TV converter boxes

TIVAX STB-T8

Digital to analog converter boxes let you watch digital broadcasts on your current TV. If you currently get your television over the air, and you haven't replaced your TV in the last few years, you may need a digital-to-analog converter box to keep watching free TV after February 17, 2009, when all the major TV stations will switch to digital broadcastts only. (If you have a non-digital TV, your other options are to hook your current TV up to cable or satellite, or to get a new TV.)

Digital to analog TV tuners are easy to hook up — they go between your tv antenna and your television. Many of these boxes offer the option of widescreen (16:9) or standard (4:3) aspect ratio.

If you live in a rural area, you may want to get a digital-to-analog converter box with analog pass-through. (Analog passthrough lets you continue to watch smaller TV stations that are not required to convert to digital broadcasts on February 17, 2009; many rural TV stations fit into this category.)

To help people pay for their TV converter boxes, the government is issuing $40 coupons that can be applied to the purchase of digital to analog TV converter boxes at participating retailers. Each household may receive two coupons. When they arrive in your mailbox, use them fast — the coupons are only good for 90 days after they were mailed, and the coupons cannot be re-issued if they expire.