Affected Televisions:
- A digital television (a TV with an internal digital tuner) will allow you to continue to watch free, over-the-air programming. Most roof-top antennas and “rabbit ears” will continue to receive free, over-the-air programming
- Analog television will not receive programming through basic roof-top antennas and “rabbit ears,” and will need a digital-to-analog converter box to continue to watch broadcast television on that set.
- The converter box will also enable you to see any additional multicast programming ("extra" digital channels) your local stations may offer
- Cable subscribers may need new DTV equipment to view DTV programming in digital format. You should ask your cable provider what you will need and when.
- Satellite subscribers may need new DTV equipment to receive and view high-definition digital programming. You should ask your satellite company what you will need and when.
Converter Box Coupon
- Converter Boxes usually cost between $40 and $80
- The Coupon Program allows U.S. households to obtain up to two coupons, each worth $40 that can be applied toward the cost of eligible converter boxes.
- To apply for a coupon, click here.
Reception Issues
- Consumers who have difficulties with reception of digital signals after installing a converter box or new DTV set can enter their address into the FCC’s Reception Map tool at www.dtv.gov to receive specific station information for their location.
- Consumers who were receiving digital signals prior to the deadline, but lost some of those channels after the switch should perform a “rescan” on their converter box or DTV set. Stations are moving channels, and the boxes and DTV sets will need to be reprogrammed to find the new channel locations. In some cases – particularly where a station is moving to a channel that was previously occupied by another station – a total “reset” of the box or DTV set may be necessary to erase the prior information and rescan for all the new channel locations. Periodic rescanning will also search for any new multicast programming streams provided by individual stations.
- Only the full-power broadcast stations are required to make the switch from analog to digital broadcasting. Because of the cost of transitioning to digital transmission several hundred television stations across the U.S. authorized to transmit at lower power than traditional full power commercial broadcast stations. These stations were exempted by Congress from requirement to switch to digital broadcasting by June 12, 2009. As a result some areas might not receive lower power digital transmissions.
Contact Information
- For people with internet connections; go to www.dtv.gov
- If you don’t have internet access, 1-888-225-5322
