News and Reviews....

    DIGITAL TV  Update 1   April 2008   

 By Bob Lieto

The Digital TV changeover for next year seems to be on tract with millions U.S. households taking advantage of the government's offer for discount coupons. The program developed to help purchase a converter box to ensure the standard NTSC set you may currently own will function after the Analog turn-off date of February 18, 2009. 

To recap the program, each household can apply for two coupons worth $40 each toward the purchase of two converter boxes which are expected to be sold for approximately $60 each retail. It has been reported that 10 million coupons have been requested since the program started on January 1.

Redemption is going slowly because manufactures are still gearing up to mass produce the converter boxes. As of Friday April 4 about 280,120 coupons have been redeemed. The government still believes that there are many that still do not know that the change is coming or are unsure of what they need to do. Many in government have their fingers crossed that the whole process is smooth in transition. Broadcasters estimate that there are 70 million converter boxes needed for the transition. The government has requested that the FCC (Federal Communication Commission) give monthly updates to the Senate Commerce Committee as the process unfolds.

Congress allocated $1.5 billion to deliver as many as 33.5 million converter box coupons. Those coupons expire within 90 days and that deadline worries the Consumer Union in that the boxes are slow to hit the stores. On Tuesday April 2nd, the Union urged federal officials to extend the deadline or allow people to reapply if their coupons expire.

To apply on line for coupons go to: http://www.dtv2009.gov

To call the coupon Program 24 Hour hot line, Call 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009), TTY 1-877-530-2634

Mail a coupon application to: P.O. Box 2000, Portland, OR. 97208-2000

Fax  coupon application to 1-877-DTV-4ME2 (1-877-388-4632)

The program is being administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, on the web at: "http://www.ntia.doc.gov".

Comment .....   This transition is going to be messy, but quick to clean up.

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Past Articles on Subject:

Digital TV 2/18/09    January 2008

The End of Analog TV Part 6  January 2007

The End of Analog TV Part 5  May 2006

The End of Analog TV Part 4  November 2005

The End of Analog TV Part 3  July 2005

The End of Analog TV Part 2  May 2005

The End of Analog TV   January 2005

   

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