Digital TV subsidy program

[Will E Worm]

Digital TV subsidy program running out of money.

The Feb. 17 transition from analog to digital television broadcasts looms and as many as 8 million households are still unprepared, but the government program that subsidizes crucial TV converter boxes is about to run out of money.

People who still rely on analog TV sets to pick up over-the-air signals - whether it is through rabbit-ear aerials on TVs or antennas on the roof - will see their screens go dark when the changeover happens. To avoid that, those people have to switch to cable or satellite TV, buy a television set with a digital tuner or buy a converter box that can translate digital signals from the airwaves into analog.

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Now the NTIA is warning that unless lawmakers step in quickly with more funding or new accounting rules, it will have to create a waiting list for coupon requests. That would mean it could send out additional coupons only as unredeemed ones expire, freeing up more money for the program.

The NTIA program does not provide technical support.
Why are they handling the program if they can't help with the service?

Even with the $40 coupon you will still have to pay $20 or more for the converter box. So, why aren't they free?
You will still have to buy digital channels from your cable or satellite providers.
So, what are we really changing over to?

Limitations
Simultaneous TV watching and recording of different programs requires two converter boxes if the recording device lacks a digital tuner.

The inability of many boxes to add new digital channels without a full rescan (wiping out all existing channel settings) renders them unusable to viewers which rely (or will soon be ****** to rely) on directional antennas and rotors to receive distant stations. Signal strength meters, where available, are awkward, typically only displaying information for channels that have already been found. This is problematic as digital signals are most often transmitted on higher frequencies or with far less power than their analogue counterparts, requiring careful antenna orientation and location to avoid obstructions, fading and multipath interference problems.

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What if your converter box wears out, will the government give you another coupon? I doubt it. Supposedly it's to free up frequencies for public safety communications. I doubt that is the reason.

This program is just a way to sneak another tax on the public and maybe more.