The "Other" Digital TV Conversion Might Cost You

(From The Red Tape Chronicles -- By Bob Sullivan)

Think you don't have anything to worry about in the switch from analog to digital television?

Think again.

Consumers have been told that the upcoming transition TV changeover would mainly impact viewers with old TVs using ancient rabbit ears for reception. And those stone-aged watchers need only purchase a new set-top converter box, subsidized by coupons from the U.S. government, to continue watching.

Turns out, that's not the whole story.

There actually are two analog-to-digital transitions going on.

One, you've heard a lot about -- the broadcast changeover.

But the other –- the analog cable to digital cable transition –-could leave up to 100 million TVs in the dark, unable to display any cable TV channels at all without adding extra equipment.

The cable version of the analog-to-digital jump will impact anyone who takes a coaxial cable line from the wall and plugs it directly into a TV set.

There will be no government coupons to help pay for the millions of new set-top boxes or converters that will be needed to make them work again.

The "Other" Digital TV Conversion Might Cost You

Scott O'Leary, thanks for the post.