Special to the "Directors Cut" Blogby WKYC Reporter Jeff Maynor
Older sets will no longer receive television without digital converters. The digital revolution in television transmission is still a year away, but the government is moving now to make sure viewers have no interruption in service.
Effective February 17, 2009, older analog television sets will no longer receive over-the-air signals. These sets, that now receive television by rooftop antennas or rabbit ears, will need converters to receive digital transmissions.
The converters are already available at retailers, including Wal-Mart, which has them on sale for $49.87. The federal government is providing $40 vouchers, a maximum of two per household, to defray the cost of the converters.
Applications for the vouchers are available at retailers and on line. (See a link in our right hand menu). Eighty-six percent of U.S. households have cable TV or dish service and will not need a converter unless they have additional sets not connected to cable or dish.
Homeowners will need additional cable or dish outlets for those sets.
"Or they can get one of the vouchers from the government that will enable them to go to any retailer that sells them and get a converter," said Stacie Schafer of Cox Cable.
The cable company has been fielding questions from its subscribers concerned that their service might be interrupted.
Newer television sets, bought in the past year, are almost all digital and are equipped for the switchover. To be certain your newer set is digital consult your owner's manual.
VIDEO FEATURE:
To watch WKYC reporter Jeff Maynor's package: CLICK HERE
