ACCESS DIG-ANALOG CNVRTR BOX - 1080D

I got this convertor box with the government coupon. After installing, I noticed a constant humming noise (not bad if TV was loud enough) and faint diagonal strobing. I thought: Well, so much for the "wonderful new digital TV signal." One evening in early August, just 3½ months after installing, I turned the TV on, and had no digital picture. I checked to make sure that nothing on the box had been turned off or unplugged and that there were no loose connections between it and the TV, or antenna. Everything was fine. The box, usually quite warm to the touch, was colder than an icecube! I unhooked everything, and plugged the box into a different outlet: Nothing... dead. I had bought a Phillip's convertor box to hook up to my VCR so I could watch one channel/record another. I hadn't hooked it up yet, so unpacked it and hooked it up to the TV. Guess what?- NO humming noise, NO diagonal strobing..... PERFECT picture. The Access HD boxes were, I believe, created to fill an underestimated demand. People ordered them when there was little else available and got ripped off, in my opinion. Some might say that folks shouldn't complain if they got them with a coupon, but- the changeover was NOT supposed to incur fees/charges to the consumer. Now, I have to purchase a new box for my VCR at full cost to me. I think Amazon should feel embarrassed to be associated with the Access HD products!

In addition to terrible quality You cannot get warranty service. On their internet site you get warranty policy but are refered to a telephone number for service. You call the number and get refered back to their web site. You can not speak to a person. After going through their automated answering menu at considerable length, I was finally greeted with "good bye" and a disconnect.

I have purchased 5 different converters. (2 from "GEM" are already out of order after less than a month. 1 in my daughter's room is working fine.) 2 of them are HD access. It takes about 20 seconds for it to turn on. The cable provided with both converters have broken and we had to buy our own. There is NO warranty on any of these boxes if they were purchase with the government coupons. And I'm not too sure about the policy if paying for it fully. I have been told there are none either way. After 2 days of use and buying new antennas as well, I still can't watch a whole show without interruption of signal, and usually at crucial punchlines. The machine stays hot, and the cable connections heat up too. The volume doesn't work, but the mute does. I had to reset it several times before it would go out of mute. In my opinion this whole digital conversion is a scam and will eventually make it so all citizens have to PAY for any television service, including local news. We are doomed to cave to the cable man!..

The product can't remember the channels even when you leave it on standby! I always have to reprogram this thing and it takes 10 MINUTES! The two 5-star reviews are bogus too, look at their total reviews, they're all on 4 different Access converter boxes, all posted on the same day by two different reviewers, All 5 stars, and all bogus! Yeah, each reviewer bought and uses 4 different boxes. HA! And go to their website, [...], and you'll see a pathetic, one-page site with no working buttons, only an ad for, wait for it, AMAZON!

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I am happy with this converter box, the picture and sound quality are great and after a few hours of tv the case is still nice and cool. Great Unit.