Way Off-Topic: Get your gov coupon for TVs w/ rabbit ears

Mari · 01-03-2008, 03:10 PM

Hi,

On Jan 1, the US government started giving out coupons for people to buy a converter for their televisions. In Feb 2009 all TV broadcasts will be digital.

If you have cable or satellite or whatnot, your service provider is supposed to give you a converter.

If you have rabbit ears like I do, you have to buy your own converter. The gov coupon is worth 40.00. But I don't know if the stores are actually carrying the converters yet -- I haven't called around to check.

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/200801..._pe/digital_tv

Quote:

. . . Beginning Feb. 18, 2009, anyone who does not own a digital set and still gets their programming via over-the-air antennas will no longer receive a picture.

That's the day the television industry completes its transition from old-style analog broadcasting to digital.

The converter boxes are expected to cost between $50 and $70 and will be available at most major electronics retail stores.

Starting Tuesday, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration will begin accepting requests for two $40 coupons per household to be used toward the purchase of the boxes.

Viewers who have satellite or cable service will not need a box.

To request a coupon, consumers can apply online at http://www.dtv2009.gov starting Tuesday. The government also has set up a 24-hour hotline to take requests, 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009).

Congress, in ordering the transition to digital broadcasting, set aside $1.5 billion for the coupon program, which will fund 33.5 million coupons and other costs.

The giveaway basically works under the honor system.

The first 22 million coupons will go to all households that request them. That includes a residence that gets cable service for one television but has a spare TV that still uses an antenna, for example.

some history:
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php...ns_Act_of_1996

=-=-=-=-=-=-
Addition:

I just called the phone number and gave my info to a voice recognition system.
The voice says that I will get two coupons in mid to late February 2008.
The convertors will be available in certain stores in mid to late February as well.

Here is the gov web site -- http://www.dtv.gov/consumercorner.html#faq4

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