Countdown to digital TV

The FCC currently has a Feb. 17, 2009 deadline for all U.S. broadcasters to transition over to digital. On this date, all analog broadcasting will stop and consumers will need to either purchase a new television or (more reasonably) buy converter boxes in order to continue receiving programming on their older sets.

However - surprise, surprise! Wilmington, N.C., your area will have to transition to digital broadcasting on Sept. 8, 2009. Yours is the lucky test market for the nationwide shutdown of analog broadcasting!

We're all in luck for the greater transition however, because Congress created the TV Converter Box Coupon Program for households wishing to continue to use analog sets after the February 2009 deadline. The program allows U.S. households to obtain up to two coupons, each worth $40, which can be applied toward the cost of eligible converter boxes.

If you are reading this blog, then it's likely that the information about the broadcast transition has already reached you. However, some of your family and friends who are less technically savvy, those folks out there who cannot set the clock on their VCR, will likely need some help in getting a converter box and setting it all up. These individuals may also live in rural areas without access to cable or satellite services.

Here is your opportunity to assist those family members and friends in addressing the issue before the mad rush, especially for the greater Wilmington area. Here are a few questions to consider with the people that may need help:

• Do they have cable or satellite (Dish) services? If so, they are all set to go!
• If not, then how old is their television? (If it is 10 or more years old, then the citizen will need to have a converter box installed.)
• If the television is newer than 10 years old, does it already have a digital tuner? (You will need to look on the back of the set or in the product manual to determine this - look for "digital" or "ATSC tuner.")

Here are some other helpful links and suggestions as we all prepare for the transition:

• Go to http://www.dtv.gov/ - it is full of great information, all in one place, including participating retailers and installation instructions for the converter box.
• Request your converter box coupons now and while supplies last, apply online through www.dtv2009.gov/ApplyCoupon.aspx. It is perfectly legal to apply for someone else as long as you use their home address (this will be validated for eligibility). Only two coupons can be used per U.S. household address, and the coupons are intended for the resident of that household. We recommend applying for two coupons even if you only have one set that needs a converter box.
• Be sure that you purchase the converter box that includes an "analog pass-through" feature (especially for you folks in Wilmington). This feature will allow you to install the box now and your regular television signal will continue to work through the transition in February 2009. This way, with the converter box installed, you can kick back, relax and watch everyone else fly into a procrastination-induced tizzy when the actual deadline rolls around.