The conversion from analog to digital, has caused confusion and frustration for many. Fortunately, regardless of the type of TV you currently have in your RV, you do not have to purchase a newer one in order to get reception.  

If you have a thinner model that was purchased in 2007 or later, or receive a signal from satellite or cable, your viewing experience was probably not interrupted by the switch. If, however, your older model TV has a large “box” on the back of it then it is analog, which means it will need a converter box in order to receive the now digital signal.   

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Ken Taylor, an RV tech support specialist at Lazydays, advises doing a little research before buying a converter box. “First, determine the amount of space you have for it and identify the type of power available in that area,” he suggests. The box is controlled by an infrared remote so the front of it must be in plain view.  

“If the nearest power source is a cigarette lighter, a converter box that runs off 12-volts will be adequate and easy to install,” Taylor explains. “If there isn’t a 12-volt power source nearby, you’ll have to buy one that uses 110 and run it to the nearest outlet.”

Conversion boxes are available at many retail stores like Wal-mart, Target, and Best Buy as well as online. He also recommends comparison shopping for both price and features. “Some of them include a channel guide and other bells and whistles, so it’s really of matter of deciding which best suits your needs.”  

Installing the box is easy if your RV has a cabinet with a switch box. Otherwise it may be a bit more complicated and require a call to an RV dealer or manufacturer for clarification. Once the box is hooked up to your analog TV, it will convert the digital signal back to analog so your TV receives the picture and sound. For higher quality images, Taylor suggests hooking up the box with RCA & S-Video cables instead of the standard cable connectors.

For more information on the conversion process, including side-by-side comparisons of various boxes, visit ezdigitaltv.com.