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  Government Helps With Analog/Digital Switch

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Government Helps With Analog/Digital Switch

  Click Here For Information About DTV Converter Box Coupons

Reporting
Mike Schuh

In the coming year, you're going to be hearing a lot about digital television.  That's because most of the television sets in America will have to use a special adapter to continue to receive an over-the-air broadcast signal.

Mike Schuh reports unless you bought your television within the past couple of years and it has a digital tuner in it, you and millions of others will have to get a converter box.

Right now there are two types of television signals being pumped out of many broadcast towers.  One is the old-fashioned analog. The other is pure digital.

A year from now, the analog will go away.

"I don't think there's anything we have to really be concerned about for most of us who happen to be connected to cable or happen to be connected to direct broadcast satellite tv," said professor John MacKerron from Towson University.

MacKerron says most cable systems will continue to offer an analog signal just like they do now.

They'll do the conversion for you. But the situation is a little different if you get your tv from rabbit ears and antennas.

"The vast majority of people will not have to do anything. The only people who are stuck are the 13 percent or so of the households that only get television over the airwaves," said MacKerron.

They'll need converter boxes at a cost of $50-$70.

You don't have to buy a new television to go digital.

In fact, the government is going to help subsidize the transition from analog to digital.

The government will give two $40 coupons that can be ordered by phone or via the internet.

Those coupons can be used at electronic stores. 

"Most of our customers have analog televisions still. They're coming in for either their first HDTV or soon enough they'll be coming in for a digital converter box. That'll still allow them to get the digital programming on their analog sets," said Best Buy worker, Anthony Rosselli.

"I heard that you can buy some kind of adapter for them," said Sharon Blair. Blair has 16 televisions. "This is going to cost more money. That's all it is," said Blair.

The date for the transition to digital television is Feb. 17, 2009.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)