do not have many digital to analog converters because we haven't converted to digital completely yet and many of us have either cable or satellite instead, which, by the way, are also digital. Overall, many homes already have some of digital tv in the US, too, but the digital converter boxes are mainly about the few homes that are still left out.

[Steven Moore @ Mar 21st 2007 4:31PM]

"There are about 73 million TVs in America, though many of them are hooked up to cable, or satellite TV service. About 15% of the TV-watching population depends on an antenna for its service" -Reuters UK

Seems to be about the same amount of homes in the US have digital tv.

[mattclarkie @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:13AM]

The UK switchover starts first, they have been preparing for 5 years (when freeview was launched it was preparation for the switch). Just the UK is staggering it over 5 years, rather than over night. As someone mentioned in Cumbria analogue tv is turned off in October, but as we have been using Freeview (DVB)boxes for years they are dirt cheap and most households already have them. Typical, Americans have left it to the last minute to prepare, and are paying a premium.

[mattclarkie @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:13AM]

Plus the $13 comment refers that most UK prices are double the US ones, so he was right, just not exchange rate wise, price wise.

[mattclarkie @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:16AM]

The $13 price is right if you factor UK prices are double the US price, but I know that there are $2 to the £1 so your both correct.

[mattclarkie @ Mar 23rd 2007 7:08AM]

Why is Engadget so bad for comments turning up hours later, after you re-commented in the belief the original was lost. You need to set-up some type of user accounts that way you will be a slick proffessional (dazzling veneer of the 1980s) operation.