For my test, I hooked each antenna to each TV twice - once using the set's traditional analog tuner and once using the converter's digital tuner. In each case I recorded the stations I could receive and the quality of each (with the best possible antenna adjustment).
One immediate issue: With an analog tuner, it's possible to get a snowy but perfectly viewable picture. In the world of digital broadcasting, there are two kinds of signals - excellent and none at all. So like most changes, this one has mixed consequences.
My "better" TV, a 24-inch Sanyo model that we bought three years ago, received 11 analog stations, which seemed reasonable: channels, 2, 11, 13, 22, 24, 45, 54 and 67 in Baltimore, and channels 7, 20 and 26 from Washington. The Washington stations were a bit snowy, but watchable, as was MPT's Channel 67.
My second TV, a 13-inch model with a Fisher label, was the cheapest model I could find eight years ago when I went shopping for a little office set. Surprise - with the same antenna, it pulled in 20 stations, including some that I couldn't remember seeing before. In addition to the same channels as its big brother, the Fisher displayed channels 4, 5, 9, 32 and 56 from Washington, along with a couple of Pennsylvania outlets and an MPT repeater broadcast. Once again, the out-of-town stations weren't perfect, but definitely intelligible.
With the digital converter doing the tuning, there was little difference between the two sets. Using the big TV as my standard of comparison, the digital box score was mixed. I lost channel 20 in Washington and channel 22 (MPT's Crownsville transmitter). But I picked up Washington channels 4 and 9. Using my little office set for the competition, the digital transition would be a disaster if I was into watching fringe stations.
The most disturbing news: If other viewers lose channel 22 altogether, and channel 67 breaks up or disappears as often as it did on my sets, Maryland Public Television may be in for hard times unless viewers are willing to buy a better antenna or switch to cable.
From a quality standpoint, in almost every instance, the converter produced a sharper picture than the set's analog tuner - an advantage of digital technology. Whether this compensates for losing some stations depends on your viewing habits.
