Really small TV goes digital?

December 21, 2008 6:47 AM

Really small TVs & digital conversion - For many years, I have had a really small Sanyo TV (Model TMP 2175). It has AM/FM, a clock and a real small black & white 2 inch diagonal screen. My favorite feature of this little gizmo is that you can set an alarm so the TV turns on for about an hour - I've found this a very effective morning alarm...TV sound blares on, screen shines enough in my eyes to wake me up. . How can I make this thing work when things go digital?

Or...will this thing become my emergency AM/FM radio when the digital conversation gets done in February?
Related question - are there any TVs that small with a timer that are digital that can do this?
By the way, I don't have cable...perfectly happy with the over air obnoxious news waking me up in the morning.
This thing does have a one antenna just like one you'd see on an AM/FM radio that helps with reception. There's a plug for an EXT ANT (external antenna), but I've never used it.

posted by skillet to technology (9 comments total)

You'll get a simple indoor rabbit-ears antenna, and the same converter box that all your neighbors are getting or have already gotten. You'll plug the converter box output into the EXT ANT connector. Discount coupons for converters have been available for a long time now.
posted by JimN2TAW at 7:21 AM on December 21, 2008

This thing does have a one antenna just like one you'd see on an AM/FM radio that helps with reception. There's a plug for an EXT ANT (external antenna), but I've never used it.

If those are the only two connectors, you may be out of luck, I'm afraid. The converter boxes require a composite input, such as what comes out of a video game console or audio equipment.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 8:38 AM on December 21, 2008

If those are the only two connectors, you may be out of luck, I'm afraid. The converter boxes require a composite input, such as what comes out of a video game console or audio equipment.

Get a 'channel 3 wireless transmitter'. I'm pretty sure that the FCC frowns on these, but they're available on eBay and similar places. Pretty cheap.
posted by unixrat at 9:01 AM on December 21, 2008

Where's a UHF transmitter starting at $9.95.
posted by unixrat at 9:03 AM on December 21, 2008

Argh. "Here's"
posted by unixrat at 9:03 AM on December 21, 2008

You'll end up with a few boxes -

Digital Converter - RF Modulator - 75 ohm to 300 ohm matching transformer



Based on some quick searching, you may not even need the modulator - it seems like some of the digital converter boxes already have 75 ohm outputs.. Perhaps somebody out there could confirm for you though.
posted by davey_darling at 9:19 AM on December 21, 2008

I just took a peek at my digital converter and it does indeed have an output that you can plug into the external antenna input. You'd tune the TV to channel 3 just like we used to do with old VCRs. We have a Venturer converter box from Target.
posted by advicepig at 11:04 AM on December 21, 2008

If those are the only two connectors, you may be out of luck, I'm afraid. The converter boxes require a composite input, such as what comes out of a video game console or audio equipment.

It really needs to be restated that Blazecock Pileon is straight up wrong about this. Every single converter box that I have seen available for retail sale has both composite/RCA output and coax output.

Use the coax cable to run from the box to your EXT ANT input, and attach a simple antenna to the input on the converter box. Also, you do not need any special "digital" or "HDTV" antenna, the box will work exactly the same with whatever you use. You may need to make sure your antenna is UHF capable as many stations using VHF for analog transmissions use UHF for their digital broadcasts.^

There is too much misinformation about digital TV to let bad information take over AskMe. You can easily get DTV reception on any television at low cost and with a minimal amount of equipment. And you definitely do not need cable or satellite TV to ensure you are ready for the digital transition, despite what their ads would like you to believe.
posted by kyleg at 3:03 PM on December 21, 2008

Confirming what kyleg said. I just dumped comcast & put up a antenna. still fine tuning my setup & need to get a amp because of long runs but pic is better than comcast on the channels that do come in. and it is "free". get your coupons before then run out.
posted by patnok at 3:56 PM on December 21, 2008