2009 HDTV conversion.

[Ampzilla]

If I buy a 'converter box' with the govt. coupon will I be able to watch a digital station via antenna? The coupon website asked if I used an antenna or not. I have cable but is still analog now. I want a jump start on being able to see the digital channels (down resolution to my analog tv) via antenna.

[andy]

Originally Posted by Ampzilla

If I buy a 'converter box' with the govt. coupon will I be able to watch a digital station via antenna? The coupon website asked if I used an antenna or not. I have cable but is still analog now. I want a jump start on being able to see the digital channels (down resolution to my analog tv) via antenna.

The coupon box is strictly for digital via an antenna. It has nothing do do with cable and won't work with cable. If you want digital cable channels you'll have to call the cable company.

[Ampzilla]

I don't want to use the cable, just get off the air stations in digital and convert to analog. My cable system is limited in channels and I want to experiment to find more channels off the air and get used to using an digital HDTV antenna.

[whoaru99]

Afaik, there isn't such thing as a "digital HDTV antenna" except in marketing literature and packaging. They're just re-badged UHF antennas - probably with more markup for the "digital" wording on the package.

Guess I thought (perhaps naively) the coupon program was intended for people who's only option was OTA TV.

[ChrisW6ATV]

The coupon-eligible tuners will work fine for trying out reception with an antenna.

It is important to know that not all digital TV is on the UHF band today, and even in cities where all current DTV stations are UHF, that could change. Therefore, antennas marked "HDTV", which are probably mostly or all UHF-only, are less suitable than others for DTV use. Any good outdoor VHF/UHF antenna will work well for digital TV, depending of course on how well you receive analog TV with the same antenna today. I would never recommend to anyone that they try to receive TV signals (analog or digital) with an indoor antenna; many people do, of course (and many have no choice but to try indoor antennas), but they should consider it luck and not anything to depend on now or in the future.

The coupon program has two phases. Phase one makes (I think) 11 million coupons available to everyone; if/when those run out, phase two will have another 11 million(?) coupons, but those will only be available to people who have not subscribed to cable or satellite TV for some time period before requesting the coupons.

[kx250rider]

Does anyone know how we will actually receive the coupons? I applied by internet, and I wonder if I'll get a letter in the mail, or will I need to do further in order to prove that I need one, etc?

Charles

[ChrisW6ATV]

I am sure they will just be mailed to each of us. There is nothing to prove in the first phase, and your application number is your approval to receive them.

[Bill R]

Saw a release at the store yesterday. They will be like a prepaid Visa card. Retailers will have to make arangements to redeam them. We will handle them like a regular debit/credit card then tender the rest of the price. I would imagine. Of course we still do not have any boxes to sell.

Bill R

[bgadow]

Yesterday I was talking to the owner of a local TV shop. He said he has been frantically trying to get boxes to sell but that all of the suppliers have l-o-n-g waiting lists, with hundreds on backorder. I think he was also misinformed because from the way he talked he thought the conversion was THIS February, which suprised me coming from someone in the business.

Originally Posted by whoaru99

Afaik, there isn't such thing as a "digital HDTV antenna" except in marketing literature and packaging. They're just re-badged UHF antennas - probably with more markup for the "digital" wording on the package.

Guess I thought (perhaps naively) the coupon program was intended for people who's only option was OTA TV.

FYI -- Stations like Channel 2 (CBS) here in Chicago are still using a VHF frequency for digital HDTV. A UHF-only antenna won't receive their current digital broadcasts, as I found out. Best to check www.antennaweb.org to see what the broadcasters in your area are using.

[peverett]

Bill R.-you work at Wal Mart, is this not correct. Wal Mart is much closer to my house than Circuit City, Best Buy or Frys. I will keep an eye out there.

Due to the fact that the converters do not seem to be available now, I have not applied for the coupons.

However, I have purchased a few of the ATSC tuners and have been using these with RF converters. Seems to work ok if the reception conditions are decent. I have purchased some of the tuners for about the same dollar amount as the coupon($40.00). These are used, but so far have worked ok.