In less than a month the federally mandated crossover to digital broadcast will take place. Come February 17, millions of standard antenna televisions will not be able to receive the digital broadcasts on their own. Don't be one of the millions without television on February 17. Get the facts and make sure that you are okay.If it's not broke, don't fix it. So why is the FCC mandating that television stations exclusively broadcast digitally on February 17? Digital broadcasting allows stations to offer better picture and sound. A television station can broadcast in HD, 1080i and 720p, with digital signals. The stations can also broadcast multiple channels. In addition to the main channel, television stations are broadcasting additional channels that broadcast news, weather reports, and other programs 24/7. Digital broadcasts also allow interactive features, such as program information and broadcast schedules.
So who has to worry? First of all, if you receive television through a cable or satellite provider like Comcast, DirectTV, or Verizon Fios, then you have nothing to worry about. If you watch television through an antenna, then you will be affected by the crossover. If you are one of the people who watches television through an antenna, you may have to purchase a converter box to receive the signal.
Not everybody will have to purchase a converter box. Some televisions come standard with digital tuners. The FCC also stipulated that televisions manufactured after March 1, 2007 must be manufactured with a digital tuner. This rule prohibits the manufacture, import, or interstate shipment of any device containing an analog tuner, unless it also contains a digital tuner. So if you bought your TV after March 1, 2007, you should be fine. The best way to check is to read you television's manual or call the manufacturer.
If you do need a digital converter box, you can purchase them at any electronics store. The average converter box runs for $40-60. Luckily the government is offering converter box coupons for those who need to purchase them. Unfortunately, you should have filled out the forms for the coupons three months ago. If you do need a coupon, you can file for them here. There has been a waiting list for those requesting converter box coupons since September.When you do get your converter box, simply hook it up as you would your antenna. Don't throw away your antenna through. The converter box by itself does not receive the digital signals, it converts the digital signals your antenna receives into analog signals that your television can display.
Now you should be ready. But if you do have more questions, visit www.dtv.gov, the official website for the digital crossover. February 17 is coming fast, make sure that you're ready!
