- According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Unites States Congress pushed for an all-digital broadcasting conversion, or a digital television transition, to free up analog frequencies for fire, police and emergency rescue transmissions. Digital broadcasting provides picture and sound quality that is vastly superior to analog's, and it provides more viewing options through the use of multiple broadcast streams (or multicasting).
- DTV converter boxes are required for analog television sets that received programming over-the-air through the use of an indoor or outdoor antenna. Customers who receive television programming from a digital cable or satellite company were not affected by the digital transition.
- DTV converter boxes are sold at Walmart, Target, Sears, Radio Shack, Best Buy and online retailers. According to Consumer Reports, prices for DTV converters range from $45 to $80 (online shipping is usually around $10). However, prices will vary depending on what options and features are available, including screen size, format and display technologies like liquid crystal display (LCD) and plasma.
- To help offset DTV converter box costs as the digital transition was being made, the government offered consumers coupons. Each household in the United States was eligible to receive up to two debit cards worth $40 each, to be applied toward the cost of DTV converter boxes. The deadline for requesting one of these coupons from the government was July 31, 2009.
- Instead of purchasing a separate DTV converter box, consumers can buy a television set with a built-in digital tuner if they do not alread own one. The government mandated that as of March 21, 2007, all television sets imported into the United States, or shipped between states, must have an integrated digital tuner. As of May 25, 2007, all television sets sold without the technology must be labeled as such. Televisions with built-in DTV converters still require the use of an antenna to receive over-the-air broadcasts.
