Whats with the boxes?
Currently, there are about 60 models of digital converter boxes available, which range in cost from about $40 to $90. Consumers can request a $40 government coupon to use towards the purchase of these devices. Among consumers who are aware of the transition and will have at least one television affected by the conversion, eight in 10 are aware of the government coupon program, although fewer than half have requested a coupon. Nearly half of consumers who requested a coupon have not yet used it to purchase a new converter box. It is important to choose a digital converter box that allows for individual channels to be easily added without needing to redo the time consuming “scan-for-all-channels.” Boxes with analog-pass-through will allow the TV to continue receiving available analog, as well as digital, signals, including those from lower-power TV stations, which may continue to broadcast in analog past the February 2009 deadline.
