-- According to a Consumers Union survey, some people think they need to buy new equipment when they don't, and others say they don't plan on taking any steps to deal with the change when they should. If consumers are confused about the digtal TV transition, it may cost them a lot of money for equipment they may not want or need.-- Starting February 18, 2009, full power TV stations in the U.S. will turn off their old-technology analog signals and broadcast only in a digital format, potentially leaving millions of TVs displaying nothing but snow.
-- Most consumers--anyone whose TV is hooked up to a cable or satellite service or owns a digital set now--will not be affected. But anyone who owns an older TV that gets its signal via antenna will need a converter box, which the government will help pay for through a coupon program.
-- As of December 2007, the Nielsen Co. reported that 13.5 million TV households, or about 12%, rely on over-the-air television broadcasts for programming.
-- What do you need to do?
-- If you're one of the 82% who get your TV programming from a cable satellite company or already own a digital TV, then you don't need to do anything. If, however, you are in the 12% minority, read on.
-- If you receive over-the-air broadcasts, you have three choices:
*Purchase a new TV with digital tuner
*Subscribe to a cable or satellite service
*Purchase a digital converter box-- How do I know if I have an analog or digital TV?
-- If your TV has a digital tuner, then it will work after February 17, 2009. The best way to determine this is to consult your owner's manual. If that is not possible, you may be able to look up the information on the manufacturer's website. Or, look at your TV set to see if it has an input connection labeled "digital input" or "ATSC" (for Advanced Television Systems Committee, which is the digital TV format).
--What is the TV Converter Box Coupon Program?
-- Congress created the TV Converter Box Coupon Program for households wishing to keep their analog TV sets after February 17, 2009.
-- Each U.S. houshold is elegible for two coupons, regardless of whether they have pay-television service or not. The coupon can be applied toward the cost of eligible converter boxes. To request a coupon, consumers can apply online at www.dtv2009.gov or call the 24-hour hotline at 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009). -- ["Ask Joe" The Computer Guy; Visit www.EricksonTribune.com for more "Ask Joe" columns.]
