- In this report
- Overview
- Ratings
- Guide to the Ratings
- Recommendations and notes
- How to choose
- Features
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November 2008
DTV converter box guide
Choose the gear you need to switch from analog to digital over-the-air broadcasts
When the U.S. makes the transition to all-digital TV broadcasts in February 2009, analog TV sets will require digital converter boxes to continue receiving free over-the-air broadcasts
via antenna.
To help with the federally mandated switchover, the government is offering consumers coupons to defray the cost of the new gear. Each household can receive up to two $40 debit cards. (Go to www.dtv2009.gov for more information and to apply.) The coupons have a 90-day expiration date and cannot be renewed, frustrating consumers, as evident from some of the comments left by readers on our Electronics Blog.
There are now several dozen converter boxes available for purchase either online or at stores including Best Buy, Circuit City, Radio Shack, Sears, Target, and Wal-Mart. Most brick-and-mortar stores have only a few models in stock; some online retailers have more of a selection. But as some of our Electronics Blog readers are reporting, specific converters might be hard to find.
Retail prices generally range from just under $50 to $90. The long-awaited $40 box from Dish Networks—essentially free with a coupon—arrived in late August, but will be available only until the limited supplies are sold out. In the Ratings, we list the prices we paid at retail. Readers of our Electronics blog have reported that some online retailers are charging higher prices for the boxes we tested.
We've tested additional models and have updated our Ratings of DTV converter boxes, which now include 35 models, covering a broad swath of available units. (Many of the models on the market are related units
that differ only in a feature or two, such as having different remotes, or in styling.)
Note: The government has mandated the end of analog broadcasts and transition to all-digital broadcasts. Consumers Union, parent company of Consumer Reports, has been critical of some aspects of the process, including the 90-day expiration dates on coupons and the inaccessibility of digital stations in some areas. For more information about Consumers Union's DTV transition advocacy efforts and to share your story about how the DTV transition has affected you, go to: www.hearusnow.org/tvradio/12.
To help with the federally mandated switchover, the government is offering consumers coupons to defray the cost of the new gear. Each household can receive up to two $40 debit cards. (Go to www.dtv2009.gov for more information and to apply.) The coupons have a 90-day expiration date and cannot be renewed, frustrating consumers, as evident from some of the comments left by readers on our Electronics Blog.
There are now several dozen converter boxes available for purchase either online or at stores including Best Buy, Circuit City, Radio Shack, Sears, Target, and Wal-Mart. Most brick-and-mortar stores have only a few models in stock; some online retailers have more of a selection. But as some of our Electronics Blog readers are reporting, specific converters might be hard to find.
Retail prices generally range from just under $50 to $90. The long-awaited $40 box from Dish Networks—essentially free with a coupon—arrived in late August, but will be available only until the limited supplies are sold out. In the Ratings, we list the prices we paid at retail. Readers of our Electronics blog have reported that some online retailers are charging higher prices for the boxes we tested.
PHILCO TB100HH9
Note: The government has mandated the end of analog broadcasts and transition to all-digital broadcasts. Consumers Union, parent company of Consumer Reports, has been critical of some aspects of the process, including the 90-day expiration dates on coupons and the inaccessibility of digital stations in some areas. For more information about Consumers Union's DTV transition advocacy efforts and to share your story about how the DTV transition has affected you, go to: www.hearusnow.org/tvradio/12.
Posted: June 2008
