Queue up for a digital set top box coupon for CT-100, etc...
 

From 12-31-2007

"The Los Angeles Times reports that the U.S. Commerce Department will accept coupon applications starting tomorrow via a toll-free hotline (888-DTV-2009) and web site (dtv2009.gov).

"We are open for business Jan. 1," Bart Forbes, a spokesman for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the Commerce Department agency running the program, tells the Times."

From 1-1-2008

www.dtv2009.gov seems to get you there; however, as of 0715 hrs, the site doesn't seem to accept the application! Update: by 0800 it did:

"Thank you for applying for a Coupon online.

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.

Please print this page for your records; your application is reprinted below.

If you have any questions, you may call the Toll-Free Consumer Support Hotline
at 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009), 1-877-530-2634 (TTY), or write to us at:


TV Converter Box Coupon Program
PO Box 2000
Portland, OR 97208-2000

Reference Number: 15405

Name: Pete Deksnis
...."

Pete: Thanks for the heads up. I will put in my request ASAP. The CT-100 (No. 827), and other display sets in the museum will certainly need one eventually once we get the antenna installed on the tower that is going in in the spring. I am working on a switching and distribution arrangement that will make it easier for the non-technical volunteers to operate the TV display, and the converter(s) will fit right in.
Nothing much yet about the TV's is posted on the website, but take a look. It has taken a LONG time to get to this stage in the history of our facility. Hope you can visit soon.
www.nationalcommunicationsmuseum.org.
Kevin

The 119th Rose parade themed Passport to the World's Celebrations
 

Off topic but,

Pete will you be watching the parade one of the last times in analog off-the-

air today on your CT-100? :thmbsp:

Thanks Pete,

Put in my request for two this morning.

Happy New Year,

Barry

You bet! I gotta remember to break out of the Honeymooner's Blowout on channel 11 though. :D

The problem I see though is this: There aren't any converters. Or at least not yet. I've never seen one, although I've only looked at a couple of stores. Add to that the fact that these coupons expire 90 days after they're issued... I'm going to wait until these converters exist.

Anyone know of a source?

-Ian

The 90 days doesn't begin until the converters become available in two months from now.

Ah, OK - that's good. I didn't see that part. I just read that they expired, and thought it silly that the converters don't seem to be available yet.

-Ian

if there ever was an argument that this whole digital switch was ill fated and badly planned its that the deadline is a year away and converters dont even EXIST YET! they wont be untill the deadline is less than 11 months away! thats rediculous. what about supply problems or technical issues!?

Another winner is that there's a finite number of "coupons", so if you don't order until there's converters on the market that you can research and read reviews of, you may not be able to get the coupon to buy it. Smart.

je

I guess the site must be overloaded as of 1:12pm CST

Everytime I try to submit the application, it just tells me there is an error and redirects me to the home page.

Typical.:scratch2:

Oh well, try, try again.

The contractor for the coupon program (a division of IBM) is doing a test run in two selected cities to make sure coupons can be redeemed correctly through whatever channel the buyer might use. Also, the plan is to time the availablility of coupons in a given area with availability of set-tops in that area.

I placed my request at about 3:30PM eastern, and it went thru.

As for avaliability, manufacturers must be gearing up for production as we text...

Woohoo, I was able to get signed up for the coupons. :banana:

Oh wait, that really isn't all that exciting, is it?:scratch2::D

Roy

Thanks!
 

Thank you for the reminder. I just applied for my coupon. I guess I will go digital whether I like it or not.

All right guys, lets have a couple of those reference numbers; if it seem linear, we might get a handle on how many are signing up...

Pete: Reference Number: 15405

I just applied for mine. Number 196753.

After I applied for mine and hit the SUBMITT button came a statement that the coupons would only be good for 90 days. I wish I would have waited as I expect lower prices and more selection by mid year.

You may be right. Those $50 boxes may end up selling for $9.99 in a few years. If that ever happens, I'll load up on some.

#224563 at 8pm 1/1/08

It'll be interesting to see if the numbers pick up as word gets around. Of course, it'll be REALLY interesting if they end up suddenly giving away all they were expecting too, and still have high demand for them...

There's a finite limit of coupons- 22.5 million at first, then ( I think) another 11 million with more stringent rules. Then, they're gone.

je

Just Now 8:58 P.M. Eastern Standard Time applied...
 

Just applied now for my house in Radford, VA and my Mom in Baltimore, MD...

228654 for me in Radford

and

229124 for Baltimore seconds later, I had the same error as posted this

afternoon but, now just got them printed...

THANKS PETE !!!!!:banana:

My number is 104204 and I received the confirmation at 1:21pm CST.

RCAkid

236256 @ 9:30 pm EST

Wel,, you must have signed up close to me then, my number is 196167. I look at it this way, if "The Man" is forcing HDTV on us, then "The Man" should pay, especially if he is offering. I'm getting two, I use two sets that get off the air signals, now I will nee an extra set of rabbit ears, I still have and use a set from 1959 which will be used for HDTV.

I agree 100%. Two of our sets are hooked to cable (as of last Thursday). The one in the kitchen and the one in my bedroom are on an antenna. And, I'll have at least one TV (tube set, I hope) for use in my building in the backyard.

I have 2 tv's, the '78 sylvania 12" is my daily watcher and another early 70's 12" zenith b/w tube hybrid that is kinda hangin out in the corner right now. I have basic cable w/cable internet but i wanna be prepaired if in the future with cable bills rising i may just say the heck with it. Ill want a way to watch TV as i have no plans to get another set, and the cupon is like free money-how often does the govt give THAT away!?

# 151163 at about 2:00 PM, January 1, 2008.

As of 10:55pm eastern, number 253834

I ordered two. As of 10:10 PM CST, my reference # 255542. Im curious if this reference number started at "0" indicating total cumulative requests? We will probably never know. Im glad I got my order in on the 1st day of the new year. I was tipped off by a news report on AM radio that the coupon program for the digital to analog converter box program starts today. Then I noticed this thread!
Whats the deal? Are all the transmitters just simultaneously going to shut off at midnight on 2-19-09? I would figure there would be more of a "transition" for shut off dates, like channel 2 shuts off on January 29th, channel 7 might be the February 17th for example. There still seems to be much of a grey area as to what is really going to happen. If it does, Im going to make sure I record the analog signal shut off on all the chicagoland stations. That way, I'll be able to capture the last seconds of the NTSC transmittions. I really hope this doesnt happen though. My wishful thinking is that its the governments attempt to initiate the move by scaring poeple that analog broadcast will be gone, yet the reality of the shut off, if it does happen will be not be until much later, as in years later.........
I work in chicago, and I can tell you, many people watch OTA TV. I forsee a public outcry if everything just shuts off.
Perhaps this will be like the big "transition" to the metric system.............We can only hope!

#266772 at 9:18 PM Pacific time.

I already have several DTV boxes and a bunch of computers with DTV tuners (I have not watched analog TV since 2000, except when testing/fixing old TV sets), but two more, especially if they have RF outputs, will be good to use with the oldies.

Pete,

Thanks for the info. I called the 1-888 phone #.
Scary that the automated voice told me my address and name without any prompting. I ordered two coupons and it only took 30 seconds. Ref. #273490 at 11:00pm pst 1-1-08.

-Steve D.

---

I just requested my two coupons this morning. I'll hook them up to the kids' TVs. I will also buy at least one or two more at the full $50 for my vintage sets. The web site said that I will not receive the coupons until late February or early March when the converters will be available. From then, I have 90 days to redeem them.

not to rain on the parade but
 

Nowhere have I seen any solid indication that the RCA cheap SD box contains a RF modulator for really old TVs that have no baseband input. One of the sales links for it specifically states it operates through the video input plugs on the old TV. If the gov't is serious about silencing analog, they will not allow any radiation even at the milliwatt level that is the definition of re-modulation. Are we all going to have to modify these old TVs for baseband to use these converters? Which do not even exist yet? Thank you for sharing solid info on this aspect. --Tom in Tucson

I just applied for one . #457925

drh made a good point-I have to be ready with all my vcr's to record the end of NTSC on as many stations as possible! I'd expect some stations will do something special as the midnight hour approaches.

I figure I'll wait a little bit before ordering the coupons. If the coupons "run out" in the next month or 2 there will be hell to pay for somebody.

I put in an application last night... Thanks for the heads up!

Charles

Based upon all your reports, there were nearly half-million requests in the first 24 hours. If that turns out to be an average rate, the first 11 million will be reached in about three weeks! We shall see...

Here is oz we have had set top boxes for years .... two types standard definition and high definition.

The standard definition (576i) boxes usually have RF out but not the high definition boxes (576P, 720P, 1080i) but then we are not using ATSC so who knows what will happen in the US.