February 17, 2009 will mark the end of an era in the broadcasting industry. On that date, analog television broadcasting will stop forever and Americna broadcasting shifts to the digital format. What a shame for all those “old school” television sets. It is funny to think there will be generations in the very near future who won’t even remember what an analog television looks like. There are recycling programs for those old sets for some brands like Sony but many may find that they will send their set to Goodwill or the trash. You don’t have to though.
Though it is a smart idea to update your television to one that can receive a digital signal, it is not the only solution. If you want to keep your operating analog television set you can acquire a set-top-box (STB) that can “translate” the digital signal for your television set when the change occurs next year. As of right now, you can purchase such a box with a federal subsidy coupon provided by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. These STB boxes will be available on a larger scale (read Analog TV Set Top Boxes Available Through Big Retailers).
