Coupon program begins to help low-tech TV owners convert to digital broadcasting(weird spam image)

AP ^ | 01/01/08 | John Dunbar

[Pikamax]

Dec 31 05:14 PM US/Eastern John Dunbar, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Write a Comment

WASHINGTON - Millions of US$40 government coupons become available Tuesday to help low-tech television owners in the United States 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 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).

The U.S. 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 honour 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 per cent of the 112.8 million total television households in the U.S., rely on over-the-air television broadcasts for programming.

[Nowhere Man]

I look at it this way, I might use the terminology my father (he uses "The Man" a lot) uses, but if "The Man," wants to force digital TV on us, then I think "The Man" must pay, I'm for the coupon program. If they want a better solution to where the market place could decide, they should keep the VHF channels and perhaps UHF channels 14 thru 40 NTSC (the old system) and put HDTV on channels 41 thru 83 (the old AMPS cellphone system was, or supposed to be, phased out by 2007 thus freeing channels 70 thru 83 for TV again) Review every 10 years and so on.

I hate to see the end of over the air analogue TV, I mean the bad side of digital TV is you get it or you don't. If you live in a fringe area, you could be SOL for over the air digital TV. At least with analogue, you can get a fairly good picture with perhaps some "snow." In times of national emergencies, this could be bad, I do hope AM radio is around for a long time to come, that might be the only source of emergency news if the crap hits the fan. So I think at least the VHF channels 2 thru 13 should stay analogue.

The radio spectrum is a limited resource, depending on what frequency you're on, each has different and unique properties and uses. AM radio can cover several states and half the country or more. Shortwave can give you worldwide coverage, VHF radio can cover longer distances like 30 to 50 miles or more, good for rural police departments and with TV, longer distances and UHF for more local coverage although for TV, if you pump out 5 million watts, you can get good distance. The higher you go in frequency, the more "line of sight" your signal becomes although some of the signal goes past the horizon a little bit.

Ever since the Reagan Administration, and I think this is one bad part of that happened under his watch (I'm really setting myself up for The Inquisition now but just like anything else, even the Reagan Administration had its warts) is that the radio spectrum is becoming property for the highest bidder and if someone buys a chunk of it, the public interest is not being served by having those frequencies off limits. Ever since that time, it has gotten worse.

I'm an amateur radio operator and a shortwave radio and scanner buff. I know quite a bit about this and studied it over the years. I'm just a "Hunky for Pittsburgh" and if I could implement my plan, I would but I cannot stop it so I'm signing up for my two coupons. Generally, I think Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton cry "wolf" a lot but if they opened up their mouths on this issue, I could not blame them this time.

I've been watching a 1982 Zenith since we bought it new in early 1983 plus I like to get my 1970 Zenith up and running so the convertor box would go on that one and to the Commodore 64 computer monitor in my room, I'm using a dead VCR as a tuner for that one.

[LongTimeMILurker]

Think of all the pollution that the disposal of NTSC TVs that no longer work will create. This transition has disaster written all over it, in many many ways. The converters are presently way too expensive. The coupon limitation is ridiculous, when you think about how much money was wasted on NTSC TVs over the years that still work but are trashed and will be trashed. It’s like throwing money away. How much does it cost to make the tuner section of an HDTV set? That’s what we should get the converters for. The 40 dollar coupon won’t come close. And I still say NTSC isn’t that bad a standard. BTW, I own an HDTV with a digital tuner, and a converter that stopped working that I paid 300 dollars for a few years ago. Any volunteers to fix it for the cost of shipping and handling?

[Nowhere Man]

What really stinks is that I have two small black n white TVs I use for emergencies and trips. Wonder if a box will work for those

Also, my portable walkman type TV becomes obsolete. I am not carrying a big box around for that

Well, I'm afraid you're SOL unless they make a portable HDTV tuner that is the size of a pack of cigarettes and runs off of AA batteries or a 9 volt. Still I have seen a model or two of a handheld TV that is standard def but can tune in analogue and HDTV stations but the battery life ain't that great. Hopefully they will improve on that, coverting digital to analogue does take some power. IIRC, you can buy them at Best Buy or maybe Circuit City.

[The Electrician]

When health care and education costs are subsidized with “free money” by the government, prices tend to rise because of the availability of additional money chasing those goods. Is that going to happen to the price of the converter boxes, or is some other law (of economics) counteracting that tendency? Perhaps there will be too much competition among the (Chinese) manufacturers to permit the price to rise.

[sionnsar]

Thank you for applying for a Coupon online.

IMPORTANT:
TV converter boxes are not expected to be available in
retail stores until late February or early March. You will
receive your Coupon(s) then. The Coupon will expire within
90 days from the date it is issued.
Please print this page for your records; your application is reprinted below.

If you have any questions, you may call the Toll-Free Consumer Support Hotline at 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009), 1-877-530-2634 (TTY), or write to us at:

TV Converter Box Coupon Program
PO Box 2000
Portland, OR 97208-2000

[SunkenCiv]

“israeli responsibility” was the phrase to type in? Condi running this operation?

Anyway, pingworthy?

[SunkenCiv]

http://www.dtv2009.gov/applycoupon.aspx

[Marie2]

I think it’s kinda silly that they render all our stuff obsolete by fiat.

[Nowhere Man]

Got my two coupons, on for my Commodore 64 monitor and the other for my 1964 Sony B&W and my 1970 Zenith Color set when I get it running.

[GAB-1955]

Sure they can. The FM band used to be 46 to 50 MHz, but it was moved to 88 to 108 MHz, obsoleting the old receivers. Someone has to be in charge of technical details and licensing. I only wish the FCC would do its job properly.

[GAB-1955]

You know that the coupons will not cost the Federal government a dime unless they are redeemed. The Federals say there will be a limited number, but can’t numbers be revised upwards?

[LongTimeMILurker]

Big difference from the 42-50 MHz FM receivers. There were only a few thousands of sets, tens of thousands maximum, out there, whereas NTSC TV sets outnumber people, in the hundreads of millions. There’s the dangerous glass picture tubes, lead in solder, transformers, capacitors, and rectifiers with questionable hazardous waste potential.

[visualops]

How can someone own a TV and not be able to come up with 40-70 dollars for the set-top box?

Not my fault the gubmint mandate is making my TV a doorstop. The coupons will be paid for by the auctioned analog frequencies, it's not taxpayer money you ignoramus.

[visualops]

The site is fine, but I got an error in Firefox so used IE with no problem earlier today. They send you the coupon when then boxes go on the market, they then are good for a limited time. The boxes will supposedly run $70-90. So the coupons will be a big help to those of us who can't afford a new TV or for whom the box will be expensive. So those of you who request a coupon who already have a digital TV and don't need it are___________.

[Snoopers-868th]

The numbers will probably be based on REDEEMED coupons not requested ones.

[visualops]

my address and name were already linked to my phone number

Uh, you mean like the phone book? lol

[BJungNan]

Why did the government push the move to digital and are they really offering $40 coupons to consumers?

[nygoose]

Golly, gee, another government program.

[GAB-1955]

We really, really need the bandspace for all the other services that require radio signals in the VHF and UHF bands.

[BJungNan]

Really, is that the case. That is the first I have heard that. Don’t doubt you. Just making sure you are not being sarchastic. Let me know.