On February 17, 2009, all television broadcast stations are required to stop
transmitting their traditional analog signals and swicth entirely to digital television. Wow, that
sounds ominous, doesn't it? Well, don't panic. The changes will only affect people who receive
their television signals over the air - either through a set-top antenna or an outside antenna.
If you receive your television service by cable or by sattelite, your current connection or converter box will
continue to provide you with the same service that you're getting now.
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If you receive your television signal over the air, the change will affect you,
especially if your television is more than 2 or 3 years old. The key is that your television
needs to have a digital tuner built in, or you will need a digital converter box to covert the
digital signals into the analog signals older sets were designed to use. If your set is less
than 2-3 years old, it probably has a digital tuner, but you need to check the instruction manual
or the manufacturer's website to be sure. For the last few years, retailers have been required
by law to post prominent signs by televisions they display to warn consumers if they do not have
the necessary digital tuner. But several retailers have recently been fined by the FCC because
they did not post such signs. So, check the instruction manual or the label on the television
to get the model number and then visit the manufacturer's website to check the specifications
for your set. It needs to say "digital tuner" or "ATSC Tuner" to be ready
for the new digital signals. And if your set has a digital receiver built in, you're all
set and you don't need to do anything. So what do you do if your set doesn't have a digital tuner?
You need to buy a digital converter box. They cost between $50-60.00. The good news is that the
Federal Government is issuing free coupons worth $40.00 off the price of approved converter boxes, so
the ultimate price to you should only be $20.00 or so. You can get up to 2 coupons per household.
Just click on the ad to the left here. Even though this program has been developing for several years now, finding a digital converter in stores can still be difficult. Four major retailers have made a significant commitment to carrying these converter boxes: Wal-Mart, Radio Shack, Best Buy, and Circuit City. However, you may find the converter boxes are often sold out, or only one store in a region offers them. So you may have to shop or call several stores before you find one. When you receive your coupon, a list of retailers closest to you is included in the envelope. |
Installing the converter box is very simple. It's just like hooking up a VCR or
DVD player. The antenna input is connected to the input jack on the converter, and the input
connector on your television is connected to the output jack on the converter. The converter
boxes require a coaxial cable connection. If your antenna or television set uses a pair of
wires, you will need to buy an appropriate adapter. Electronics stores like Radio Shack,
Best Buy, and Circuit City carry the adapters. Once the converter box is properly
connected, it's just a matter of going through a short set-up sequence to allow the converter
box to locate all of the digital signals in your area.
You will probably find that the
quality of the picture you receive with the converter box is significantly better than what
you were used to with the old analog signal because the digital signals are less subject to
problems of interference and work well even with relatively weak signals. In addition,
television stations can now broadcast more than one signal on their digital channels, so
you will also probably find that you are getting many more channels. Most stations will
broadcast both a standard definition signal and a high definition signal. Yes, that's right.
Digital television and high definition are not the same thing. Old standard definition television
is broadcast at 480 lines of vertical resolution. High definition television is broadcast at
720 or 1080 lines of resolution. A digital converter box
will let you see the high definition channels. While high definition channels will certainly
seem sharper on all televisions, older televisions will only show them to the best of their
capabilities.
For more information about the change to digital television, including
information on getting your $40.00 off coupon, visit the
FCC website at http://www.dtv2009.gov/.
When you receive your coupon, bring it with you when you go to the store to buy your digital
converter box and you will receive a $40.00 discount at the cash register.
While we have cable
for the living room and bedroom televisions, there is no connection for our kitchen TV. Even
though I live in a large city, the over-the-air television reception is poor in our neighborhood. Only
two or three stations have an acceptable signal. But with the converter box, I was able to receive
all of the local network stations, as well as many independent stations I hadn't been able to
receive before, and all with a very sharp, clear picture. And since the box picks up both the
standard definition and the high definition channels, on many stations I have a choice of
full-screen or "letterbox" images. Beyond that, the local PBS station has three extra
digital channels - one general interest, one dedicated to children, and one that shows cooking and
creative arts programs. The local NBC affiliate has a special digital weather channel. Weather
is something of an obsession here in Minnesota. Our unique "theater of seasons" always
keeps us guessing, so I'm sure that's a popular channel. And the digital signals include program
information so that with a push of a button on the remote control, I can see the name of the
program that's on at the moment and what's coming up next.
Installation was dirt simple and required
no tools because the kitchen television has a coaxial cable connector. The digital converter box
I bought came with the extra length of cable, so I didn't need to buy anything extra. But even if your set uses
the old two-wire connection, the most you'll need is a small screwdriver.