307 days until end of Analog Broadcast

D-day is approaching rapidly. No, not that D-day, that already happened, this one is Digital Day. At the time of this article being written, there are 307 days left until analog TV broadcasts cease and the only thing left is digital over-the-air broadcasts. So you have an old 19 inch tube analog television or maybe even a Flat panel that you bought 5 years ago when they first surfaced at your local retail store that doesn’t have a ATSC tuner (That’s digital of course) and you don’t have the 700 to 3000 dollars to invest in a new HDTV, what do you do? There are a couple of options.

1. If you have cable TV or satellite your probably just fine. The cable companies will still be broadcasting their content in standard definition. They do have digital content on their systems but you wont be able to see it.

2. Buy a new TV

3. Purchase a digital to analog converter box. This is a unit that will accept the digital broadcast and down convert it to a standard definitions analog signal that your 1970’s console TV will accept.

If you fall into the group that never purchased cable or satellite TV and are still watching Opie and Aunt Bee crunk it up in Mayberry, you will need a set-top box. This is more than likely, partly, due to the fact that many people cannot afford to pay for cable or sat TV. There is help out there though. Congress created the set-top converter box coupon program to help lower income families continue to use their analog televisions after the transition deadline of February 17th 2009. The program allows households to acquire up to 2 coupons worth 40 dollars each that can be applied to the purchase of qualified converter boxes. You can then take these coupons to any participating store which include Wal-Mart, BestBuy, Circuit City, and Radio Shack to purchase a converter box. To apply for this coupon, go to www.dtv2009.gov .

Remember February 17th 2009