sldvd

Hope this is the right forum for this. My dad has one of those $40 coupons for a TV converter box, but he doesn't know which one to get. Any recommendations on a good one?

Spiky

Zenith. At Kmart.

Garyrc

The Zenith (Circuit City, Radio Shack) and the identical Insignia at Best Buy are often recommended for their feature set. However, if you also want a box for the VCR, the Zinwell ZAT-970A has a unique feature: you can program it to change stations at a specific time for up to 8 events. I found it in the Midwest at Meijer, but am not sure how available this unit is nationwide. The picture quality is quite good. But the remote is not universal unlike some boxes. Other units have extensive online TV guides and that may be a useful feature to look for. This one (and the Zenith/Insigina) just list the current program and the next program.

If you get a box for the TV and a box for the VCR, remember to make sure they do not use the same remote codes, as the Zenith/Insignia would since they are basically the same. That would cause both units to change channels at the same time.

The Consumer Reports website has an extremely detailed guide for all the current boxes; it was very useful to read over and access to the article is available without subscription.

Spiky

My understanding is the Insignia is not identical to the Zenith and has many quality control issues. Another place to get reviews and advice is here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=186