Digital TV Converter Box Coupons

Television as you know it will cease to exist on Feb. 19, 2009 when all signals go digital.

What is a consumer to do when he or she doesn't subscribe to cable TV or satellite TV, and doesn't own a HD television set? You hear about the $40 coupons to be issued from the government to be able to purchase a couple of converter boxes so that you'll be able to watch TV. The ordering process goes smoothly and you receive your two coupons.

The catch is that by the time you receive the coupons, you have only about 82 days to shop. You check out a few models online that offer the features that you want. You read a few reviews. You look for a cheaper model. It looks like you'll have to shell out about $20 hard cash for each one, including the coupon savings. Some time goes by.

You drive over to Wal-Mart on Saturday with your list and you find that there is not one converter box in stock. You know they might have the converter boxes at Best Buy, but are thinking they might be a lot more expensive. You wait a couple of weeks and try Wal-Mart again. There are no converter boxes available yet again. The coupons are going to expire soon, so you waste valuable gas to drive to a bigger Wal-Mart. Again, they have no converter boxes. A Wal-Mart associate explains that they have none in stock and that all of the Wal-Mart's in the area have none. He says that they cannot get them and is unsure when they will be back in stock. He sympathizes and then gives me some tech tips on which model to buy. He encourages me to look for a model that can be operated from the front of the box, in case your remote becomes inoperable or you lose it.

I decide to buy the converter box online. I surf over to Walmart.com and find the converter boxes, but unfortunately, they are available for in-store purchase only.

Now, my coupons are expired. Do not throw them away though because so many people are in the same situation, the law may change.

ARE THE TV CONVERTER BOX COUPONS WORTHLESS NOW THAT THEY'RE EXPIRED?

From the Associated Press via The Dallas Morning News:
"Overall, about 8.5 million households have requested 16 million coupons since the program started earlier this year, according to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which is overseeing the coupon program....Nearly 3 million coupons have been redeemed so far.
Of the roughly 840,000 coupons that recently expired, 42 percent were redeemed, the agency said. Under current government rules, consumers with expired coupons cannot reapply for new ones."

OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO YOU BEFORE LOSING YOUR TV SIGNAL ON FEB. 19, 2009

Wait to see what Congress will do regarding the millions of expired, unredeemed coupons. The expiration dates may be extended or new coupons re-issued if there is enough money to go around.

Buy a converter box at full price.

Observe the prices of the converter boxes once the changeover date gets closer or has passed.

Sign up for cable TV or satellite.

Buy a new HD ready TV.

Do nothing and not be able to watch TV.

For more information on the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program, visit www.dtv2009.gov, or call 1-888-388-2009 (voice) or 1-877-530-2634 (TTY).