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No More Funding for DTV Switch
wifr.com ^ | 01/06/08 | wifr.com

Posted on 01/06/2009 7:38:33 PM PST by TornadoAlley3

Six weeks from today, TV signals will turn digital, but a program intended to ease the transition, is out of cash.

The government set aside $1.3 billion to provide $40 coupons to help people pay for the converter boxes. But less than two months before the switch, the program is out of money.

If you applied for a coupon before December 31st you should be in the clear, and recieve it about four weeks after your application date.

For more information on the digital switch, click on the DTV link on our homepage at www.wifr.com


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: dtv; funding
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1 posted on 01/06/2009 7:38:33 PM PST by TornadoAlley3
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To: TornadoAlley3

Perhaps they could just take after California and mail people IOUs.


2 posted on 01/06/2009 7:40:10 PM PST by kc8ukw
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To: TornadoAlley3

UhBamUh’s fault. Where my 75 dollas, bro?


3 posted on 01/06/2009 7:41:24 PM PST by RushIsMyTeddyBear
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To: TornadoAlley3

Well God Forbid that someone has to go a couple weeks without watching TV, or that they have to actually buy something themselves. We’ll have panic in the streets.


4 posted on 01/06/2009 7:41:30 PM PST by Opinionated Blowhard
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To: TornadoAlley3

I have an extra coupon that expires Jan. 19, that someone can have. Any takers?


5 posted on 01/06/2009 7:41:39 PM PST by GrannyK
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To: GrannyK

I got my coupons and got two converter boxes in November.heh heh!!!


6 posted on 01/06/2009 7:44:57 PM PST by razbinn (I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America,and to the republic for which it ...)
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To: razbinn

Tell me how they work, do I need one for each non HDTV, going from the rooftop antenna?


7 posted on 01/06/2009 7:46:16 PM PST by GrannyK
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To: TornadoAlley3

I wish people would have had the good sense of ignoring the coupons. If they can spend $500 for a TV, then they can spend $50 for a converter box.


8 posted on 01/06/2009 7:48:00 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist
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To: TornadoAlley3

I got my coupons in October and I’m set up and watching DTV now. For some reason I thought they were ending the coupon program in November so I was ahead of the game for a change.


9 posted on 01/06/2009 7:49:47 PM PST by stratplayer
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Well, that’s just it. Some people can’t spend $500 for a TV, and that is why they are spending much less for a convertor box.

Heck, they could spend $200 for a DVR box with a HDTV tuner already in it.


10 posted on 01/06/2009 7:50:28 PM PST by Secret Agent Man (I'd like to tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.)
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To: TornadoAlley3

I’m sure alot of people ordered the coupon so they could get the DTV converter and perhaps consider if they might want to cancel their cable/satelitte.


11 posted on 01/06/2009 7:52:33 PM PST by fkabuckeyesrule (Na na na na na na na na hey ALAN good-bye!!!!!!!)
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To: TornadoAlley3

No one should have had to pay a damn cent for this conversion.


12 posted on 01/06/2009 7:53:51 PM PST by Sacajaweau (I'm planting corn...Have to feed my car...)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

The converter is for people who are still on an antenna. It has nothing to do with whether you have an HDTV.


13 posted on 01/06/2009 7:53:51 PM PST by MeanGreen2008
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To: GrannyK

Yes, you need one for each tv as you will use the DTV convertor box to change channels with the new remote. They work quite well.


14 posted on 01/06/2009 7:54:01 PM PST by stratplayer
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To: TornadoAlley3

Out of money???

There is no way in hell people have applied for 1.3 billion dollars worth of coupons.

Who stole the money?


15 posted on 01/06/2009 7:54:47 PM PST by ryan71
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To: TornadoAlley3

More of the Clinton screwups.


16 posted on 01/06/2009 7:56:29 PM PST by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote.)
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To: ryan71

That’s only 32.5 million coupons or one for approximately every 10 people in the USA. Considering you can get two, that’s 1 in every 20 people.


17 posted on 01/06/2009 8:00:57 PM PST by edge10 (Obama lied, babies died!)
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To: TornadoAlley3
I'm in a business that sells DTV converters and of course, new digital-tuner TVs. We've been advertising heavily for over a year that people need to get a box or a new TV, and that the coupon program will soon end. We've had a lot of business and are still answering questions about the DTV conversion.

When the DTV conversion happens February 17th, I have no doubt that thousands of clueless people will scream that they have no TV signal and will flood the stores with requests for converter boxes, of which we have only a few. Then they will turn their anger toward the government, claiming they had no idea and how dare they do this. Women and children hit hardest.

I sold two DTV boxes to a guy in a Bentley, using his two $40 coupons. No joke. I guess that is how you afford a Bentley. Food stamps?

18 posted on 01/06/2009 8:02:00 PM PST by Sender (Never lose your ignorance; you can never regain it!)
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To: MeanGreen2008

Most HDTVs have a new tuner built in. Some of the older ones don’t as the manufacturers were trying to cut corners and keep prices down. The new ones all are required to.


19 posted on 01/06/2009 8:03:24 PM PST by edge10 (Obama lied, babies died!)
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To: fkabuckeyesrule
32.5 million total rebates for consumers appears to be not enough.

We need a bailout for consumers now!

Clearly 1.3 billion was not adequate.

We must have a bailout today. No need to investigate if fraud has occurred, just that the money has ran out!

20 posted on 01/06/2009 8:04:07 PM PST by highpockets
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