February 17 is looming around the corner, and many people are confused about this upcoming digital conversion.
Does this mean you have to buy an HD TV? If you have cable, do you need a digital converter box? What if the converter box costs too much money? Can I hook up the box now, or wait until February?
WTOK-TV General Manager Tim Walker the government mandate is to go digital, not to go HD.
Walker also explained that the digital converter box is designed to convert an analog television to a digital set. The box will not pass an HD signal to your TV set. Simply put — this is a mandate to go to digital, and you do not have to rush out and buy a high definition TV set. Your old set will work as long as you have the converter box.
Do you need a converter box if you have cable or satellite? No, Walker said.
"If a person has an analog television, and they are not a cable subscriber or a Dish Network subscriber, then you are going to have to have a digital converter box, or a new television," he said.
Walker also says you don't need to worry so much about the cost of a digital converter box.
"The government has a program where you can get coupons for the digital converter box," Walker explained. "Every household is eligible to receive two vouchers for two converter boxes. The vouchers are good for $40."
Walker also encouraged people to go ahead and get a box regardless if they need it or not.
"People should anticipate if we have another situation like Katrina, and the cable was out for three or four days," Walker said. "Now, I think Comcast did a miraculous job during Katrina by getting their service up as quick as they did, but when it goes down, there is nothing they can do about it. We would still be on the air, but if you're trying to pick us up with rabbit ears or a coat hanger, you won't get us. However, if you have that box, you can pull it out of the closet, and be able to get a signal."
When do you need to hook up the digital converter box?
"The digital signal is up now," Walker said. "If you hook the box up now you will get a better picture. The only thing you will have to do on the 17th is reprogram the box."
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
If have any more questions about the digital conversion, you can go to DTVAnswers.com, or call 1-888-DTV-2009.
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