What if I need to return my converter box?

If you’ve purchased a new converter box with your coupon and find you need to return it, there are a few things you should know:

1. Retailers can not refund the full cash value of the box. If you return it, you will only get back what you paid over the $40 coupon.

2. You can only exchange your converter box for the exact same model. Even if there is another box of the exact same price, you will not be able to swap out for it.

3. If you return your converter box, you do not get another coupon to use at a different time. If you choose not to exchange the box for the same model, you will have to pay full price when you find the box you do want.

4. Most stores have a 30 day return policy. When you purchase your converter, be sure to try it out right away and save your receipt in case you do need to make a return.

Channel 9 Offers DTV Resources

Did you know that Channel 9 offers a variety of resources to help viewers make the transition from analog to digital?

In addition to our DTV blog, we’ve also created a brochure with answers to many of your frequently asked questions about the digital conversion. To have a brochure mailed to you or to someone you know, send an e-mail to asmith@ketc.org or call Channel 9’s switchboard at (314) 512-9000.

If you have a specific DTV concern, you can call our dedicated local help line at (314) 512-9617 or toll free at (866)-619-9DTV.

Find links to other helpful resources at our DTV Web page: http://www.ketc.org/dtv.

Can I give my converter box coupon to someone else?

If you’ve requested converter box coupons and no longer need one or both of them, you can give them to someone else. Be sure that you will not need your coupons. Once you give them away, you can not request more.

How to Survive the digital tv transition

Article was originally published in February 2008 for Consumer Reports.

The impending switch to all-digital broadcast TV will be a step forward, but it could be bumpy for many

Over the next year or so, you’ll be hearing a lot about the digital TV transition. Here’s what you need to know: On Feb. 17, 2009, broadcasters must shut down their analog systems and transmit only digital TV signals to comply with the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act.

While that sounds cataclysmic, the change will affect only the way free TV will be broadcast over the air, to a rooftop or indoor antenna. All TVs (no matter what type) connected to cable, satellite, or one of the new telephone company fiber-optic services should continue to function (though you might have to get a set-top box for cable).

A TV connected to an antenna might or might not work after Feb. 17, 2009. That depends on the type of TV.

Which TVs will still work with an over-the-air antenna?
A TV with a built-in digital tuner (called an ATSC tuner) will be able to get free over-the-air digital programming, with no action on your part. Your TV probably has a digital tuner if it falls into one of the following categories:

It’s a big-screen, high-definition TV bought within the last few years. The government has required sets with screens 35 inches and larger to have a digital tuner since July 2005, and sets 25 inches and larger since March 2006. Those sets are sometimes called integrated HDTVs.

It’s a new TV purchased this year. Since March of this year, all new TVs regardless of size have been required to have a digital tuner. Most TVs bought within the last few months should be OK, whether they’re high-definition sets or the new digital standard-definition TVs. (Retailers are allowed to sell off their existing inventory of analog TVs that do not have a digital tuner. They should be clearly marked as analog sets, but ask the salesperson to be sure.)

Which TVs will no longer work with an over-the-air antenna?
A TV that has only an analog tuner, called an NTSC tuner, will not be able to get free over-the-air digital programming. Your TV does not have a digital tuner if it is one of the following:

• An older picture-tube TV that is not a high-definition set.
• An HD-ready TV purchased several years ago.
• A new type of set, called a monitor, that has no built-in tuner of any kind.

(If you’re unsure as to whether or not your TV contains a digital tuner, consult the product manual or call the manufacturer’s customer service line.)

For the entire article, click here.

will my portable TV still work after the transition?

If you have a portable television that you use when your power goes out, it will probably need to be replaced before the DTV transition in 2009. Check to see if your portable TV has a digital tuner. If not, you will need to buy a new portable digital TV to stay connected in case of emergencies.

I have cable or satellite. Why don’t I see KETC’s digital stations?

If you currently subscribe to cable or satellite, but do not receive PBS HD, PBS Kids or Create, it is likely that your provider does not carry these stations.

Some cable companies carry our HD channel for an extra fee, whereas others only carry PBS and Create.

If you’d like to receive all of KETC’s digital stations, call your cable or satellite provider and request they be added to the service.

Charter: 1-888-438-2427

DIRECTV: 1-800-494-4388

Dish Network: 1-888-284-7116

Awareness of Digital Television (DTV) Transition Reaches 94 Percent in Missouri

From DTVAnswers.com…

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) today released a new poll that shows most consumers in Missouri know about the nationwide switch to digital television (DTV), which will be completed on February 17, 2009.

Conducted March 29 through May 23 by Smith-Geiger LLC, the survey reported 94 percent of Missouri households were aware that full-power television stations will be switching their broadcast signals and programming to an all-digital format. Across the country, consumer awareness of the DTV transition is nearly universal at 90 percent. 

An estimated 478,030 homes in Missouri rely exclusively on over-the-air television, meaning they watch free TV broadcasts using rabbit ear or rooftop antennas. These households will need to take steps to receive a digital television signal by February 17, 2009, when all full-power stations must begin broadcasting only in digital. 

Among the survey’s key findings in Missouri:

• 94 percent of households are aware television is switching to digital
• 41 percent of households correctly stated the date of the transition
• 76 percent of households recalled seeing DTV messages on TV

Led by NAB, broadcasters nationwide are focusing their efforts on educating Americans about the actions they need to take to be prepared for the switch. Over-the-air viewers must either purchase a converter box or digital TV set, or subscribe to a pay service, such as cable or satellite. Local television and radio stations will continue running spots that highlight the transition date and the government‘s converter box coupon program, as well as explain the benefits of DTV and the ways consumers can upgrade to digital.