DTV Converter Box

I received an email from my Congressman about the upcoming digital television brouhaha. Thought it might be of interest so I'm posting it.

Over the past few months you may have seen television commercials about our nation’s transition to digital television (DTV). I thought it would be helpful to you if I explain what this is all about. This is all occurring because the federal government has mandated television stations to switch from analog to digital broadcasting on February 17, 2009.

The most common question I hear is: What does that mean for me? If you receive a TV signal with an antenna or set-top “rabbit ears” and your TV set does not have a digital receiver built into it, you must buy a converter box to continue watching TV after February 17, 2009. By law, all TV sets sold in the United States after March 1, 2007 have been required to have a built-in digital tuner.

Please note: You will not need a converter box if your TV is connected to cable, satellite or other pay TV services, or if you bought a new set after March 1, 2007.

You might be thinking: What is this digital television and why is it so important? The mandate to end analog TV transmission was ordered by Congress to provide a common date for the broadcast industry to switch from the outdated analog method of broadcasting to the improved and more versatile digital method. Digital broadcasting is a great advancement over the current analog method because it dramatically improves picture quality while taking up a much smaller amount of the public frequency spectrum. The shift to digital will free up parts of the broadcast spectrum for public safety communications, such as police and fire department communications. The additional bandwidth will allow various emergency responders to communicate more effectively with each other in the event of a disaster. Another part of the spectrum will be auctioned to companies for them to provide consumers with more advanced wireless services, such as wireless broadband internet.

The change to DTV means that broadcasters will be able to offer high-definition (HD) broadcasts or multicast several programs at the same time on their digital bandwidth. High definition digital programming will look sharper and more detailed when viewed on a television capable of displaying HD-quality images. High-definition TV provides a much clearer image, allowing you to read the fine print on the screen and watch your favorite television shows or sporting events in crystal-clear quality! Multicasting will allow stations to broadcast multiple programs on the same channel. For example, a station at channel 7 will be able to offer its main programming lineup on channel 7-1, a second program on channel 7-2, a third program on channel 7-3, and so on. Multicasting and HD broadcasting are not possible using analog technology.

To help you make the switch to DTV, Congress created the TV Converter Box Coupon Program, which began this month. Households may apply for up to two coupons, each worth $40, which can be applied toward the cost of a converter box. To apply online, visit www.dtv2009.gov and follow the instructions. You may also call the coupon program’s toll-free 24-hour hotline at 1-888-388-2009. Converter boxes are expected to retail for around $60, and most major electronics retailers are expected to start selling them this February and March. If you want to learn more about the DTV transition, you can visit the federal government’s DTV website at: www.dtv.gov.
I hope this information is helpful.

Vernon J. Ehlers
Member of Congress

Thanks Vern!