BURNSVILLE – Congressman John Kline is reminding Minnesotans that Dec. 31 is the final day to order coupons for Digital TV converter boxes, which will be necessary for certain households to avoid a blackout during the Digital TV transition early next year.

 

Starting Feb. 17, 2009, television stations across the country will change the way they broadcast their signals over the air – switching from an “analog” to a “digital” signal. If you have cable TV, satellite TV, or own a TV with a built-in digital tuner, you will not be affected by this change. You will continue to receive your television service with no interruption.

 

However, if you have a television that uses “rabbit ears” or a rooftop antenna, you will not be able to pick up TV stations after Feb. 19, 2009, without a special converter box. You will not need to purchase a new TV, but you will need to install a digital converter box to continue receiving TV broadcasts.

 

To defray the cost of a converter box, the government established the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program. This program provides coupons good for $40 toward the cost of an approved converter box (most converters cost $40-$70 and can be purchased at national or local electronics stores). To receive these coupons before the Feb. 19, 2009, transition, they must be ordered before Dec. 31, 2008. There is a maximum of two coupons per household.

 

Coupons must be ordered from the Converter Box Coupon Program:

 

Elected on Nov. 4 to a fourth term, Congressman Kline is a member of the House Ethics Committee, the Education and Labor Committee, and the Armed Services Committee.