RSSDigital TV Converter Box Rebate Announced
By Ed Oswald | Published March 12, 2007, 2:57 PM
The Commerce Department approved a plan Monday that would allow every U.S. household to be eligible for two $40 coupons that could be used towards the purchase of a digital-to-analog converter box beginning in January 2008.
Such boxes will be a requirement for any analog television set to continue receiving signals past February 17, 2009. At that time, all full-power television stations would end analog broadcast transmissions.
Digital television brings with it a clearer picture along with additional programming, and will free up spectrum that would be reassigned to advance wireless services and emergency first responders.
"The transition from analog to digital television is a historic change and brings with it considerable benefits for the American consumer," Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez said in a statement.
Congress has appropriated $990 million to pay for the rebate program, with an option to increase it another $510 million if it is deemed the original amount is not sufficient. If more funding is required, only over-the-air households would be eligible for the second round of coupons.
The coupon would cover just about all of the cost of the box, currently expected to range from $50 to $70 a piece. It will not be permitted to be used for any other purpose other than purchasing the box, the Commerce Department said.
"With the Coupon Program and a successful analog-to-digital transition involving the public, industry and government, the switch from analog to digital television will be completed as planned," said Assistant Secretary for Communication and Information John Kneuer.
Kneuer added that it would be highly unlikely that the deadline date would be delayed again, due to the massive need for the spectrum analog television currently takes up.
Consumers will have the option of either requesting the rebates through the mail, phone, or via the Web. All coupons will include a tracking code to ensure the system is not abused.
Where is the info to request the rebates?
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|who would sell these units?
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|Wow. I guess I was kind of thinking ideally, because cable boxes aren't expensive at all (when you can find them), so I was under the assumption that these things were going to be cheap. If the federal-freaking-government is giving us $80 each, how much are/do these freaking things cost??!! "Currently estimated from $50 - 70. Yeah right. In a perfect world. These things are going to be sellin' like hot cakes. I can see it now, "last TV tuner! Get it now! Only $300!
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|The government just effectively set a price floor for the device. The only beneficiaries of this program will be the companies making and selling them.
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|But.....there's still nothing good to watch on TV!
I would quickly give up the 100s of cable channel s I receive if I could get the BBC (not BBC America, the REAL BBC) instead.
Now THERE'S a way to save bandwidth!
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|What happens to all the analog TV's that are in good working order?
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|That's what the tuners are for, to act like a cable box does for cable tv users. It is to translate the signal to something your analog tv understands, instead of buying a new TV that has the tuner built in, something that not everyone has the money to do at the present time.
Another factor is that it isn't the public's fault that their old (or new) non-digital tv's are becoming obsolete, it's the government's fault by pushing through regulations that required digital broadcasts. Since the consumer shouldn't be financially responsible for shouldering the burden, they are offering the coupons, but we all know this is just another tax shuffle as it is, because they have to get the revenue to pay for the coupons somewhere.
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|As always, it will be funded by diverted funds from other programs. Anything except for defense spending is fair game. Probably will target Medicare and VA budgets first. Place more burden on families to support their aging parents in the nursing home (if they can afford one) in order to pay for the converter for them to watch TV all day until they croak.
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|are there any such old tv's left?
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|Gee nice job typing. I read "digital-to-along" and I wondered what that meant.
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|Well, kudos to the research that showed humans only need to see the beginning and end of a word basically to read.
Nice catch, I completely read analog. Stupid spellchecker not seeing that it was a mistake.
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|I would feel assured that the price of the boxes would be astronomical, not as they posted it. Since our society is so capitalistic, TV manufacturers would rather you just buy a new tv. besides, they already include a digital tuner. why buy a tuner for 40 bones when you can buy a new nice flat panel for $600. you can charge it! we won't charge interest for 90 days!
Who is going to track the coupons? sounds like they are going to enact another govt dept to do this. The total potential burden of tax payers 1.5 Billion. so now I have to pay (along with you) for all the illegals that get this too? Who is going to account for their cable box? oh, i forgot, they have enough disposible income for a new tv.
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|$40 vs. $600? Hmm... Which one would I rather pay for?
WTF is wrong with you???
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|Considering that those $40 set top boxes will probably only receive SD digital programming, who wouldn't want that $600 flat panel LCD HD monitor? Especially considering you can get one with better than 1080p (1920x1200 native resolution) for just slightly more than $600.
I'd be very surprised if the majority of USA TV owners don't at least have an HD ready monitor by 2009.
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|I am emulating companies selling a tv instead of selling a set top box. If your tv is older than 2-5 years and it does not include a digital tuner, and you like your tv, by all means keep it and get the set top box.
If you have failed to see any comercials in the last 2-5 years, you would know that they are not advertising CRTs, only HD capable tvs. People would rather buy a new tv than save the money in an IRA or 401k. At least the people I know would.
Seriously, good for you for not falling for the mass consumerism that is the US.
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|dude... full 1080 resolution is 1920x1080, regardless of whether it's i(interlaced) or p(progressive scan)
If a screen can do higher than 1080 that's all and good, but it's wasted unless you're using a computer to drive it, because 1080 is all HD needs for vertical resolution.
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|nonsense ... if you can't do both then you're either not working hard enough or smart enough :P
seriously though, consumerism is what keeps the economy healthy.
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|I'm fully aware that 1920x1080 is the actual resolution for 1080i/p content, but when my TV stretches 1080i/p content to its 1920x1200 native resolution there is no visible distortion or loss of picture and no extra black bars (beyond what the original content has).
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|Set top boxes receive HD digital programming and offer the option to down convert to SD Analog. Been using one for years on my Pioneer Elite 1009W 16x9 SD NTSC television and it's been a great transition. Programming in 480i looks MUCH better than the SD crap that is provided by cable or satellite. Pretty much like watching a DVD which I'm sure will be just fine for a lot of people for a long time to come.
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|until the old people of the united states unite against these new fangled gadgets!
Hell my 50yo parents can't even freaking figure out -- after explaining it to them many times -- how to get their surround sound, directv, and HDTV to work seamlessly. They called me at least four times the first day alone, and that was after I SET THE THING UP! *rips hair out*
In short: I'd be extremely surprised if that was the truth. Once the older baby boomers start dying off, it may happen, but until then I kind of doubt it.
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|Wow do we ever get any positive response on here? Its nice to see the GOV willing to cover a plan that they instituted. I think this will be helpful for those with older tvs, or low income. Unlike most on here I have a few friends that can't afford the cost of a box in their daily expenses.
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|That because there is nothing positive to come from this rebate. All it is is another tax burden. Where do you think they are going to get the over 1 billion dollars in rebate money?
I'd rather just have everyone deal with "the switch" on their own, either buy a $40 converter or buy a $ HD TV
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|Who is going to buy these devices? I would think that all of the cable companies that want to keep their subscribers as a part of their system will provide either a converter to them, charge them a small fee / mo for it or put a box at the feed into their home to convert the digital to analog signal.
If we're talking about people who don't buy cable, or can't afford to buy cable. How were they able to buy a TV? Or are we subsidizing that too now?
Hurry - get in line comrade, I hear they have toilet paper today.
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|If we're talking about people who don't buy cable, or can't afford to buy cable. How were they able to buy a TV?
Hmm, maybe they were doing better financially in the past? Or maybe they got it as a hand me down? Or bought it for next to nothing at a yard sale? Or weren't living on a fixed retirement income? Those enough possibilities, I am sure I missed a lot of other potential ways?
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|Like the other person said, all those ways, and you can't forget the credit cards, etc. And other people just don't feel the need to pay 50+$ a month for something they only occasionally use..
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|Too bad more people don't have the understanding that you have shown here. You aren't a high-roller on a Social Security retirement check, I can assure you. Mine is right at $800/month. The medication I require comes to more than that a month.
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|"Hurry - get in line comrade, I hear they have toilet paper today."
BWAHAHAHA, that made my day.
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|ANY cable box delivered now already has a digital tuner. This only applys to the poor. If they are only receive OTA programing, or now receiving the low-grade cable, impoverished or rural areas, they will need a digital built in tuner on the TV or this new box.
They should only give this to Americans/naturalized citizens who apply for it EXCLUSIVELY. It should not be for anyone. I don't want 12-40 million illegal immigrants thinking this applies to them and they deserve this. but I know deep down that this 1 Billion is going to pay for them too. that should piss us all off, that is unless you are an illegal immigrant...
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|I would prefer it if they gave every household an $80 tax credit and let the household decide if they want to give it to the companies making the converters...instead of letting those companies' lobbyists obtain it for them almost directly. Granted, I don't think there really should be all that many tax credits fly around anyway; but I would rather it be a tax credit than indirect payoffs.
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|Yep, the executives at Time-Warner Need the 80.
Who wants to fill a Long form tax return for me, currently the short form works. Also, the IRS is auditing you - you only turned in one rebate.
Grazer, are you an accountant drumming up business ? :)
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|As was mentioned above, the VAST majority of folks won't need the coupons as the functionality provided by these boxes is already present in cable/satellite boxes now (or will be by the time 2009 rolls around). The rebate checks will only be necessary for folks without cable/satellite who receive OTA programming only. So adding it as a tax credit would be a mistake - basically, what is happening is the gov't is taking $1bn of YOUR tax dollars and redistributing it to the folks who can't/won't get cable/satellite...
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|"All coupons will include a tracking code to ensure the system is not abused."
Just like FEMA wouldn't be abused...
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