Digital TV transition of 2009 - Will You Be Affected?

There has been a lot of chatter lately about the digital conversion that will take place in 2009, yet many consumers still don't understand if they will one of the 13.5 million people left in the dark. On February 18, 2009, full-power U.S. television stations will be turning off all of their analog signals to make a full converion to a digital format. It has become evident that there are a lot of misconceptions surrounding this transition so it is imporatant for consumers to do some research before making a decision to either replace their current tv or purchase a converter box.

If you currently subscribe to Dish Network or another satellite tv provider, or you subscribe to a cable tv service, you may have to contact your programming provider to see if you will need any additional equipment, such as a digital set-top box. If you already are receiving digital programming from your provider, you will still be able to receive your current programming in 2009. If you are using a television with a built-in digital tuner, you will also be able to continue to receive programming either with an antenna or through a pay tv provider.

Those who have an analog television and are receiving programming with an antenna will have a few options. The first option involves purchasing a digital converter box from an authorized retailer. The second option would be to replace your television with one that contains a digital tuner.

There is some good news for those who do decide to purchase a converter box. The government is providing over a billion dollars to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to help consumers purchase the needed equipment. Every household can receive up to 2 coupons and consumers can apply via the internet at www.dtv2009.com or call toll-free at 1-888-DTV-2009. The coupon will help the consumers save $40 off the cost of the boxes, which should be available soon at a cost of $50-$70.

If you decide to replace your analog televisions with digital televsion, there are a few things to know. By law, all televisions shipped to or shipped within the United States after March 1, 2007 must contain a digital tuner. As of May 25, 2007, if a retailer has an analog television that was received prior to the March 1 timeframe, they must disclose to the customer that the tv contains an analog receiver and that a digital converter box will be require to receive over-the-air television after February 18, 2009.

If you are receiving programming using an antenna and are unsure if you have a digital television, review your television manual for phrasing such as “Integrated (ATSC/Digital) Tuner” or “(HDTV/Digital) Tuner Built-In.” If you see that your tv literature contains this information, you should be able to receive your antenna programming after the conversion is complete. For more information from the FCC on the 2009 conversion, visit http://www.dtv.gov/.

Dish Network Helps Customers Prepare for 08 Election

In a joint partnership between DISH Network and OpenTV, Dish Network subscribers now have the ability to educate themselves about the current presidential candidates by interacting with their television through their remote control. DISH Decision 2008, which launched earlier this month, has just completed its second phase and now includes an unbiased summary of the key issues that are supported by each presidential candidate.

Customers can also express their individual opinions about the candidates and the key national issues through DISH Polls. By utilizing their remote control, internet service or a text messaging service offered by Cellpoint Mobile, a customer can vote on daily, weekly or monthly polls. These results are then sent back to OpenTV Participate(tm), which manages the poll results real time.

To access the DISH Decision 2008 application, a customer can press the DISH Interactive button on their remote control. Once they are in the interactive application, they can see various video news feeds, including presidential race coverage. The customer can choose option 2 at the bottom of the tv screen and they will see options for DISH Decision 2008 and You Decide 2008.

DISH Decision 2008 allows the customer to see specific information about all of the Republican, Democratic and Independent candidates, as well as interact with the DISH poll application. You Decide 2008 will help the customer choose a candidate who shares similar beliefs through a series of questions about their rankings of the importance of issues, followed by a short quiz.

For more information about how to get DISH Network programming, visit www.AllAmericanDish.com.

Dish Network to Launch New High Definition Locals in early 08

Dish Network, a major satellite tv retailer, is planning on adding to their already expansive list of areas where customers can receive high definition local channels. Dish announced that in early 2008, they will be adding local HD channel availability for Dish Network satellite tv subscribers in the following markets:

- Austin, Texas
– Baltimore, Maryland
– Cleveland, Ohio
– Columbia, South Carolina
– Flint, Michigan
– Greenville, South Carolina
– Huntsville, Alabama
– Jackson, Mississippi
– Knoxville, Tennessee
– Orlando, Florida
– Richmond, Virginia

DISH Network offers an HD package for $20 a month, which can be added to qualifying programming packages. This package currently includes over 30 high definition channels including popular channels such as ESPN, TLC and Discovery. Check AllAmericanDish.com for the most current listing of HD satellite tv channels.