About the Digital TV Transition

On February 17, 2009 U.S. broadcast televisions will cease transmitting analog signals and broadcast exclusively digital signals.  While this change will allow broadcasters to offer a variety of enhanced content, it will affect the millions of consumers with older analog-only television sets.  Consumers with such television sets who receive their programming over the air and do not take action will find that their sets will cease functioning after the stuff-off date on February 17, 2009.

Consumers have several options for managing the transition to digital television (DTV).  First, they can purchase a converter box that will convert the new digital broadcast signals to an analog signal useable by the older analog-only television sets.  The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is offered free $40 coupons to consumers to assist in the purchase of such converter boxes.  Second, they can subscribe to cable or satellite television service, as these services will be unaffected by the DTV transition until 2012, when analog cable will go exclusively digital as well.  Finally, consumer can purchase a DTV-ready television set that will be able to process the digital broadcast signals. 

Read more:

- What You Might Not Know About the DTV Transition
- Consumer Horror Stories
- Online Resources