MOUNT VERNON — As the year draws to an end, many residents are preparing their home entertainment center for the upgrade from analog broadcast to digital broadcast. At midnight on Feb. 17, 2009, the switch will take place. Those without cable, satellite or a converter box will not be able to watch any of the public channels. The converter box allows those with analog televisions to use digital transmission to watch the new digital broadcasting.
“We are selling quite a few [converter boxes]. People are coming in bringing their $40 coupon from the federal government,” said Phil Herald of Herald’s Appliance store. “When you register, they will send you two coupons for a $40 credit for a converter box.”
Herald said the converter boxes are universal so that they can fit with any television.
“The converter boxes are used with the older TVs because they don’t have the connection and they are not going to be able to receive the signal. So people are hooking up the converter boxes so their older TV will work, otherwise it wouldn’t work. They are really like a cable box, almost. It is a little small box, and it has a remote control; the cable goes in from your antenna into [the converter box] then out of that to the TV.
“We will also go out and hook it up for them if they are not sure how to hook it up. We offer that service,” he added.
The converter boxes are designed to help the old, analog-only televisions receive digital broadcasting. Herald’s gets a lot of people who are concerned about the new system, who come in wanting to know more about digital broadcasting.
As shoppers make their way to the electronic stores for big sales and big deals, some have opted to purchase a new HDTV instead of a converter box.
“Our business is very, very good in TV [sales],” said Herald. “[Customers] are concerned about losing TV.
“A lot of the channels coming out of Columbus is in digital as well as the former. When someone buys a new TV, you are getting a lot more channels because channel 4, 6, 10, 28 and 34 coming out of Columbus, they are broadcasting additional channels on the digital band. So when you buy a new TV you are actually going to get more channels on your antenna,” said Herald.
High-definition television produces a clear and more defined picture for the television screen. “The picture is fantastic,” he said.
Residents who have a digital tuner already attached to their televisions or subscribe to a paid service will not be affected by this switch.
Through a federal program, the TV Converter Box Coupon program, vouchers of $40 are available to help cover the cost of purchasing a converter box. For more information on the switch to digital television or to sign up for a voucher, visit www.dtv2009.gov. The deadline to apply for coupons is Dec. 31.
