Official DTV Converter Box Coupons for Americans

Ant writes "The official Digital Television/DTV Converter Box Coupon Program is now online. Congress created it for households wishing to keep using their analog TV sets and use over-the-air antennae to get TV feeds. After February 17, 2009. The Program allows American households to obtain up to two coupons, each worth $40, that can be applied toward the cost of eligible converter boxes. A TV connected to cable, satellite, or other pay TV service does not require a TV converter box from this program."

From a UK perspective

[jimicus]

all I can say is "Welcome to 2001!".

However, I understand there's some difference (apart from just NTSC/PAL) between Europe and US.

Over here, televisions with built-in cable decoders do not exist. Your cable company provides you with a set top box which does the decoding. Same thing's true of satellite TV. We've started switching over to digital - at least one area has had the analogue TV signal switched off altogether - and set top boxes to decode a digital signal have been on the market for some time.

Interestingly, televisions without inbuilt digital decoding are still on the market today - though I can't think why.

Re:Finally!

[Skater]

Here in DC the local stations have all banded together to create commercial with the news anchors to let everyone know. There are something like 12 stations I think; even the Spanish stations are in it. Honestly, if they keep running that, it's hard to see how people could miss it. Remember the TV stations have a vested interest in keeping people watching.

Re:Finally!

[zebs]

We don't get free coupons though.

Do you need them? You can get Freeview boxes for £20!

They expire after 90 days!

[Megane]

I've already heard on usenet that they expire after 90 days. If you don't think you'll buy a box (or even be able to find one) within 90 days, then WAIT before asking for coupons!

Coupons expire 90 days after issuance

[plate_o_shrimp]

Don't know if it's buried in the fine print somewhere else on the website, but after you request one, you're told that it will be mailed and that it's valid for 90 days from the date of issuance....

Re:Can you say, "Rate Hike?"

[stevenliv]

The upcoming digital transition will only affect those who watch OTA television channels with an antennae. The cable companies have no need to supply a converter box in anticipation of the digital transition. Cable systems are unaffected by the transition, and if the company offers it, cable users are free to connect the cable directly to their television sets, vcrs, dvrs, etc without the need for any converter box. However i don't doubt that somehow the cable companies saw this as an opportunity to raise rates, they always do.

Re:Finally!

[geminidomino]

It's been *planned* for years, but the compatible tuners have only been *required* in TVs imported/manufactured since March, 2007.

If you haven't bought a TV in the past 10 months and don't have cable, it's a crap shoot.

Re:They expire after 90 days!

[Anonymous Coward]

After you apply, you get this: "IMPORTANT: TV converter boxes are not expected to be available in retail stores until late February or early March. You will receive your Coupon(s) then. The Coupon will expire within 90 days from the date it is issued."

Re:They expire after 90 days!

[DataBroker]

Per #13 under 'Using a Coupon' on their FAQ [dtv2009.gov]

Coupons expire 90 days after they are mailed. Each coupon has an expiration date printed on it.

So, it's already slipped by over two months.

[dpbsmith]

Last year, the FCC website said that converter boxes were available "now." I emailed them about it, because I couldn't find any, and they simply emailed me back a long email with the same text that appeared on the website... text that said they were available "now." No hints about what companies were providing them or where I could get one.

I was on the mailing list for email updates, and a couple of months ago, they emailed an update that the coupon program would begin on January 1st, 2008 and either stated or clearly implied that converters would be available then.

I called the 800 number on that date and, indeed, it is possible to request the coupons... but the message says that converters are, in fact, not yet available and that the coupons will not be mailed until mid-February.

Any Advice on which converter box?

[Odonian]

OK, I admit I'm a cheap bastard and I do Netflix instead of Cable/Satellite, but I've got the antenna for local channels and a few older TVs, so I'm going to need one of these puppies. Here's the list of elegible converter boxes from the web site. Any opinions on which one is the best box, or experiences using any of these?

• DigitalSTREAM D2A1D10
• DigitalSTREAM D2A1D20
• Zenith DTT900
• Magnavox TB100MW9
• Philco TB150HH9
• MicroGEM MG2000
• Sansonic FT300RT
• MaxMedia MMDTVB03
• Apex DT1001
• ECHOSTAR TR-40
• AMTC AT-2016

Thanks!

Re:Finally!

[willbry]

A few, here and there. There are a couple of shows in primetime I enjoy (i.e., The Office). Our local PBS affiliate has 5 local hd channels and occasionally plays something intersting.

Don't get me wrong, tv is pretty much all crap. The difference is cable costs money, whereas dtv is free. Free crap is better than crap that costs money.

In the end, it's all crap.

williambryson.blogspot.com [blogspot.com]

Re:From a UK perspective

[prof alan]

"Interestingly, televisions without inbuilt digital decoding are still on the market today - though I can't think why."

Easy - Something like 20% of the UK is unlikely ever to received Freeview (i.e. DTV-T, or DTV from terrestrial transmitters) so any DTV-T equipped set installed in those areas will have a useless tuner. That is what Freesat (http://www.freesat.co.uk/ [freesat.co.uk]), due for launch in March, is for. This latter is (IMO) likely to supercede DTV-T as it provides for more channels and for HDTV.

Re:Finally!

[rrkap]

Sales of analog "only" sets should have been banned 4 or 5 years ago

Why?

80% of Americans get their TV from cable or satellite. Analog sets work just fine as monitors for any Satellite box or cable box you might have and since most cable systems carry analog signals in addition to digital, they work great with cable and are likely to work with some cable systems for quite some time.

Re:Any Advice on which converter box?

[Jeremy Erwin]

Right you are.

Disqualifying Outputs

Digital Video Interface (DVI);
Component video (YPbPr);
High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI);
Computer video (VGA);
USB IEEE-1394 (iLink or Firewire)
Ethernet (IEEE-802.3)
Wireless (IEEE0802.11)

Information sheet for Manufacturers [doc.gov]

16. Are digital coaxial audio outputs or SPDIF (optical) outputs permitted on eligible converter boxes?

No. Technical Appendix 2, "Outputs" includes examples of disqualifying features. Digital coaxial and SPDIF optical outputs are not consistent with the statutory description of "converter box." (See Pub. L. 109-171, Section 3005(d) and Paragraph 55 of the Final Rule.)

Component Video + SPDIF would provide an audiovisual experience comparable to DVDs, but I suppose those are luxuries.

Re:Finally!

[WoodstockJeff]

And where I live, you can't receive the HD broadcasts without a minimum 100' tower, and a very high-gain antenna. A customer of mine lives on one of the highest points of the ridge between my house and Chicago, and he has plenty of digital signals arriving at the antenna jack. With a 40' tower two miles away (50 miles from the transmitter), getting the analog signals isn't static-free. There's not even a trace of the digital signals, broadcast from remote sites, half the distance away... Of course, it doesn't really matter - I have yet to see one of this mythical tuner/converters in any store, at any price. I've found a few places online that say they can get them for $100 and up... and 3-4 weeks lead time. It would be simpler and faster (and probably cheaper) to get an HD tuner card for the computer!