Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Technological Heads Up -- DTV Deadline: 2/7/2009



All-digital treehouse?
Photo by PGP Design
Federal law requires that all full-power television broadcast stations switch to an all digital format beginning February 7, 2009. So on February 8 the old analog frequencies will no longer be used to transmit any TV shows, but instead will be used for public safety broadcasts, and also some of the freed-up frequencies can then be applied to anticipated new commercial wireless services.

Most TV sets purchased before May 25, 2007, were not required to include digital tuners (or warn you of the absence), so unless you bought your TV within the last year and a half chances are you will want to get a digital-to-analog set-top converter box. Just in case the cable goes out ...

If you have a commercial cable or satellite TV service, its converter box does bypass the immediate need. But you never know. So between January 1, 2008, and March 31, 2009, all U.S. households may request up to two coupons, worth $40 each, to be used toward the purchase of eligible digital-to-analog converter boxes. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is administering the coupon program. For more information, visit the NTIA website at www.dtv2009.gov.

TIP: these coupons will expire 90 days after mailing.

1 comment:

Lucky7 said...

Great info! We've been bombarded by the media about the digital switch, guess your blog won't hurt the cause! Now no one can say they weren't aware. ...


http://thisandthat-lucky7.blogspot.com