Digital Over-the-air Broadcasts and Your Television
By Congressional mandate, June 12, 2009 was the last day for full-power television stations to broadcast in analog. Over-the-air TV broadcasts now broadcast in digital format only. If you have one or more televisions that received free over-the-air television programming (with a roof-top antenna or “rabbit ears” on the TV), you will need a digital-to-analog converter box to continue watching broadcast television on that set. This converter box will also enable you to see any additional multicast programming that your local stations offer.
To help consumers with the direct TV (DTV) transition, the federal government established the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), a part of the Department of Commerce, administers this program. Every U.S. household is eligible to receive up to two coupons, worth $40 each, toward the purchase of eligible digital-to-analog converter boxes. The coupons may only be used for eligible converter boxes sold at participating consumer electronics retailers, and the coupons must be used at the time of purchase. Manufacturers estimate that digital-to-analog converter boxes will sell from $40 to $70 each. This is a one-time cost. For more information on the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program, visit www.dtv.gov, or call 1.888.388.2009 (voice) or 1.877.530.2634 (TTY).