AfterDawn: News

LG says digital-to-analog converters will cost about $60

LG Electronics has revealed that it expects retailers to charge about $60 for devices used to convert digital TV signals to analog. LG is one company that is producing these boxes, which will prevent analog TVs from "going dark" when the United States changes to digital-only broadcasts. "We plan to have the boxes available in early 2008," John Taylor, LG's vice president of U.S. government relations, said.

The transition will be made in the United States on February 17, 2009. Without a converter box, analog TV users will have to either subscribe to satellite or digital cable, or replace their TV with a digital television. The production cost of the devices was not revealed by LG.



The National Telecommunications & Information Administration, a Commerce Department agency, is responsible for a "coupon" system that $40 discount coupons to consumers to help buy the converter boxes. It expects to have a system in place to accept requests for coupons by January 1, 2008.

Source:
Reuters

Written by: James Delahunty @ 20 Mar 2007 18:52

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• 9 comments

• hikaricor

  Someone remind me who exactly thought it was a good idea to force the entire country to upgrade??
  
  Stupid US government..
  Sounds almost like a microsoft move.

  20.3.2007 20:22 #1

• Indochine

  It's happening all over the world. Here in England they are as cheap as 20 pounds, that's about $40. The first area is switching over in October 2007. Many sets on sale have them built in. Most people are glad they got one, I can now get 31 channels via my antenna instead of 5, plus BBC Interactive and lots of digital radio stations. All with stereo sound. You need a good antenna and to be in a place where you can get a good signal, but if you are, it's the way to go.
  

  On m'a dit que je suis nul à l'oral, que je n'peux pas mieux faire !

  21.3.2007 01:29 #2

• pigfister

  it is hd tv hell waiting to happen. no HDMI = downscaled quality or no picture!

  21.3.2007 01:42 #3

• Indochine

  maybe it's different in America. Here in the UK, you get standard definition digital TV via the antenna. It's 625 line PAL definition. No HD. You have a SCART (RGB) connector.

  21.3.2007 02:13 #4

• dRD

  In Finland, the full cut-off date will be 31st of August, 2007 -- and it'll include analog terrestial ("aerial"), analog cable and analog satellite, everything has to convert to digital. DVB-T (what Brits call "Freeview") receivers cost $40-50 at lowest, just like Indochine said.
  
  So, you guys still have plenty of time to buy the digital set-top box, unlike us :-)

  21.3.2007 08:46 #5

• ZippyDSM

  *poucne and noggies dRD*
  
  0-o
  
  :P
  
  
  Anyone know if they can do HDMI and all that and put it into a Svid or composite video signal?

  21.3.2007 14:14 #6

• georgeluv

  in america there are already terestrial hd channels in some metro areas. you need a special hd antena to get them, im not sure if thats the same as what they are doing in terms of switching EVERYTHING to digial. maybe some chanels will be hd and some wont.

  22.3.2007 07:21 #7

• luvshisex

  Quote:The National Telecommunications & Information Administration, a Commerce Department agency, is responsible for a "coupon" system that $40 discount coupons to consumers to help buy the converter boxes. It expects to have a system in place to accept requests for coupons by January 1, 2008.So my tax dollars are now supporting people's tv habits? I didn't know television was a basic human right. Bad enough that all the crackheads get $714/month ssi payments, that's more than half the poor sob working stiffs make around here.
  
  Bought a tv in 1989 and it won't work in a couple more years and Sam is responsible for helping me watch digital tv? I bought a b&w Philco in 1967 and it won't show me colors! Bought an Apple II and it won't play my new games! Gimme Gimme Gimme
  
  Why even sign this drivel, it won't help anyway, the main side-affect of the internet explosion in the last 15 years is it has turned all the activists into electronic whiners who never actually do anything.

  30.3.2007 01:59 #8

• luvshisex

  Originally posted by georgeluv:in america there are already terestrial hd channels in some metro areas. you need a special hd antena to get them, im not sure if thats the same as what they are doing in terms of switching EVERYTHING to digial. maybe some chanels will be hd and some wont.I didn't accidentally hit my capslock, shouting follows:
  
  YOU DON'T NEED A SPECIAL ANTENNA TO GET OTA HDTV!!! You just need the same antenna you use to get non-digital channels. They are still on the same uhf freqs and still radio transmissions! Now if you are one of the people who are currently satisfied watching a channel with about 20% picture and 80% snow because you don't have an adequate antenna now then yes, you will need a new antenna. One that is adequate for the distance from your antenna to the station's tower, its broadcast power, and other conditions. If you are close enough then that means a metal coat hanger bent into a circle. If you are 70 miles away that means a really high quality uhf-only antenna with a rotor on a tall mast. Neither of which are "special HDTV antennas."
  
  "But it's a digital signal," you say. Yup, it sure is. Lots of digital signals out there, all being received with their respective antennas.
  
  I'm foaming at the mouth again...

  30.3.2007 02:12 #9