DTV Transition: Wal-Mart Selling Digital TV Converter Boxes

February 14, 2008

Wal-Mart has begun selling Magnavox digital-to-analog television converter boxes in all of its 3,400 U.S. locations. The move coincides with the government’s issue of $40 coupons to help consumers purchase converter boxes to enable analog television sets to receive digital broadcasts next year.

TV Converter Boxes Needed to Receive a Digital Signal

Beginning February 2009, television stations will air programming in a digital format only - there will be no more analog “over-the-air” broadcasts. Analog television sets which cannot receive digital signals will need a digital-to-analog convertor box in order to continue to watch television programming.

Government Coupons Available

According to the National Telecommunications and Information Association (NTIA), the U.S. Commerce Department is issuing the coupons for digital converter boxes to anyone requesting them. The coupons will be mailed the week of February 18. To date, more than 4.4 million coupons have been requested out of an estimated 13 million households who currently have analog television sets.

Wal-Mart has worked closely with the NTIA to ensure that its customers can use the government coupons to purchase converters at its stores as easily as redeeming a gift certificate.

Digital Converter Box Price

The cost of the Magnavox converters at Wal-Mart is $49.87, or just $9.87 with a government coupon. Wal-Mart plans to stock a second converter box brand later this year. Consumers can request digital converter box coupons online at www.dtv2009.gov or by calling 1-888-DTV-2009. The coupons expire 90 days after they’re issued.