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
Trucking industry to be hit by the transition to DTV
The move to DTV (Digital Television) is coming on February 17th, 2009, and a recent DTV preparedness study by Nielson still shows that a little over 10% of American households are not ready for the transition. The digital transition requires that viewers of over-the-air television with an analog TV set must purchase a converter box to allow their televisions to function after the Feb. 17th, 2009 transition date.
What about the trucking industry?
The government is offering $40 Converter Box Coupons to provide assistance in helping the public upgrade their old analog TV sets, but recent complaints about the coupon program and its lack of coverage for nursing home patients and mobile television owners will probably also extend to the trucking industry as well.
What could prevent a semi-truck driver from receiving the converter box coupon?
Many owners of semi-trucks and employee’s of large trucking firms have outfitted their rigs with analog television sets . These TVs are the source of entertainment while truckers are on the road (technically speaking side of the road during breaks) for months at a time without taking days off or being in the comfort of their own home.
If a self-employed or corporate employed trucker has asked for assistance from the government to outfit their home with the maximum (2) digital converter coupons for 2 television sets, does that mean they will have to foot the bill and pay the whole cost of purchasing a converter box for their truck?
Consideration…
When the government reviews its converter coupon guidelines in the coming months, they may want to think about including the trucking industry and its 3.4 million employed drivers in the coupon program.
The DTV Converter Box Coupon Program and Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About It
The United States government launched the TV Converter Box Coupon Program on January 1, 2008 to help U.S. consumers upgrade their old analog Television sets to accept Digital Broadcast signals.
DTV and the Coupon Program
In 1996, after years of studies by government/television industry committees, U.S. Congress deemed Digital Television as an acceptable upgrade to the 50-year-old analog television broadcasting technology.
At that time, Congress authorized the distribution of an additional broadcast channel (for digital broadcasting) to each broadcast TV station so that they could broadcast both analog and digital channels simultaneously.
In 1997, All public TV stations were to broadcast digital only signals by May 1st, 2003, but more than half of the country’s 357 public TV stations missed the deadline. (Source: Current.org) At that time, the FCC issued extentsions to stations delaying digital only broadcasting.
It wasn’t until The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (Approved by Congress and President Bush), that a final date of February 17, 2009, was set for all TV broadcasters nationwide to switch off their analog broadcasts.
The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 and the Digital Converter Box Coupon Program
The Act allocated $1.5 billion toward government subsidy to consumers for a new DTV converter box. The converter box would allow all existing television sets to continue to view digital broadcasting after the transition occured on February 17th, 2009.
Additional contingency’s for allocation of funds to the coupon program were included if the original funds were exhausted.
Converter Coupon Program Elgibility and How to Sign Up
The coupon program allows U.S. households to obtain up to two coupons, each worth $40, that can be applied toward the cost of eligible converter boxes. Under the government’s definition, a “household” consists of all persons who currently occupy a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room that is occupied as a separate U.S. postal address
Important: Consumers have from January 1, 2008 until March 31, 2009 to apply for the coupon’s. At this time, there are no plans by Congress to extend this date.
To Apply for a Coupon:
You can Apply online
Call the Coupon Program 24-hour hotline 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009).
Mail a coupon application to: PO BOX 2000, Portland, OR 97208-2000. Download a Coupon Application here.
Fax a coupon application to 1-877-DTV-4ME2 (1-877-388-4632)
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.
Where is My Converter Coupon?
To check your application or coupon status, go to https://www.dtv2009.gov/CheckStatus.aspx. Be sure to have your reference or coupon number to check your status. As of 10/19/2008, the following information was provided from the NTIA Government website for expected Mail Date’s for Converter Box Coupon’s.
Your Application Approval Date Target Mail Date January 1, 2008 2/29/2008 January 2, 2008 3/14/2008 January 3 - 6, 2008 3/21/2008 January 7 - 13, 2008 3/28/2008 January 14 - 30, 2008 4/4/2008 January 31 - February 16, 2008 4/11/2008 February 17 - 24, 2008 4/18/2008 February 25 - March 10, 2008 4/25/2008 March 11 - 23, 2008 5/2/2008 March 24 - April 7, 2008 5/9/2008 April 8 - 22, 2008 5/16/2008 April 23 - May 7, 2008 5/23/2008 May 8 - 22, 2008 5/30/2008 May 23 - 30, 2008 6/20/2008 May 31 - June 6, 2008 6/27/2008 June 7 - 13, 2008 7/4/2008 June 14 - 20, 2008 7/11/2008 June 21 - 27, 2008 7/18/2008 June 28 - July 4, 2008 7/25/2008 July 5 - 11, 2008 8/1/2008 July 12 - 18, 2008 8/8/2008 July 19 - 25, 2008 8/15/2008 July 26 - August 1, 2008 8/22/2008 August 2 - 8, 2008 8/29/2008 August 9 - 15, 2008 9/5/2008 August 16 - 22, 2008 9/12/2008 August 23 - 29, 2008 9/19/2008 August 30 - September 5, 2008 9/19/2008 September 6 - 12, 2008 9/26/2008 September 13 - 19, 2008 10/3/2008 September 20 - 26, 2008 10/10/2008 September 27 - October 3, 2008 10/17/2008 October 4 - 10, 2008 10/24/2008 October 11 - 17, 2008 10/31/2008 October 18 - 24, 2008 11/7/2008
Help With DTV
Digital Television will be an advance in technology, but could prove to be rough for a lot of consumers.
Have Questions about DTV?
Don’t count on the government to answer them. TVConversionhelp recently sent an email question to the NTIA (National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce) asking a few questions about the Coupon program for a recent visitor in one of our forums . (Click here to see the post)
Here was the “automated” response from the NTIA:
“Thank you for your e-mail regarding the TV Converter Box Coupon Program. We are now accepting applications and will continue until March 31, 2009, while supplies last. Consumers may apply for up to two $40 coupons per household: online at www.DTV2009.gov, by calling 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009); or by mailing an application to P.O. Box 2000, Portland, OR 97208-2000. Coupons will be sent to households via U.S. mail.
Please visit www.DTV2009.gov for answers to frequently asked questions.
Sincerely,
Television Converter Box Coupon Program Team”
We then attempted to call the 1-888-DTV-2009 listed in the email, and were dissapointed by the lack of an option to talk to a human about DTV questions. Side Note: Instead of lobbying for more converter box funding, government officials might want to think about adding technical staff to answer questions from consumers.
Solutions for DTV questions remain limited
For the time being, TVConversionhelp has created a forum for questions regarding DTV, and will attempt to answer questions on a first come, first serve basis. You can visit the forum anytime by clicking here. No account, registration, or any personal information is required at this time to view or post on the forum.
Consumers sound off with mixed reaction to DTV and the Digital Transition
Consumer opinion about DTV and the Digital Transition seems to be swaying from mixed to negative after reviewing recent blog articles and comments over at Technorati.
Mixed Reaction and Comments
A recent poll posted on TVConversionhelp seems to suggest that consumers are not exactly happy with the upgrade to Digital broadcasting. As of today, 38% of the viewers on this website think that DTV is a bad idea and a waste of money, 25% think that It might be a good idea, but it’s not worth the hassle.
Comments like this one posted over at Jossip.com:
“I still cannot believe this is happening. Our government in forcing us to get cable. How did this happen? I have two tvs that are not hooked up. One in my bathroom (to watch GMA in the am) and one in my kitchen (to watch mostly the news when im cooking) Why arent people protesting this?”
and another at Gemeniweb.com
“We have a family cottage in New Hampshire and right now most of the stations are Boston stations (Ch 9 in Manchester is the only local station that we can receive.) and with the change to digital we will not be able to get any over the air stations at all. The nearest cable is twelve miles away and the FCC answer to this is satellite DTV. How many New Hampshire families will not be able to afford $50 an month for what they use to get free?”
Show just a few differing opinions and problems with switching to digital television.
Headache’s for the Consumer and DTV
Hopefully the government will speed up the process of delivering the Digital Converter Box Coupons, but as the status stands right now, there is a backlog/delay of 2-4 weeks past the “expected delivery date” for the coupons.
Recent emails to feedback@tvconversionhelp.com have also voiced concern over the lack of time given (Only 90 Days) to use the digital converter box coupons. Huge demand for the converter boxes and limited supply have created a situation where the consumer is spending up to $25-$75 to upgrade their old analog television sets.
One thing’s for sure, as the deadline (February 17th, 2009) gets closer, it’ll be interesting to watch consumer sentiment/reaction to DTV.
10 things you need to know about the DTV (Digital Television) Transition
This list is arranged in matter of the most visited pages on TVConversionhelp and most frequently emailed questions. Want to add to this list or ask a question? Hit the comment text at the top of this post and add your input. No registration or email address is required.
- 1. When is the Transition to Digital TV going to occur?
The transition to Digital is currently scheduled for February 17th, 2009. - 2. What does DTV mean?
Digital television (DTV) is a type of technology that allows broadcasters to broadcast higher quality of pictures and sound to your television. This upgrade will also allow for more programming and information services such as on demand TV Guides with a press of a button.
- 3. I have Cable or Satellite service, what do I need to upgrade to Digital Television?
The best answer to this question at this time is to check with your cable or satellite TV provider. Before you get on the phone with them, be sure to prepare your questions before hand. You may want to ask them: - Do I have the proper equipment to receive Digital Television?
- If I don’t have the proper equipment, what is (Insert name of Cable or Satellite Company) going to do about the digital transition in February 2009.
- Are there any extra charges associated with upgrading to digital television? (There shouldn’t be any charges from your cable or satellite provider, although some previous news articles on TVConversionhelp in the past have shown otherwise)
- 4. I just received my TV Converter Box, How do I install it?
Visit the DTV coalition’s site for pictures and step by step installation instructions. - 5. Where can I find the lowest cost step by step instructions for upgrading my old TV to be able to receive DTV signals?
Click here - 6. What is the TV Converter Box Coupon Program and how do I get a coupon?
Congress created the TV Converter Box Coupon Program for households wishing to keep using their analog TV sets after February 17, 2009. The Program allows U.S. households to obtain up to two coupons, each worth $40, that can be applied toward the cost of eligible converter boxes. A TV connected to cable, satellite or other pay TV service does not require a TV converter box from this program. Apply Online - 7. Is there a government phone number or Website available to the public?
You can call the Federal Communications Commission at 1-888-225-5322 (TTY: 1-888-835-5322) or visit the Commission’s digital television website at: www.DTV.gov. - 8. What are my options for purchasing a Converter Box with my government coupon?
TVConversionhelp is currently working on this list. Check back soon, this list will be updated often. Currently, the following stores are selling Digital Converter Boxes for sale:Walmart
Circuit City
Radioshack
Best Buy - 9. Is DTV the same as HDTV?
No. Digital Television and high definition programming are not the same. If you want to watch HDTV programming, you will need to purchase an HDTV set. You may also need a set-top box or other equipment to view HDTV programming. - 10. Can I hook up more than one TV to a single digital-to-analog converter box?
You will be able to hook up only one TV set to each digital-to-analog converter box. TVConversionhelp recommends ordering the maximum (2) Converter Box Coupon’s from the government. Even if you only have (1) TV set that will need to be converted to DTV before February 17th, 2009, the government is offering the coupon program for a limited time, make sure you’re covered in case you ever purchase a second TV that might need a converter box.
