Digital's coming, do you need a box?
Photo by Sam Yu


Natasha Sebura, store manager at the Radio Shack at the FSK Mall, stands near the digital TV converter box display at the store Wednesday afternoon. Television stations will broadcast only digital signals starting in February 2009.

Sheila Corbett is worried that after Feb. 17, 2009, she won't get to see her favorite TV shows.
The Frederick resident is not alone. Confusions reigns over digital TV converter boxes and whether one will be needed or not when federal law mandates a switch to digital broadcasts.
Corbett, a Frederick resident, has tried to keep up with the debate, but has become frustrated.
"I have two sets, both hooked up to cable. When I called Comcast they first said I wouldn't need to do anything, then further into the conversation said I might," Corbett said.
Stories in newspapers and magazines about the switch have conflicting advice, she said.
"At this point, I don't know what the definitive authority is," Corbett said. "I really don't know what to do and I imagine a lot of other people don't know what to do."
She is worried that if she, or others do nothing, it could be a problem.
"Comcast will have a lot of disgruntled customers if we are told to do nothing and next year we don't have any service," she said.
According to Jaye P. Linnen, a spokeswoman for Comcast, cable customers don't have to do anything and will get the service after the Feb. 17, 2009, changeover.
"Comcast customers that are currently connected to cable, no matter their level of service, will be fine after the broadcast digital transition and they will not need to purchase a digital converter to watch digital cable," Linnen said.
Likewise, those using satellite dishes will not be impacted, according to Francie Bauer, manager of corporate communications for Dish Network Corp.
"Our customers will not be affected if they have one of our receivers attached to their analog TVs," Bauer said.

Antennas and rabbit ears
Those using an antenna or rabbit ears will need a converter box.
Radio Shack began making boxes available in February, said Natasha Segura, manager of the Radio Shack at the FSK Mall.
Radio Shack stores will offer two different brands of converter boxes, both Energy Star-compliant for energy efficiency, said Peter Whitsett, executive vice president for general merchandising.
The store will also have accessories such as antennas, splitters and switches, and additional cables to help customers stay tuned.
Bauer said Dish Network will offer the boxes for those who don't use cable or satellite dishes. Those boxes will be available this summer and will be called DTVPal.
Comcast won't carry the boxes, Linnen said.
Older antennas will need an adapter called a balun, the Federal Communications Commission said, to link to the converter box and a piece of antenna wire to connect to the TV from the box.

Save with a coupon
Every household can get two coupons, worth $40 each, toward the purchase of converter boxes. The coupons are available at www.dtv2009.gov or by calling 1-888-388-2009. The FCC estimates boxes will cost between $40 and $70.
If you have an analog-only TV set and want to receive the low-power and Class A broadcasts with an antenna or rabbit ears, you can keep those sets without a converter.
Or, you can purchase a digital-to-analog converter which will allow you to watch both types of broadcasts.
Another alternative is using a splitter that will allow you to keep the antenna for those local broadcasts and a converter box for digital viewing.
A consumer electronics store can help with instructions on the equipment and installation to get both.
Many cable companies, such as Comcast, carry local programming already.
That website also has more information on the changeover. Customers don't have to wait until February to convert to digital TV signals through the box.
You will need a converter box for each television that is not hooked to cable or satellite dish service.
Either with a converter box, if needed, or without one, items such as game consoles, VCRS, DVD players and similar products will continue to work after February's changeover.
Parental controls such as V chips will still work after the changeover, the FCC said.

HDTV and DTV confusion
Some people are also confused about digital TV and high definition TV.
Digital TV is the signal coming in and all TVs, either hooked to cable, or using a satellite dish, or with a converter, will get the signal.
High Definition TV, however, is a special format and needs an HDTV set. You can watch HDTV on a standard definition TV, but won't get the full high definition quality.

Why the change?
The change will have many benefits.
For TV networks, it will mean more "multicasting," or the ability to send several channels of digital programming at the same time, using the same amount of spectrum required for one analog program, according to the FCC.
In addition, the FCC said, DTV can provide interactive video and data services that are not possible with analog technology.
The switch to digital will also free up parts of the broadcast spectrum for public safety communications such as police, fire departments and rescue services.
It also will mean more available space for advanced wireless services such as wireless broadband.
The quality of picture and sound is improved through digital systems and more efficient, the FCC said.

Some stations won't change
The changeover in February applies to full-power stations, those normally watched by the vast majority of viewers.
But there are low-power television stations, some 2,100 licensed by the FCC to broadcast locally oriented programming.
These are primarily high schools, colleges, religious organizations, local governments, even individuals.
And there are Class A stations, former low-power stations that agree to provide at least three hours a week of locally produced programming a week. There are about 600 of these stations in the U.S. Both low-power and Class A stations can remain analog. There is no deadline for these stations to convert, according to the FCC

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Since you mention Radio Shack I will recommend that you do NOT go to Radio Shack for the DTV (digital tv) converter box. I had gotten one for the neighbor and here are the issues:

The antenna is good with Rg-6 cable and so on (I put it up) but with the Radio Shack DTV converter box there is freezing at times.

A DTV Converter Box for another neighbor from Best Buy has had no issues.

Secondly most of the $40-$60 DTV converter boxes do not have the pass thru feature. Pass thru means the antenna signal will pass thru the DTV converter box (when it is off) and on to your DVD/VCR recorder. When the DTV converter box is on that is the only channel you are watching. If the box is off no antenna signal passes thru.

My thought is that there should be newer DVD or VCR's out with the digital tuner. You could just watch the channels thru the DVD/VCR tuner but then be able to record when you want to. (But... Have not been to Circuit City to check on the newer electronics out.) Well.... was thinking that might not work as you would have the digital signal but it has to go to the TV digital channel???? Ah, forget it..just buy a HDTV

Also tried antenna to..DTV Converter Box to.. FTA receiver.. to TV
thinking that if FTA is down just have the FTA receiver off and turn the DTV converter box on to watch TV. With the converter box on and the FTA receiver off no antenna signal passed thru.

The only way to get the $40-$60 DTV converter box to work was to have an A/B switch after the converter box and after the FTA receiver. You would push the switch to change from the FTA signal to the converter box signal.

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