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Get Your $40 Converter Coupons!

Uncle Sam helps you with the digital switchover! Each household can request two coupons of $40 to offset the cost of a converter box. To get the coupons call 1-888-DTV-2009.

Note, not all boxes are eligible for the coupon program! Check the coupon eligible converters reviews.

DTV Converter Features to Look For

Coupon eligible converters are all very similar and offer the same basic functionality. Still, there are some converters that are more rich in features than the others. What features? Here is the list:

Smart antenna interface
Analog (RF) passthrough

Who needs an HDTV Converter?

In February 2009, most networks will be switching over to digital broadcasting, which means those with analog televisions may not be able to watch their favorite television shows over-the-air.

If you have an analog TV set you will need to get an HDTV converter (also known as digital to analog TV converter) that will translate the HDTV format to the old analog NTSC format that your analog television understands.

Note: if you have a high-definition television, you will not need to get an HD converter because your television will already be capable of picking up the digital signal being broadcast by the television stations.

HD Converter Reviews

The highest customer rated HD converters (only converters having more than 3 reviews are shown):

Converter	CECD	SA	AP	S-Video	EPG	URC	Total Reviews	Average Rating
ChannelMaster CM7000	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	6	4.3	Read reviews
Insignia DXA1	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	17	4.1	Read reviews
Philco TB100HH9	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	17	3.8	Read reviews

Legend: CECD = Coupon-eligible, SA = Smart Antenna, AP = Analog-passthrough, SVideo=S-Video, EPG = Electronic Programming Guide, URC = Universal Remote Control

More converter reviews ...

It is 2009, and you are stuck with an analog TV set. What to do?

Here are your options:

No more over-the-air television. Stay with cables or satellite. Of course, cables and satellite TV is in the digital format as well, but the set-up box supplied by your provider works as a DTV converter. Cons: a monthly bill to pay.
Upgrade your TV set. Buying an HDTV is probably the most reasonable option. The prices are getting lower, the screens larger, the overall experience better.
Stay with your analog TV and get yourself an HD converter to keep watching over-the-air broadcasts. Put simply, an HD converter is an electronic device that changes the digital signal being broadcast by television stations into an analog signal. The HD converter is a box that is connected between your antenna and your television. HD converters are cheap. Using a government coupon, you can get one for less than $20. Go for it if you do not plan to buy a digital television.

HDTV Converter vs HDTV Tuner - Not the Same Thing!

The two devices are often confused. Both receive digital signals coming from an antenna. The difference is in the output.

An HD converter provides only analog signal in the output. The sole purpose of an HD converter is to convert a digital signal into an analog signal.
On the other hand, the purpose of an HD tuner is to provide a digital output to HDTV televisions that do not have a capability of receiving over the air broadcasts built-in. Some HDTV tuners may have an analog output as well, and may be used as converters. These tuners are more expensive than a simple HD converter and are not coupon-eligible.

Read more details on HDTV tuners vs HDTV converters.