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01-01-2008, 06:20 PM
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#1 of 42 
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2001
Local Time: 10:16 AM
Local Date: 05-17-2008
Posts: 4,539
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Online application for TV Converter Box Coupons
FYI:
https://www.dtv2009.gov/
Quote:
What is the digital television transition?
At midnight on February 17, 2009, all full-power television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting in analog and switch to 100% digital broadcasting. Digital broadcasting promises to provide a clearer picture and more programming options and will free up airwaves for use by emergency responders.
What is the TV Converter Box Coupon Program?
Congress created the TV Converter Box Coupon Program for households wishing to keep using their analog TV sets after February 17, 2009. The 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.
A TV connected to cable, satellite or other pay TV service does not require a TV converter box from this program.
Consumers have a variety of options. Options to explore include:- Keep your existing analog TV and purchase a TV converter box. A converter box plugs into your TV and will keep it working after Feb. 17, 2009, or
- Connect to cable, satellite or other pay service, or
- Purchase a television with a digital tuner.
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01-01-2008, 09:22 PM
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#2 of 42
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Gary
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Join Date: Aug 1998
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Posts: 1,548
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Re: Online application for TV Converter Box Coupons
Great! Thanks for the link, Dave!
Gary
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01-02-2008, 01:09 AM
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#3 of 42
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Member
Location: Sacramento, CA
Join Date: Apr 1999
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Re: Online application for TV Converter Box Coupons
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Digital broadcasting promises to provide a clearer picture
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AND digital artifacts! 
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01-02-2008, 08:14 AM
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#4 of 42
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Member
Location: Albany, NY (May - Sept); Boston (September-April)
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Local Date: 05-17-2008
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Re: Online application for TV Converter Box Coupons
Thanks for the head's up. Thanks to my lead walls, some channels only come through on cable while other channels (the VHF ones for instance) come through much better OTA.
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01-02-2008, 09:34 AM
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#5 of 42
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2001
Local Time: 10:16 AM
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Re: Online application for TV Converter Box Coupons
After applying for coupons, I read more closely and understood these are not HD receivers. They seem to be simple converters that receive the digital broadcast of SD signals and output an analog SD signal. Which is disappointing; I thought this would provide a HD digital tuner for my HDTV, which lacks an HDTV / digital tuner.
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01-02-2008, 09:46 AM
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#6 of 42
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2001
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Re: Online application for TV Converter Box Coupons
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Originally Posted by Jesse Skeen
AND digital artifacts! |
But the artifacts are in HD! |
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01-02-2008, 03:18 PM
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#7 of 42
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Join Date: Feb 2001
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Re: Online application for TV Converter Box Coupons
I should point out that these boxes will not support component video, hdmi, usb, firewire, or spdif/toslink. S/Video is optional.
In other words, nothing that might appeal to the home theater crowd.
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01-02-2008, 04:07 PM
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#8 of 42
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Gary
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Join Date: Aug 1998
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Local Date: 05-17-2008
Posts: 1,548
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Re: Online application for TV Converter Box Coupons
The only reason I snagged the coupons is because I have three bedroom televisions that I do not plan to replace anytime soon. Since two of them are not connected to cable, without these converters, they effectively become door-stops. If I can save 80 bucks along the way, all the better.
That is, of course, unless I am not correctly understanding how this mandate will work...
Gary
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01-02-2008, 04:11 PM
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#9 of 42
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Joe Corey
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Re: Online application for TV Converter Box Coupons
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Originally Posted by DaveF
After applying for coupons, I read more closely and understood these are not HD receivers. They seem to be simple converters that receive the digital broadcast of SD signals and output an analog SD signal. Which is disappointing; I thought this would provide a HD digital tuner for my HDTV, which lacks an HDTV / digital tuner.
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this coupon program is intended for fixed income folks who shouldn't be shelling out the big bucks for HDTVs. It's just so they can get their local channels on their old SD TVs.
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01-02-2008, 04:23 PM
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#10 of 42
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2001
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Re: Online application for TV Converter Box Coupons
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Originally Posted by Corey3rd
this coupon program is intended for fixed income folks who shouldn't be shelling out the big bucks for HDTVs. It's just so they can get their local channels on their old SD TVs.
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A lot of Analogue TVs came with component inputs, yet the program disallows component outputs. |
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01-02-2008, 04:43 PM
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#11 of 42
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Member
Join Date: Apr 1999
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Re: Online application for TV Converter Box Coupons
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these are not HD receivers. They seem to be simple converters that receive the digital broadcast of SD signals and output an analog SD signal.
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Are stations mandated to include an SD sub-channel? I recall some (or most?) stations carrying their main programming on an HD channel only. So to be useful, the converter boxes would have to receive HD, but then they down-convert and output SD. (Still not what you want of course.) |
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01-02-2008, 05:42 PM
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#12 of 42
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2001
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Re: Online application for TV Converter Box Coupons
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