Many Unprepared For Looming Analog To Digital TV Changeover

WALLINGFORD — Despite an aggressive consumer education campaign about the switch from broadcast analog to digital TV signals, more than 90 percent of households are aware of the upcoming change, but more than half of those surveyed have not taken steps to prepare.

As of Tuesday, February 17, television stations are mandated to broadcast digital-only television. While this does not affected satellite or cable TV subscribers, consumers who rely on a rooftop or TV antenna will no longer be able to receive TV signals without a digital converter box.

According to Connecticut Better Business Bureau President Paulette Scarpetti, there is still confusion about the changeover.

“Some people don’t understand the technology or know what to do to prepare for the change from analog to digital-only broadcast signals. Others simply haven’t gotten around to buying a digital-ready TV or converter box to enable analog sets to receive digital TV signals,” she said.

The BBB and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) offer the following answers to some frequently asked questions:

Is it too late to get a government coupon for buying a digital converter box?

The federal government is offering $40 coupons to help pay for digital converter boxes. It is not too late to obtain a coupon; however, there is no guarantee you will receive it in time to buy a box before the switch to digital television (DTV).

According to reports, a federal converter box coupon program created to provide $40 credits toward the purchase of a $40 to $80 converter box ran out of its $1.34 billion in funds on January 5. The program, which now has 2.5 million requested coupons on its wait list, will not issue coupons until previously distributed vouchers expire.

So far, 20.8 million coupons have been redeemed out of 49.8 million requested. Democrats have set aside $650 million in the pending stimulus package to fund the coupon program.

Will I still be able to continue viewing closed-captioning after installing my converter box?

Yes. Coupon-eligible converter box manufacturers are required to provide closed captioning for your TV, but the features vary by model and manufacturer. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) offers a guide that lists available features, including closed captioning at www.dtv.gov.

Is an antenna still necessary to receive DTV over-the-air?

The same type of antenna that currently receives analog broadcast signals is necessary to receive DTV. Some stations, however, may move to a different channel and frequency band (UHF), which may require buying a UHF antenna.

More information on obtaining a coupon is available at www.dtv.gov. Note: BBB is warning consumers to stay away from the website www.dtv.com, which is not associated with the DTV changeover.