Best Buy will begin selling DTV boxes in two weeks

The large retailer Best Buy has announced that it has stocked up on Digital TV converter boxes that are compatible with the US government's rebate program for the boxes.

Last month, the Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) began offering a $40 USD rebate off the purchase price of $59.99 USD for the box. It is important to note that the box will only be required for TV owners that do not have cable or satellite service. To qualify for the rebate, any consumer must simply apply for it via NTIA's web site.

In October, the retailer pulled analog TVs and analog tuner products from its shelves, being the first company to do so. The retailer also said it will be launching a dedicated toll-free number for Best Buy customers to call if they have any inquiries about the transition.

"The DTV transition is an event that is unprecedented in this country, and it will require a coordinated effort by broadcasters, manufacturers, retailers and the government," electronics chief Mike Vitell said "We take our role as a trusted source of information very seriously."

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 7 Feb 2008 14:25

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12 comments

ydkjman

I wonder who is going to be the cheapest seller out there?

8.2.2008 00:56 #1

engage16

i think if the government is gonna change something that drastically that they should be sending one for free to every single house in the country. even with the rebate program its kinda of an a-hole move to make us pay for something that their changing without asking us... i'm pretty sure it didn't go up on a ballet... i alreasy own the tv... why do i then have to go spend another 60 bucks just to watch the damn thing? cause they say i do... its an economic move...

8.2.2008 01:28 #2

BIGTOXY69

It's simply a case of The tail wagging The dog ! Think about it ? What generally is the most long Lasting trouble free consumer electronic Device in your Home ? Your Tv Right ? assuming You bought one that was halfway decent to start with ? and TV's have Become Ubiquitous !!!!!!!!! . Many families have one in every room ! And They've reached the saturation point price wise I mean! you can get a 32" set for like $200.00 US So The Big Profit margins have gone Bye BYe !!! So The Big conumer electronics companies convinced ( read Bought here ) The politicians & The FCC that Analog TV isn't good enough for america anymore & to force The Issue They Get the FCC to Make it So that You will have To buy either a set top decoder/Converter? Box or a new Tv ! and Naturally when you go in to buy your converter their going to try to get you to upgrade Your Tv completely !!!! either way they win by selling you something ! It's like all the Improvemants they've made to cars since the seventies - They claim that the Improvemants make the car Better - Better indeed for them ! more expensive parts and electronics that you can't work on at home - Unless you have thousands of dollars of test gear So they can Gouge you on parts and labor when you bring it back to the dealership! Some parts are even dealership only ! you can't buy them at Autozone or wherever ? I Believe the whole DTV debacle is a example of what's called The Hegalian Dialectic ? 1. Create the Problem , 2. offer The solution ,3. Be the hero - and on making us pay for it Even with the coupons Guess who pays for them ? tax payers - You and me ARGHHHHHH!!!!

8.2.2008 02:43 #3

engage16

exactly why i say they should send them to us for free... that $40 rebate? MY tax money... So either way i'm paying twice for the thing...

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8.2.2008 14:57 #4

cart0181

Calm down, DTV and HDTV owns. It's progress, of course there is a price for progress. Besides, there's been plenty of warning this was coming. You're just mad you didn't buy a digital ready TV, and that's why you got it on sale! The way I look at it, you saved the $20 on the purchase price, so it's coming time to pay it back now. This is a technology website; I'm surprised there's anyone that thinks that way that reads these articles. Still using rabbit ears? lol

8.2.2008 15:36 #5

ken9771

A lot of you people bitch and complain about everything, even things that are not anything; you would probally bitch if you were in Hell and the Devil served you a large glass of cold ice water and you didn't like the color of the glass!

The main reason for going digital is to free up frequencies so that
they can be reused for all the newer gagets, wireless devices,
cell phones, wireless internet, etc, etc.

All the new toys that you all now can't seem to live without.
Simple fact is that the present TV analog broadcasting uses more
space of the Frequency spectrum than the new digital format.

A similar problem resulted when they went to color broadcasting,
people with B&W TVs wanted to keep using their sets so the standard
NTS signal had to work on both B&W as well as color sets,
result was a lower quality format than would have been possible
if B&W support had been discontinued.

Good to see that they are doing it right this time and scraping
the old analog signal.

If it was me, I'd put $100.00 tax on any conveter box sold,
and have no government hadout!

If you cannot afford it, do without TV, but please stop bitching about nothing!

8.2.2008 20:30 #6

hastypete

Originally posted by engage16: i think if the government is gonna change something that drastically that they should be sending one for free to every single house in the country. even with the rebate program its kinda of an a-hole move to make us pay for something that their changing without asking us... i'm pretty sure it didn't go up on a ballet... i alreasy own the tv... why do i then have to go spend another 60 bucks just to watch the damn thing? cause they say i do... its an economic move...The people voted for it when they voted for their representatives. That's why it is called a representative democracy.

You can't stop progress because it's inconvenient for you. "Dang, those automobiles. I can't believe they replaced horses carriages. I had to buy a car! and just after I bought a horse." It's the same sort of thing. I'm actually glad they are handing out rebates.

8.2.2008 22:48 #7

ikari

The FCC really needs to start pushing for more exposure for this transition to digital. If it wasn't for Afterdawn and sites like it, I am sure a majority of us, including me, wouldn't know about this.

This is going to be a very expensive move to digital for TV stations. So it isn't just consumers that are paying. Just as we are being "forced" to buy a converter or new DTV, these stations have to buy new equipment to film and broadcast in digital. I am just glad that they are finally showing progress in the digital transition. I am ready for all channels to be HD!

10.2.2008 18:38 #8

engage16

almost all broadcast station already simulcast in HD already... They already have the equipment set up. They have actually been transfering the majority of their resources over to the HD signals and decreasing the signal power of the analog ones...

10.2.2008 21:52 #9

ydkjman

If you pay for cable or have a Dish you don't need one of these boxed any way.

11.2.2008 01:55 #10

HearUsNow

Consumer Reports and HearUsNow.org have a great information site on DTV.
http://www.hearusnow.org/tvradio/12/

And they set up a way to share your experience with the transition to digital television.
http://cu.convio.net/HUN_shareyourDTVstorypage

Consumer Reports site with all the info: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/elect...v-206/index.htm

11.2.2008 16:02 #11

borhan9

preety cheap prices here.

1.4.2008 17:37 #12

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