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."

Great if you can get the braodcasts.

[COMICAGOGO]

I have had a digital tuner for about two years now. I was really jazzed when i heard that the networks were going to start transmitting in digital and/or HD. I ran out got the tuner for my HDTV and waited for something to watch. To date the only channels i get are the two OPB (Oregon public Broadcasting) channels. I have looked into it and from what I have heard none of the other networks plan on upgrading the transmission equipment in the area. So, it looks like I will not have anything to watch even after 2009. Anyone else have this problem in rural areas?

Re:Finally!

[el_chupanegre]

In the UK we've had public TV and radio ad's for months telling you about what you need to do when the changeover occurs, with a free number to call with questions. We don't get free coupons though.

Re:From a UK perspective

[richie2000]

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.

Sweden turned off the last analog signal a few months ago.

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

Many people live in apartments where the landlord does the decoding, or they already use a satellite receiver which also decodes to analog. The remaining market that only uses DVB-T is actually pretty small, estimates put it at around 30% of the total market (in Swede, YMMV).

Re:Talk about Holy Things

[ettlz]

Yeah, um, I can't understand this. The USA resists things like a national health service — yet the Government is handing out coupons for digital set-top boxes?! Shurely shome mishtake. I mean, here in the UK we've got loads of the things going cheap (as low as £20 a shot), but no coupons... (I think it's like you said. Keep the hoards exposed to the fnords.)

Getting the word out..

[s31523]

To request a coupon, consumers can apply online at www.dtv2009.gov. The government also has set up a 24-hour hotline to take requests, 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009).

I imagine that many people who need these boxes don't have internet access and will never see the phone number displayed anywhere, except the internet. Poor grandma will just see white fuzz on the morning of Feb. 18 2009 instead of The Price Is Right.

Priorities?

[Max Romantschuk]

In Finland we switched over to purely digital terrestrial broadcasting last year. And most people did indeed have to get a DVB-T STB (Set Top Box) in order to watch TV. Despite of this, the government did not subsidize this this switchover in any way. I find it almost sad that the United States government are willing to pay for something like this when Finland's (already broken) public healthcare system it still way better than it's US counterpart.

OK, so I might be trolling, but doesn't it say something about a society when TV is regarded as something important enough to subsidize? (Disclaimer: Finland has it's own equivalent to the BBC though, YLE.)

Gotta get one for Dad

[wiredog]

He's 79, and doesn't watch much TV. Reads quite a bit, is into model railroading (HO Gauge, Western US, late steam era), does quite a bit on the PC (his first program was written in Fortran, on punch cards, in the 50's),hikes all over Utah, and takes lots of pictures with his digital camera.

He doesn't have time to watch TV, except at meals, when he watches the news.

Re:From a UK perspective

[Jon_S]

Yeah, but then again, you have to remember that Sweden, _successfully_ , switched [volvoclub.org.uk] from driving on the left side of the street to driving on the right side of the street on one day in 1967. I think the swedes are just a little more organized and tuned in.

I predict a lot "WTF!" from a lot of people in the US come Feb. 2009

(signed, American of Swedish descent)

Re:Finally!

[rjune]

I guess I'm one of those who fall into that group. I'm not a technophobe, we have Road Runner for high speed access and I have an extensive home network set up with wired and wireless connections. I could not do my job with a computer. However, Cable or satellite TV is a massive time sink and we (my family and I) have better things to do: Some of them: Read books (lots of books for the kids), play outside in both neighborhood sports and on organized teams, play and practice musical instruments, provide computer support for my son's school (currently we are converting the computer lab to thin clients), serve on a board that funds volunteer projects, serve in the AF Reserve, exercise, etc. etc.

We watch an hour or two of TV, ER and Mystery so we will need a converter. I suppose I'll buy a HDTV eventually, but like computers they are constantly getting faster, better, and cheaper. I'll wait for another couple of years.

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with cable or satellite -- if we had it I would park in front of the History Channel, it is just a matter of priorities.

Re:Finally!

[willbry]

I think if more people in the US knew what they could get for free, they'd be all over this. I was amazed, after cancelling cable and living on 2-3 analog broadcast television for a few months, that I could get 30+ crystal clear channels over-the-air. Sure, I miss the daily show, but it's not worth $45/month or so that cable charges.

I'll stick with free, over-the-air digital television as long as it is available, and keep blogging about it.

williambryson.blogspot.com [blogspot.com]

Interesting, how?

[Zak3056]

If everyone is receiving analog cable using analog TVs... exactly how is this a problem? Cable companies are unaffected by the end of analog broadcast transmissions (cause, you know, "cable" companies send their signals via cable, and not over the air.)

Re:It's finally happened

[AusIV]

Exactly. When I first heard about this, I thought it was ridiculous that tax payer dollars would go towards paying so people could keep watching TV. I could see a little justification that the FCC is forcing the antequation of millions if not billions of dollars worth of televisions, and the people using bunny ears are the least likely to be able to afford to replace their televisions.

But now that I realize this funding is coming from the sale of the 700 mhz spectrum (of which bidding is expected to start in the $4 billion range), I feel that any expenses endured due to the sale of the spectrum ought to be covered by the sale of the spectrum. If the sale of the 700 mhz spectrum can't cover the costs of selling the 700 mhz spectrum, then we shouldn't be selling it. While I am looking forward to the new services that will (hopefully) become available on the spectrum, it seems like the FCC is getting ready to profit by selling millions of televisions that they don't own. They're selling America short by not covering all of the costs of the transition.

Re:Finally!

[Cylix]

Your reasoning is flawed.

A great deal of the populous has no idea what digital television is. If you ask someone what a digital television is they will either tell you it's an lcd/plasma screen or the new menu on their old analogue set.

There hasn't been a great deal of education through the medium in which people are watching. I'm surprised a PSA of some sorts has not been created to address this issue. The TV guys need to take a hint from the radio guys and advertise the hell out of it. I actually can't get away from the radio ads here and I don't believe analogue radio is going away anytime soon.

Re:From a UK perspective

[edmicman]

Or 4. People who don't have a need to spend $50-$80 a month on 200 channels with nothing on?

I never had cable growing up, and my parents still just have rabbit ears. They are neither grandmas (yet), ghetto dwellers, wilderness wildmen, nor snobs or health nuts. They get all the main networks, and that's what they watch. They've never seen a need for anything more. Hell, I pay almost $100/month for cable internet and TV, and we pretty much only watch network television, ESPN, and Comedy Central. The wife sometimes watches E!. Really, outside of sports and HD (our TV doesn't have a digital HD tuner), I really wonder why I'm paying so much for so little, and am thinking of dropping it altogether. If we could only get all the college sports on regular network TV, or if I could just find a freakin' cheap HD tuner box. Sigh.....

Re:Coupons expire 90 days after issuance

[FredMenace]

How convenient... since it seems impossible to find any of these models (or any other new stand-alone ATSC set-top box, for that matter) for sale anywhere, in person or on the internet. Maybe that's the idea? People will quickly snap up all the coupons, before any of the models are available. Once the models are for sale, no more coupons will be left and all the existing coupons will be expired, hence, the gov't needs pay out no actual money! Brilliant!

Not to mention that I'm sure none of the STBs will cost anywhere near as low as $40.

The whole thing feels like a scam.

Re:Any Advice on which converter box?

[Jeremy Erwin]

I've heard that the DTV convertors are, by government mandate, really basic. Stereo Audio. Composite Video, RF out on channel 3 or 4.

No HDMI, S-Video or Component. No SPDIF. and certainly no firewire.

Re:Coupons expire 90 days after issuance

[Chyeld]

Actually no, if you peruse the site they make it extremely clear the boxes they are intending to subsidize aren't being manufactured yet and that the ETA is sometime Febuary/March. They also make it clear they aren't ISSUING cupons till then, meaning that the 90-day issue is moot. The only reason they have that in there is so someone doesn't snap these up then hold onto them for five years and then get upset because no one will honor it.