Making digital conversion happen

The countdown is on.

In a little more than a year, by law, transmission of all TV signals will be digital.

The transition has been underway for some time now, but on Feb. 17th, 2009, the switch to DTV will be complete.

So what does the switch mean for you?

"Digital is always better than analog, so it's going to be a clearer picture," said Best Buy employee Bobby Holloway. " So, I think, they'll be happy with what they're getting."

But will you be happy with what you have to do to make the digital switch?

If you have cable or satellite TV, chances are you won't need to do anything even if you have an analog TV.

That's because satellite providers and Cox and Sunflower Cable systems are doing the conversion for you.

If you have a different cable provider, contact them to find out how they're handling the switch.

If you receive TV signals through an antenna or rabbit ears and you have an analog TV, you can do one of two things:

Buy a new, digital TV or get a converter.

That attaches to your analog TV and converts the digital signal so you can still watch.

The least expensive converter costs from $50 to $70, but the government is providing $40 vouchers to help cover the cost.

In many ways, KTKA 49 ABC is ahead of the game in making the switch, and we're committed to keeping you there, too.

Tune in each night this week, for new reports to help you make the digital switch.

We've also got plenty of information on our Web site. Look on the right side of our home page and click on "Making The Digital Switch".


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