Government study reviews biofuel impact on food prices

Responding to a request by Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), the Agriculture and Energy departments released a study this week on the effects of biofuels on food prices. (PDF available here.) Biofuels, and specifically the mandate in the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act to increase biofuels production, has been criticized for driving up food prices. And there have been calls to repeal the biofuels mandate. In the United States, biofuels are largely made from corn.

The report addressed the issue of how U.S. ethanol and biodiesel consumption has affected domestic agriculture and food prices by stating:

In 2007, the expansion in ethanol and biodiesel consumption is estimated to have increased the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all food by 0.10-0.15 percentage point. In other words, ethanol and biodiesel consumption accounted for approximately 3-4 percent of the overall rise in retail food prices. During the first four months of 2008, the all food CPI increased by 4.8 percent, with increased ethanol and biodiesel consumption accounting for only about 4-5 percent of the total increase while other factors accounted for 95-96 percent of the increase.

The report estimates that international food prices rose 45 percent from April 2007 to April 2008, but they would have risen only 40.6 to 42 percent if biofuels production in the United States had remained flat. The report cites higher oil prices, improving diets, and drought as primary reasons for increases in the price of food globally.

At the same time, the report concludes that ethanol, mostly blended into U.S. gasoline as an oxygenate to improve air quality, has slowed the increase in gas prices. The study goes on to state that without ethanol, the U.S. would have to use an additional 7.2 billion gallons of gasoline to travel the same overall mileage. That would have pushed gas prices 20 cents to 35 cents higher per gallon than they are now, according to the report. Biodiesel production, however, has not had any significant effect on diesel prices.

—Eric Evarts

Learn about alternative fuels in our guide to driving green.

Choosing the best GPS for Father's Day

Finding the perfect gift for Father's Day can be a real challenge, especially if you've gone through the gifting staples of golf balls, ties, tools, action movies, and beer-of-the-month club through the years. If you're stuck for a great idea, a portable GPS navigation device can show your appreciation for dear ol' Dad.

The latest devices can help on daily commutes with real-time traffic data, Bluetooth connectivity for hands-free calling, and smart points-of-interest features to locate the cheapest, nearby gas station. Dad can use the photo viewer to proudly show off the kids, and display pictures of his favorite dream machine, or even sports team in action. No doubt, he would enjoy his new navigation tool and travel companion, especially on long road trips.

Of course, choosing the right one can make or break the gift.

Fatherly GPS buying advice
In choosing a device, weigh your budget against your father's needs. There are many extra features available that may sound enticing, but in the long-run he would most appreciate an easy-to-use device—the performance attribute that is weighted most heavily throughout our testing.

Features to consider:
An important feature commonly referred to as "text to speech" translates map data by speaking street names. So, rather than simple "left" or "right" instruction, the device would say, "Turn right on Main Street."

Wide screens not only display more map area, but provide larger touch-screen buttons to ease data entry —particularly appreciated by users with large fingers.

Bluetooth-connectivity can enable hands-free cell phone operation and pair with a phone to deliver traffic and other data to capable devices. This can be a welcomed feature for a mobile business person, though it is typically available only on mid-level and premium devices.

Be wary that traffic features often require a monthly service and possibly an extra-cost receiver. So, bear in mind that this feature will cost him money to use. (The Navigon 5100 and 7100 include free traffic.)

We also caution against buying a model based on bargain pricing over our Ratings, as we have found few low-cost units to be good. That said, both Garmin and TomTom have entry-level units that have performed well in our tests and are available with a full range of features. Of particular interest, the current TomTom One series is being replaced by the new 130 and soon-to-arrive 330 lines, driving a price reduction on the One and One XL models. The new TomTom devices feature a completely redesigned body, a new integrated locking mount, and larger speaker. While the hardware has been updated, the software has the familiar TomTom interface—similar to that used on the well-rated One 3rd Edition.

Garmin will soon release new Nuvi "2x5" models that build on the strong Nuvi 200 series with the promise of swifter satellite acquisition times, shaded maps to indicate elevation, and ability to choose user-supplied pictures from the Garmin Connect Photos site to use for seeking landmarks. We have not tested these Garmin units yet, but we expect they may lead to deals on the current Nuvi 200 models.

Latest GPS Ratings
We have just updated our exhaustive GPS navigation device ratings, adding:

• Garmin Nuvi 5000
• Mio Moov 310
• Navigon 2100 max
• TomTom One 130, One 130S, Go 730T, Go 930T

These join the ratings of dozens of other GPS devices from Alpine, Cobra, Dash, Delphi, Garmin, HP, Harman Kardon, Jensen, LG, Lowrance, Magellan, Navigon, Panasonic, Pharos, Pioneer, Sony, and TomTom.

In the weeks ahead, we plan to purchase and evaluate devices from Garmin, Magellan, TomTom, and Uniden.

If you do buy a unit for Father's Day, take the time to set it up with your dad's home address, favorite points of interest, and family photos—if capable. After all, he likely assembled many toys for you through the years.

—Jeff Bartlett

For more information on portable GPS navigation systems, see our Ratings and buying advice and watch our video guide. Discuss GPS devices in the forums.

Also read "A car guy's Father's Day, parts 1 and 2."

DTV converters: Best performers from our tests

We tested 14 of the first digital converter boxes on the market, and the preliminary results are in: The models we tested—all of which are approved for use with the government's $40 coupon and thus have a basic set of features in common—didn't differ significantly in performance.

And, pricier models aren't necessarily better than those that cost less.

We're working hard to gather all the data from our hands-on reviews and present the information in a comprehensive report on ConsumerReports.org soon. Coupled with our expert advice—as found in our "Digital TV Transition" section—along with the questions and comments here on our Electronics Blog and DTV discussion forums, we hope to assist consumers through the analog-to-digital switchover.

But for those who face a looming DTV coupon expiration date or are looking for a Father's Day gift, here are some DTV converter box recommendations and guidelines that should help right now.

Focus on features

Every one of these set-top DTV boxes converted broadcast digital signals pulled in by our rooftop antenna (a standard residential model) into analog signals an older TV can accept. They can receive both high-definition and standard-definition digital broadcasts but will down-convert programs transmitted in HD (such as prime-time network fare) to a resolution a standard-def TV can display. When supplied with a strong signal, all produced acceptable picture quality—although some were better than others—plus good sound, and they were capable of detecting a similar number of digital channels. (Note that your location and other variables will determine how many channels you can get with any of these boxes. You can check reception in your area at AntennaWeb.org, a site co-sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association and the National Association of Broadcasters.)

While you can't go too far wrong with any of the models we tested, there are several we would consider first, based on a combination of picture quality, features, and pricing.

Some add optional features that increase convenience. For example, the electronic program guides on some have only minimal information while others give you fuller descriptions for more channels and cover a longer period of time. The ability to change the appearance of closed captions to make them more or less visible is another handy feature.

We also like boxes with a universal remote that can control your TV as well as the box; button controls on the box you can use if you misplace the remote; and an easy way to add individual digital channels that weren't detected when you scanned for all channels.

Some suggestions

That said, here are the models that stand out. (Prices shown are what we paid. Several models appeared to be "twins" made by the same manufacturer, with differences noted.)

• Tivax STB-T9 $50, available from Solidsignal.com and FreeDTVShop.com


• Microgem MG2000 $65, available from Solidsignal.com and FreeDTVShop.com


• Insignia NS-DXA1 $60 (See image above left), available from Best Buy and FreeDTVShop.com


• Zenith DTT900 $60, available from Circuit City, Radio Shack, and hhgregg


• Philco TB100HH9 $47 (See image above right), available from DSI Systems and SummitSource.com

Read on to see what made these models standouts and for a list of the other models tested.

About the stand-out models we tested

Tivax STB-T9 $50, available from Solidsignal.com and FreeDTVShop.com.

This box was among the best for picture quality, with images that come close to those of a DVD. It had a minor flaw that only the fussiest might notice: If you're watching a down-converted HD program letter-boxed to fit your squarish screen, images are stretched vertically to a slight extent. It has an informative program guide, a few nice convenience features, and comes with A/V cables (composite-video and stereo audio) in addition to the usual RF cables.

Microgem MG2000 $65, available from Solidsignal.com and FreeDTVShop.com.

The Microgem is one of the smallest units we've seen. It too was among the best for picture quality and has the same issue as downconverted HD images. Its program guide lists the program title and run time for several hours' worth of programming for the currently tuned channel but does not provide show descriptions. It has an informative program guide and a few nice convenience features

Insignia NS-DXA1 $60, available from Best Buy and FreeDTVShop.com.

Zenith DTT900 $60 (See image at left), available from Circuit City, Radio Shack, hhgregg.

The Insignia (Best Buy's store brand) and Zenith were very similar both functionally and stylistically. Picture quality was a small step below that of the top boxes but still impressive, better than most analog broadcasts. The program guides presents a limited amount of information. Both boxes are loaded with convenience features and come with A/V cables (composite-video and stereo audio) in addition to the usual RF cables.

Philco TB100HH9 $47, available from DSI Systems, SummitSource.com

The Philco stands out as the lowest-priced of the models we tested and the only one to offer analog pass-through. This allows broadcast analog signals to be passed through from the antenna to the box to the TV, along with converted digital signals. Picture quality was a small step below that of the top boxes but still impressive, better than most analog broadcasts. Although the stereo left/right audio output provides good audio, the RF outputs audio volume is quite low, which results in a noticeable hiss when you raise the TV’s volume to compensate. The program guide presents a limited amount of information. It has fewer features than the other boxes recommended.

Other DTV converter boxes

Here are the other boxes we tested, in alphabetical order. They might be worth considering, especially if the features and price suit you. We will be testing more boxes as they become available and posting results soon after on ConsumerReports.org.

Artec T3A Pro, $55. Picture quality was a small step below the best. A decent choice, though it lacks a few useful features of recommended boxes.

Digital Stream DSP7500T, $70. Picture quality was generally comparable to that of a good analog broadcast, but with noticeable flaws. Has many useful features, including a good program guide.

Digital Stream DTX9900, $60. Picture quality was generally comparable to that of a good analog broadcast despite minor flaws. Has many useful features, including a good program guide.

GE 22729, $80. Picture quality was generally comparable to that of a good analog broadcast despite minor flaws. Has many useful features, including the best program guide.

GE 22730, $70. Picture quality was generally comparable to that of a good analog broadcast despite minor flaws. Has many useful features, including the best program guide.

Lasonic LTA-260, $55. This was among the best for picture quality. Has a very basic program guide that gives minimal information and lacks many useful features. Functionally and stylistically similar to the Sansonic.

Magnavox TB100MW9, $50 (See image at right). Picture quality was a small step below the best. Functionally and stylistically similar to the Philco but lacking the analog pass through feature. A decent choice, though it lacks a few useful features offered by some recommended boxes.

RCA DTA800B, $65. Picture quality was a small step below the best. Lacks some useful features.

Sansonic FT300A, $60. This was among the best for picture. Has a very basic program guide that gives minimal information and lacks many useful features. Functionally and stylistically similar to the Lasonic.

—Eileen McCooey