Oct. 10, 2008, — 130 days from now, many televisions won't be able to receive broadcast signals.
At midnight on February 17, 2009, all full-power television stations in the United States will cease broadcasting analog signals and switch to 100 percent digital broadcasting. This includes four broadcasters here in the territory: WZVI (currently channel 39, which will become digital channel 43), WSVI (currently channel 8, to become digital channel 20), WTJX (currently channel 12, to become digital channel 44) and WVXF (currently channel 17, to become digital channel 48), according to Clyde Ensslin, a spokesman for the Federal Communications Commission.
"Digital broadcasting promises to provide a clearer picture and more programming options and will free up airwaves for use by emergency responders," according to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's website at https://www.dtv2009.gov/AboutProgram.aspx.
Viewers with analog televisions have three options in preparing for the digital conversion. They can obtain the DTV converter box that will allow an analog television to receive digital signals, use their analog TV's with a cable or satellite subscription service, or upgrade to a television with a built-in digital tuner. Otherwise, they won’t be able to get any reception.
The converter boxes are available at RadioShack, Kmart and other electronics retailers.
The federal government will provide as many as two $40 coupons for each household to help with the cost. See ("https://www.dtv2009.gov") Conversion boxes cost about $70, before the coupon.
"To date, 29 million coupons have been requested and 11 million redeemed," Todd Sedmak, spokesperson for the NTIA's TV Converter Box Program said.
Virgin Islanders have requested 2,173 coupons as of Oct. 7, and of those, 511 had been redeemed.
Most TVs that are more than five years old are analog, according to Wendy Dominguez, spokeswoman at RadioShack's Fort Worth headquarters. In anticipation of next year's conversion, the company has been selling only digital televisions since early this year.
"RadioShack announced on Februay 14, (2008) that it would stop the sale of all analog television and related analog video devices on February 29, 2008," Dominguez said.
Cable and subscription providers are also making upgrades as a result of the digital conversion.
Broadcasters such as ESPN, HBO and CBS have been forced to upgrade their production equipment to digital format and their costs are being passed along to the providers, according to Cornelius Prior Jr. chairman of Choice Communications, which provides wireless and dial-up Internet and wireless television service.
Innovative Communications is also converting expanded analog service to digital format and after December 31 its expanded service customers will now need a Motorola digital box, according to Jennifer Mataranagas-King, Innovative Cable TV President. For more information, see (http://www.innovativecable.com/contact.html).
Those with Innovative's expanded service who have not switched to a digital box will lose access to channels in the expanded level of service. There is no change fee, but the monthly equipment rental fee for the box is $5.95, said Matarangas-King.
"Either way you are going to have to take some type of action," Mataranagas-King said. "If you are a cable customer and you have a digital converter you are going to be fine. If you have expanded service through Innovative, and haven't yet switched to a digital converter you need to do that by December 31."
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