Digital TV Conversion: How Do You Spell SNAFU?

We’re only a day into the new Digital TV age and things just haven’t gone right so far. The switch to Digital TV has been confusing enough for the average consumer. Only a year ago the switch was officially announced that Feb 17^th 2009 would mark the dawning of a new age of DTV. Things haven’t worked out as planned – leading even the most seasoned TV experts to scratch their head in wonder.

The over-air spectrum that should have been freed up for other purposes is still being occupied by Analog TV. The drop-dead Digital TV deadline, that has been in the works for the past three years at least, has been pushed back. Yes, it was an act of Congress that involved struggles in the House and a memo that finally reached all the way up to the office the recently anointed President. The switch to Digital has been one cluster-SNAFU for the Whitehouse.

So what happened to Digital TV?

Nobody thought it would be easy. To help ensure a seamless switch the federal government plunked down $2 billion on a program aimed at getting America prepared for the inevitable switch. Broadcasters themselves have spent some $1.2 billion for the new digital age. Much of that money went toward announcements to educate the TV consuming public about the switch. But most of the government funding went toward $40 vouchers. The $40 could buy an analog-to-digital converter for those who don’t actually own a Digital TV. That probably doesn’t include anyone here in the Audioholics.com reading audience but we may know someone.

TV ads, news paper ads and not to mention a flood of information online warned everyone that grandma’s setup with rabbit-ears connected with two screws to an old analog TV tuner soon wasn’t going to cut it. That day is finally here and our brave new Digital TV reality hasn’t been fully realized. However a select few stations have actually made the switch.

As anticipated, a sudden swarm of last minute requests for government vouchers literally flooded the system. A DTV converter coupon waiting list formed and more government money needed to be earmarked to complete the switch. Many people complained they simply weren’t given enough time to apply for a voucher. The new kid in the Whitehouse, Barack Obama, barely had time to enjoy the honeymoon. He soon found himself taking up the procrastinator’s right to that new opiate of the masses - television.

Congress took some time out of its busy schedule, IE finding ways to spend a whole lot of money, to delay the DTV switch. Officially the switch to DTV has been delayed to June 12. However a provision was tacked onto the DTV bill where the FCC will allow stations to make the switch at their own discretion. Many have made the switch and have already said good-bye to analog. The big guns including ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC are all hoping to delay their switch until the new June 12 deadline.

A hotline has been setup: 1-888-CALL-FCC for help with the switch from analog to digital television. The most common problem reported seems to have been users who didn’t realize they need to force the digital boxes to rescan for stations that have already made the switch.

AP reports that that the government has a waiting list of some 4 million converter coupons. The National Telecommunications Information Administration is hopeful it can get through the queue within two to three weeks of receiving renewed funding from the economic stimulus bill.

If you’ve already got a Digital TV, that’s just about any TV set purchased in the last ten years or so and almost certainly includes any HDTV ever made, you don’t have to worry. Neither do you care about this mess if you subscribe to any form of digital TV feed like Satellite or Cable TV.

But if you rely on over-air broadcasts with an analog tuner and that favorite TV station has already made the switch to digital leaving you in the dark – it’s time to find alternatives. May I suggest Treasure Island? The Robert Louis Stevenson classic never shows its age and who knows, maybe after reading the book you’ll be enticed to seek a treasure of your own – a brand new Panasonic Viera TC-37LZ800 HDTV. ARRGH!