Verizon Visit -- Trouble with Insignia Digital to Analog Converter?

[Salud1]

We have the Verizon Triple Play, which should give us Local TV channels.  We recently downgraded our services from Premium Channels to local channels and had to return the Verizon premium converter box, so that we wouldn't have to pay rental fees.

In its place, we purchased from Best Buy the Insignia Digital to Analog converter box.  This box is advertised as being able to convert a coaxial cable signal.  This box is the current state of the art -- it is the only one that Best Buy currently sells.

We successfully installed the converter box to our TV, and also attached a coaxial cable from the Verizon signal splitter (part of the splitter going to the Internet router) to our "RF In" plug on the converter box.  

The converter box scans for TV channels per its signal to the TV, but does not find any channels at all.

My wife was visited by the Verizon technician today, and she was told that the TV was too old (!) and that we need to rent at $4 a month the Verizon digital to analog converter box.  The whole reason we downgraded our plan was to save money so we wouldn't have to rent equipment from Verizon.  

"The TV is too old" is a horrible explanation -- the problem is not with the TV, the problem is that the converter box doesn't get any channels from the Verizon coaxial cable.  If there's any problem at all, it is with the converter box, not with the TV. The converter box is sending a signal to the TV, and the signal is telling us that the converter box can't find a channel.  

Does anyone have a believable explanation for the problem that I'm having, and why it can only be solved by renting a Verizon digital to analog converter box at $4 a month?   The explanation from the Verizon tech is not at all believable.

Thank you for any help and assistance you can offer!

[CRobGauth · Accepted solution]

Check the specs on your converter.

Make sure it says that it has a QAM tuner.

A quick browse on BB showed an Insignia box that was for broadcast TV (an ATSC Tuner).

[Salud1]

Thank you!  

This answer makes total sense and is indeed my problem.  It's too bad the Verizon tech didn't know the answer.

[Telcoguru]

If your TV has a built in QAM tuner you do not need any STB or converter.

[Salud1]

So I purchased a ZVSync QAM tuner from Amazon, and tried to install it.

It successfully found channels but was unable to attach them to channel numbers -- so, for example, I'd put in channel 65 and it would say that I had channel 65-20132.  Hit channel up button and it would give me a different channel at 65-20133. And, everytime I'd put in a channel, it would take a while to search for it.  This device didn't work at all like I expected, and so I find I'm compelled to return the device and rent a Verizon device for $2 a month.

Is there a device out there that I can buy (so I don't have to rent) that actually works with Verizon FIOS?

Thank, you!   At least I feel that I have access to good knowledgable advice from this forum! 

[CRobGauth]

Try contacting the deice manfcaturer support.

I know my samsung TVs do the mapping fine.

Not sure what $2 device you think you can get from Verizon that will show local channels in HD for you.

[BigJimBig]

I read in the internet that if you had another cable service before switching to Verizon, and that service allowed you to hook up analog tvs too, such as in a guest room, Verizon is required by the FCC or some such orgainization to priovide with the OAM box for free, or for shipping and handling, $6.95...

[CRobGauth]

DOn't think that is true.

Verizon did provide up to 2 free digital adapters for those that had service with them prior to their migration to all digital.

They do have the local channels unencrypted.

So if you have a TV that has a qam tuner (most newer TVs do) or a digital tuner that does, you can get locals.