The way you watch television has changed

DTV Transition Date

We hope you antenna television viewers made sure your television sets were ready for digital, the transition took place on June 12.

Right now, Congress is working to fix the government's coupon program, which has run out of money. We recommend that consumers still apply for coupons, as the program will most likely be fixed.

Antenna Selection:

• You will still need an antenna to continue watching free, over-the-air television after the digital transition.
• Antenna selection is critical because – unlike an analog signal – a digital signal is either completely clear or you will have no signal at all.
• If you already use an indoor or rooftop antenna to receive over-the-air analog broadcast television signals and get good or excellent reception quality, you should generally be able to continuing receiving reception of digital television broadcast signals with the same antenna.
• After the transition, some TV stations may have moved to another channel in a different frequency band, which would require you to get another type of antenna than the one you use now. For example, a station in the "VHF band" (channels 2-13) could move to a channel in the "UHF band" (channels 14-51) and vice versa. Receiving VHF and UHF signals require different antenna types, although some antennas are designed to get both VHF and UHF signals. Make sure you have a VHF-UHF antenna to get all the channels out there.
• Remember: The location of an indoor antenna in the room also makes a big difference to how well it receives DTV channels and you may need to try different locations to get the best reception. Raising it as high as possible is usually best, and you may also need to try changing the direction in which it is pointing.
• For additional help in choosing the best antenna for you, visit www.antennaweb.org. NAB has also produced an instructional video to assist you with antenna selection and converter box installation.

DTV Converter Boxes and Government Coupon Program

• The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) launched a converter box coupon program to help defray costs for those in need of a DTV converter box, and households may apply for up to two coupons, valued at $40 each.
• The program has reached its funding limit, but many groups are working to correct the coupon problem. Because of the possibility of new funding for the coupon program, it is still best to apply for coupon and get on the waiting list as soon as possible.
• The coupons cannot be combined to purchase a single converter box, nor can they be used toward the purchase of other products.
• You can apply for coupons by calling (888) DTV-2009 or by visiting www.dtv2009.gov.
• Coupons will be issued as they become available, so the sooner you get on the waiting list, the better.
• Ask a friend or family member: unexpired converter box coupons are fully transferable.
• Deaf or hearing impaired callers may dial 1-877-530-2634 (English/TTY) or 1-866-495-1161 (Spanish/TTY). TTY Service is available from 9 AM - 9 PM Eastern Time Monday through Friday.
• Remember: You may still purchase a converter box without the coupon (but you will not receive $40 off of the retail price without the coupon). Converter boxes are available now at all major electronic retailers.
• TVs connected to cable, satellite, or other pay services will not require a converter box. It is recommended that you check with your cable or satellite provider to determine how they will support your analog set after the DTV transition.

Rescanning

• After connecting a converter box to your TV set, or installing a new digital television, you will need to scan (also known as "auto-tune") for new channels.
• Scanning will ensure you receive all of the digital stations broadcasting in your area.
• Some boxes will automatically scan for stations when they are turned on, however others will require you to manually select for it to scan.
• Some digital stations are still coming on air and many will not make the switch until June 12, 2009.
• It is a good idea to 'rescan' manually on a periodic basis to get all of the digital programming available.
• After the DTV transition, some stations already broadcasting DTV will be switched to a different channel number, so remember to scan again the first time you watch TV June 12, 2009.

For over a half century, television broadcasts in the United States have been transmitted in an analog format. On June 12, 2009, that era comes to an end.

By law, full-power television stations nationwide must switch from that old method of transmitting analog TV signals to the new digital format. Digital television (DTV) is an innovative type of broadcasting technology that delivers movie-quality pictures and sound, more channels, and even high definition television (HDTV) to consumers with HD television sets.

While the benefits of DTV are remarkable, up to 125,000 New Mexicans risk losing their television reception unless they take the some easy steps to receive a digital signal. Broadcasters across the state have developed this website to assist you throughout the entire transition process.

Want to know more?  Go to DIGITAL TV in New Mexico's website