Customer Reviews

RCA DTA-800B1 Digital To Analog Pass-through TV Converter Box

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

I really like mine. It was easy to set-up and I like the fact that I can still get an analog signal on my TV when I turn the converter off. Found out that I was able to get three additional channels on digital that I couldn't get on analog TV. Also, one can control ones TV with the same remote as the converter.

It's almost really good, the only problem it has is if using more than a few hours straight, it will get hot and overheat, so the power will shut off by itself, you gotta turn on power again to watch. Other than that, everything is good, it's really clear HD picture quality, better than my Direct TV channels. The best converter box is Zenith for $59.99, you gotta pay $20 after the government coupon discount.

This is a good choice for a converter box, the remote has nice channel switch, vol control buttons and works good as a basic universal remote. The unit itself is tiny and light with a small green/orange power/standby light indicator and two channel buttons. I was impressed when this unit hooked up to a traditional antenna outdoors pulled in a HD channel that my other newer LCD TV did not. There are alot of options to for changing captions and more but it lacks a button that switches between FULLFRAME and WS presentation for those of us with old 4x3 screens. Best of all this unit will not overheat in the shown vertical position as it vents properly. I watched for hours with lots of channel changing and it warmed only slightly. The analog pass through is good for some old channels, but is really only useful for 3 more months or so as of this writing. I am glad this is the converter box I went with as it has exhibited zero flaws and does all it promises.

I purchased this item a few weeks ago based on the reviews (both on Amazon and on a few well-known independent websites that post electronic product reviews). What a disappointment it turned out to be in our case! The unit is very cheaply made, includes only the coaxial antenna wire (no A/V cables) and worst of all, it loses the antenna signal constantly, even if you just walk past our TV unit or even open our fridge door! On some channels, we can't get through a show without the box getting stuck "converting" several times. We encounter no such problem when we connect the same TV in the same location to the other box we got (a Zenith unit sold at Circuit City). I saved $10 (plus a trip to the Circuit City store) by purchasing this RCA box (vs. getting a second Zenith unit), but found the purchase to be absolutely not worth the savings. Returning the item is also not an option because I used a government coupon. So don't waste your coupon on this unless you're sure it'll work for you! I highly recommend the Zenith converter box- very nicely made unit, great signal and voice quality, much more consistent signal than the RCA in our case- and the Zenith box comes with the antenna wire as well as a set of A/V cables.

I purchased this converter for my 86 yr old father who is in a rural small town. He has been getting only CBS, ABC, NBC and two PBS stations with a telescoping Radio Shack indoor antenna. The pictures are terrible, snowy and scratchy. I researched the available converter boxes and was looking for a device that had a Remote Control which was simplified and basic. The DTA-800B1 information delivered those features. After installing the DTA-800B1 I performed a channel search and we came up with 15 available freq. with one being redundant. The remote control,after experimenting with assorted Toshiba TV codes, will now power off/on the TV and the converter box, and adjust the volume and select channels. We kept the same antenna in place. This is all we want it to do and that works great.

My Digital Stream DTX9950 failed. (It was three years old.) I had purchased a KCPI model DT504 from Best Buy Co. but I did not like it for two reasons: 1) It did not have universal remote, 2) There was a noticable delay when changing channels.
When I found the RCA DTA-800B1 I though it would fit the bill. But when I got it hooked up, it disappointed me to a point where I could not believe how bad the reception was! I'll explain my situation: 1) I am about 50 miles from the TV station transmitters, 2) I have an outdoor "outer limits" TV antenna that receives all frequencies mounted on the roof of my house about 25 to 30 feet above the ground, 3) I have an inline signal amplifier.
In a side-by-side test, the KCPI unit received signals very well, but the RCA unit could only receive the audio portion of the signal, NO or very little (not viewable) video came through.
I ended my trials by going down to the local Radio Shack and purchasing another Digital Stream DTX9950, which I am very happy with. I did not know how good I had it with the DTX9950 until I tried a couple other models/brands. Based upon my experience, if your situation is similar to mine, I would recommend the Digital Stream DTX9950.
I would also like to mention that the vendor for the RCA unit was very helpful and I was very satisfied with the customer service concerning requested my refund. That vendor is Truckee Books. Thanks Lou!

This is a good digital converter for the money. Although the first one we received didn't work, Amazon took care of it right away and sent us another. You still need an antennae, and its kind of delicate; a passing truck or door slam can interrupt the signal. But we get more channels than before and the picture (when the signal is strong) is great.

Not all DTV converter boxes are created equal. I bought another brand ealier, and hated it. This is the best out there. The remote is great - it controls the TV and the box, and it changes channels very fast. Highly recommended!

I'm pretty impressed by this little machine. It was very easy and quick to set up. The menus are very simple and the remote is pretty basic - just what I was looking for. Just connect the antenna and the TV and it's good to go. The reception is absolutely FANTASTIC! I live in suburban Boston, so your mileage may vary, but I get a lot more stations that I used to (from something like 5 to 22 now) and the picture is very sharp even on my old tube TV. I haven't had to mess with the antenna since I hooked it up. I'm not really a big TV watcher, but I think I might start watching it more since I don't have to wrestle with the rabbit ears to get a decent picture. If you are one of the few holdouts who doesn't have cable or satellite TV (like myself), this is highly recommended.

Over $40 is a lot to pay for a pass thru device but if you have an older analog TV that you don't want to give up, this is the best way to get over the air digital signal to it. This is absolutely easy to set up and the remote sets it apart as best in class. I really appreciate that you can save or skip channels. My fancy big HDTV doesn't offer this. The only feature missing is the ability to flip back to your last channel with one button. Worth the money even now that the government isn't subsidizing it.