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Lawmakers in Washington on the House Energy and Commerce Committee are not happy with the testimony of the people directly involved with the analog to digital TV transition slated to happen in early 2009.

“I have a great apprehension that a great mess lies before us,” House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell, D-Mich., said Wednesday.

On February 17, 2009 TV broadcasters have been ordered, by Congress, to shut down their analog transmitters to solely broadcast in digital. This leaves 15.4 million households who receive only over the air signal on an analog TV with no way to watch it. If you rely on getting local TV with your satellite TV service you are added to that total.
As talked about before Congress has set aside funds for people in that situation to purchase a digital converter box for about $60. There will be a window when the funds will be disbursed, boxes available, and when Feb. 17, 2009 arrives.
“If we don’t get this transition right, then (we will be) dealing with constituents,” said Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa. “The government has broken their TV sets.”

Right now electronics manufactures are working on a converter box. This is a little surprising considering that people have known about this transition for years now. But I digress…Couple that with the fact that not many consumers know that they have to buy these boxes AND retailers not 100% on if they will carry them in stores…we may have a problem.
In a committee hearing on Capitol Hill a VP at Best Buy has stated that he can’t guarantee these boxes will be on shelves in all of the blue and yellow stores. He stated in written testimony that Best Buy wouldn’t begin installing the coupon payment system until after this year’s holiday season. He then stated, “The time for retailers to make changes to their systems generally ought not to be the year-end holiday selling season. If any retailer is able to be ‘up and running’ early in 2008, more power to them.”

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Lawmakers in Washington on the House Energy and Commerce Committee are not happy with the testimony of the people directly involved with the analog to digital TV transition slated to happen in early 2009.

“I have a great apprehension that a great mess lies before us,” House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell, D-Mich., said Wednesday.

On February 17, 2009 TV broadcasters have been ordered, by Congress, to shut down their analog transmitters to solely broadcast in digital. This leaves 15.4 million households who receive only over the air signal on an analog TV with no way to watch it. If you rely on getting local TV with your satellite TV service you are added to that total.
As talked about before Congress has set aside funds for people in that situation to purchase a digital converter box for about $60. There will be a window when the funds will be disbursed, boxes available, and when Feb. 17, 2009 arrives.
“If we don’t get this transition right, then (we will be) dealing with constituents,” said Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa. “The government has broken their TV sets.”

Right now electronics manufactures are working on a converter box. This is a little surprising considering that people have known about this transition for years now. But I digress…Couple that with the fact that not many consumers know that they have to buy these boxes AND retailers not 100% on if they will carry them in stores…we may have a problem.
In a committee hearing on Capitol Hill a VP at Best Buy has stated that he can’t guarantee these boxes will be on shelves in all of the blue and yellow stores. He stated in written testimony that Best Buy wouldn’t begin installing the coupon payment system until after this year’s holiday season. He then stated, “The time for retailers to make changes to their systems generally ought not to be the year-end holiday selling season. If any retailer is able to be ‘up and running’ early in 2008, more power to them.”

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