Digital TV Converter Coupons Rendered Worthless By Lack Of Supply, Expiration

They gave broadcasters several years to switch over to digital. Whey do consumers only get a few months for the coupon program? I understand the suposed "theory" behind expirations and such, but they were only going to send a limited amount out, period. The coupons should have a validity date the extends even beyond February. I initially thought they were actually doing something nice, but now I can't help but wonder why else is behind it. Why the expiration date -- so they could use the money for something else since they new a large portion would not get used. You know they had to be aware that the product would be unavailable at those numbers. What a crock this program seems to be. Probably just something to win votes. If the democrats remove the expiration, vote democrat. If the republicans do, vote republican. I wasn't upset about it till I read this article and all the comments. And for what its worth, yes, my coupons are expired too.

we bought a new camper and it came with an antenna but no TV, so we bought a new TV capable of picking up analog as well as digital. Even though we camped in rural So. Vermont we picked up digital channels from Burlington and Plattsburg about 10 of them. The camper antenna has an amplifier so that is certainly a must. some digital channels fell out once in a while, but those that came in were remarkable!

We have an antenna at home (halfway between NYC and Albany) as we don't watch enough to justify cable expense. however as in most cases we learned long ago that a "rabbit ears" just don't do it. We use a dual VHF/UHF roof mounted antenna - the largest available - with a booster amplifier on it. I gets us about 20 channels - more than enough for the hour or so of daily TV watching.

Thus we expect to use converter boxes with the govt issued coupons, but like many I've hit the same snags in finding no stock in stores and now they expired!! I suggest everyone yell loudly at your gov't to repeal those expiration dates, it's another case the consumer be damned. and dont forget it's really your tax dollars that expire!!

John

These coupons are really a hassle and even worse for the elderly. My Mother has gone into Wal-Mart and Radio Shack and they are always out of stock. She did find some at a much higher price at another store. It is the poorer that have to purchase these convertors and this is making it even harder on them. Someone needs to relook this program.

Checking the govt websight on this I found they did have my address and I was elegible to get the coupons. However I never recieved the coupons.
I think its another corrupt defective government program that has failed, where they dont have enough money to pay for it. Pretty easy to have the coupons expire, if the user never gets them. Good way to keep from paying it out. I have seen RCA converters at Walmart and nowhere else. I have been looking for a tuner that can output High Def, as I was on the bleeding edge of LCD tv without the atsc tuner.
Those are 350 if you dont mind getting a TIVO with it.
Have been using PC USB high def tuners to record and watch dtv. Have found it to be highly unsatisfactory in a car or mobile environment.

What brand did you test? Dose anyone know which is best?

Mine never showed up in the mail, and from reading the FAQ on their site. If your coupons are lost or stolen, by law they cannot issue replacements.

How stupid is that? I don't know about how the mail is for other people, but our mail goes missing on a regular basis here.

I'm currently on disability and obviously have a limited income, and now I need to pay full price for a converter box? How lovely. This is a horribly mismanaged program!

I, like you have been searching for the converter boxes, and it seems that none of the retailers are getting them in. Fortunately for me, I have yet to request the coupons, knowing they would expire in three months time. I subscribe to neither cable or satellite, and have no desire to. I have two perfectly good televisions and have no desire nor the money to replace them. I have trouble finding salespeople who can even answer my questions about the converter boxes. Do the rabbit ears still have to be attached? Holding out, hoping that closer to the 2/2009 deadline, more boxes will be available. I have about decided it is a conspiracy by the retailers to get everyone to buy new TV's!!

There is a very good chance that if you only use it in the basement for emrgency situations, you have a small set of bunny-ears. If you are at far from the signal source, the traditional indoor atennas are worthless. I live 40+ miles from most of our major broadcasters and cannot pick up any signals with an indoor antenna. Even my outdoor antenna has limited signal strength. If you live fairly close to the source of the signal, you might want to pick up a new indoor antenna that can pick up UHF signals. This may help.