DTV2009.gov -- TV Converter Box Coupon Program, Did you apply for your coupon yet? Options

[cnc137]

Did you apply for your TV Converter Box Coupon yet from www.DTV2009.gov?

My Dad told me about this website to get the free coupon a few months ago and I kept forgetting to go request one. My wife just called and asked about it since someone at her work was wondering, so I finally went and filled it out. It took about 2 minutes and I think you get a $40 coupon you can use towards buying a Digital TV to Analog TV converter box.

If you have any TVs in the house that use rabbit ears and only receive over-the-air analog TV then you will need one of these or your TV will no longer receive a signal after February 17, 2009.

[Hucast]

Does anyone actually need this? I mean, besides old people?

[cnc137]

If you have an old TV that you watch out in the garage or take with you camping or something like that, then you will need one of these to be able to get a signal over-the-air. Anyone that has cable or satellite will not need one of these for any TV connected to those systems, but if you have any TV that only receives your local channels via an antenna then you will need one of these to use it after February 2009.

I am not sure though if one of these boxes will work for a really old TV that doesn't have at least a coax cable connection or RCA jacks. Maybe you can buy one of those old coax to two wire antenna adapters like we had with our old NES systems. I am think if you need to buy one of those to use the TV then you might be better off just buying a new TV???

[Hucast]

If you have an old TV that you...take with you camping

And doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose of camping?

[Redeema]

Analog is so 1985. If you're not using cable or even better, satellite, you may as well be watching in black and white on a gigantic console TV the size of a VW Bus with a 20 inch screen. Besides who goes camping with portable TV's anymore? You're supposed to go with portable DVD player, laptop, PSP, or iPod to watch movies on. Pshaw...

[bOb]

Analog is so 1985. If you're not using cable or even better, satellite, you may as well be watching in black and white on a gigantic console TV the size of a VW Bus with a 20 inch screen. Besides who goes camping with portable TV's anymore? You're supposed to go with portable DVD player, laptop, PSP, or iPod to watch movies on. Pshaw...

Yeah I wouldn't bring a tv with me so yeah.

Yeah satellite providers use a fully digital signal therefore requiring each set to have one of their boxes.

I work for a cable company so I can clear a few things up here.


Most cable providers still use the good ol analog signal and will probably continue to do so for the next few years. There are some cases where channels have been moved to digital tiers to save bandwidth. Analog channels use up much more space on the cable networks than a digital channel (the ratio is 1 analog equals roughly 15 digital excluding HD that's 3). So yeah analog's still present on cable but it'll probably phase out someday.

[cnc137]

I thought I would bring this topic back up to the top of the forums, since the digital TV revolution begins tomorrow June 12, 2009.

1.) Are you ready?
2.) Have you gotten your converter boxes?
3.) Will you be losing some channels that you used to get that were snowy that will not even come in with digital?
4.) Are you using a rabbit ears antenna for any of your TVs in your house?

Here are my answers to the above questions:

1.) Yes, I guess.
2.) I forgot to use the coupons before they expired, but I have one HDTV tuner that I had a for a few years up in our bedroom.
3.) We will lose some local channels that we get upstairs in the bedroom from over-the-air that are snowy but watchable. We have cable downstairs, so we are fine in that room.
4.) We use rabbit ears up in our bedroom and in my son's bedroom. We didn't get a converter box for his TV yet, since he doesn't watch TV upstairs yet.

[gawl126]

1. No idea
2. They're in the garage, not sure if I need them
3. Uhhs...i dont think so?
4. I'm in Silicon Valley, I don't think anyone uses rabbit ears here anymore...

[omega71]

1.) Are you ready? Kinda, but no..We let our coupons expire so we had to send off for new ones, they will possibly come tommorow.


2.) Have you gotten your converter boxes? See above?

3.) Will you be losing some channels that you used to get that were snowy that will not even come in with digital? Not really, we have digital cable in the living room, so we have all of the channels we need out there.

4.) Are you using a rabbit ears antenna for any of your TVs in your house? The TV in the bedroom is rabbit ear'ed out. That will be the one that gets the box. It rarely gets used.

[ChronoTrigga]

I usually just download the T.V. shows I watch.

[cnc137]

After reading omega71's post I went to https://www.dtv2009.gov and tried signing up for the coupons again. I let our first coupons expire and tried signing up again a few months ago and it wouldn't let me. When I tried signing up again tonight it worked and it said they are going to send them to us on June 17, 2009.

If you let your coupons expire then try signing up again, since it might let you get up to two more again.

[Hucast]

If you let your coupons expire then try signing up again, since it might let you get up to two more again.

Or maybe there's just a time limit and you can get more regardless?

1.) Um, sure. Digital cable.
2.) Got them in case, but probably won't need.
3.) I don't think so?
4.) Noooooo.

[omega71]

Yea, if you were like me and got the coupons right away, but never used them due to no technology available, or no stores carrying the boxes yet, they allowed you to re-register after 6 months after the cards expire to get new ones.

[yugiohfan09]

Did you apply for your TV Converter Box Coupon yet from www.DTV2009.gov?

My Dad told me about this website to get the free coupon a few months ago and I kept forgetting to go request one. My wife just called and asked about it since someone at her work was wondering, so I finally went and filled it out. It took about 2 minutes and I think you get a $40 coupon you can use towards buying a Digital TV to Analog TV converter box.

If you have any TVs in the house that use rabbit ears and only receive over-the-air analog TV then you will need one of these or your TV will no longer receive a signal after February 17, 2009.

Did you have to buy a special antenna? I am not pulling hardly any stations in and someone told me I might need a digital antenna?

[Knightsword]

1: 1 year old HDTV with HD cable.
2: I ain't need no stinking coupons.
3: Its Comcast they'll always losing and gaining channels.
4: Why won't someone thing of the poor bunnies?