Review on Enhanced Ematic Digital TV Converter Box with Recording, Playback, Parental Controls [Model AT103B] by Chris Chincuanco

This is the second digital recording converter I have tried. It's very similar to the first one, but this one works better. I recently decided to cut cable and canceled my cable TV subscription. My TV is around 1996 which means as per government regulation I haven't had any channels without a converter for a long time. So I had an old RCA digital converter that I bought back when the law went into effect. It worked great, the channels seemed clear, the guide was easy to use, and the on-screen listings were easy to see. He didn't record, however, and VCRs were a thing of the past. So the search for something to record began and I found these things. When you use the EPG, it actually shows you the programs for the next few hours. But when I'm sitting on my couch, which isn't that far away, I have to get up and get closer if I really want to read the programs listed. It doesn't seem to handle the signal as well as the old RCA, but seems to do better next time I turn it off when I'm done watching TV when I don't want to record anything. It's easy to scroll through the on-screen program guide. It's easy to search for available channels. If you move the antenna, you can get more channels. The remote control is pretty easy to use and works well. He records the show well and I like to fast forward the commercials like I would a recorded cable show. I've had it for maybe a month so can't comment on its longevity. Biggest complaint, the size of the program guide on the screen. Troubleshooting Tips: I wanted to record with it, so I bought a 128GB USB stick. I formatted it into many different formats on my computer, every time I pressed the USB button or opened it from the menu, it wasn't found no matter what format I used. I tried with a 64GB flash drive, no luck no matter the format. I also noticed that the remote control was unbearably slow and almost unresponsive at times when I connected the USB port. So obviously I couldn't record the damn thing. All of these problems can be solved for about $25 if you need an indoor antenna booster. If not then you can solve for 10 dollars. By adding a 4-port USB hub, I solved the remote control lag problem when connecting USB. With a hub connected to the front panel and a USB hub connected to the hub, the remote control works fine and the converter can find the 128GB flash drive. I have no idea why that matters. But people using an external HD didn't seem to have a problem, and the only difference I could think of was that the HD doesn't plug directly in like a USB stick does. A USB hub solves this problem. It doesn't have to be a four port port, but it was an experiment and I figured if I wasn't going to use it for that, I'd use it for the computer. records great. To find the show, accessing the USB drive will reveal two folders, one containing system information. Ignore this and click the other one, it will open and list the shows you have recorded. If you've watched a show and want to delete it, highlight it, press the EPG button and then the big OK button on your remote control. Twice. And automatically it disappeared. Room amplifier helped with reception, still not as good as the old cinch box, but quite acceptable and record-breaking. It's a beautiful box and once I figure out how to fix some of the issues I really enjoy it. I hope this helps and saves others the frustration I was having.