Customer Reviews

Philco TB100HH9 Digital to Analog TV Converter Box

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(41)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(19)

 

 

For $[...] after the government rebate (I bought locally not on Amazon), this converter was a good choice for me. In setting it up, however, I got into an enthusiastic hurry and totally neglected to read the manual expecting a Converter Box to work like a DSL box...., i.e., attach the antennae and TV to the converter, plug TV and converter in and its done. NOT SO with the Digital to Analog Converter box. As per other reviewers, the manual instructions need to be followed. After attaching antennae to box to TV, I followed the instructions to scan in the digital channels but none were available, yet, as per the "no signal" message after fully scanning. Then, turning to manual pages 27 through 29, I learned how to "pass through" to analog channels, an additional few easy steps. Finally, with a bit of rabbit ear adjustment for each channel which is usual to pick-up signals in my area, I was done and the stations are coming in clearer with the converter box than with the antennae alone... NO SNOW. SNOW meant I had NOT quite gotten to the "pass through" instructions or had not taken extra time to hand adjust the antennae after "pass through" was complete... I also found (and haven't quite figured this one out) that I might need to "pass through" for an individual channel if the set-up worked for some but not all the analog channels. Follow the manual, take your time, and the Philco works fine (so far!).


Up-date: 8/28/2010 I purchased two of these converter boxes. One has worked fine. The other never worked. After setting it up, within a few minutes of turning on the TV and converter box (CB), the CB turned itself off. I resorted to using one television only and put the defective converter box away until this week when I tried it again. No luck. Still turns itself off within a few minutes. I called customer service for some help. Nice person but no real help but to tell me to find my receipt... which is likely long gone.

Picked up two of these yesterday and I'm very happy with them.

They have one great feature in particular - through the menu you can access a signal strength meter. With the meter on, you can adjust your antenna for the best reception and it tells you the strength as you make adjustments. It takes the guess work out of it!

I have a dvd player with a built in converter on one of our tvs. I temporarily plugged in one of these boxes just to find the best antenna position and now we get several more channels.

The only thing I don't like is the remote. But I plan on programming a universal remote to work the box so I never have to look at their ugly one again.

This CECB (but not CE Amazon when I ordered) was a snap to hook up (even with a VCR in the mix). One local TV station already "digital" so I was able to see if the box worked, and it did. Non-digital channels came thru just fine. Wasn't really interested in digital channels being broadcast, so I just turned the converter box off and everything operated as if it wasn't there (great). As with any new product that "comes with a remote," I had to learn to use the new remote which was no big deal. Do wish, tho, that the manufacturer had seen fit to put ventilation louvers somewhere on the box. Signed ECBU.

The basic functions (picture, etc.) work fine. However, I later bought an Insignia converter at Best Buy and then found out how deficient the features and remote of the Philco unit are. The Philco remote has some buttons that are as small as pinheads; it must be seen to be believed. Also it lacks direct button access to features such as zoom,letterbox, etc. You need to activate setup and go thru 2 more menus with those tiny buttons, unlike the Insignia which has direct access to that and many more functions. I'm sorry I did not buy 2 Insignia units, but it's hard to get this info until after you buy and operate the unit.

The fellow who rated this CECB as bad for analog pass through did NOT read the MANUAL!! You must simply turn on the analog pass through with SETUP. Most say that the picture is actually better than the original signal when pass through is turned on! But slightly less when the unit is turned off. Ergo...don't buy this box if you are a dimwit.

This converter was easy to set up, quickly adds all available digital channels and the picture quality is really a lot better than I imagined. With the set-top antenna I had to change the orientation to get more than three clear analog channels. All available over-the-air channels are now clear with digital, using the same antenna.

This box is a little slow to change channels. As far as I can tell, it's also not possible to delete one subchannel without deleting them all for a given channel, so if you have duplicates (one is the same as the next except it's only partial screen) it's not possible to just get rid of one. That said I'm overall happy with my purchase.

After not being too satisfied with this product, I went ahead and used my second coupon and got the Channel Master CM-7000. And there was no comparison. Channels unwatchable on the Philco came in fine on the Channel Master. In addition to that, the remote was better (bigger buttons, more standard layout), channel switching was faster, the antenna strength meter was easier to access, and the on screen guide was more informative.

Until I got the CM-7000, I might have given this a better review. But having seen how much better these converter boxes can be, there's just no reason to go with this model.

I installed the Philco Converter box with analog feed thru. The audio levels vary so wildly between channels, between network feeds and locals and then back to network, between program material and commercials, that something had to be done or you would wear out the volume control on your remote. Since the networks and local stations, the ad agencies and the FCC will not do anything to control these wild audio level swings, you have to buy added equipment to control it for them. Would be very nice if ALL converter boxes came with a Terk VR1 to control these wild audio swings but they do not. The picture is very good on a Standard Def. TV but something needs to be done about the wild audio swings.

The Terk VR1 controller should do it for you. Just install it between the converter box left and right audio output and your TV left and right audio inputs. Feed the digital channel from your video output on your converter box to the video input on your TV or VCR. Adjust your digital viewing to come in on the AUX or Video input. Enjoy.

This product works okay but there are much better converter boxes out there for the same price. I have also used the Zenith converter box and it has many more features and the remote control is much better than the one that comes with this one. Also, this converter box has no way to turn it on (or do anything else) without the remote control. This is only an issue if you lose the remote or if it breaks. I only bring this up because the remote control seems to be very cheaply made and I would not be surprised if it breaks.

In our home we have 2 tvs not hooked up to Directv. I bought this product and was AMAZED. The hook up was so easy... 5 minutes at the most. The reception is amazing. Before on those tv we were lucky to get 2 fuzzy channels. Now we get 16 channels crystal clear.

I was so impressed I bought another one and then bought two more for my in-laws. All 4 converters work excellent.