I answered truthfully-ish, in that she does not have access to Cable TV, Because her little paws cannot manipulate the remote.....
Posted on 01/02/2008 12:22:12 PM PST by libertarianPA
WASHINGTON - Millions of $40 government coupons become available Tuesday to help low-tech television owners buy special converter boxes for older TVs that might not work after the switch to digital broadcasting.
Beginning Feb. 18, 2009, anyone who does not own a digital set and still gets their programming via over-the-air antennas will no longer receive a picture.
That's the day the television industry completes its transition from old-style analog broadcasting to digital.
The converter boxes are expected to cost between $50 and $70 and will be available at most major electronics retail stores. Starting Tuesday, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration will begin accepting requests for two $40 coupons per household to be used toward the purchase of the boxes.
Viewers who have satellite or cable service will not need a box.
To request a coupon, consumers can apply online at http://www.dtv2009.gov starting Tuesday. The government also has set up a 24-hour hotline to take requests, 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009).
Congress, in ordering the transition to digital broadcasting, set aside $1.5 billion for the coupon program, which will fund 33.5 million coupons and other costs.
The giveaway basically works under the honor system.
The first 22 million coupons will go to all households that request them. That includes a residence that gets cable service for one television but has a spare TV that still uses an antenna, for example.
The rest of the coupons, however, are meant only for those who do not subscribe to a pay-television service.
The Nielsen Co. estimates that 14.3 million households, or about 13 percent of the 112.8 million total television households in the nation, rely on over-the-air television broadcasts for programming.
Tony Wilhelm, director of consumer education for NTIA, said the agency expects to have enough coupons to satisfy demand. "We think the high number will be 26 million," he said. "Low end is 10 million."
Members of Congress have criticized both the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Federal Communications Commission for their work on the transition to digital television.
In November, the Government Accountability Office, Congress' investigative arm, released a report that concluded there is "no comprehensive plan" for the transition.
Most of the concern rests with public education campaigns. While Congress allocated $1.5 billion for the coupon program, only $5 million was for education. The Association for Public Television Stations reported in September that 51 percent of participants surveyed were unaware that the transition was taking place.
Since then, the broadcast industry has announced a voluntary public education campaign. The FCC is circulating a plan among commissioners that would make public education efforts by broadcasters mandatory.
Congress ordered the transition to digital broadcasting to make more efficient use of the publicly owned airwaves.
On Jan. 24, the FCC will auction off the spectrum currently used for analog television. That portion of the airwaves will be sold to wireless providers and is expected to bring in as much as $15 billion. A portion of the spectrum will also be dedicated for use by emergency responders.
I think it is being handled properly. The cost of the coupon program is much less than the fees the government will receive in the spectrum auction.
I heard the coupons expire in 90 days.
I ordered mine an hour ago. We’re part of the great unwashed without cable and with only one TV in our household.
Typical government lunacy.
OK, so we decided to do something completely extra-constitutional and give away your tax dollars so other people can watch TV.
But just to make sure it’s almost useless, we will PROHIBIT the use of the coupons to actually buy a new TV with a digital tuner. Instead, you will have to buy a special tuner box, that will be crappy but will sell for just as much more than $40 as we think people will find it worth.
In other words, if you think that box would be worth $20 to you, we will charge $60 for the box, pocket your $20, plus the $40 we took from other taxpayers, and give you a box that cost us about $5.50 to build.
If the coupons were for $60 bucks, the box would cost $80. If the coupons were for $100, the box would cost $120.
Someone should dig around and see who the lobbyist is sold the federal govt on these converter boxes. I’ll bet it is one company that will be reaping the profits supplying these converters to the cheapskates who still own an analog TV.
This might sound stupid but does anyone know how to tell if your TV is Analog or digital? We have two TVs that were purchased within the last couple years so I’m not sure if they are digital or not. Thanks
Junk TV. MASH reruns etc. are more popular than present productions, except for sportts.
Here's my question: Will cable companies be forced to carry high-def signals to all their customers?
In this story, it sounds like the cable providers will be downgrading the signal.
Another Government Boondoggle.
If it's a standard definition TV (i.e. 4:3 aspect ratio) it's most likely analog.
There are some exceptions to this. I.E. Last year, I purchased a standard def. TV, with both analog & digital receivers. Each has it's own co-axial (75 ohm) input (requiring either a splitter, or A-B switch box).
If it's HDTV (16:9 aspect ratio) it's most likely digital.
You might want to Google for the make & model of your TV.
This has nothing to do with high-def. This concerns the analog to digital conversion. The government is mandating the transmission of digital signals, not high-def.
I answered truthfully-ish, in that she does not have access to Cable TV, Because her little paws cannot manipulate the remote.....
Drill a hole in it and see if any bits come pouring out. ;-)
That’s the same way they price college tuition, isn’t it?
You want irony?
Liberals claim that the 2nd Amendment isn’t relevant because the framers couldn’t have known about powerful modern-day firearms. At the same time they will somehow claim that the framers would definitely have wanted Elaine Elasticpants and her bratty kids to get TV, vouchers and converter boxes.
If it has a round knob to change channels, it's probably analog ;)
Bribing us with our own money in the form of a coupon while the media companies driving our country over the cliff get free gifts of billion$.
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