My mother has a digital tv but she thinks she needs a converter box to get channels. What is the real deal?

Question

how can I explain to my mother about digital tv and the change over in Feb of 2009. she wants to buy the converter because what she hears on tv.that she will not be able to use her tv. she is making me confused........... does she need it ?? she does not have cable but I bought her a new DIGITAL TV..................Help..........

Answer 1

She will Not need the converter box.

Answer 2

If she has a TV with a digital tuner and is looking at over the air broadcast TV, with an antenna, she should already be able to view DTV broadcasts.

If she is watching with cable or satellite, no converter is required, those services will continue to deliver as they have been. The DTV deadline is for broadcast TV only.

If the TV says something like DTV-ready or HDTV-ready, and no tuner upgrade has been made, it does not have a digital tuner and will not get DTV broadcasts.

Perform a channel scan. There should be a few stations with channel numbers with a major and minor, such as 7.1 and 7.2.

Answer 3

She should already be able to access digital channels.  Show her as most are currently transmittinig on both analog and digital levels.  Switch the TV over to the digital receiever and make sure antenna is hooked up as on my SDTV I have to change the antenna.  You will get channels like 32.1 and 32.2.  It's the same station but they are able to transmit current programming on one band, weather on another.  It is really fascinating.