Digital TV Conversion
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mandated that all full-power television stations in the United States stop broadcasting in analog and switch to 100% digital broadcasting. In February, Congress passed legislation setting the date to June 12th. Digital broadcasting promises to provide a clearer picture and more programming options and will free up airwaves for use by police and fire departments and emergency rescue services. It also clears up the airwaves for cellular telephone companies and other advanced wireless services.
The first thing that you need to know is that if you have a TV connected to a cable, satellite, or other pay TV service, you have nothing to worry about, and you do not have to do anything to continue watching TV as you have been. This transition will affect only people who use antennas, such as "rabbit ears," to receive broadcast TV over the air.
Also, even if you do receive broadcast TV over the air, this transition will not affect you if your TV is relatively new and has a built-in digital receiver. If you have an older TV and receive your programs over the air, then you will need to purchase a digital-to-analog converter box and connect it to your TV. Your other options are purchasing a new TV or subscribing to a cable or satellite TV system.
If you have determined that you do need a converter box, then you can get a $40 coupon from the U.S. government to defray the cost of your box. The prices of these converter boxes range from $45 to $60, so the coupon will cover most of the cost of the box.
To learn more about the program and to apply for a coupon, visit www.dtv2009.gov. You can apply directly online or download an application, fill it out, and mail it in. You can also telephone the coupon program's 24-hour hotline at (888) DTV-2009 (388-2009) to apply for a coupon. Each household is eligible for 2 coupons, but it may take some time to get your coupon, up to a month or more. The coupons expire 90 days after they are shipped, and you have until July 31, 2009, to order them. The coupons are plastic cards that look like credit cards or gift cards, so that may help you identify them when they come in the mail.
Where Do You Purchase the Converter Boxes?
The converter boxes can be purchased online or in some retail stores. The web site www.dtv2009.gov lists the coupon-eligible converter boxes that are available online and at retail stores. The national retail stores that now have boxes for sale are Best Buy, Circuit City, Kmart, Radio Shack, Sears, Target, and Wal-Mart. If you decide to shop at a retail store, you should call ahead on the day that you plan to shop to make sure that the store has the converter box in stock.
For an evaluation of the accessibility of several digital converter boxes, read Darren Burton's AccessWorld® article "TV or Not TV: The Accessibility of Digital Television Converter Boxes."
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