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I would venture a guess what triggered this was problems in the DTV coupon program.

This program offers each household up to two coupons. (in the form of cards, similar to a debit card) Each coupon could be redeemed for US$40 off the price of a digital receiver. Digital receivers are selling for around US$60-65.

The coupon program has more or less run out of money. "more or less" because they're finding many, many coupons are being ordered but never redeemed. They do have an expiration period. (90 days) I suppose the theory is that if the analog shutdown is delayed, more unused coupons will expire and more money will be available to issue more coupons and more viewers can use those coupons to get converted in time.

That said, most Americans are more than willing to pay more than $60 every month for cable or satellite service, it seems unlikely that a one time payment of $60 for a converter box is going to be a problem for most families.

(for those families for whom $60 is a problem, I have sympathy... although they really should have acted sooner...)

There is also some concern that viewers in some places are having trouble receiving all the channels they were getting in analog. Problem is, in many cases that's because:

The digital signals are suffering interference from analog transmitters.

Or, they're having to operate on reduced power to avoid interfering with analog service.

Or, the station plans to use its current analog antenna for its permanent digital service -- is currently on a lower interim antenna -- and of course cannot switch to full power until it can turn its analog transmitter off.

Of course delaying the analog shutdown only delays the delivery of a full digital signal to these viewers!

https://www.dtv2009.gov/lowpower/

I think I understand now: https://www.dtv2009.gov/Stats.aspx

There are 11.7 million coupons outstanding. So, if the redemption rate continues below 60%, then that would be enough to cover the 2.5 million coupons on the waiting list and 2 or 3 million more. However, I read elsewhere that current expiration dates would be pushed out to September 15th, so new applicants would probably not be issued any coupons until after that.

When you've had your plane for a decade, and it's all paid for, do you really want to spend $1200 (and our flying club was quoted more like $2500 installed) at a time when avgas is still at near record highs

Perhaps the government could pitch in $40 towards a converter box that makes the old beacons compatible with the new system, but doesn't function nearly as well as purchasing a whole new beacon. This $40 will be in the form of a coupon that can only be used to buy the converter box, and it can't be used towards the purchase of a new, and functionally superior, system.

Of course these coupons will become very popular as many people have old beacons that work just fine and can't justify the cost of a new one. The government will underestimate the demand for the coupons and run out of money for the program.

I think they ran out of money because they have allocated it all towards coupons that have been distributed, but haven't been redeemed or expired.

Nope. Those funds get put back into the pool
https://www.dtv2009.gov/ApplyCoupon.aspx

IMPORTANT: The TV Converter Box Coupon Program has reached its funding ceiling. However, coupon requests from eligible households will be filled as funds from expiring coupons become available. If you would like to apply for a coupon today and are eligible, you will be placed on a waiting list and will receive coupons on a first-come-first-served basis as funds from expiring coupons become available. Coupons will expire within 90 days of the date they are mailed.

People who have cable TV aren't affected.

A converter may cost $60, but the government is giving away $40 coupons, up to two per household. I got one, plugged it in, and got over 30 channels in crisp, clear video. Only one was poor quality.

Getting rid of the HDTV mandate would be just another case of someone wanting to 'dumb down' America to it's lowest denominator. 'Oh .. think of the poor people'.

Fuck 'em. If they can't afford $10 for a converter, maybe they shouldn't be wasting their time watching TV.

I have a $60 STB that performs much better than earlier generation boxes that were much more expensive. The only problem is that it down-converts everything to SD.

By U.S. law, an entry-level ATSC set-top box has to convert everything to SDTV, or else the box isn't eligible for the $40 coupons. From the coupon site's FAQ: "The intent of the program is to allow consumers to continue to view TV over-the-air on the same TV they used prior to the transition, not to enable upgrades in technology." So the final rule states that coupon-eligible converters MUST provide RF and composite outputs and MAY provide S-video outputs.

Have you requested your free converter box from Uncle Sam yet? I certainly have! And no, I don't receive over-the-air television ... I've got DirecTV and I'm quite happy with it. But with the coupons, I can get a couple of free boxes with power supplies and RF modulators in them ... quite nice for various geek projects! One of them will probably be fitted as a simple RF modulator appliance so my son can play video games on his TV which only has an antenna input. The other ... who knows? Who cares? It's free! (More accurately, it's already paid for; it doesn't even begin to make up for the thousands of dollars the government steals from me each year.)

The form wouldn't go through for me when I listed my address with my apartment number as 3 - "invalid apartment number" (or something). Tried with and without "#", etc. all "invalid".
So on a whim I put "C" as the apartment number (same thing really) and it went through. But the next page was a message saying the address is listed as single family in their records with some vague threat about misrepresenting my eligibility. I just clicked the box indicating that the address was correct and it appeared to go through (got a confirmation number).
Need to dig up the receipt and check status on the website. I had given up but it looks like they are intentionally delaying mailing the coupons.

I don't disagree with you that people should be more careful shopping online. But in their defense, convertmytv.com is listed on the official gov't coupon site as a valid online retailer, which might give one the impression that they're legit.

You do know that you can go online and check the status of your converter coupon request, right?

It's not like http://dtv2009.gov/ doesn't have a HUGE graphic on the front page saying "Wondering where your coupon is?"

Please read https://dtv2009.gov/FAQ.aspx for more information.

I am trying to inform you, not mislead you. I didn't intend to come off as rude with the "falsehood" comment, I was talking about the statement, not the person making it. No need to 'fie'...

Neither 480i nor 480p is HD. 480i is allowed under ATSC just as it was under NTSC, but ATSC also adds 720p and 1080i, which are the only HD resolutions available over-the-air via ATSC. The transition does not remove support for 480i. The 2009 transition does not mandate HD, only digital (ATSC).

This is already implemented. Not quite as extravagant as you propose, but there are coupons for up to 2 TV's per household that will cover close to the full cost of a digital tuner. People without cable or satellite have priority for some of the coupons. The only problem is the people who need the program are the ones who won't be tuned in enough to know that things are changing until all the coupons are gone. Maybe advertising on TV will help.

https://www.dtv2009.gov/

You can get 2 $40 coupons at this site

you can apply for the (2) $40 coupons (usable towards the cost (prediced at about $60, so you need to pay about $20 each box) of 1 DTV converter each) here.