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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • From the edification department 1/11/09   CONTACT THE HERALD Mike Benbow, Business Editor benbow@heraldnet.com   Published: Sunday, January 11, 2009 Digital TV conversion: What you need to know Here is how you can make sure your old television with an antenna doesn’t go dark on Feb. 17. By Yoshiaki Nohara Herald Writer Cheryl Graham of Edmonds is ready for the Feb. 17 transition to digital TV. Graham used a $40 coupon to buy a new converter box that will allow her television with rabbit-ear aerials to receive digital broadcasts. It cost $50. "I did it all online. It wasn't a big deal," Graham said. Others may find getting the coupons a little tougher. Earlier this week, the government starting putting consumers on a waiting list for the federal coupons because it had hit its $1.34 billion spending limit to ease the national switch from analog to digital television broadcasts. The waiting list created by the U.S. Commerce Department already has requests for 103,000 debit card-like coupons. Those on the list may get their $40 coupons -- up to two per household -- when unredeemed coupons expire and free up money in the program. Congress is also debating whether to set aside more money. Consumers can apply for coupons up until March 31. All full-power television stations are set to go digital nationwide in the next month, following a Congressional mandate. The change aims to provide better picture quality and more programing options for consumers as well as to free up portions of the nation's airwaves. That's expected to give more room for emergency communication by police and fire agencies. Some television frequencies would also be auctioned to private firms that provide wireless services. In the end, the nation should have a much better system. "Digital transmission is actually more efficient than analog transmission," said Jamie Alls, acting director of engineering and operation for UWTV, a television channel at the University of Washington. The switch won't affect UWTV, which is delivered by cable and satellite services, Alls said. But the television channel could team up with digital broadcasters to expand its viewership. Washingtonians will benefit from the change, Gov. Chris Gregoire said. "Our recent snowstorms serve as a strong reminder of how important it is to get critical information to every community fast and efficiently," Gregoire said in a statement. Nationwide, 46 million coupons have been requested; 18 million of them have been redeemed. As of the end of December, 572,166 coupons were requested in Washington state, according to the NTIA. Consumers don't need coupons to buy a converter box, which typically costs between $40 and $70. Who needs a converter? Those who use rabbit-ear aerials or a rooftop antenna connected to an analog television will see their screens go to static on Feb. 17 if they do nothing, according to federal officials. To avoid that, they need to buy a converter box or a television with a digital tuner. They can also hook their analog television to cable, satellite or another pay service. Any TV connected to cable or satellite service will continue to receive programming after the transition, Alls said. Any cable customers who need additional equipment should receive it from the company. People need to know they don't need a new television set to continue to receive television broadcasts, Alls said. He noted that some consumers are led to believe they need to get a high-­definition television to receive digital broadcasts. That's not true, he said. "People are confused and sold on high-definition sets," he said. Meanwhile, the switch to digital broadcasting is generating more business for Comcast, which serves about 1.1 million customers in Washington, said Steve Kipp, the company's spokesman in Seattle. The change won't affect rates for the company's cable customers. "If you are a cable customer, you don't need to do anything," he said. Many people may buy new television sets because of the transition. They should donate or recycle their old sets, which likely contain toxic materials such as lead and mercury, said Kathy Davis, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Ecology. "We really don't want them to end up in landfills," she said. Washington residents can recycle their old TVs as well as computers, laptops and monitors for free, thanks to a new legislation that took effect Jan. 1. The law requires manufactures to foot the bill for collection and recycling. Graham, an Edmonds resident who already has a converter box, said she plans to keep her old television set. She doesn't watch TV much anyway. "There's no reason to" buy a new one, she said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Reporter Yoshiaki Nohara: 425-339-3029 or ynohara@heraldnet.com. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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