Digital TV converter boxes are available at Wal Mart

[Mark]

The government screwed themselves by putting a price on the coupon and the public too. Now no one is gonna make a $40.00 converter. Actually if the public was smart they would've DEMANDED the cut off for analog be Oct 31, 2008, just before the Nov election.

Can you imangine ANY Democrat or Republican running (much less Obama or McCain) not supporting FREE converters that close before an election.

People still haven't a clue. Everyone thinks digital is HDTV and since most people can't tell the difference they won't care.

In Chicago Comcast, which always had problems with cable theft, went totally digital in July 2007. They give each cable household ONE free digital cable box. Funny cause now they don't have to lock the cable boxes to my flat. People would bust them open and get free cable. Now the box is busted open and if you plug your cable in you get nothing cause it's all digital and has to be converted.

I know some people still think we may see a two tier system with the main digital signal being free over the air and the HDTV simulcast signal being scrambled, as the FCC says only ONE OTA channel or subchannel has to be free

[tripinva]

The government screwed themselves by putting a price on the coupon and the public too. Now no one is gonna make a $40.00 converter. Actually if the public was smart they would've DEMANDED the cut off for analog be Oct 31, 2008, just before the Nov election.

Except the one Echostar's making, right?

- Trip

[Scott Fybush]

The government screwed themselves by putting a price on the coupon and the public too. Now no one is gonna make a $40.00 converter. Actually if the public was smart they would've DEMANDED the cut off for analog be Oct 31, 2008, just before the Nov election.

Except the one Echostar's making, right?

- Trip

Facts? We don't need no steeenking facts! C'mon, Trip - there's a party line to be toed here, which is that this will be a complete disaster. Dissent will not be tolerated! ;-)

[WPPCProductions]

The government screwed themselves by putting a price on the coupon and the public too. Now no one is gonna make a $40.00 converter. Actually if the public was smart they would've DEMANDED the cut off for analog be Oct 31, 2008, just before the Nov election.

Can you imangine ANY Democrat or Republican running (much less Obama or McCain) not supporting FREE converters that close before an election.

Hum, thats a good Idea.Cut off for analog will  be Oct 31, 2008.

[Ken]

I went to Wal-Mart the other day and saw the box they are selling. Their is a sign and countdown clock near it saying if you have cable TV you will not need to get a box. I thought you need a box if you don't have digital cable. Can anyone clear this up for me thanks.

[azumanga]

I thought you need a box if you don't have digital cable. Can anyone clear this up for me thanks.

If you have ANY cable, you don't need this box. The boxes are for digital reception of aerial signals. Analog cable will work as always after the drop-dead date.

[w9wi]

Hum, thats a good Idea.Cut off for analog will  be Oct 31, 2008.

On Monday, Commissioner Copps released a letter to Chairman Martin suggesting a full-scale test before next February - converting a few markets to all digital early.

Of course, the chances the stations in that market would allow it to happen are pretty minimal.

[michiana_media]

I bought a Zenith model at circuit city for 69.99 (19.99 after the coupon) for in the bed room & the magnavox model at Walmart for 49.99 (9.99 after coupon) for my dvd recorder (which consequently is hooked up to my hdtv)...

First, at walmart when I went to check out, the cashier had no idea what the converter box coupon was and tried to tell me that it was a credit card that was being declined. After I convinced her it was a coupon (only because it says "coupon" on the card in big letters) , the cashier then had to talk to her manager to see if they were being accepted.. ofcourse the manager at walmart didnt have any idea what it was and had to call another manager to verify that it was a legitimate coupon, meanwhile i am I standing in line (about 10- 15 minutes)... then once they decided that they would accept it (because I had the letter with me that said they were being accepted at walmart), they then had to decide how to run it through the register and by now everyone in line is ticked off at me.... eventually I got home and hooked it up.

At circuit city I walked in, asked where the dtv converters were, was directed right to them. the employee then told me about the coupon program, the feb 17, 2009 cut off and why it was important for me to have a converter if i get OTA tv. he then asked if i had any questions about them. I was very impressed.. I got my unit and was in my car 5 minutes later.

Beware... the magnavox (and im guessing the RCA model too) at walmart is junk. pure junk. When I picked the unit up out of the box, I wasnt real sure anything was in it... then once it was running i had a horrible humming noise, and the picture quality was horrible. No such problems with the zenith, great picture (for analog), great features, remote that controls the tv and converter box, etc.

Granted, I cant complain a whole lot since i only payed $10 our of $50 for the walmart unit... but do yourself a favor... go to circuit city/best buy/ radio shack and spend the extra $10. The employees actually know what the coupon is and are educated on it and the dtv conversion. plus, the units are a lot better quality.

my 2 cents.

[KML-224]

First, at Wal-Mart when I went to check out, the cashier had no idea what the converter box coupon was and tried to tell me that it was a credit card that was being declined. After I convinced her it was a coupon (only because it says "coupon" on the card in big letters) , the cashier then had to talk to her manager to see if they were being accepted.. ofcourse the manager at Wal-Mart didnt have any idea what it was and had to call another manager to verify that it was a legitimate coupon, meanwhile i am I standing in line (about 10- 15 minutes)... then once they decided that they would accept it (because I had the letter with me that said they were being accepted at Wal-Mart), they then had to decide how to run it through the register and by now everyone in line is ticked off at me.... eventually I got home and hooked it up.

They're not that complicated for the Wal-Mart I work for. I had a customer buy two of the converters and he had two $40 coupon cards. The customer slides the card through like a regular credit card and signs. The register takes the $40 off. Simple as that. The girl I was with knows a fraction about digital TV compared to me, yet had no problem processing these cards.

[ansky212]

When did you get your coupon?  I'm still waiting for mine.