Special to the Director's Cut Blog
By WKYC Reporter Mike O'Mara
NORTH OLMSTED -- "Time is ticking, time is ticking!" said Mohammed Wahdah, the DTV guru at the hhGregg store in North Olmsted.
Standing by a stack of digital converter boxes, Wadah has been trying to get the message out to consumers. "Look at the beautiful picture on this television," says Wadah. "In 100 days, if you want this kind of quality, you'll need a digital ready TV or one of these converter boxes."
By law, full-power television stations nationwide must begin broadcasting exclusively in a digital format on February 17, 2009. Digital television (DTV) is an innovative type of broadcasting technology that will give you crystal-clear pictures and sound, and more programming choices than ever before.
While the benefits of DTV are remarkable, millions of households risk losing television reception unless they take a few easy steps to receive a digital signal. "A lot of people are going to wake up on February 17 and then you'll hear all the complaints," said Jack Louis.
The 85-year-old Mentor man has been using the trusty aluminum antenna on the top of his house for his television sets. In fact, almost 12 percent of all televisions in Northeast Ohio are still hooked up to an antenna or rabbit ears.
"You have to put up with it," said Jack about the impending digital change. "The government is forcing your hand on this digital thing." On Monday afternoon, Louis purchased a converter box, but doesn't plan to try to install it until February.
At the hhGregg store in North Olmsted, Chris Musial was looking at the converter boxes. "I have cable TV for most of the TV sets in our house," she said, "but we've got a couple with rabbit ears. "The one downstairs in my laundry room is the one I had back in college. It still works and I can turn it on when I sort the laundry."
She added, "I know I've got to use a converter box 100 days from now or else the old set won't have any reception on it." Most converter boxes cost about $60. However, the federal government is offering a coupon worth $40 to help pay for the box. The coupons are available online.
Installation is fairly simple. However, be prepared to spend some time making sure your converter box and television set are in sync to pick up the new digital channels. "It's really not that difficult," said Wahdah. "But 100 days from now, nothing happens without a digital converter box for people with the old tv sets."
Until March 31, 2009, consumers can apply for up to two $40 coupons per household by calling 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009), by applying online or by mailing an application to P.O. Box 2000, Portland, OR 97208-2000. Applicants will receive their coupons in the mail.
For more information go to: http://www.dtvanswers.com/
