Did you apply for your TV converter box coupons yet?

If you're anything like us, your only New Year's resolution for this particular ride around the sun is to sign up for a converter box coupon in preparation for the 2009 digital TV transition -- even if, also like us, your only remaining analog set is gathering dust next to your laserdisc player in the basement. Still, a bargain is a bargain, so $40 off a product or products that we don't really need was more than enough motivation to race over to the official sign-up page only minutes after it went live. You, of course, still have a good 13 months to pick up one of these digital-to-analog converters from LG or friends, but since you're probably not in very good shape to do much else today, why not make the most of your incapacitation and hit the Read link to fill out your application.

[Thanks for the reminder, Travis C.]

[MiggityMikeB Posted Jan 1st 2008 5:00PM]

Dude I am sorry that is just irresponsible and a waste. It is already bad enough that the government is pissing away millions of tax dollars on these coupons to give boxes away to people who are too poor/ignorant/lazy to upgrade on their own. I will take pride in myself and the fact that I don't NEED one of these. If a bunch of schmucks sign up and get these boxes when they dont need it then I guarantee, (mark these words), the government will just throw more of my tax money at it so the people who really are too poor or ignorant of the situation can get boxes in 2009 when they realize, "Why my t.v. done not work no more?!"

Also I agree 100% with everything that John just said two posts up.

[Ladderless Posted Jan 1st 2008 9:17PM]

The money the government is using for these coupons is being taken from the funds they will receive from auctioning off the newly freed spectrum.

You might look at the high bidder as paying a tax, of which a small part goes to the coupons... But you'd have to be stretching it quite a bit to think that we taxpayers are footing the bill for these coupons.

It's a bit poetic... The people who end up with obsolete TV's are helped to overcome this situation by the money coming in as a result of that obsolescence.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 1st 2008 7:12PM]

There is no box on the site that says: "I am poor and cannot afford the converter box without this $40 coupon". There is NO means test for this coupon so if you need it ask for it. No reason to feel any shame. And quit calling people greedy when they are trying to save $40. The expiration date should cut down on hoarders and if the coupons are NOT redeemed, they can keep issuing them once they have expired and not b een used.

[igeekone Posted Jan 1st 2008 5:38PM]

Yes I still have an analog box that I don't want to fork over to pay cable. It not an old set either. This will be helpful. I hope to see a side-by-side comparison of each converter.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 1st 2008 5:58PM]

I found it odd that the words provided by the One Captcha tool were "children's Trojans".

Probably won't even need/use them, but what the hell...

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 2nd 2008 6:03AM]

No.
I will not take stolen money from thugs.

Welfare for TV; gods bless America! >:(

[AKBlade13 Posted Jan 1st 2008 7:44PM]

Maybe Engadet is getting one to test out the boxes and the cupon setup so that other readers can get ahow the program works in practice?

AKBlade13

[MyFizzy Posted Jan 1st 2008 8:34PM]

Robert,


Thanks for the link :)

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 1st 2008 11:48PM]

New price of converter box is now equal to old price plus $40. This is your tax money lining the pockets of gadget-suppliers. Can you think of more beneficial uses for those dollars?

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 2nd 2008 10:19AM]

A little clarification -- I have a tv in my garage that I run cable to, but I'm not using a digital box. I assume in this case that I would need a converter, right?

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 2nd 2008 10:54AM]

Can the boxes be hacked or repurposed? Can it run Doom?

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 2nd 2008 1:17PM]

I think I read somewhere you only have 3 months to use the coupon once you apply for them.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 3rd 2008 11:20AM]

As I read this, I glance over to the left where I see my analog TV and laserdisc player (in my basement no less) gathering dust. [nonchalantly pretends to stretch while looking for hidden cameras.]

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 12th 2008 6:20AM]

I thought from researching the information on different websites that the $40 coupons were for people that still use an antenna and not cable users.
Also, in researching the information I ran across the gov. document that listed the amount of money being spent for this project.
Forgive me if I'm wrong, but what is being spent on this project would build a number of bridges, pave a number of roads, not to mention fund a number of well deserved education programs, and have money left over.
What is wrong with this picture ???