Digital TV coupons now available to more users

By Tamara Chuang, Technology / Other

If you make a big enough stink, the agency that hands out those $40 coupons for digital converter boxes will, apparently, change the rules.

Beginning Oct. 20, people who use P.O. boxes or live in nursing homes can begin applying for the coupons to get $40 off a converter box that will modernize old, analog TVs. Such TVs won't work after Feb. 17, 2009, when all the major TV stations begin broadcasting in digital all the time. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration originally exempted these folks under its definition of "household."

Also, more tests continue to see if parts of the nation are ready for the transition to digital TV all the time.Two stations in Sacramento are shutting off their analog signals for 30 seconds. During that time, viewers will see a message showing if their TVs passed or failed the upgrade tests.

And for the latest coupon update: As of Sept. 17, 10.4 million coupons have been redeemed out of a possible 33.5 million. There are still 7.4 million coupons out there waiting to expire. Coupons expire after 90 days. After that, you're out of luck unless you can borrow one from a friend or petition the government enough to change their minds. You can still order your coupon at http://www.dtv2009.gov or call 1-888-388-2009.

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(Tamara Chuang covers technology for The Orange County Register. Have a quandary? E-mail gadgetress-at-ocregister.com; put "Help Me!" in the subject line and please include your computer's operating system and amount of memory. Read more about this topic and others at ocregister.com/gadgetress/stump.)

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Š 2008, The Orange County Register (Santa Ana, Calif.).
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