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OK,it's like this. Broadcasters have traditionally made all their money by charging for advertising and the listener and viewer enjoyed the content for the cost of having the appliance only.This assured everyone,rich or poor could be informed and entertained.This concept is actually almost unique as many other countries require a annual tax be paid to own,much less listen and watch, a radio or tv. Some people hate the idea you are not paying a monthly fee to watch despite the profit the broadcasters are making and since encoding analog is too expensive, digital is the answer.. New digital technology makes subscription based "service" easier.

I already have a converter that cost $200 after rebates because I am a sucker for technology and wanted to see what was being broadcast;found the same stuff as regular channel only you can see the actor's zits now. And lots of PBS stuff.Hardly use the darn box. Currently over-the-air tv is on 68,down from 83, channels, scattered through the VHF and UHF spectrum.About 15 TV channels were changed to cellphone and two-way radio uses. HDTV signals are only on UHF channels,so all over the air free TV will be UHF only after 2009/Barring other changes you will probably need a good UHF antenna.Amplified rabbit ears are a waste because they tend to just amplify the noise and you still don't get a picture.(Tried a deluxe Philips set,took 'em back.Whew!) If you lived in a rural area and have learned to accept a somewhat snowy or weak picture but enjoyed the programming;well tough! Big brother thinks you shouldn't watch less than perfect pictures so you get no reception. I hate decisions like this.

If you have a decent all channel antenna the UHF portion will continue to bring in a signal usable by the HDTV box or set.

And your current or new analog set(notice analog sets are being sold by the millions still?and very cheaply ,too!They are not selling off old stock,those are brand new sets at WalMart and other stores.)will still work with your current DVD player and VCR. The longer range plan is to make everyone view using a unit which checks for your Digital Rights Management certificate through the DVI connector and there is to be no way for the consumer to record without buying rights linked to his own viewer.For now you can run the output of a HDTV converter box through your current VCR or DVD recorder using the channel3/4,S-VHS or composite jacks. You will of course be limited to 480 or less resolution probably also letterboxed/I.E. with blank or black space above the viewable picture;and if that format is not broadcast as part of the DTV signal,too bad. Eventually they can choose to just broadcast in the encoding format that requires DVI connections(and monthly payments!) I cannot understand how so called conservatives so hate the poor having free tv since it is PAID FOR BY ADVERTISING. All those subscrition satellites can of course track everything you watch as can satellite radio,OnStar,your GPS cellphone(you really believe that buton turns off GPS HA!HA!). Let them collect and sell your info but I bet you ccan't get the same info about the elite ,and certainly not as cheaply. For now ,enjoy what you find on tv and remember this is actually yet another Clinton legacy endorsed by Bush.Like Internet over powerlines,they keep telling you a quart can be stored in a pint bottle----but only if something is left out.. HDTV was supposed to revitalize American electronics industry,funny thing is all the boxes are made in China ! Any law passed by Congress can be changed ,no one has succeeded in changing the laws of nature.

If you lived in a rural area and have learned to accept a somewhat snowy or weak picture but enjoyed the programming;well tough! Big brother thinks you shouldn't watch less than perfect pictures so you get no reception. I hate decisions like this.

If you lived in a rural area like me, your local stations come from New York, Denver and Los Angeles by satellite TV, and you won't need a converter box. Hopefully, if the satellite companies have their way and the Telecommunications Act of 1996 is amended, those of us like me who have never received an OTA (over-the-air) signal with either an outdoor antenna or rabbit ears, will be able to choose which "local" stations to watch.

I personally don't mind the New York, Denver and LA locals (I like the time-shifting capability). But I would much rather have a station in say, Montana, in place of the Denver stations, and still retain the ability to timeshift.