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

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).

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...

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:Gotta get one for Dad

[Anonymous Coward]

Thanks for letting us know.

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!

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: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

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.