The battle over business for the new digital to analog converter boxes just ramped up today as EchoStar (owner of Dish Network) announced its plans to offer two new digital-to-analog converter boxes at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
The boxes will be distributed in anticipation of the Federal Communications Commission's requirement that all full-power broadcasters cease the transmission of their analog signal by Feb. 17, 2009.
EchoStar's TR-40 over-the-air, digital-to-analog converter allows analog TVs to receive digital over-the-air broadcasts and comes with an onscreen setup wizard for easy installation. Other features include up to a seven-day electronic programming guide (EPG), program search, parental locks and VCR auto-tune timers. The box will be sold under both the EchoStar and Sling Media, Inc. brand names for $39.99 at retail, and can be purchased via the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program. The program provides U.S. households with up to two coupons, worth $40 each, toward the purchase of eligible digital-to-analog converter boxes, which includes the TR-40.
EchoStar will also offer the TR-50 DVR digital-to-analog converter box that includes a digital video recorder, allowing customers to view, record and play back local over-the-air analog and digital broadcasts, including high definition. The TR-50 DVR offers all of the TR-40 features, plus closed captioning, reminder pop-ups for pre-selected programming, simultaneous output from HD and SD connections, as well as Ethernet, modem and USB connections to support additional functionality. Pricing for the TR-50 DVR will be established in the coming months.
The TR-40 is sampling now and will be available in limited quantities in March and unlimited quantities in June of this year. The TR-50 DVR will be available in July.
"While DISH Network has always offered 100 percent digital programming, we know there are still a lot of consumers who have analog TV sets and want to ensure they can continue to watch their favorite over-the-air programming without interruption," said Mark Jackson, president of EchoStar Holding Corporation. "Our new TR-40 and TR-50 DVR digital-to-analog converter boxes leverage the award-winning technology we put into our suite of receivers, and will provide analog TV owners a TV viewing experience not unlike that offered by digital TV sets."
Consumers were originally scheduled to pay $20 to $30 per box after the $40 government subsidized coupons for over the air households. Now, it looks like people may be getting them for free after all. Stay tuned on this one.
Some information courtesy: Echostar
