Converter Box Coupon Update: Relief for Expired Coupons?
The last day to request a tv converter box coupon wll be on January 1st, 2009 which is just a little over 200 days away.
As the coupon deadline looms, there are some interesting redemption statistics (updated weekly) available at the NTIA Website. A total of 21.3 million coupons have been requested, and at the time of this posting, the coupon redemption rate is 54.6 percent for households that rely on over-the-air broadcast signals only.
Considering the amount of media attention lately surrounding frustrated consumers not being able to find converter boxes before their coupons expire, it’s not suprising to see such high expiration figures.
At a recent Capitol Hill oversight hearing on the state of the transition, legislators were argueing in support for re-application of expired $40 DTV converter box coupons.
The main problem re-issueing the coupons lies with the cost to make more of the coupon credit cards that consumers use to purchase the converter boxes. The original contract with IBM (maker of the converter credit cards) only covered the costs to manufacture, not reissue the cards.
Help on the Horizon for Expired Coupons?
The Washington Post reported today that a letter delivered to legislators (7/25/08) from acting assistant secretary for communications and information, Meredith Atwell Baker, said the NTIA has “initiated action with IBM to order an additional quantity of 6 million coupons” using the funds from unredeemed and expired coupons. She also said that the current budget for the converter coupon program “will be sufficient.”
The demand for converter boxes has been strong from consumers, especially with the recent announcement by Zenith that it has shipped one million converter boxes to retail stores.
What should consumers who are holding expired coupons do now?
TVConversionHelp Take: Keep waiting! As news breaks, we’ll keep consumers informed by posting details about re-ordering digital converter box coupons.
Make your voice heard and comment at the bottom of this article.
Got DTV? Got weak signal? You’re not alone
The StarTribune (Minneapolis) online newspaper posted an article yesterday (7/26/08) about a huge issue for current and future viewers of digital television broadcasts. Weak DTV signals.
Although the article focuses mainly on broadcasts in the Minnesota area, we here at TVConversionHelp have fielded many questions and complaints about over-the-air converter boxes that have bad DTV reception and the dreaded “missing television channels” problem.
DTV and Consumer Sentiment
A recent email to TV Conversion Help from a contributor in Maryland brought up a good point.
Has this much-heralded technological “advance” done nothing more than to put the TV service available to many viewers in major US market on a par with what one would expect to find in some third world country? The least we deserve is a replacement that will reach at least as many people as the original service did.
Online knowledge communitys (Such as: answers.yahoo.net, askville.amazon.com, and dtvcouponhelp.com) show the vast amount of problems that consumers are having with bringing in good reception with their digital converter boxes.
Fixes for a bad DTV reception can bring other problems
Some consumers are opting to use a powered 10dB amplifier to boost signal reception. In many instances, a fix like this can bring in missing digital broadcast channels but not improve signal strength quality for other channels.
Each problem for receiving digital television signals can be quite unique, so if a consumer has success with a 10db amplifier, it doesn’t mean it’s going to work for everyone else.
Other fixes? They range from:
adjusting the position of an antenna
adjusting the placement of the antenna (indoor/outdoor)
purchasing a different antenna (Yagi, UHF, VHF)
hiring an antenna technician
and the list goes on. Will the government provide a coupon program for helping consumers with their signal reception issues? Highly unlikely, and some of these fixes aren’t cheap! An antenna technican can cost anywhere between $50 to $80 an hour, and take anywhere from 1-3 hours making adjustments to an existing antenna.
Digital Television 2.0
In view of all this, it seems hard to believe that commercial broadcast stations in markets like Phoenix, Minneapolis, and New York City aren’t pumping out adequate signal strength to cover the markets they claim to serve or that the technology is such that what they are transmitting is only useable within an extremely limited radius.
One can only hope that the next round of upgrades for over-the-air television signals will be well researched before being proposed or implemented.
List of cable and satellite companies and their policy on the transition to digital television (DTV)
Are you wondering what your cable or satellite provider is doing about the upcoming transition to digital television on February 17th, 2009? You’re not the only one! TVConversionhelp has been flooded with emails and website comments over the last few weeks with questions asking what a person needs to do to upgrade to digital television if they have cable or satellite.
After a little bit of research, the following list has been been put together in accordance to Cable/Satellite provider, their policy on the transition to digital television, and a direct link to their website where you can verify the information.
Check back often, we will be adding more Cable/Satellite providers to this list soon.
Disclaimer: The following information is based on opinion, and should be verified through your local cable or satellite television provider.
Cox Communications (Cable Television Service)
Cox is offering to down-convert from its digital format to analog broadcast signals for at least three years after the February 17th, 2009.
What does this mean for Cox customers? If you have basic cable (or any television cable service from Cox) and no set top box (rented through Cox), you will continue to receive television signals after the February 17th, 2009 cut off date for “at least” 3 years.
Link to Cox Communications Digital Television Information Page
Time Warner Cable (Cable Television Service)
Time Warner Cable’s digital transition page is a bit ambiguous to say the least. They offer no insight as to their future plans on helping their customers after the digital transition. The following is a direct quote from their webpage:
Q: If I’m a Basic (analog) Cable customer, will I have to sign up for Digital Cable?
A: No. Any Basic Cable setup will do. However, now is a good time to consider upgrading to Digital Cable, which offers more channels, as well as On Demand Programming, a free upgrade to HD service, an interactive program guide and more.
While informing their customers that they will indeed continue to receive cable service after the digital transition, they offer a sales pitch to “upgrade” to digital television. It pales in comparision to Cox Communications digital transition policy.
Time Warner offers no other information on their website at this time to inform basic cable subscribers how long they will continue to receive uninterrupted cable service after the digital transition.
Link to Time Warner Cable Digital Transition Information Page
Direct TV (Satellite Television Service)
According to Direct TV, most customers won’t need to take any action for the transition to digital television. For customers who have Direct TV service, but receive local channels over-the-air, may have a tough road ahead trying to figure out what they need in order to make sure they will continue to receive television signals after February 17th, 2009.
The Great News: If you receive all of your television channels through Direct TV which includes (Very Important) local television channels (ie: NBC, Fox, CBS, etc), you should continue to receive television signals without a problem after the digital transition on February 17th, 2009.
The Bad News: If you have Direct TV service, but get your local channels through an off-air antenna, you will be most likely be affected by the DTV transition depending on what type of set top box you use. There are currently only 3 set top boxes that contain both a digital tuner for “over-the-air” television stations and a tuner for satellite stations. They are the DIRECTV® HD (H20) or DIRECTV Plus® HD DVR (HR20 only), or The new DIRECTV Plus® HD DVR (HR21). If you use either one of the 3 mentioned boxes, you should be able to continue watching television after the transition date.
Important: To check and see if Direct TV provides local television programming in your area through their satellite service, click here.
So lets use a few different scenarios for those out there who have Direct TV service but are still wondering what to do:
Scenario #1: If you have Direct TV service, receive local channels through a regular antenna, but have a television with a digital tuner, you should continue to be able to watch television after the digital transition.
Scenario #2: If you have Direct TV service, receive local channels through a regular antenna, but have an analog television set without a digital tuner, you will need to obtain a digital converter box solely for the purpose of watching local television stations. In this case, you will have 2 set top boxes, your Direct TV box for viewing non-local channels, and the other “over-the-air” digital converter box for viewing local channels.
Scenario #3: Upgrade to a DIRECTV® HD (H20) or DIRECTV Plus® HD DVR (HR20 only) set top box which contain both tuners for viewing satellite channels and “over-the-air” local television stations. The only other piece of equipment needed with these 3 converter boxes will be an antenna to help receive a clear reception of local channels. This scenario may possibly be the costliest to the consumer of all 3 scenarios.
Link to Direct TV Digital Transition Information Page
Dish Network (Satellite Television Service)
Dish Network’s FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) on DTV and information provided on their webpage about the digital transition is the worst of all the cable and satellite providers I’ve seen so far.
Dish Network has side stepped directly answering what their customers need to do in order to continue to receive television broadcast signals after February 17th, 2009.
The only reference on their DTV FAQ page that may ambiguously notify their customers that they will continue to receive broadcasts after February 2009 without changing their set up is this:
“After February 17, 2009, analog TVs will no longer be able to receive programming unless their owners do one of the following:
1. Subscribe to a satellite or cable TV service”
Directly after this sentence, comes the hook…”DISH Network makes the digital transition easy by offering great satellite TV at the lowest all-digital price anywhere, and DTVPal—the coupon-eligible converter box with analog pass-through.”
So…after glancing at this sentence, could a Dish Network customer make the assumption that he needs to purchase a DTVPal? It’s possible, but don’t be fooled. The DTVPal is only far non-customers who receive over-the-air broadcasts on their analog television sets. DTVPal Link.
This is very dissapointing and inconclusive information provided by Dish Network. If you are a customer, you may want to contact them directly and ask what their policy is for the digital transition.
Link to Dish Network Digital Transition Information Page
Digital Converter Box Installation Help Videos (and help with connecting to a VCR)
Here are some great digital converter box installation videos I’ve found on youtube. If you’re on a dial up connection, you may have to wait a few minutes for the videos to load after you press play.
This first installation is a basic digital converter box to an analog television set. The converter box model is a RCA DTA 800 which has the typical inputs/outputs that most other converter boxes come with.
This second video explains how to connect your digital converter box to a VCR or DVD recorder. Again, the converter box model is a RCA DTA 800 with the typical inputs/outputs that most other converter boxes have.
DTV Answers: Where are the Converter Boxes? Weak Signal? Can I Install The Converter Box Now?
In an effort to answer all of the recent questions about DTV and the digital transition, TVConversionHelp will start combining email questions into one single answer/post.
Question: I applied for and received two coupons for the converters. It plainly states on the coupons that they expire on 07/11/2008. Today, July 9, we attempted to purchase the converters. When we did find a store where they were available, the clerk scanned the cards and told us they were no good.
Answer: Demand has really exceeded supply with these converter boxes! The last 5 emails I’ve received have been about the lack of available options for purchasing converter boxes as well. My only suggestion as of right now would be to possibly purchase from an online retailer.
In your case, it’s probably already too late. You’re going to have to try contacting someone at www.dtv2009.gov with your complaint about the coupons.
Question: Based on what I have seen of DTV over the two months I have been trying to switch over from analog, it stinks on ice.
After I put the converter boxes (Zenith DTT900s) in line with our two television sets, roughly half the stations came up as “no signal” and the signal put out by the rest was so inconsistent that the signal strength bar would go from maybe the 1/3rd point to marginally good and back every few seconds. First thing to go is the audio. Next, the picture freezes and then breaks down into pixels.
Is this all I can expect from DTV?
Answer: I feel your pain! We live in the metro area of Arizona, and have to physically get up and move around the antenna placed behind our television cabinet every once in a while to receive a good signal for digital television. This next weekend I’m planning to route a coax cable to our attic, and relocating the antenna up there as well. Lots of work for a supposedly “easy” change over.
According to most online news articles/reports, research indicates 54 percent of OTA households may have to upgrade their antennas to continue receiving an off-air signal post transition and it looks like there are no plans to increase the signal strength coming from the broadcast towers. In fact, a story from Boston.com is claiming that cable and satellite service providers are going to benefit greatly after the Digital Television switchover.
Unfortunately, there is no single fix all solution for the signal strength issue. Your best bet will be trial and error with placement of antennas.
Question: Can I install a digital converter box now? Have trouble getting to back of the TV set (I’m 74 yo) and I don’t want to go through it twice.
Answer: Hello, yes, if you install your converter now, you can begin to watch Digital Television immediately.
Most all TV stations and cable providers have already begun broadcasting both analog and digital television, which allows consumers the choice to upgrade ahead of the February 17th, 2009 date. Recent articles are reporting close to 100% of all TV networks are broadcasting in both Analog and Digital.
My TV converter box coupons have expired, what can I do?
A recent email from a TVConversionhelp viewer asked:
My TV converter box coupons expired on June 10, 2008 while I was on vacation and I didnt realize that they had expired what can I do?
Hello,
Unfortunately, it appears from this news article at Consumer Reports(http://blogs.consumerreports.org/electronics/2008/04/dtv-converter-c.html) that the government is unwilling to budge on extending the 90 days given to consumers for using the coupons. If you don’t feel like clicking on the link, here’s a highlight from the article, “Coupons expire 90 days after issue, and if you haven’t used them by then, you’re out of luck. You can’t request a replacement.”
Your best bet though is to contact the government Coupon Program through the following ways:
Call the Coupon Program 24-hour hotline 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009).
Deaf or hard of hearing 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.
Good luck and let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. You can always voice your opinion about DTV and the converter box coupon program on our forum. Forum Link: http://www.dtvcouponhelp.com/viewforum.php?f=16
Jay
