Q & A Tip of the Week: DTV Conversion Approaches

Yes, the transition to digital television was delayed last February, but the rescheduled date is just days away. With June 12 fast approaching, most people with analog sets who get their TV broadcasts over the air already know they need to get a converter box for the analog TV (or a new digital TV) to see the new signals. But getting the equipment is only part of the conversion process — you also need to scan for new digital channels to make sure you’re pulling in all the stations in your area.

Some converter boxes may scan for channels automatically when you set them up, but you can also scan for channels manually by using the scan feature on the converter box’s menus or remote. Digital television sets usually keep the channel-scan controls in the settings or setup menus, where the function may be called auto-tune.

The Federal Communications Commission recommends scanning (or rescanning) for digital channels on June 13. And since new digital stations are popping up or adding subchannels, you may want to scan for new channels on a regular basis, just to make sure you’re getting all the TV that’s out there. You can find troubleshooting advice, antenna tips and even coverage maps showing all the digital channels available in your area at the F.C.C.’s DTV Web site.

Digital Television Transition

Bebeto Matthews/Associated Press

In October of 2005, Congress enacted the Digital Television and Public Safety Act of 2005. The bill established that, by February 17th, 2009, all analog television broadcasts from full-power stations must cease and be replaced by digital transmissions. Why the switch? Moving to digital does two things: It allows broadcasters to send more data more efficiently - in addition to the show you are watching, you may get program and scheduling information on a pop-up screen, as well as higher-quality image and sound. Moving to digital also frees up the existing analog spectrum for other uses such as cellphone and public-safety radio transmissions.

That spectrum leads to another reason: cash. That older, analog spectrum was auctioned off by the government and went for nearly $20 billion.

On Jan. 26 the Senate passed a bill that would have postponed the switch to DTV to June, which was then defeated in the House. On Feb. 4, the House voted again to extend the transition to digital television by four months until June 12. President Obama signed the legislation that pushed back the deadline and allowed some stations to turn off their analog signals earlier.

The main question everyone has about the DTV transition is: What do I need to do about it? This part is simple: If you have cable or satellite, you don't have to do anything. If you get your TV signal from an antenna, you have to buy a digital converter box in order to continue to watch television. You only need the box, and possibly a new antenna - older antennas may not pick up UHF signals, which is what DTV uses. You do not need a new television, or a high-definition television (HDTV).

So, how does one get a converter box? This is slightly less simple. Converters are sold at many locations: online, at big-box retailers, possibly your local drug store. They cost $50 to $70. You have to buy separate converters for each TV you own.

So you may be wondering why you have to shell out $50 or more to upgrade your TV when you didn't ask for this conversion in the first place. That's why the government set up a voucher plan. The idea was that people who needed a converter could get up to two vouchers (one per converter), each valued at $40. That would make converter purchases nearly cost-free, or at least pretty inexpensive.

Then things got complicated. Originally, the vouchers had a 90-day expiration date and all had been sent out, and no money remained to fund any more. But on March 24, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced that the backlog for digital television converter box coupon requests had been cleared and that the government now had sufficient financing to send out more.

The F.C.C. said more than 4,000 people were available to answer the agency's phone number, 1-888-CALLFCC (1-888-225-5322), to help consumers who are confused about the switch.