Cable-like picture quality, practically free
Beginning February 17, 2009, full-power television stations are required to switch from analog to digital broadcasting per the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005.
You may need to purchase a digital converter box to receive network channels if:
1) you do not subscribe to cable or satellite programming
2) you have a television made before 2004 (Most televisions made before 2004 do not have a built-in digital tuner.)
To learn more about the digital broadcasting conversion, click here for the FAQ page at the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration site. (Do yourself a favor and expand all FAQ for faster reading.)
Uncle Sam is offering a $40 coupons towards the purchase of digital converter boxes. You can request up to two coupons for your household. I just received my coupon in the mail after I applied online almost two months ago. Though it took a while to get the coupon, it was worth the wait.
When I received my coupon, the envelope contained a list of places near my address where I can buy a converter box. I had my choice between the never-competent Best Buy, or the ever-awkward Radio Shack. I chose quirky little Radio Shack.
The full price of a converter is $60. Since I didn’t have an antennae attached to my TV, I also got a $17 pair of rabbit ears to help strengthen the signal sent to the digital converter box. Thanks to the coupon, I walked out of Radio Shack with just a $44 tab.
Setup was easy except for maneuvering cables around the hulking entertainment center in my apartment. Ten minutes later, I had amazing picture quality that’s just like cable but without the massive monthly cost and unnecessary channels.
Like I’ve asked before, who needs cable?
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Who needs cable? I do. My kids do. We don’t go to movies, buy or rent dvds. Just local/digital would not work for us. And I know the pure of heart would eschew ANY television for kids- but the simple fact is- television is some definition of who they are, what they watch what they like, etc.
My digital cable and its on demand capabilities provides me with 24/7 kids shows if needed. And they are needed. Sometimes, a sick kid at 2 am just needs a quiet background kind of show- like Little Bear from Noggin- to help quiet down and rest. And with 4 kids, there is a lot of “odd times” my kids want their “picks.” (Each kid gets 2 picks a day= 1 pick is equal to a half hour show.)
Funny you mention that, DivaJean. When I was scrolling through the new channels I get, I saw there was a PBS channel with 24 hour programming just for kids. Here’s a Wiki article article about it — not sure if it’s available in all areas. It probably doesn’t have all the “cool” shows kids are watching these days, but it has programming nonetheless.
I’m loving my new converter box too! I bought one at Walmart, since they seemed to be the only place within 50 miles of me that had any in stock. After applying the government coupon, I was out only $12. The rabbit ears that I have been using all along and that used to stick into the living room can now be set at only half-mast and I get far better picture quality than before.
I’m also loving the 4 extra public-television stations that are broadcast on the digital-only wavelengths in my area. One of them has children’s programming until 8 pm nearly every day, which means my son can run around after school playing with all his buddies, and then watch his favorite show to wind down before bed. And there’s another channel that’s nearly all travel/geography documentaries, which works for my son (and me) in terms of those late-night can’t-settle-down times. We haven’t watched a videotape or DVD once since getting this converter box.
My advice to anyone looking to buy a converter box: call ahead to the store to make sure they actually have some in stock, since these seem to be flying off the shelves.