August 19, 2008
FCC: D.C. Area Behind in Digital TV Conversion
The Examiner went with a story this morning about how the FCC is worried that too many people in the D.C. metro area still haven't heard about the digital TV converter box program. Seems a little tough to swallow at first, considering the sheer amount of promotion it has already received compared to virtually any other government program. But the FCC is especially concerned about seniors, people with disabilities, minorities, the very poor and non-English speakers, which makes a bit more sense.
I've had my two converter boxes for several months now, so in order to perform my required amount of shilling for government handouts to big media civic duty, here's the story of how it all went down:
Step 1: I went to this web site and filled out the forms to apply for two $40 coupons good toward digital converter boxes. I have two non-HD analog TVs in my house, and two is the maximum number of coupons allowed per person, so that worked out.
Step 2: About a month later, I got my coupons in the mail. They look like the ones in the photo above.
Step 3: I went to Radio Shack to buy two converter boxes and one new antenna (I already owned one pair of rabbit ears). Turns out the converter boxes cost $60 each, and the antenna ran me about $20. So the total cost, with the coupons, of my digital TV conversion was $60. Predictably, the people who work at Radio Shack had trouble with the simple task of running my credit card to process the transaction, which led them to run it through three or four times, which led my bank to put a hold on my Visa check card without me realizing it, which led to some difficulty paying my bar tab that night. So, maybe try Best Buy. There's no real difference between the two brands of boxes available at Radio Shack and Best Buy, and they cost the same.
Step 4: Set-up was very simple once I got the boxes home. The free digital broadcast picture is surprisingly high quality on my old TV set. The additional broadcast channels, like extra weather channels, Local Point, and the new one that plays a ton of old Wagon Train and Knight Rider episodes, are pretty sweet as well.
Have you already converted, or do you plan to? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Photo by christaki
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You may want to revise the language in your first step. Not all non-HDTV's are analog.
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I had a similar experience except that I got the boxes at Best Buy and had no problem with the transaction.
They do make the screen smaller on some channels which is sort of annoying. I already have a small tv, so I'm not psyched that the screen is only partially filled now, but oh well. I don't watch much tv anyway.
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Only TVs that only get its signal from "bunny ears" need conversion. If you have cable, dish, fios, or leprechauns your are fine and don't need the conversion.
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wha? I was holding off, since I didn't think there was any benefit to doing it before the switchover. Nice to learn of the free additional channels! I'm one the MANY people in the DC who CHOOSE not to pay for TV; I don't really fit in their idea that only poor, old and immigrant people don't have cable. (You should SEE the number of Direct TV set-ups in the ghetto!)
I learned a while ago that I can have a lot more fun with the extra $1,200 bucks in my pocket each year- which also keeps me from getting sucked into the idiot box.
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mgt, have you tried changing the aspect ratio? the converter boxes generally allow you to choose from 4 to 5 options on the size and shape of the image.
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when people see the rabbit ears on my tv, they say "you do know that you have to convert to digital soon, RIGHT?!!?" like the world is going to end. i have until february. i'll convert at some point, but i'm not in any hurry.
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I installed two of them for my parents this past spring. I dreaded it at first, but it was fairly simple, and the improvement in picture quality alone was well worth it. (They live in a rural area, and over-the-air is the only way to get local channels)
I got two for myself. I don't watch TV much, and I refuse to buy a new one. My only complaint is that the box I got has yet another remote. So you have to change the channels with the DTV remote, and volume with the TV remote. By now I would hope that there are other models on the market that have a universal remote, or that makes the codes known so that another universal remote can recognize it.
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Spookiness, my converter remote allows me to program it so that I can control my TV set as well, so I only need one remote now. It's the box made by "DigitalStream."
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I had pretty much the same smooth experience you did, only purchased mine at Best Buy instead of Radio Shack. The picture is nice and clear, and the extra weather channels are nifty. Best of all are the extra PBS channels (PBS Create, PBS Kids, a couple others). Best $23 I ever spent, coupon included. It's like free cable!
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Why did you buy a new antenna?
I went to the DTV website and ordered from one of the companies they list as selling the converters. I did some research and picked a brand that got high ratings. With the discount card, it cost $21 including shipping.
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I bought the antenna because I used to have cable and never had an antenna for one of my TVs. Obviously, you wouldn't need to buy a new one if you already have a set of rabbit ears.
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Well, maybe they wouldn't be poor if they spent less time watching those twin bobbleheads Giada and Rachel, and more time working.
I don't touch anything unless it's timeshifted or torrented. The last broadcast show I watched with commercials was the Preparation H Cavalcade of Comedy Hour on the Dumont Network.
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Am I the only one disturbed (and amused) by the fact that the DTV converter website has a relatively detailed statistics section?
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I cannot wait until February whatever, when my tv set goes dead. You can bet I'll be sending angry emails to Marion Barry about this.
You pay your $21; I'm gettin' a $5000 tv and cable for free. It's the least the City can do for me.
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I've converted mine as well, with similar Radio Shack problems as mentioned above. The picture quality is a lot better, but I do some times get tons of pixilation on some channels, even when using rabbit ears in addition to the converter. Any advice on how to get rid of it? We have to unhook the box to watch PBS and sometimes Fox.
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SY: You may need a powered antenna or "smart" antenna.. but I only just got my coupons, so I may not know what I'm talking about.
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Thanks Sommer. I haven't played around with it that much yet. I'll have to check that out when I get home.
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I got one of the Zenith-branded boxes at Circuit City with my $40 coupon, and it works great. The difference in picture quality between analog and digital is amazing, even if it isn't true HD.
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Um, pay in cash? You totally made me paranoid to use my card Sommer... Oh wait, I was already paranoid.
Ahark, you could do a nifty art project with your rabbit ears? You still have those things?
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This is how the Illuminati is going to take us over.
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Right! What I want to know is: what are They going to do with all the extra airwaves? There will be all that extra space that won't be used to broadcast TV. And, how best to use it to serve the public good? I'm all for digital telepathy, myself...
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Stu, here's the use that I endorse. http://www.psst.org/index.jsp