Digital converter question?

Question

ya so by law, all broadcasts will have to be digital

why is this going to be a law? and where can i get a coupon for the digital converters?

i have 4 tv's in my house, can i get one for all of them?

and where can i get the coupons for em?

Answer 1

Just get cable or satellite. Then you'll have NO problems!

Answer 2

The reason why televisions signals will be converted to digital is because the analog spectrum that everyone currently is using will be used for emergency personnell and law enforcement officials.

You can get your debit cards at www.dtvanswers.com

You will get 2 forty dollar debit cards in the mail.  Each converter box will cost $60.00 and so you end up paying about $20 per converter box.  You can not use 2 debit cards for one converter box purchase.  It turns out each debit card  can only be used for one converter box.

If you have 4 televisions in your house then the government will not give you 4 debit cards but only 2 debit cards per household.  You will need to ask a friend if they can sign up for the program and get their debit cards for you to use.

Answer 3

To get your coupons, visit http://www.dtv2009.org .  Each household can apply for no more than 2 coupons.  That will cover two of the sets.  You will have to pay full price for the other two converters.  They should retail for about $50 - $70.

The law part is because Congress made a decision.  Actually the whole world is also moving toward digital TV.  The old analog system was invented in the 1930s and frankly, needed to be replaced with something more modern.  Also, congress discovered it could make profit from auctioning off spectrum and charging users "rent" in the form of spectrum fees.  So, they are using the DTV Transition to kill two birds with one stone.  They can move to a modern system and move all the broadcasters closer together at the same time to free up spectrum they can auction off.

After February, 2009, TV channels 2-4 and 53+ will no longer be used for TV.  They will be used for cellular, land mobile radio and public service.  The "Public Safety" argument didn't come into play until after 9/11 and that was about 5 or 6 years into the transition.

I hope this helps. Please return and select a Best Answer from all of those submitted.

Answer 4

My family got our coupons from a phone number on the news

(313-223-2254), but that number may just be for Michigan.

You could also apply for them at

https://www.dtv2009.gov/

As for why, only politicians would know the real reason.  Some claim that digital is just better and who wouldn't want it (these are normally people in their 20s, the answer is old people who can barely figure out the microwave).  Others claim that the government is just flexing it's control and will use those analog waves for secret transmissions regarding the end of the world in 2012 (these people are crazy, at least I hope they are).  My theory is that a lobbyist with enough money got to enough politicians to get this law to pass so some billionaire could make more money (hey, at least I'm not as crazy as those end of the world people).