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Act Now: Save Your TV

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By ROBERT McDOWELL

Special to the Tribune

Published: December 6, 2008

Metaphorically speaking, it's well past 10 p.m. on the nation's countdown to the digital television transition. In less than three months, your over-the-air TV may be useless unless you act today.

On Feb. 17, federal law requires that most stations broadcast only the new digital signals. Will you be ready?

Digital television, TV's biggest technological leap since its invention, delivers crisper pictures, better sound and more free programming channels for consumers. In fact, many Americans already enjoy the benefits of digital TV because most stations have broadcast analog and digital signals for several years.

Thanks to news stories and promotional campaigns, most Americans - up to 92 percent by recent estimates - know that the "DTV transition" is going to happen soon. Yet I've learned that many Americans still aren't sure what they must do to prepare for it.

If you are one of about 12 percent of Americans nationwide who use only antennas (set-top "rabbit ears" or rooftop hardware) rather than cable or satellite TV to receive local television signals, you will need to take a few steps to make sure the TVs in your household are ready.

I encourage everyone to help those most at risk of being left behind when the change comes: the elderly, the infirm, low-income individuals and non-English speakers. These are the people who need to get the DTV message - and act upon it - today.

Here are a few points to relay to anyone uncertain about what is happening:

OLDER SETS: If you have a TV set that was built before 2002 and it uses an antenna, you have two options: buy an inexpensive digital converter box and connect it to your analog TV or buy a new TV that has a built-in digital tuner.

GOT CABLE? TVs that are hooked up to cable or satellite TV will continue to function, and most TV sets manufactured after 2002 have digital tuners built into them. If your TV says "digital ready" or "ATSC" on it, you're all set.

GET CONVERTED: If you need to acquire a digital converter box for an analog set, buy it today. These electronic devices work with antennas to translate digital broadcast signals into a language that old analog sets can understand. The cheapest boxes cost about $40, the same price as the coupons Congress has subsidized to help Americans make the transition. The boxes are widely available in electronics stores.

TURN IT ON: Once you get a converter box, hook it up to your TV set immediately. You may need to adjust your antenna to pick up the digital signals, and you definitely will have to "scan" the new channels into the device for it to work properly. If you have problems receiving signals, call 1-888-CALL-FCC or go to www.DTV.gov.

GET A COUPON: If you need help to pay for a DTV converter box, apply for the government coupon today. Each household may acquire up to two coupons. To apply, call 1-888-388-2009 or go to www.DTV2009.gov. Coupons expire within 90 days.

GET IT NOW: If you do not need the government subsidy to buy a converter box, don't bother. It isn't a permission slip; you're free to purchase a box whenever you wish. It takes weeks for the government to process coupon requests, and in the meantime, you're losing precious time to hook up the box, check your antenna connections and start enjoying free digital broadcast TV.

Robert McDowell is a member of the Federal Communications Commission.

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