DTV Equipment

Analog TVs Will Need Additional Equipment to Receive Over-the-Air Television When the DTV Transition Ends.

Consumers who rely on antennas (including outside antennas and "rabbit ears") to receive broadcast signals on TV sets having only analog tuners will need to obtain separate digital-to-analog set-top converter boxes to watch over-the-air TV. These boxes receive digital signals and convert them into analog format for display on analog TVs. Analog sets connected to such converter boxes will display digital broadcasts, but not necessarily in the full, original digital quality.

All new TVs must include digital tuners.

Antenna Selection
You will still need an antenna to continue watching free, over-the-air television after the digital transition.

Antenna selection is critical because – unlike an analog signal – a digital signal is either completely clear or you will have no signal at all.

If you already use an indoor or rooftop antenna to receive over-the-air analog broadcast television signals and get good or excellent reception quality, you should generally be able to continuing receiving reception of digital television broadcast signals with the same antenna.

After the transition, some TV stations may move to another channel in a different frequency band, which would require you to get another type of antenna than the one you use now. For example, a station in the "VHF band" (channels 2-13) could move to a channel in the "UHF band" (channels 14-51) and vice versa. Receiving VHF and UHF signals require different antenna types, although some antennas are designed to get both VHF and UHF signals. Make sure you have a VHF-UHF antenna to get all the channels out there.

Remember: The location of an indoor antenna in the room also makes a big difference to how well it receives DTV channels and you may need to try different locations to get the best reception. Raising it as high as possible is usually best, and you may also need to try changing the direction in which it is pointing.

For additional help in choosing the best antenna for you, visit www.antennaweb.org. NAB has also produced an instructional video to assist you with antenna selection and converter box installation.

DTV Converter Boxes and Government Coupon Program
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) launched a converter box coupon program to help defray costs for those in need of a DTV converter box, and households may apply for up to two coupons, valued at $40 each.

The program has reached its funding limit, but many groups are working to correct the coupon problem. Because of the possibility of new funding for the coupon program, it is still best to apply for coupon and get on the waiting list as soon as possible (the coupon program ends on March 31, 2009).

The coupons cannot be combined to purchase a single converter box, nor can they be used toward the purchase of other products.

You can apply for coupons by calling (888) DTV-2009 or by visiting www.dtv2009.gov.

Coupons will be issued as they become available, so the sooner you get on the waiting list, the better. If you submit your application for coupons now, there is no guarantee that they will arrive before the February 17th deadline.

Ask a friend or family member: unexpired converter box coupons are fully transferable.

Deaf or hearing impaired callers may dial 1-877-530-2634 (English/TTY) or 1-866-495-1161 (Spanish/TTY). TTY Service is available from 9 AM - 9 PM Eastern Time Monday through Friday.

Remember: You may still purchase a converter box without the coupon (but you will not receive $40 off of the retail price without the coupon). Converter boxes are available now at all major electronic retailers.

Cable and Satellite TV
TVs connected to cable, satellite, or other pay services will not require a converter box. It is recommended that you check with your cable or satellite provider to determine how they will support your analog set after the DTV transition.

Rescanning
After connecting a converter box to your TV set, or installing a new digital television, you will need to scan (also known as "auto-tune") for new channels.

Scanning will ensure you receive all of the digital stations broadcasting in your area.

Some boxes will automatically scan for stations when they are turned on, however others will require you to manually select for it to scan.

Some digital stations are still coming on air and many will not make the switch until February 17, 2009.

It is a good idea to 'rescan' manually on a periodic basis to get all of the digital programming available.

After the DTV transition, some stations already broadcasting DTV will be switched to a different channel number, so remember to scan again the first time you watch TV February 17, 2009.