I've had digital converters connected to my old analog sets for over a year now. I bought 3, two with $40 coupons and the other at full price. I still need two more! The television in the family room is new, so it has an ATSC (think digital broadcast) tuner in it already - - no need for a digital converter. Why did I need any converters in the first place? Because I am too cheap to buy satellite TV service and the cable company can't reach my house with their coax. I suppose you might ask why I don't have something like FiOS...the fiber doesn't run out this far (yet) either.
Why might you need a converter? Personally, I wouldn't put all my eggs in a cable or satellite providers basket. You should have at least one converter, or a newer TV capable of native ATSC signal reception. This is regardless of whether you have cable or not! Why? Well, in the event of a disaster, you might need to watch your local stations. With a converter (or newer TV), you will have the option of at least tuning to local channels if your TV service provider goes down. (assuming you have power too...although converters that run off 12V DC are available - use one with your portable DVD player auxilary inputs and you'll never be without TV!)
The only sane reason I can think of for delaying the transition is because the Department of Commerce has run out of money for the converter box program. You can apply for the $40 coupon still, you will just be put on a waiting list (you'll just be number 1,100,001 on the list since there are 1.1 million on the waiting list already!)
In my humble opinion, the transition needs to go through as planned. A ton of taxpayer dollars have already been spent on the program to the tune of $2,000,000,000! That's right - - TWO BILLION! The car on the left cost taxpayers $350,000, and it got wrecked! Think about it - approximately 20 million households in America need the converters. They cost about $50 each. Our government could have just spent the $2 billion and bought the converters to supply to consumers directly!I sure hope there is something good, wholesome, and family oriented on TV tonight...yeah right!
