A DTV converter box is an easy-to-install electronic device that hooks up to your analog television set and over-the-air antenna and converts the digital television signal into analog, making it viewable on your analog TV. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will issue up to two converter box coupons valued at $40 each to households to help defray the cost of the converter box.
Where can I purchase a DTV converter box? DTV converter boxes that make digital broadcast signals viewable on analog television sets will be available for purchase at electronics retailers in February of 2008. Each box is expected to cost between $40 and $70. Households can also request up to two $40 coupons from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) that can be used toward the purchase of converter boxes.
How do I sign up for the DTV converter box coupon program? Between Jan. 1, 2008, and June 12, 2009, all U.S. households will be eligible to request up to two coupons, worth $40 each, to be used toward the purchase of up to two, digital-to-analog converter boxes. These coupons must be redeemed within 90 days. The coupons cannot be combined to purchase a single converter box, nor can they be used toward the purchase of other products. For more information about the converter box coupon program, call 1-888-DTV-2009 or visit dtv2009.gov.
How do I know if I have an analog or digital television set? To check whether your TV set can receive over-the-air digital broadcast signals, take a look at your owner's manual or look on the set for an indication that it has a built-in Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) tuner. You can also go to the manufacturer's Web site and check the capabilities of the set by manufacturer model number. Also, stay tuned for a DTV test, in which all local TV stations will turn off their analog signal. That will tell you whether or not your TV is ready for the switch to digital.
Will I need a special antenna to receive DTV over the air? If you currently use an indoor or rooftop antenna to receive over-the-air analog broadcast television signals and you have good or excellent reception quality, the same antenna should be able to provide you with reception of digital television broadcast signals. For more information about using an antenna to receive local television broadcast channels, visit http://www.antennaweb.org.
Will I be able to continue to use my existing VCR with a DTV converter box for timed recordings? Yes, but after the digital transition, you won't be be able to pick up over-the-air programs for recording from the tuner in the VCR, so the input to the VCR must be connected to the output of the DTV converter box. The tuner in the DTV converter box will need to be set to the desired channel to be recorded prior to the start of each recording period programmed into the VCR.
your owner's manual or look on the set for an indication that it has a built-in Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) tuner. You can also go to the manufacturer's Web site and check the capabilities of the set by manufacturer model number. Also, stay tuned for a DTV test, in which all local TV stations will turn off their analog signal. That will tell you whether or not your TV is ready for the switch to digital.
