If you are affected by the switch, you should research converter boxes at Consumer Reports. They've made all the converter box ratings free and are the best resource for detailed information about the transition.

Digital TV Transition [Consumer Reports]

If you need a converter box, the converter buying guide shows you what to look for, and they've tested and rated many common models. I tried to find links to purchase some of the recommended models online, but, as Consumer Reports also notes, many are out of stock.

Consumer Reports subscribers can check out ratings and recommended models of new TVs, and for everyone else, here's a handy educational film we can use to learn more about what to look for in a modern TV. (Handy if, like me, you haven't shopped for TVs since the mid-'90s.) Because the sales staff probably aren't going to help all that much.

Digital TV Transition Hub [Consumer Reports]
TVs and TV Ratings [Consumer Reports]

The government has spent more than $2 billion to ease the transition to digital television, and in the last few months has cut in half the number of households that are unprepared for the final conversion on June 12. But the latest survey by the Nielsen Company indicates that as of the end of May, more than 10 percent of the 114 million households that have television sets are either completely or partly unprepared.

Michael J. Copps, the acting head of the Federal Communications Commission, said that the people most likely to lose reception are society's most vulnerable - lower-income families, the elderly, the handicapped and homes where little or no English is spoken. The transition will also hit inner-city and rural areas hardest, he said.

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke chalks up the disturbing numbers to pure old American laziness. "There are so many people who are always waiting until the last minute, whether it is college students doing term papers, or people filing taxes, or people like me who wait until Christmas Eve to do their shopping," he said.

The government advises people using digital converters to rescan their channels on Friday to make sure all their stories are in the right places. If they're not, or if you have other questions, ring up the government's $40 million hotline at 1-888-CALLFCC.

Last-minute DTV Tips [Consumer Reports]
The Digital TV Transition [FCC]
Millions Face Blank Screens in TV Switch [The New York Times]

Most electronics store employees don't know or care enough to straighten their confused customers out. They mistakenly believe that they need to buy an over-the-air converter box in order to receive the missing channels again.

Over the last 3 weeks, customers have been flowing into my local Radio Shack, asking for DTV converter boxes to use with their cable service. This seemed to make very little sense, as 1. The Converter boxes only convert over-the-air signals, and 2. Cablevision sends broadcast channel signals through the line in analog format, as required by their agreement with the FCC.

After doing a bit of research, I found out that Cablevision had taken 16 channels, including Lifetime, MSNBC and MTV, from the analog lineup. (See this article.) The message on the screen, reads "This Channel is now available with a digital cable box or CableCARD." This message, combined with the DTV switchover messages that have been bombarding viewers, left them to believe that the need a DTV converter box, when in fact, they need a Cablevision Digital Cable Box.

After the 4th day of customers coming in for boxes that shouldn't work, I called Cablevision and confirmed that the DTV boxes will not work for this, and that customers who want those channels will need a cable box. While the customer service representative swore that correct information was being given to customers, and that all their subscribers were notified, nobody I have talked to has heard anything about these notifications and some customers have even claimed that the Cablevision reps told them to come into Radio Shack to buy the DTV boxes.

While I have done the best to get this information out to my co-workers and other Radio Shack stores, I am still hearing reports of customers meeting confusion and the runaround when going to other electronics retailers (Best Buy, I'm looking at you.).

I cannot confirm if any other Cable Providers are doing the same (Cablevision is the service provider for a Number of Suburban Areas around New York City, Including, Long Island, Connecticut, and New Jersey.) But it appears that the Cablevision problem is widespread on Long Island. I have tested the channels in question without a cable box, and sure enough, they aren't coming in on my analog TV. Furthermore, as a Cablevision customer myself, I have not seen any notices from Cablevision regarding this change.

On average, I personally have to provide clarification for 3-4 customers every day, and I am only a part time employee in a very small store. If this is any indicator, there is a large consumer base that may potentially be confused to the point where they are buying products they don't need.

It sounds like what efforts Cablevision is making to get information out to the public—if any—aren't working, and it's easy to see how people could confuse digital cable boxes with DTV converter boxes. Bad time to make a drastic lineup change.

Cablevision to eliminate 16 analog channels [Newsday]

(Photo: reegmo)

Dear Consumerist,

I wanted to relay a problem I am having pertaining to the switch over to digital television. I doubt there is little than can be done in my case, but I felt that this story might help others avoid the same problem.

Although, I am not a big television watcher I still enjoy an hour or so of TV a night, usually of the PBS variety. So when the government announced it was going to switch over to DTV, I started doing my homework to see what I needed to do to prepare myself for the digital switchover. I quickly applied for a pair of the $40 government coupons and I took the time to read up on the switchover.

Through my research I discovered that many of the low power stations, as well as many of the translator stations would not be required to switchover. In fact, my local public television station recommended that all users should purchase a converter box with analog pass through, to ensure that they could still receive the local signal. So when I received my government coupons, I went around to each of the local vendors recommended through the coupon program. When I looked around, I could not find a single machine with the analog pass through feature. I finally checked one of the online vendors recommended through the government coupon program, and found one that sold converters with analog pass through.

The converter boxes with analog pass through was about $15 dollars more than the standard boxes, but it seemed worth the money to get this feature. So I ended up paying a premium for a Philco TB100HHP to get this feature, even though money at the time was fairly tight.

I set up the box, and everything seemed to be working fine. Then after about two months the box started turning itself off automatically, and eventually would not start up again. I contacted the manufacturer Funai Corp at 1-800-317-6062, and after nearly an hour on hold they finally answered and walked me through a 5 minute troubleshoot before deciding that the machine was faulty and needed to be returned to them for replacement. They then tried to transfer me to the second tier customer service, were I sat on hold for another 40 minutes, before finally the original tech informed me that they could no longer keep me on hold. He then told me to call second tier customer service at 1-800-396-6919. I reluctantly obliged, and sat another 40 minutes on hold before finally reaching a customer service rep, that agreed to have DHL pick up the box later that week. He informed me at that time that I would receive a replacement within 8 weeks.

10 weeks later I received a replacement converter box, and opened it up to find a beat up converter box with a defaced front. In addition, the model was actually a Magnavox TB100MW9 that does not include the analog pass through feature.

I immediately contacted Funai Corp again, this time contacted the 2nd tier customer service directly. After nearly an hour on hold, I was greeted by a customer service rep. I told him the entire story, and then put me on hold for another 10 minutes while he conferred with another representative about my problem. Finally he came online and told me that I could return my box, but that there was no guarantee that I would receive another box with analog pass through, and that service center in Ohio would send me whatever they had on hand at the time.

I told them that this was unacceptable, since I had paid a premium for the analog pass through feature. I let them know what the brand was as long as it included the analog pass through feature. I was then transferred to Administrative support and after another 30 minutes on hold I was greeted by a customer service representative named Joseph (badge number 1962). I told him the long story and he told me that there was nothing that they could do for me. He told me that they were no longer manufacturing those models, and that it was unlikely that I could get a replacement. It was at this time I explained to him that what they were doing was analogous to me purchasing a Cadillac, that broke down under warranty so I took it to the dealer and they gave me a Pontiac to replace it. I then asked for a full refund, and he informed me that they don't do that there.

He then told me to plug in the box to make sure it worked. I told him that it didn't matter because it was not what I have purchased, and that it would not work because it didn't have the analog pass through feature for which I had paid a premium. He then told me that I was being uncooperative because I would not hook up the box to see if it worked. Since this was a replacement for a defective box, I told him that I assumed it worked but that it would never work "properly" because it lacked the feature that I had explicitly purchased.

He then told me that he would forward my claim to the Funai corporate office. I asked if he was going to transfer my call directly, and he said no that he would be sending an email to them and that I would have to contact them again once a decision had been made. I asked him when that would be, and he told me that he couldn't provide that information. I asked him if he could narrow it down between a week, a month, or 6 months and he told me that he couldn't. I asked if there was anyone else I could talk to about this issue and he said there wasn't. I then asked where he would like me to send the box because it was defaced, and since it is not what I purchased. He told me that there was no place to send it, and that there was nothing I could do at this time.

So now I am stuck with a useless box. I tried contacting the government coupon program through the 1-800- DTV-2009 to request a new coupon and to make a formal complaint. When calling I was greeted by an automated system that rejected my claim, and after multiple attempts I was unable to reach a living person.

I am now at the point where I am just ready to switch to radio rather than pay the $50 needed to purchase another box. I doubt there is little that can be done for me at this point, but I hope someone might learn something from my experience, and avoid purchasing Funai Corp products. Their customer service is by far the worst I have ever encountered. It is just a shame that as a consumer, I have no viable recourse in this matter.

In any case, please pass this along if you think it will help others facing similar DTV transition box woes.

Sincerely,

Sam L.

"Unfortunately for some people, reception is going to be a problem going forward," said John Fink, VP of KHNL/KFVE-TV, according to the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. "There are topographical and transmission issues that we just can't overcome." Similar problems of no reception at all are expected when the digital service is switched on in the continental states. Already consumers in parts of Maine have been told they won't be able to get the digital broadcasts.

"The calls we're getting now are from those people who are waking up and saying, `Oh my God, what do I do?'" said Lyle Ishida, the FCC's Hawaii digital TV project manager, just before the switch.

For the next month, a seven-minute warning message explaining the transition will continue to loop on broadcast signals.

So why did Hawaii transition to digital a month ahead of the rest of us? They have this endangered bird called the dark-rumped petrel that likes to nest on the slopes of Maui's Haleakala volcano. The FCC, which possibly made up the bird as an excuse to run this early test, claims that park rangers want to remove analog transmission towers on the volcano ahead of bird's breeding season.

Hundreds call in as Hawaii makes switch to digital [AP]

A Very Simple Flowchart Explaining The Digital TV Transition, pass it on.

Consumers Union says:

January 7, 2009

The Honorable Henry A. Waxman
Chairman
House Energy and Commerce Committee
2125 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

The Honorable Edward J. Markey
Chairman
House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet
2108 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Chairmen Waxman and Markey:

On behalf of Consumers Union, non-profit publisher of Consumer Reports, we write today to express our concern that the nation may not be ready for the digital television transition on February 17. We believe Congress should consider delaying the transition until a plan is in place to minimize the number of consumers who will lose TV signals, particularly by fixing the flaws in the federal coupon program created to offset the cost of this transition.

On January 4, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced that funding for the federal converter box coupon program had run out. NTIA is now placing hundreds of thousands of consumers onto a waiting list each day, and telling consumers to either pay for converter boxes themselves, or subscribe to cable or satellite TV service.

The federal government will receive over $19 billion as a result of the DTV spectrum auction. Millions of consumers could now be forced to spend their own money to navigate this federally mandated transition. This economic climate is not the right time to ask consumers to dig deeper into their own pockets to pay for the miscalculation by the federal government.

Consumers need assistance to navigate the transition at the lowest cost possible. Although the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced yesterday $8.4 million in grants to 12 grassroots groups, we are concerned the timing and level of funding for on-the-ground education is inadequate. To put the announcement yesterday into context, the United Kingdom is spending close to $400 million to educate a population one-fifth the size of the U.S. about its digital broadcast transition.

Also troubling is the Federal Communications Commission’s call center system. We are concerned that the FCC call center is not equipped to handle the flood of calls before and after the DTV switch. We are confident that with some additional time and expeditious planning the federal government can put a strategy in place to ensure that all these calls will be handled appropriately.

With February 17 only forty days away, we are concerned that millions of at-risk consumers, including rural, low-income and elderly citizens across the country could be left with blank television screens. Consumers have fewer resources than ever to buy the necessary equipment to regain access to essential news, information and emergency broadcasts. Against this backdrop, Congress should consider delaying the digital transition so the significant flaws in the converter box coupon program can be adequately addressed and sufficient local assistance put in place to help millions of consumers who are being forced navigate this transition.

Regards,

Joel Kelsey, Christopher Murray
Policy Analyst Senior Counsel

Cc: Representative Joe Barton
Representative Cliff Stearns

Hey, if they delay it... does that mean we get to see more DTV NASCAR crashes?

Consumers Union Asks Congress to Consider Delay of Digital TV Transition After Federal Coupon Program Runs Out of Money (Press Release) [Consumer Reports]

Larry writes:

I just attempted to buy, at Circuit City, using my charge card, and one of the $40.00 government-provided coupons, a TV converter box. After swiping both cards, the sales clerk presented me with two printouts to sign. One was for $21.19 and the other was for $40.00. Of course the $21.19 was the one for the difference between the purchase price minus the government coupon (plus the sales tax). Both printouts ended with this statement:

"The cardholder agrees to the credit card amount shown hereon and agrees to perform the obligations set forth in the cardholder agreement with the issuer."

I refused to sign the one for $40.00. I spoke with the manager, Kim, (whose last name is "the only Kim in the store") to cancel the transaction. She said she couldn't and insisted that I sign both printouts. I could see this was going to turn into an issue so I quickly pocketed both unsigned receipts, the government coupon card, and my credit card and left while Kim was threatening to call the police. NOTE: I removed no merchandise from the store.

As I was driving away, Kim was standing outside writing down my license number and talking on her cell.

The government is distributing $40 coupons to subsidize converter boxes that will allow people to watch television over-the-air after February 17, 2009, when all broadcast signals switch from analog to digital.

Retailers are required to accept the coupons, and customers are required to sign a slip so the coupon can be redeemed. For some mindless reason, Circuit City is using a credit card agreement as their signature slip, and making it appear as if the customer is about to pay an extra $40.

Circuit City already called Larry to tell him that his $21 charge would be reversed. As for his $40 coupon, apparently, it will be "refunded to the government."

Cablevision writes:

"There is no direct connection between the digital transition of broadcast television stations that will occur across the nation in early 2009 and Cablevision's decision to transition away from the duplicate analog feeds of a certain number of channels that we already carry in digital format.

Unfortunately, Cablevision goes on to say:

Neither our customer service training, nor our customer communications, link the two in any way."

As for Cablevision's training, we spoke with four customer service representatives and each one said the same thing. These weren't rogue agents conjuring up their own unsupportable explanations. Two CSRS put us on hold to consult their materials, came back, and repeated their assertions.

When we asked the agents to tell us who instructed them to mention the FCC, they expressly stated that they were following Cablevision's training. We strongly suspect that if we (or you) called back, we would again receive the exact same answer. Could all the agents have made the same mistake, and lied about their training? Absolutely, but Occam's Razor seems to shred any suggestion of a coincidence.

Cablevision admits that their agents repeatedly provided incorrect information. Two questions remain: Are they now lying about their training; and, how will the FCC admonish Cablevision for their deceptive and predatory behavior?

PREVIOUSLY: Cablevision Blatantly Lies To Subscribers As The FCC Twiddles Its Thumbs
Cablevision Uses Digital TV Transition To Upsell Basic Cable

Cablevision is lying to customers by claiming that the FCC will require all subscribers to upgrade to digital cable boxes in 2009. Digital cable boxes cost $6.50 per month, plus an extra $10.95 for digital service. Cablevision recently sent a letter to all boxless subscribers threatening to cut several channels unless they forked out a bundle of extra cash for digital service. When one of our family member called for an explanation, Cablevision shirked responsibility and placed the blame squarely on some crazy new FCC mandate. We called shenanigans and decided to call back and record our chats with several customer service representatives. Inside, the recordings of Cablevision lies and the FCC's flaccid response.

Before we get to the recordings, let's look at Cablevision's fairly innocuous letter:

40 million American families don't use a digital cable box. Assuming all cable companies use Cablevision's rates, operators stand to pick up an extra $698,000,000 per month by convincing all 40 million families to shell out an extra $17.45 for digital service. That small piece of change is worth more than the yearly GDP of several small nations.

Cablevision is well within its bounds to charge whatever it wants for service. They can tell us we need a cable box, and that service will now cost $300 per month. That's a freedom afforded by the market. What they can't do is cowardly hide behind the FCC and blame their money-grubbing on the government. Let's listen as they try to do just that:

We spoke with four representatives, each of whom blamed the FCC for forcing us to upgrade to digital cable. We asked one representative how this information was conveyed to the CSRs, and she explained that Cablevision had specifically trained them to point to the FCC.

Let's be perfectly clear: the FCC decision has absolutely nothing to do with the channels Cablevision is taking away, nor does it require anyone to upgrade to a digital cable box.

Don't believe us? Let's see if we can find someone to refute Cablevision.... Maybe Cablevision is up to the task?

We spoke with two representative at the FCC who claim that several cable companies have engaged in similar deceitful and fraudulent actions. According to the representatives, the Commission is powerless to take action. One even defended the cable companies, saying:

"Most of [the cable companies] are blaming it on the FCC. It's easier for us to take it. We have broad shoulders, you know? We're the ones who have to explain it to all the consumers anyway when they find the 800 number and then they start calling and asking us: "why is my cable company doing this to me? I want to file a complaint."

Unfortunately, there are no mandates for good customer service. I wish there was! I would really like there for to be a mandate that says: "I'm sorry, but people on the phone at my cable company have to be nice to me and they have to tell me the truth." I wish there was, but there's not.

A mandate for good customer service couldn't be enforced by the 82nd-airborne, but lying? Regulated companies should not be allowed to lie to their customers.

Thankfully, the bespectacled bossman helming the FCC takes a different view. Chairman Kevin Martin recently slammed retailers for lying about the digital transition, dishing out several million dollars worth of fines to Sears, Best Buy and Walmart. Why can cable companies lie, but not retailers?

We know that Chairman Martin is a good guy who likes consumers. Let's go back and listen to the sweet consumer-protecting swan song he sung so graciously in our defense last year:

If the cable companies had their way, you, your mother and father, or your next door neighbor could go to sleep one night after watching their favorite channel and wake up the next morning to a dark fuzzy screen. This is because the cable operators believe that it is appropriate for them to choose which stations analog cable customers should be able watch. It is not acceptable as a policy matter or as a legal matter.

Kevvy was announcing that cable companies would be required to carry broadcast channels (CBS, NBC, ABC, etc...) until 2012, and not Travel Planet or RAI, which Cablevision is preparing to yank. The Chairman did, however, explicitly endorse our right to enjoy cable service without a box, and Cablevision's right to require us to rent one:

...the Commission is not forcing consumers to purchase or lease a set top box to continue watching their favorite channels. This decision lies in the hands of the cable company. They can avoid the need for new boxes bychoosing to downconvert the digital signal into analog at their headend. This downconversion would permit analog cable subscribers to continue watching broadcast television just as they do today without disruption.

This isn't the first time Cablevision has used the DTV transition to beat customers like cash-spewing pinatas. The cable giant was previously caught sending letters to prospective customers telling them that TV would disappear in 2009 unless they started paying $240 per year, despite the availability of $20 converter boxes that will keep the Price Is Right up and running.

Cablevision is clearly engaged in a pattern of deception and fraud. The FCC has a responsibility to investigate and admonish Cablevision for their abusive conduct. Predatory upseling simply cannot be tolerated in a responsibly regulated marketplace.

PREVIOUSLY: Cablevision Uses Digital TV Transition To Upsell Basic Cable
Sears, Best Buy, Wal-Mart And Others Fined For Not Warning Consumers About Analog Obsolescence
FCC Takes Action To Prevent Cable Companies From Dropping Digital Broadcast Networks From Analog Cable

Consumers can request the $40 coupons now, but they expire after 90 days even though converter boxes are still not widely available. Mouse Print broke down all the known caveats:

1. You cannot combine the coupons toward the purchase of a single box (each will cost between $50 and $70 approximately).

2. The coupons expire 90 days from their mailing to you, and expired coupons will not be replaced.

3. There are only 22.5 million coupons unless Congress authorizes 11.25 million more.

4. While some boxes have already been approved, more are expected.

5. Many if not most retailers do not have the boxes in stock yet.

Mouseprint rightly argues that the coupons should not expire. The federal government shouldn't worry that throngs of coupon-wielding seniors will bankrupt the treasury by simultaneously redeeming their DTV coupons. This is the sort of problem the government might be able to tackle if a single official was overseeing the DTV transition.

DTV Coupons: The Consumer Catch-22 [Mouse Print]
(Photo: anomalous4)

On February 19, 2009, stations will stop broadcasting analog signals. Consumers will be unable to receive signals over the air unless they shell out $60 for a digital converter box. Few people know about the transition, or the $40 coupons the government has made available to subsidize the cost of the converter boxes. Where we see a problem, The Singing Regulators see a song.

Bloomberg reprinted the lyrics to Away in a Farm House, sung to the tune of Away in a Manger:

Away in a farm house, no show can I see. I lost all my coupons to get DTV. My friends in the city, they all said, "Relax!'' That's easy to say when you're wired with co-ax. Looking for help, I went down to the store, I asked for more coupons, they just said "what for?'' They sold me a monster, takes up my whole wall. I yearn for the days of my old analog. In Two-Thousand Nine after Super Bowl Week, My analog set will become an antique. I hope that the public will know what to do, For most of my neighbors do not have a clue...

Oh BlackBerry! FCC Carolers Poke Fun at Issues: Cindy Skrzycki [Bloomberg]
PREVIOUSLY: $40 Coupons For Digital TV Converter Boxes
The Conversion to Digital Television Is Going To Be Unpleasant

(Photo: clofresh)