Converter Box Details
A DTV converter box is an easy-to-install electronic device that hooks up to your analog television set and over-the-air antenna. The box converts the digital television signal into an analog format, making it viewable on your analog TV set.
When can I obtain a DTV converter box?
DTV converter boxes that transform digital television signals to analog are now available for purchase at electronics retailers across the country. Converter boxes allow consumers to maintain their free, over-the-air television service even on older analog TVs.
Where can I purchase a DTV converter box?
DTV converter boxes that make digital broadcast signals viewable on analog television sets are now available for purchase at electronics retailers across the country. Each box is expected to cost between $40 and $70.
How do I hook up a converter box to my TV?
How do I know if I have an analog or digital television set?
Using your TV set manufacturer name and model number, search this database to find out if your TV set has a digital tuner.
To check whether your TV set can receive over-the-air digital broadcast signals, review your owner's manual or examine the set to see if it has a built-in Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) tuner. You can also visit the manufacturer's Web site and find out the capabilities of the set using the manufacturer model number.
Will I need a special antenna to receive DTV over the air?
If you currently use an indoor or rooftop antenna to receive over-the-air analog broadcast television signals and you already get good or excellent reception quality, you should be able to get reception of digital television broadcast signals with the same antenna. For more information about using an antenna to receive local television broadcast channels, visit
http://www.antennaweb.org/.
Can I continue using my existing VCR with a DTV converter box for timed recordings?
Yes. However, after the digital transition, the tuner in the VCR won't be able to pick up over-the-air programs for recording. Instead, the input to the VCR must be connected to the output of the DTV converter box. You must set the tuner in the DTV converter box to the channel you want to record prior to the start of each recording period programmed in the VCR.
Can I continue viewing closed captioning after my converter box is installed?
Yes. Coupon-eligible converter box manufacturers are required to provide closed captioning for display on your television, but the features provided vary by box. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has produced a
guide that lists selected features, including closed captioning, for a number of converter boxes. The guide is updated periodically as new converter boxes become available.
Can I watch TV and record programs on my VCR at the same time?
Yes. If you want to watch and record one program simultaneously, you will only need one converter box. However, if you want to watch one program and record a different channel at the same time, you will need two converter boxes.
Each TV set or TV recording device, such as a VCR, that does not have a digital tuner must be connected to a DTV converter box to continue receiving broadcast signals.
Click here to learn how to hook up converter boxes with your VCR, DVR or DVD recorder for recording.
After installing my converter box, I lost some of the channels I used to get. What should I do?
After hooking up a converter box to your TV set, or installing a new digital TV set, you will need to scan (also known as “auto-tune”) for new channels to make sure you receive all of the digital stations broadcasting in your area. While some boxes do this automatically, you may need to select scan manually.
Because some digital stations that are already on air are moving to different channel numbers after the DTV transition, you may need to rescan again after June 12, 2009, to ensure that you receive all of the digital stations broadcasting in your area.
For what types of situations do I need to rescan?
You should rescan your converter box or TV set for channels when installing equipment for the first time, after repositioning or moving an antenna around and once again after June 12, 2009. Since some digital stations are still coming on air, you may want to consider rescanning on a periodic basis to get all of the digital programming available.
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