Free Digital Tv Converter

11. Two-phase giveaway, in the first phase beginning Jan. 1, 2008, anybody in the country, no matter how rich or poor, can get two of these coupons. Once $990 million is spent in this phase, then starts the second giveaway phase. In this phase, anybody in the country, no matter how rich or poor, can get two coupons, if they say that they don’t have cable or satellite TV services. And once that $510 billion goes out the door, that’s it, no more digital converter giveaways.

10. National Tele. and Info. Admin. will spend as much as $1.5 billion in coupons to any American who asks for them, to purchase digital converter boxes for their analog television sets.

9.The digital television transition, also known as the DTV transition, is the time when all full-powered television stations in the United States are going to switch off their analog television transmission systems, and start broadcasting exclusively in the digital format.



8.The deadline for the switch over to digital television is February 17, 2009.

7. It will not affect most cable and satellite subscribers, but everyone else who gets signals over the air will have no choice but to make one of two decisions to continue to see TV.

6.About 34 million American households will be directly affected by the transition.

5.Consumers will be able to apply for coupons (valued at about $40) to buy set-top boxes that let their analog TVs receive digital signals.



4.Recent estimates show these boxes cost about $50, but McQuivey says prices will drop a lot in the coming year, making it likely the voucher will completely cover the cost.

3.People can phone 1-888-DTV-2009 to request applications for the converter box coupons.20% of the population still using analog TV will be ready for the transition.



2. For instance, converter boxes with component video outputs, picture-in-picture capability, or recording and playback capabilities, won’t be eligible for the government handouts. Conversely, boxes which fail to include a remote control or on-screen program guide won’t be eligible, either.



1.Option No. 1: You can either buy a whole new set with a digital TV receiver built in.

Option No. 2: For around $40, you will be able to buy a digital converter box, and starting in January, you can score a free $40 coupon from Uncle Sam.

Bottom line: that means you can get a digital converter box for free.