How old is old?
Yesterday, we told you that people who own older televisions will have to buy a digital converter box to continue to watch broadcast channels after February 17, 2009. But how do you know whether you need it?
All televisions purchased before 1998 have analog tuners, according to www.dtv2009.gov, a Web site about the coupon program we discussed yesterday. It's run by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
Some giant screen projection televisions --- 42 inches or larger -- purchased before 2004 might have digital tuners, and most televisions sold after 2004 at major retailers have them, as well.
But not all!
How can you be sure? Check your owner's manual or look for an input connection labeled "digital input" or "ATSC".
And remember! If you subscribe to cable or satellite television, you won't need a converter -- unless the service goes out. And what will you do then?
So, I may buy a converter for my television set, which is serviceable but old by these standards. Not so old that it's powered by coal, mind you, but old enough that I would be without a weather report if the cable went away, suddenly.
Or maybe I could just look out the window. That's what the Berenstain Bears taught me.
A native of Vietnam, 
Comments
That Berenstain Bears book is great! My kids have that one, we've read it together many times.
Posted by: PK | February 14, 2008 11:25 AM