Warning: The coming article ONLY contains my understanding of the digital-to-analog converter box coupon program and relative things. This article DOES NOT mean any suggestion of buying any real products from anyone, or selling any real products to anyone.
The Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration(NTIA) announced the rules for the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program. This news was reported by some local tv news at Dec 31, 2007. This link is the full rules documentaion of the coupon program.
We can see from the section of "Coupon-Eligible Converter Box" that, this program is just for converter only, NOT for HDTV, the recorders with ATSC tuner, antenna or other things.
When I looked into some online retailer like amazon.com, bestbuy.com, newegg.com, and so on, I found few choises of "convert function only" converters under $100. In the website of National Association of Broadcasters' digital television (DTV) transition campaign, www.dtvanswers.com, it said "Each box is expected to cost between $50 and $70". But I found few boxes under $100 at the above online retailers at Jan 1, 2008. I think this will be better later.
At last, I will provide some searching key words for the relative products. The first, ATSC or "ATSC tuner". With these key words, you can find some TV, converters, receiver or recorders with the tuner for over-the-air digital tv broadcast. The second, HDTV antenna, or ATSC antenna. These key words will show a way to relative antennas for receiving over-the-air digital tv broadcast.
Happy New Year!
