If you have cable with an analog TV, will you need a new one by February 17 for the digital switch?

Question

If you have cable with an analog TV, will you need a new one by February 17 for the digital switch?

Answer 1

No you do not need a new TV.

Even if you were watching TV over the air with an antenna you  would not need a new TV, unless the TV was one of the small portables with no way to use an external antenna or A/V cables.

That's what the coupon type converter boxes are for. They attach between a TV antenna and TV so they can convert digital broadcasts to analog signals.

Digital TV signals can be cheaply converted to the old analog type. If (more like when) your cable company stopped sending out analog TV signals on their systems, you would need a cable box to convert the digital cable signals to the old analog type. When/if they do this is a local matter

The Feb 17 date only effects over the air TV and has nothing to do with cable TV service.

By the way, the coupon type converter boxes only work with over the air digital signals and do not work with any major digital cable system. But at only $10-$20 (after coupon), you might want one as a backup during cable outages.

Answer 2

to keep your analog set working you need to buy a converter box which will be sold during the digital switch in feb,2009

until then you can sign up for a government coupon to get it at a discount price.

Answer 3

The way that I understand it, if you have cable, you need not do anything for the time being. IF.....and I say.....if something changes down the road, they have to warn you at least thirty days ahead of time. If the cable company is smart, I'm sure that you will have much more advanced warning than that.

Answer 4

No. The cable company will supply you with whatever equipment you'll need (which may be nothing). They've agreed to support analog over cable for 3 years after the DTV transition.