Published: November 2007

DTV Transition: Are you ready?

Coalition: DTV Transition Coalition

If you currently receive free TV over the air using an antenna and an older analog TV set, you’ll need to get a converter box by Feb. 17, 2009 so that you can continue to watch TV. If you have "pay" TV from a cable, satellite or phone company, you don't need to do anything.

DTV Transition: Are you ready? The mission of the Digital Television Transition Coalition is to inform consumers of the switch from analog to digital television broadcasting on Feb. 17, 2009. The coalition is comprised of business, trade and industry groups as well as grass roots and membership organizations that share an interest in a smooth transition. The Digital Television Transition Coalition is working to ensure no consumer is left without broadcast television because they lack of information about the transition. TV sets that currently receive programming through cable or satellite probably will not be affected by the transition to digital. But the owners of TV sets that rely on free "over the air" broadcasting using an antenna (set-top or rooftop) will need to consider one of these options:
  • Purchase a digital-to-analog converter box that plugs into an existing television.
  • Subscribe to basic cable access from a cable, satellite or telecommunications service provider.
  • Purchase a new television set with a built in digital tuner. All sets sold since January 2007 must be digital ready.

Converter box coupons

The digital-to-analog converter boxes are expected to cost between $50-$70. On Jan. 1, 2008, U.S. households can request up to two coupons valued at $40 each. Each coupon will apply to the purchase of a single set-top converter box. The converter boxes will allow the signals picked up by your antenna to be seen on your older analog TV set. This means you can keep watching free "over-the-air" television. Here are some resources that provide more information about DTV Transition:
  • Digital Television Transition Coalition (http://www.dtvtransition.org)
  • Countdown to DTV Transition (http://www.dtv.gov)
  • Converter Box Program (http://www.ntia.doc.gov/dtvcoupon/index.html)
  • Other Organizations

    AARP Advanced Television System Committee Affinity Marketing Alabama Broadcasters Association Alaska Broadcasters Association Alliance for Public Technology American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) American Cable Association American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) American Library Association Archway Marketing Services Arizona Broadcasters Association Arizona - New Mexico Cable Communications Association Arkansas Broadcasters Association Association of Cable Communicators Association of Public Broadcasting Stations of New York (APBS) AudioQuest BestBuy Black Leadership Forum Inc. Broadcom Call for Action Cable Telecommunications Association of New York, Inc. Cable Television Association of Georgia California Broadcasters Association CENTRIS Circuit City Cisco Systems, Inc. CNET Colorado Broadcasters Association Community Broadcasters Association Congressional Black Caucus Congressional Hispanic Caucus Connecticut Broadcasters Association Consumer Action Consumers for Competitive Choice Corporation for Public Broadcasting Councilmember Mary Cheh's Office CTAM: The Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing Custom Electronics Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) DIRECTV Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA) Entertainment Industries Council, Inc. (EIC) Effros Communications Federal Citizens Information Center Federal Communications Commission Florida Association of Broadcasters Georgia Association of Broadcasters Goodwill Industries International Greater New Orleans Broadcasters Association (GNOBA) Hawaii Association of Broadcasters High Tech DTV Coalition Home Theater Specialists of America (HTSA) Idaho State Broadcasters Association Illinois Broadcasters Association Indiana Broadcasters Association Information Technology Industry Council (ITIC) Iowa Broadcasters Association Iowa Cable & Telecommunications Association, Inc. Kansas Association of Broadcasters KA6UTC KCET Kentucky Broadcasters Association Kinsella/Novak Communications, LLC KTSF League of United Latin American Citizens Louisana Association of Broadcasters Louisiana Cable & Telecommunications Association Maine Association of Broadcasters Maryland/D.C./Delaware Broadcasters Association Massachusetts Broadcasters Association Media Freedom Project MediaTides LLC Mexican American Opportunity Foundation Michigan Association of Broadcasters Microtune Minnesota Broadcasters Association Minority Media telecommunications Council Mississippi Association of Broadcasters Missouri Broadcasters Association Montana Broadcasters Association National Alliance of State Broadcast Associations (NASBA) National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) National Association of Black Owned Journalists National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators (NACAA) National Assciation of Counties (NACo) National Association of Latino Elected Officials National Association of Latino Independent Producers National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) National Association of Neigborhoods National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM) National Association of Telecommunications and Advisors (NATOA) National Black Church Initiative National Coalition on Black Civic Participation National Countil of LaRaza National Fair Housing Alliance National Grange National Grocers Association (NGA) National Hispanic Media Coalition National Newspaper Publishers Association New Service National Organization of Black County Officials National Religious Broadcasters National Urban League (NUL) Navigant Consulting, Inc. Nebraska Broadcasters Association Nevada Broadcasters Association New Hampshire Association of Broadcasters New Jersey Broadcasters Association New Mexico Broadcasters Association New York State Broadcasters Association Nielsen Company North American Retail Dealers Association (NARDA) North Carolina Association of Broadcasters North Dakota Broadcasters Association Ohio Association of Broadcasters Ohio Cable Telecommunications Association Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters Oregon Association of Broadcasters Panasonic Corporation of North America PCT International, Inc. Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters Philips Consumer Electronics Plasma Display Coalition Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) Qualcomm Rainbow PUSH Coalition RadioShack RCA/Audio Video Retail Industry Leaders Association Retirement Living TV Rhode Island Broadcasters Association Samsung Electronics Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association (SBCA) South Carolina Broadcasters Association South Dakota Broadcasters Association Target Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) Terrestrial Digital Tennessee Association of Broadcasters Texas Association of Broadcasters Texas Cable & Telecommunications Association THAT Corporation Texas Instruments Thomson TitanTV Media U.S. Chamber of Commerce Universal Remote Control Utah Broadcasters Association Verizon Vermont Association of Broadcasters Virginia Association of Broadcasters Voices of September 11th Wal-mart Washington State Association of Broadcasters Washington Urban League Wineguard Company Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Wisconsin Cable Communications Association WLMB-TV Wyoming Association of Broadcasters

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