House Panel meeting today to discuss DTV and Government Accountability Office report
A meeting on Capitol Hill today will address the most pressing issues for DTV preparedness and the transition to digital television.
Federal Communications Commission and Commerce Department officials will be among the government personnel participating in the hearing by testifying about the current state of the transition. Other topics of discussion may include a recently released Government Accountability Office report.
Help for Expired Coupon Holders?
Most importantly, today’s discussion may include the topic of expired converter coupons. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration recently requested additional funds to expand the coupon program, which may include relief for consumers stuck with expired converter box coupons.
With five months left until the digital transition, Lawmakers are running out of time to legislate changes to the coupon program.
Source: CNN: Ahead of the Bell: DTV transition
Recent DTV Forum Questions: My TV isn’t on the DTV List - My Coupon was Declined - Converter Box Returns
Here are some recent questions and answers from our DTV Forum,
My TV was built in 1992 and is not is not on the list I recieved w/ my coupon. I tried to look it up on the web I ended up w/ things that had nothing to do with it. I use rabbit ears and am hopeful the box will help w/ the channels I can’t get at all or well.
Find the Answer Here: DTV Answer
i tried to use my coupon on the last day, (today, 8-19-2008) and it was declined. the retail store i went to had converters on the shelf. what gives? am i just out the $40? coupon won’t be any better after expiration date will it?
Find the Answer Hee: DTV Answer
Today I went to Best Buy and purchased two DTV converter boxes. In addition to the two coupons I had to pay $48.86 additional. When I returned home my wife said that the value of each card is $40.00 and I didn’t have to pay anything. I find out now that Best Buy only carries a higher quality converter box and that’s why the extra cost. I returned to the store and returned the two boxes and got my $48.86 back. However, they could not return the two government issued cards because they were already possessed. Now they have $80.00 of my money that they will not return to me. The government letter containing the two cards says that they cannot be replaced. What should I do, if anything ?
Find the Answer Here: DTV Answer
Converter Box Help: I’m having problems connecting the box to my TV?
A recent question was emailed to us about connecting a converter box:
I purchased the Insignia conversion box at Best Buy and followed the directions to connect but it doesn’t work. I got no signal. I tried calling Best Buy but they don’t answer their phone. The back of my TV has three connectors — red, white and yellow, plus an antenna connector. I also put the battery in the remote that can with the converter box. I plugged everything in but nothing happened.
I’ll suggest a few things here that’ll seem simple about your digital-to-analog converter box, but it’s best to start from scratch.
#1 Make sure the adapter for the converter box is plugged to an outlet and the converter box is powered on.
#2 Make sure the three prong red, white, and yellow connector cord (also known as an RCA connection) from the converter box output is connected to the TV input correctly. (For those of you with a coax connection, you will use a single coax cord instead.)
#3 Your TV will need to be set to a certain channel to be able to view what the converter box is outputing. Try testing different TV channels like channel 2,3, or 4? Sometimes, some TV’s have to be set to different channels than the standard channel 4.
#4 Just thought of this one. Is there an “Input” button on the remote of the TV? If so, try pressing it a couple of times. If you have the connectors connected to the VCR input on the TV, it may require you to press the input button on the remote to select the required input for viewing.
I’ve found some installation videos that you may want to take a look at when you get a chance. After hooking up about five of these boxes now for various friends and family members, I’ve only had two converter boxes function perfectly after installation. The other three had reception issues.
Are Television Broadcast Stations Ready for DTV?
Less than 57 percent of all full-power television broadcat stations are currently ready for the digital transition, says a recently released FCC report. This is a scary figure considering that the analog broadcast signal cut off date of February 17th, 2009 is less than six months away.
The report also mentions that about 41 percent of broadcast stations are still getting ready for DTV, and should be able to meet the Febuary deadline.
Is this suprising to anyone else? A quick reference to the government’s website, says:
Consumers can begin enjoying the benefits of digital television today. Because most full-power stations are currently broadcasting both in digital and analog, viewers can plug in their converter boxes and generally receive a clearer picture and more channels, where they are available.
The FCC report also makes specific mention about the remaining 2-3 percent of the television stations that will not be ready for the digital transition. These stations have secured a waiver to broadcast DTV to atleast 85 percent of their viewers, while finishing upgrades to their broadcast transmitters.
One station which was labled as a “satellite of another station,” will go dark for a few days after the February 17th transition date, while upgrades are made. Broadcasting should resume immediately afterward. The station’s identification is KBRR of Thief River Falls, Minnesota which is a satellite of KVRR of Fargo, North Dakota.
What’s the Difference Between DTV and HDTV?
Do you know the difference between DTV and HDTV? Did you know that, when you purchase a digital converter box for your analog television, this will not upgrade your TV to HDTV. It’ll only upgrade your analog television to view the DTV (also known as EDTV) format.
You may want to read our article about the difference between DTV and HDTV. We also explain why SDTV (Standard Definition Television) also known as analog television is being replaced by DTV after the digital transition on February 17th, 2009.
Also, you can register at the forum if you have any questions about DTV, HDTV, or SDTV.
