What is digital tv conversion? How do I get converted if I don't have a digital tv?

Question

What is digital tv conversion? How do I get converted if I don't have a digital tv?

Answer 1

You can get a $40 coupon to buy a digital converter for your TV set and they generally cost about $70....

So you get one for $30. You can get them at Radio Shack, Best Buy, Circuit City, Walmart, etc.

Then you connect it up to your TV set just like you connect up a VCR to a TV set.

Then you start to get the digital TV channels on Channel 3....

It's that simple.

Answer 2

TV Tech man is right (except I think the converter boxes are closer to $50 than $70) but it should be said that you only need a converter if you get your TV signal through an antenna. If you have cable or satellite, you will not need a converter box.

Answer 3

Good info from others - wanted to add:

I got my DTV conversion coupons, looked for boxes.  I wanted an analog pass through since I know some in my area - the Christian stations I watch - aren't converted.  No one sold them locally, and I didn't want to do the higher price and shipping to get them on the internet. So, yesterday, I got my box without analog pass through.  I also got an HD antenna.  We have a rooftop, but wasn't sure if it would do HD - it didn't.  

Anyway, I'm VERY happy with picture quality, the more channels on HD, and I don't think I'll ever need to invest in an expensive HD plasma or LCD tv with this quality picture on my 4 yo JVC 27 in.  It is also nice to have more available channels.  We went from 9 available to 16 - 3 being weather, which is our main reason for watching tv 70% of the time (tornado alley).  

I did find that the auto set-up for channels on our converter missed some.  I did the EZ channel set-up after initial though and it captured three more.  

So, two things to know.  You'll have to disconnect, reconnect antenna cables for non-converted channels if you don't have a strong enough signal to split - we didn't.  Still going to try a couple more things, like keeping the rooftop, splitting antenna references at VCR so not splitting signal.  

That was the biggest disappointment I ran into.  Also, if you get a Picasso picture for an HD channel, adjust your antenna until it comes in clearly.  They seem much less particular than the analog channels.  Once we got one to come in.  We could go to the next and adjust it and it too would come in fine.

I was disappointed with the guys at the electronics stores where I asked questions.  They wanted to sell me Direct TV or ignore the fact that not all stations are switched yet.  I thought that a bid rude.  Not everyone watched the same channels or wants to pay $50 a month just for the ability to watch TV.

Answer 4

Next February, all the over the air full power TV stations must go 100% digital.  This means that, if you get your TV from an antenna, you will have to get a digital converter box or a digital TV.

The converter box is the least expensive option, they cost about $50 to $70 and will convert the digital signal so that you can watch it on your existing analog TV.  The US government is giving out $40 off coupons to help with the cost.  You can apply for a coupon at heet://www.dtv2009.gov.

You will need to have an antenna too.  It needs to be the "all channel" VHF/UHF  type.  Many of the digital stations will be on UHF, but a good number will remain on VHF.

I hope this helps.

Answer 5

One other thing, your antenna should be able to receive UHF signals, channels 14-69 as oppose to the VHF band of Channels 2-13.