The DTVPal DVR is the final version of the TR-50 converter box that DISH Network announced last year but never released.

Like the DTVPal and the DTVPal Plus, the DTVPal DVR has a seven day electronic program guide. The DTVPal DVR also offers:

• two digital tuners (so you can watch one program while recording another)
• the ability to record up to 30 hours of HD video or up to 150 hours of standard definition video

Unlike Tivo and most other DVRs, the DTVPal Plus has no subscription fees of any kind.

The DTVPal DVR costs $299, but there will be a $50 instant rebate. Because of the extra features, it will not be eligible for digital converter box coupons.

Although much pricier than other digital converter boxes, the DTVPal DVR does offer a whole new set of features. I suspect that it will interest a lot of people who need a converter box but who wouldn’t normally be in the market for a DVR.

The DTVPal DVR will be available for pre-order starting on November 19, 2008, probably at the DTVPal website.

Now DISH Network has released the DTVPal Plus, which costs $20 more than the DTVPal. This time, the DTVPal Plus seems to be a different unit from the DTVPal and the TR-40 CRA. The main advantage of the DTVPal Plus seems to be an improved tuner for weak digital signals.

I think it is safe to say that the DISH Network’s strategy for converter box releases could be described as haphazard at best. If you’re interested in the DTVPal Plus, you can order it at the official DTVPal site.

Simple Antennas

These two UHF antenna projects are fairly simple and suited for stronger signals and suburban reception:

• Make Your Own Antenna for Free (and legal) HDTV
• How to build a UHF HDTV Antenna….CHEAP!

More Powerful Antenna

If you’re looking for an antenna a bit more advanced and better suited for weaker signals, check out the Gray-Hoverman antenna:

• The Gray-Hoverman Antenna for UHF Television Reception

Construction Forums

For some detailed discussions and tips about antenna construction, check out these forums:

• OTA Build-It-Yourself Antennas & Gear
• Lumenlab DIY HDTV Antenna Forum

The Lumenlab forum does require registration to view. Both forums contain good information and posts by some knowledgeable people.

Rolling Your Own

What if you catch the antenna bug and want to create your own designs? That requires quite a bit more time and knowledge, but it can be done. You’ll find some discussion of antenna design on the Lumenlab forum. One tool you will need is some kind of antenna modeling software to test your designs. Here is one of the best free programs:

• 4nec2 Antenna Modeler and Optimizer

But SkyReport noticed, judging from a FCC filing, that DISH Network did have a DTVPal distribution deal with Sears. On July 17, Sears made an official announcement confirming the deal. Presumably we should start to see the DTVPal in their stores in the coming months, or possibly coming weeks. According to these posts on the Satelliteguys forum, some Sears stores are already offering them for sale. There is still no word about Radio Shack, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they have a similar deal.

Although some have suggested that the DTVPal has already become one of the best selling converter boxes nationally, I find that claim hard to believe. Several other converter boxes (including the Insignia NS-DXA1 which I bought) have long been sold through national chains. Those boxes, with national distribution, must be selling far better than the DTVPal, with its limited distribution. This deal with Sears might help DISH Network to correct some of that imbalance.

I told the associate in that section what I was after, and asked him if they had any aluminum wire or rods. He acted as puzzled as if I had asked him if they carried gold bars. The only aluminum material he could think of was electric fence wire (which turned out to be galvanized steel) and rods used for arc welding. Neither seemed like a good choice.

I’m left confused by the lack of aluminum material. Is there an aluminum shortage I’m not aware of, or was this Home Depot just a bit lacking in aluminum?

He raises the point that nobody else seems to address, that many people will lose television stations after the switchover. Despite statements to the contrary, just putting up a new antenna won’t always solve the problem. VHF and UHF signals propagate differently, and there is no antenna available that can paper over those differences.

That isn’t to say that many people won’t gain channels with digital television. Many will, but it bothers me that the people least likely to have other options are the very people most likely to be cut out by digital television.

• a guide with up to seven days of program listings
• event timers that can change channels
• analog pass-through

Note that price is no longer one of its advantages. You can order the DTVPal at the official DTVPal site for $59.99 plus $8.95 for shipping and handling. That is a far cry from the price of $39.99 originally promised for the Echostar TR-40, thought to be the original name for the DTVPal. But DISH Network now says that the DTVPal is a separate product from the TR-40 and that they are still planning to release the TR-40 later this year.

There were rumors that the retailers Radio Shack and Sears would also be selling the DTVPal, but there is no mention of the DTVPal on either of their websites. The DISH Network press release makes no mention of retailers. When I asked him, the manager of a local Radio Shack store said that he had no idea if they were going to be carrying the DTVPal. But he also said it was possible that he wouldn’t know until the store received a shipment. So you might want to take a look at your local stores anyway to see what is available.

The finished DTVPal seems to have a different design than earlier versions and looks quite a bit smaller. Not surprisingly, the remote control looks the same as the ones used by DISH Network satellite receivers. The DTVPal looks promising; both the screenshots and the unit seem quite polished.

I expect we will see more first looks at the DTVPal soon. A number of questions remain unanswered: will DISH Network manage to release the DTVPal by late June? Will the price remain at $39.99 (effectively free with converter box coupon), or has been increased to $59.99? Which retailers will be selling the DTVPal? Even with an early release, I suspect that it will be available only after most of the earlier converter box coupons (including ours) have expired.

Photo courtesy of Joe Roberts
(used with permission)

The Channel Master 4251 is generally regarded as the most powerful consumer UHF television antenna ever produced. The 4251 has acquired somewhat of a legendary status because production stopped sometime around the year 2000, and no comparable consumer antenna is sold today. It was a 7-foot parabolic dish, similar in design to a satellite dish, but designed for a different set of frequencies. The sheer size of the 4251 meant a large signal capture area, and the parabolic shape meant that it could focus and amplify signals better than any other television antenna available. Unfortunately, that sheer size also meant a large area to catch the wind. A 4251 required careful anchoring to prevent damage during high winds.

Now that that the digital television conversion has created renewed demand for television antennas, I’m a little surprised that no company has developed a consumer parabolic UHF antenna. The awkwardness and size of the 4251 made them uncommon, but there used to be two of them installed in our area. The huge parabolic dish and the solid bowties made them quite noticeable, not to mention the many guy wires anchoring them to the roof. Neither one of them is still installed, presumably superceded by the DISH Network and DirectTV dishes now there.

I was reminded of the Channel Master 4251 when I encountered Joe Robert’s excellent Channel Master 4251 Tribute Page. I never had a chance to see a 4251 up close, so I was intrigued by his pictures, the background information, and his story of buying his 4251. If you have any interest in classic antennas, then his page is well worth a look.

The DISH Network has set up a new website for the DTVPal, their heavily anticipated digital television converter box. Formerly known as the Echostar TR-40, the DTVPal has been eagerly awaited ever since it was announced. Despite a price of only $39.99 (effectively free with converter box coupon), the DTVPal has some of the best features of any converter box, including:

• a program guide with up to seven days of listings
• event timers that can change channels
• analog pass-through

There is nothing on the DISH Network website listing retailers, so they may be planning to sell the DTVPal directly. There had been rumors of availability in mid-June, but now there is a (nearly) firm date on the website:

DISH Network will begin selling DTVPal in late June 2008

But I wouldn’t be surprised if that date is pushed back further. Unfortunately, this is past the expiration dates for the early batches of converter box coupons, so maybe applying early wasn’t a good idea after all.

There isn’t much on the website that wasn’t already known, but now we have confirmation for most of the rumored details. If you have enough time before your converter box coupons expire, then you might want to wait and take a look at the DTVPal.