January 28, News Update: The House Republicans shot down a bill today, supported by President Barack Obama, to delay until June 12 the original February 17 deadline for a transition from analog to digital. GOP members said that postponing the transition would confuse consumers and create added costs for television stations, which would have to continue broadcasting both analog and digital signals for four more months, according to the Associated Press. The Obama administration had no immediate comment on the House vote.
Will you have TV, or not have TV?
That is the question befuddling many American families right now.
With less than a month to go before the nation switches its television broadcasts from analog to digital, many people are wondering whether their kids will be able to watch SpongeBob SquarePants or Sesame Street when they wake up February 17.
That’s the date of the federally-mandated changeover, which is part of the federal government's response to the events of September 11, 2001, and its perceived need to free up more of the nation's wireless airspace for public-safety use.
There is confusion about what families must do, if anything, to prepare for the changeover, even though the federal government's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), a division of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), has done its best to promote the switch. Among other efforts, the NTIA has aired public-service announcements detailing its campaign provide up to two $40 coupons for signal-converter boxes to every household that requires them.
Yet the NTIA's own campaign has caused some of the confusion across the country, as was expertly spoofed in a sketch from Fox's Talkshow with Spike Feresten. Now, with the deadline approaching, many people are still wondering: Do I need a converter box? Do I need a new TV? Do I need to switch cable providers?
Relax. We'll try to sort it all out for you.
The Facts
For most Americans, your remote will function as well on February 17 as it did on February 16. If you already have cable television service from a provider such as Time Warner, Cablevision, or Comcast, no matter your level of service, you're probably set for the change. Similarly, if you get satellite service from companies like DirecTV or DISH Network, you should also have no issues with the change to digital television, or DTV.
However, cable or satellite viewers whose television is an older model might still need a converter box. Most recent-model televisions, and especially those built since 2004, can handle digital signals, but to make sure, go online to DTV Transition and enter the make and model of your set to confirm it's equipped for the changeover.
Who Needs a New Box?
No matter what kind of TV you have, if you're relying on an over-the-air signal — from a rooftop antenna or "rabbit ears" atop the set — you will need a converter box (unless you decide to spring for a new, DTV-ready TV, or subscribe to cable service).
So while most of the country's 100 million-plus households with TVs won’t have to do anything for the changeover, the signal switch could still affect up to 8 million Americans who rely on an analog signal, an old TV, or both.
A converter box costs between $40 and $80. The government set aside more than $1.3 billion for its box coupons; unfortunately, that money has run out, even though NTIA spokesman Todd Sedmak reports that there are currently 1.76 million converter-box requests on the waiting list.
If you still need a coupon, visit the NTIA's website, and soon, to get your name on the waiting list. You’ll receive a coupon when unused coupons the government has already sent out expire, or when the government pumps more money into the program, whichever comes first.
The NTIA says it expects to field more than 2 million calls during the week of the changeover. The FCC budgeted more than $8 million to 12 outside organizations, including the AARP, to staff call centers for consumers with questions.
Elsewhere on Grandparents.com, find our guide to children's television, learn about the history of children's TV, get tips for helping kids turn off their sets, and discover suggestions for economizing among our Monday Money Savers.
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