Are You Ready For the Digital TV Transition on Feb 17, 2009?
Monday, September 1st, 2008
On February 17, 2009 the era of analog broadcast television in the United States will end as the nation’s full power* television stations complete their transition to an all-digital system. While this change will mark the end of the traditional analog method of broadcasting over-the-air television, it won’t signal the end of free broadcast television, and your favorite broadcast programs and local television stations will still be available.If you currently receive analog television over the air or via an antenna, you’ll need to take action to continue watching your favorite stations. TVs accessing “pay” television service such as cable or satellite aren’t likely to be affected by the switch.
What, why & how? Information and resources are available at http://www.dtvtransition.org/ to help ensure that you’re prepared for the digital TV transition and that you’ll continue to receive free broadcast television in the digital age.
What You Need To Know – TV sets that currently receive programming through cable or satellite are not likely to be affected by the transition to digital. However, TV sets that rely on “over the air” broadcasting with an antenna (set-top or rooftop) to receive a signal will be affected by the cutoff of analog broadcasts in 2009. You will need to consider one of the following options:
Purchase a digital-to-analog converter box that plugs into an existing television. The boxes, which are expected to cost between $40 – 70 will be available for purchase in 2008. Beginning in February 2008, U.S. households can request up to two coupons valued at $40 each. Each coupon can go toward the purchase of a single set-top converter box that will allow you to continue watching FREE “over-the-air” television on an analog set.
Subscribe to a cable, satellite or telecommunications service provider if all desired local broadcast stations are carried by that service.
Purchase a new television set with a built in digital tuner.
Any of these steps will ensure that “over-the-air” television consumers will continue to receive programming.
The DTV transition from analog to digital television shouldn’t affect cable subscribers at all. But that’s not stopping cable companies from using the increasingly well-publicized and misunderstood transition to encourage potential customers to cough up more money. For more info, go to http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10005884-1.html?tag=bl
