Official DTV Converter Box Coupons for Americans

Ant writes "The official Digital Television/DTV Converter Box Coupon Program is now online. Congress created it for households wishing to keep using their analog TV sets and use over-the-air antennae to get TV feeds. After February 17, 2009. The Program allows American households to obtain up to two coupons, each worth $40, that can be applied toward the cost of eligible converter boxes. A TV connected to cable, satellite, or other pay TV service does not require a TV converter box from this program."

Comments

Great if you can get the braodcasts.

[COMICAGOGO]

I have had a digital tuner for about two years now. I was really jazzed when i heard that the networks were going to start transmitting in digital and/or HD. I ran out got the tuner for my HDTV and waited for something to watch. To date the only channels i get are the two OPB (Oregon public Broadcasting) channels. I have looked into it and from what I have heard none of the other networks plan on upgrading the transmission equipment in the area. So, it looks like I will not have anything to watch even after 2009. Anyone else have this problem in rural areas?

Re:Finally!

[punterjoe]

Yeah, it's going almost as fast as free cheese :)
I'm glad that some steps are being taken - however bureaucratic & ineffective it may turn out to be, to address the turmoil that will be caused by the shutdown of analog broadcasting in 13 months.
My big concern is that the people this program is designed for are the ones least likely to know about it. Maybe the FCC should require public svc announcements on analog TV stations pushing the toll free number instead of the website. Actually, I hope the phone application doesn't require touchtones, since I suspect that even that low bar may exclude the ones who will be most affected by the analog shutdown.

vcr timer recording?

[jabberw0k]

I ordered two coupons, one for my receiver set and one for my VCR.

Can anyone explain how the VCR's box is gonna know "record channel 10 at 8pm, and channel 12 at 10pm, and channel 15 at 2am" ??? Am I going to have to program the second decoder with parallel multiple programs to the VCR? Or will these boxes have time-programs?

Or does this kill multiple timed recording completely?

Re:Finally!

[el_chupanegre]

In the UK we've had public TV and radio ad's for months telling you about what you need to do when the changeover occurs, with a free number to call with questions. We don't get free coupons though.

Re:From a UK perspective

[richie2000]

We've started switching over to digital - at least one area has had the analogue TV signal switched off altogether - and set top boxes to decode a digital signal have been on the market for some time. Sweden turned off the last analog signal a few months ago.

Interestingly, televisions without inbuilt digital decoding are still on the market today - though I can't think why. Many people live in apartments where the landlord does the decoding, or they already use a satellite receiver which also decodes to analog. The remaining market that only uses DVB-T is actually pretty small, estimates put it at around 30% of the total market (in Swede, YMMV).

Re:Talk about Holy Things

[ettlz]

Yeah, um, I can't understand this. The USA resists things like a national health service — yet the Government is handing out coupons for digital set-top boxes?! Shurely shome mishtake. I mean, here in the UK we've got loads of the things going cheap (as low as £20 a shot), but no coupons... (I think it's like you said. Keep the hoards exposed to the fnords.)

Getting the word out..

[s31523]

To request a coupon, consumers can apply online at www.dtv2009.gov. The government also has set up a 24-hour hotline to take requests, 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009). I imagine that many people who need these boxes don't have internet access and will never see the phone number displayed anywhere, except the internet. Poor grandma will just see white fuzz on the morning of Feb. 18 2009 instead of The Price Is Right.

Re:Getting the word out..

[linuxci]

I imagine that many people who need these boxes don't have internet access and will never see the phone number displayed anywhere, except the internet. Poor grandma will just see white fuzz on the morning of Feb. 18 2009 instead of The Price Is Right. But will she notice the difference?

Ahh government incentives

[dnoyeb]

In other news, the price of converter boxes just went up by $40...

Re:Ahh government incentives

[BobPaul]

Exactly my thought, but I don't think that'll be the real outcome. The price of these boxes is already $100+, which is too much IMHO for most consumers to purchase. With the forced shutoff of analog, demand increases and prices can reflect that. However, that also leaves lots of opportunity for someone to attempt to corner the market with a discount receiver. With or without the coupon, other manufacturers still need to compete with that guy.

What the coupon REALLY does is prevent the price from dropping below $40/unit.

Re:Ahh government incentives

[0100010001010011]

It's how it worked in the 'college' market. "Well if the government is giving everyone 10k, we might as well still make parents pay." Tuition is at an all time high.
It's how it worked for health care. "Well most people have insurance anyway. No reason not to charge $150 for a pair of crutches". Health care is at an all time high.

Re:Finally!

[Skater]

Here in DC the local stations have all banded together to create commercial with the news anchors to let everyone know. There are something like 12 stations I think; even the Spanish stations are in it. Honestly, if they keep running that, it's hard to see how people could miss it. Remember the TV stations have a vested interest in keeping people watching.

Priorities?

[Max Romantschuk]

In Finland we switched over to purely digital terrestrial broadcasting last year. And most people did indeed have to get a DVB-T STB (Set Top Box) in order to watch TV. Despite of this, the government did not subsidize this this switchover in any way. I find it almost sad that the United States government are willing to pay for something like this when Finland's (already broken) public healthcare system it still way better than it's US counterpart.

OK, so I might be trolling, but doesn't it say something about a society when TV is regarded as something important enough to subsidize? (Disclaimer: Finland has it's own equivalent to the BBC though, YLE.)

Re:Priorities?

[Pensacola Tiger]

Bread and circuses, just bread and circuses.

Re:Priorities?

[MightyYar]

It's not quite THAT silly. The government is going to make a lot of money auctioning off that freed-up spectrum. Surely compensating the people who will end up sacrificing to make way for that auction is not completely absurd? If the spectrum is worth $10 billion (which I think is a bit conservative), they would have to give away 250,000,000 $40 coupons before beginning to lose money on the swap. There are only 266 million TVs in the US, and I highly doubt that all of them will see a digital over-the-air box, especially since more than half of them are hooked up to cable.

And of course, there is the environmental impact of 100,000,000 TVs all hitting the landfill at the same time as people realize that it isn't cost effective to buy a box for their 5-10 year-old TV.

Re:Finally!

[Anonymous Coward]

Realistically, how many people don't already subscribe to satellite TV or already have digital cable?

If you're even asking that question, it shows that you are either unaware of or totally ignore an entire segment of the population.

Gotta get one for Dad

[wiredog]

He's 79, and doesn't watch much TV. Reads quite a bit, is into model railroading (HO Gauge, Western US, late steam era), does quite a bit on the PC (his first program was written in Fortran, on punch cards, in the 50's),hikes all over Utah, and takes lots of pictures with his digital camera.

He doesn't have time to watch TV, except at meals, when he watches the news.

Re:Gotta get one for Dad

[Anonymous Coward]

Thanks for letting us know.

Re:Gotta get one for Dad

[sm62704]

That's what I love about slashdot! If I go for "funny" (like I did with that comment) I get modded "insightful" unless it involves Natalie Portman, grits, the USSR, or a beowolf cluster. IINM any comment that contain any of the above terms is automatically moderated "+5 funny".

I think thre really are no mods here, from the way comments are moderated I'd say there was some sort of bot doing it. I mean, I've seen countless first posts that are on-topic and interesting or informative that are rated "redundant". How could the first comment be redundant? Only a bot (Or a PHB) would do that!

When you metamoderate you're reprogramming the bot. This comment will likely bring slashdot down, as the bots won't know how to moderate it (beowolf natalie portman FIRST POST CAN'T... COMPUTE... BZZZT fizzle POP

It's finally happened

[theonetruekeebler]

Between agribusiness subsidies for corn and wheat growers (73% of which is done by a dozen companies and families) and now coupons to let people continue watching television (80% of which is controlled by a half-dozen companies), it's finally happened: The American Empire has entered its "Bread and Circuses" stage, and tax money is going directly into making its citizens sit on their asses watching television and eating Twinkies.

And a quick poll: How many of you think that the government issuing $40 coupons for converter boxes is going to raise the price of converter boxes by $40?

Re:It's finally happened

[garcia]

I have been speaking out against this fleecing of America for years. I'm mostly upset with the unnecessary spectrum selloff and the fact that Congress is only allocating 1.5 billion for this program.

They forced a completely unnecessary program and will profit from the money that is really owned by the people. If we truly own the spectrum then the people should not have to pay a cent as I'm sure the revenue generated will be far more than 1.5 billion.

Re:It's finally happened

[AusIV]

Exactly. When I first heard about this, I thought it was ridiculous that tax payer dollars would go towards paying so people could keep watching TV. I could see a little justification that the FCC is forcing the antequation of millions if not billions of dollars worth of televisions, and the people using bunny ears are the least likely to be able to afford to replace their televisions.

But now that I realize this funding is coming from the sale of the 700 mhz spectrum (of which bidding is expected to start in the $4 billion range), I feel that any expenses endured due to the sale of the spectrum ought to be covered by the sale of the spectrum. If the sale of the 700 mhz spectrum can't cover the costs of selling the 700 mhz spectrum, then we shouldn't be selling it. While I am looking forward to the new services that will (hopefully) become available on the spectrum, it seems like the FCC is getting ready to profit by selling millions of televisions that they don't own. They're selling America short by not covering all of the costs of the transition.

Re:Finally!

[zebs]

We don't get free coupons though.

Do you need them? You can get Freeview boxes for £20!

Re:From a UK perspective

[Jon_S]

Yeah, but then again, you have to remember that Sweden, _successfully_ , switched from driving on the left side of the street to driving on the right side of the street on one day in 1967. I think the swedes are just a little more organized and tuned in.

I predict a lot "WTF!" from a lot of people in the US come Feb. 2009

(signed, American of Swedish descent)

They expire after 90 days!

[Megane]

I've already heard on usenet that they expire after 90 days. If you don't think you'll buy a box (or even be able to find one) within 90 days, then WAIT before asking for coupons!

Re:They expire after 90 days!

[Anonymous Coward]

After you apply, you get this: "IMPORTANT: TV converter boxes are not expected to be available in retail stores until late February or early March. You will receive your Coupon(s) then. The Coupon will expire within 90 days from the date it is issued."

Re:They expire after 90 days!

[DataBroker]

Per #13 under 'Using a Coupon' on their FAQ

Coupons expire 90 days after they are mailed. Each coupon has an expiration date printed on it.

Re:Finally!

[rjune]

I guess I'm one of those who fall into that group. I'm not a technophobe, we have Road Runner for high speed access and I have an extensive home network set up with wired and wireless connections. I could not do my job with a computer. However, Cable or satellite TV is a massive time sink and we (my family and I) have better things to do: Some of them: Read books (lots of books for the kids), play outside in both neighborhood sports and on organized teams, play and practice musical instruments, provide computer support for my son's school (currently we are converting the computer lab to thin clients), serve on a board that funds volunteer projects, serve in the AF Reserve, exercise, etc. etc.

We watch an hour or two of TV, ER and Mystery so we will need a converter. I suppose I'll buy a HDTV eventually, but like computers they are constantly getting faster, better, and cheaper. I'll wait for another couple of years.

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with cable or satellite -- if we had it I would park in front of the History Channel, it is just a matter of priorities.

Coupons expire 90 days after issuance

[plate_o_shrimp]

Don't know if it's buried in the fine print somewhere else on the website, but after you request one, you're told that it will be mailed and that it's valid for 90 days from the date of issuance....

Re:Coupons expire 90 days after issuance

[Intron]

No, what it says is:

We're sorry for the inconvenience. An unexpected error has occurred and been logged.

You will be redirected to the home page in 3 seconds.

Re:Coupons expire 90 days after issuance

[FredMenace]

How convenient... since it seems impossible to find any of these models (or any other new stand-alone ATSC set-top box, for that matter) for sale anywhere, in person or on the internet. Maybe that's the idea? People will quickly snap up all the coupons, before any of the models are available. Once the models are for sale, no more coupons will be left and all the existing coupons will be expired, hence, the gov't needs pay out no actual money! Brilliant!

Not to mention that I'm sure none of the STBs will cost anywhere near as low as $40.

The whole thing feels like a scam.

Re:Coupons expire 90 days after issuance

[Chyeld]

Actually no, if you peruse the site they make it extremely clear the boxes they are intending to subsidize aren't being manufactured yet and that the ETA is sometime Febuary/March. They also make it clear they aren't ISSUING cupons till then, meaning that the 90-day issue is moot. The only reason they have that in there is so someone doesn't snap these up then hold onto them for five years and then get upset because no one will honor it.

Re:Finally!

[willbry]

I think if more people in the US knew what they could get for free, they'd be all over this. I was amazed, after cancelling cable and living on 2-3 analog broadcast television for a few months, that I could get 30+ crystal clear channels over-the-air. Sure, I miss the daily show, but it's not worth $45/month or so that cable charges.

I'll stick with free, over-the-air digital television as long as it is available, and keep blogging about it.

williambryson.blogspot.com

principle is the same

[misanthrope101]

Either "the government doing stuff for people" is creeping socialism, or it isn't. Government paying for healthcare costs (via the taxpayer dime, naturally) is resisted by the right not on grounds of cost, but on grounds of "that isn't the government's business--the government should stay out of it!"

Bringing up farm subsidies and set-top TV boxes as a counterpoint to this, to highlight the politically-aligned selectivity of the objections is quite relevant. People who believe in small government believe in small government, and would object to this subsidy just as they would object to farm subsidies.

The problem is that many who claim to believe in small government don't really believe in small government. They just use the phrase to sloganeer against those programs they don't like, while being okey-dokey with government outlawing gay marriage and marijuana/prostitution, redefining torture, exempting the President from any and all laws, and and so on. Small government indeed.

Re:Can you say, "Rate Hike?"

[stevenliv]

The upcoming digital transition will only affect those who watch OTA television channels with an antennae. The cable companies have no need to supply a converter box in anticipation of the digital transition. Cable systems are unaffected by the transition, and if the company offers it, cable users are free to connect the cable directly to their television sets, vcrs, dvrs, etc without the need for any converter box. However i don't doubt that somehow the cable companies saw this as an opportunity to raise rates, they always do.

Re:Finally!

[geminidomino]

It's been *planned* for years, but the compatible tuners have only been *required* in TVs imported/manufactured since March, 2007.

If you haven't bought a TV in the past 10 months and don't have cable, it's a crap shoot.

Interesting, how?

[Zak3056]

If everyone is receiving analog cable using analog TVs... exactly how is this a problem? Cable companies are unaffected by the end of analog broadcast transmissions (cause, you know, "cable" companies send their signals via cable, and not over the air.)

Re:From a UK perspective

[MBGMorden]

I can agree there. I know of a lot of people who have no idea what the digital switch even is. When I try to break it down into the simplest terms "Your old TV is going to quit working without an extra box in 2009.", they generally just laugh it off as if I'd told them aliens were going to invade.

Bad thing is, a lot of these people are pretty far from the digital transmitters anyways. I myself have a lot of trouble with it. A few days ago I had posted that I couldn't pickup anything using my digital tuner, and some people mentioned antenna quality (and I was admittedly using a pretty bad antenna). So, I went out and bought a $40 UHF antenna with a powered amplifier. Nice looking little thing. I was amazed that compared to the 0 my set was registering it now reported 9 channels. Unfortuneatly none of them come in strong enough to provide a good watchable picture. It'll be fine for 10 seconds or so and then the image will corrupt for 2-3 seconds. Rinse, repeat. Enough to say "Hey, this picture looks good when it works, and having all the program scheduling and info is nice too, but I can't really watch this as is." I don't think I'm going to get much better without going to something big mounted on the roof (which I'd strongly prefer to avoid).

I'll just stick with satellite for now which has been digital for a very long time :).

So, it's already slipped by over two months.

[dpbsmith]

Last year, the FCC website said that converter boxes were available "now." I emailed them about it, because I couldn't find any, and they simply emailed me back a long email with the same text that appeared on the website... text that said they were available "now." No hints about what companies were providing them or where I could get one.

I was on the mailing list for email updates, and a couple of months ago, they emailed an update that the coupon program would begin on January 1st, 2008 and either stated or clearly implied that converters would be available then.

I called the 800 number on that date and, indeed, it is possible to request the coupons... but the message says that converters are, in fact, not yet available and that the coupons will not be mailed until mid-February.

Re:Finally!

[walt-sjc]

The problem is that retailers are still allowed to sell analog sets. Only sets over a certain size are now mandated, but you can still walk into a KMart and buy an analog set. Sales of analog "only" sets should have been banned 4 or 5 years ago, but FCC / congress bent to the whining of manufacturers. Disgraceful.

Re:Finally!

[GIL_Dude]

Yes, the government and the cable companies both SAY that analog will continue over cable. And if you look deeper you find that only LOCAL programming is required to stay on analog over cable. Over the last several months Comcast in California anyway has been removing some programming from analog and moving it to digital only. Now, we know they aren't required to do it and we know there are no technical reasons for it (as even if the feed they get is digital only they can convert at the head end and continue to deliver analog). They must believe they can get people to buy or rent converter boxes or even switch to digital which COSTS MORE.

In fact, they are succeeding in that. My mom now has TWO of their $7 a month converter boxes which do nothing but convert the digital signal from the cable to NTSC analog out on channel 3. The channels that have "digitalized only" so far have been ones like the TV Guide channel (in her area; my cable area 60 miles away lost one channel of it from analog but has one remaining - her area now has the guide only on digital), some news channels from neighboring areas, and a couple of others that she watches a lot (came to about 7 stations that she felt she "needed").

This type of business practice is unfortunately enabled by the mandated changeover - but at least with this coupon program she can get two retail converters cheaply and give Comcast back their overpriced ones. Anyone who has cable and an analog TV should consider getting the coupon just in case their cable company starts doing this to them in their market area.

Any Advice on which converter box?

[Odonian]

OK, I admit I'm a cheap bastard and I do Netflix instead of Cable/Satellite, but I've got the antenna for local channels and a few older TVs, so I'm going to need one of these puppies. Here's the list of elegible converter boxes from the web site. Any opinions on which one is the best box, or experiences using any of these?

• DigitalSTREAM D2A1D10
• DigitalSTREAM D2A1D20
• Zenith DTT900
• Magnavox TB100MW9
• Philco TB150HH9
• MicroGEM MG2000
• Sansonic FT300RT
• MaxMedia MMDTVB03
• Apex DT1001
• ECHOSTAR TR-40
• AMTC AT-2016

Thanks!

Re:Any Advice on which converter box?

[Jeremy Erwin]

I've heard that the DTV convertors are, by government mandate, really basic. Stereo Audio. Composite Video, RF out on channel 3 or 4.

No HDMI, S-Video or Component. No SPDIF. and certainly no firewire.

Re:Any Advice on which converter box?

[Jeremy Erwin]

Right you are.

Disqualifying Outputs

Digital Video Interface (DVI);
Component video (YPbPr);
High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI);
Computer video (VGA);
USB IEEE-1394 (iLink or Firewire)
Ethernet (IEEE-802.3)
Wireless (IEEE0802.11)

Information sheet for Manufacturers

16. Are digital coaxial audio outputs or SPDIF (optical) outputs permitted on eligible converter boxes?

No. Technical Appendix 2, "Outputs" includes examples of disqualifying features. Digital coaxial and SPDIF optical outputs are not consistent with the statutory description of "converter box." (See Pub. L. 109-171, Section 3005(d) and Paragraph 55 of the Final Rule.)

Component Video + SPDIF would provide an audiovisual experience comparable to DVDs, but I suppose those are luxuries.

Re:Finally!

[digitig]

What if the cable goes out for some reason? It usually takes several days for Comcast to even come out and take a look when ever I have had a problem. You do without TV for a couple of days. Look out of the window, buy a newspaper, read a book, maybe even talk to people. It's survivable.

Re:Finally!

[Sczi]

You do without TV for a couple of days. Look out of the window, buy a newspaper, read a book, maybe even talk to people. It's survivable.

Amen to that. I was watching a pbs program on personal finance, and the discussion was about prioritizing bills and whatnot. The list went something like: rent, electricity, water, cable, food, etc... One of these things is not like the others. One of these things just doesn't belong.

Re:Finally!

[Cylix]

Your reasoning is flawed.

A great deal of the populous has no idea what digital television is. If you ask someone what a digital television is they will either tell you it's an lcd/plasma screen or the new menu on their old analogue set.

There hasn't been a great deal of education through the medium in which people are watching. I'm surprised a PSA of some sorts has not been created to address this issue. The TV guys need to take a hint from the radio guys and advertise the hell out of it. I actually can't get away from the radio ads here and I don't believe analogue radio is going away anytime soon.

Re:Finally!

[Sen.NullProcPntr]

Look out of the window, buy a newspaper, read a book, maybe even talk to people. Actually I usually turn on the radio - I'm just too lazy to pull the coax and dig out an antenna;-)

It's survivable. Until you realize the cable modem is on the same wire....
Ahhhhhhh

;-)

Re:Finally!

[willbry]

A few, here and there. There are a couple of shows in primetime I enjoy (i.e., The Office). Our local PBS affiliate has 5 local hd channels and occasionally plays something intersting.

Don't get me wrong, tv is pretty much all crap. The difference is cable costs money, whereas dtv is free. Free crap is better than crap that costs money.

In the end, it's all crap.

williambryson.blogspot.com

Re:From a UK perspective

[prof alan]

"Interestingly, televisions without inbuilt digital decoding are still on the market today - though I can't think why."

Easy - Something like 20% of the UK is unlikely ever to received Freeview (i.e. DTV-T, or DTV from terrestrial transmitters) so any DTV-T equipped set installed in those areas will have a useless tuner. That is what Freesat (http://www.freesat.co.uk/), due for launch in March, is for. This latter is (IMO) likely to supercede DTV-T as it provides for more channels and for HDTV.

Re:From a UK perspective

[edmicman]

Or 4. People who don't have a need to spend $50-$80 a month on 200 channels with nothing on?

I never had cable growing up, and my parents still just have rabbit ears. They are neither grandmas (yet), ghetto dwellers, wilderness wildmen, nor snobs or health nuts. They get all the main networks, and that's what they watch. They've never seen a need for anything more. Hell, I pay almost $100/month for cable internet and TV, and we pretty much only watch network television, ESPN, and Comedy Central. The wife sometimes watches E!. Really, outside of sports and HD (our TV doesn't have a digital HD tuner), I really wonder why I'm paying so much for so little, and am thinking of dropping it altogether. If we could only get all the college sports on regular network TV, or if I could just find a freakin' cheap HD tuner box. Sigh.....

Mmmm pork

[Oafed]

1.5 BILLION dollars of our tax money is going into upgrading peoples TV. Thats every cent of tax paid by about 210,000 middle class families this year. When TWO!? of your TVs get cut off and you can't live without them then get off your fat ass and earn the $80 yourself.

Re:Finally!

[rrkap]

Sales of analog "only" sets should have been banned 4 or 5 years ago

Why?

80% of Americans get their TV from cable or satellite. Analog sets work just fine as monitors for any Satellite box or cable box you might have and since most cable systems carry analog signals in addition to digital, they work great with cable and are likely to work with some cable systems for quite some time.

Re:Finally!

[mea37]

I disagree. A better solution would have been to mandate that analog-only sets start carrying a warning/explanation starting 4 or 5 years ago. (Actually 15 years in advance would be better; unless you buy crap TV's, it might easily have been over 10 years since you last bought one.) Or by some other means ensure that people know what they're buying -- you know, acually enforce the assumptions that make a free market work rather than telling the consumer what decisions he is or isn't allowed to make, thereby negating any kind of free market.

Don't get me wrong; there are cases where government standards and bans are called for -- such as when the cost of a consumer's decision are born by others instead of by the consumer himself, though often a tax is a suitable and less intrusive solution even then. This is not one of those cases.

Maybe I, as a consumer, want a cheap analog-only TV because I don't care about over-the-air broadcasts. Maybe I'll use it with my DVD collection (the player can still send an analog signal), or with a cable converter. Regardless, my decision affects nobody but me and there is no reason the government should impose a ban that keeps me from buying one.

Re:Finally!

[WoodstockJeff]

And where I live, you can't receive the HD broadcasts without a minimum 100' tower, and a very high-gain antenna. A customer of mine lives on one of the highest points of the ridge between my house and Chicago, and he has plenty of digital signals arriving at the antenna jack. With a 40' tower two miles away (50 miles from the transmitter), getting the analog signals isn't static-free. There's not even a trace of the digital signals, broadcast from remote sites, half the distance away... Of course, it doesn't really matter - I have yet to see one of this mythical tuner/converters in any store, at any price. I've found a few places online that say they can get them for $100 and up... and 3-4 weeks lead time. It would be simpler and faster (and probably cheaper) to get an HD tuner card for the computer!