RCA Readies Energy-Efficient DTA800 Digital TV Adapter for R

[Shane]

Now that the federal government has issued final eligibility rules for Digital Television Adapters, RCA is readying the DTA800, a low-cost and energy-efficient converter that will insure reception of favorite broadcast TV programs even when analog TV signals are turned off.

At the stroke of midnight at the end of February 17, 2009, analog TV broadcasts are scheduled to end in the United States in favor of digital over-the-air broadcasting. Millions of consumers...

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[raycar]

A couple of years ago, the "5th generation" receiver chip was released. It solved many of the multi-path problems. Has this chip been superceeded? Will these converters contain the best available chip?

[Dale]

The purpose of the boxes and the subsidy is to insure that no viewer of over-the-air television service gets left behind. There are stringent requirements for the converter box performance since the last thing anyone within the transition team wants is to have someone get a box, install it, and then get no reception. Everything that can and should be done will be done since the goal is a clean completion of the transition. There is no motive among any player to compromise reception capability with outdated technology. No one is forced into this market and only those meeting the performance guidelines set by the governmente (NTIA) will be acceptable.

Dale Cripps