7 Tips for Switching to Digital TV

June 9, 2009— -- Let the countdown to the end of analog television begin.

On Friday, all full-power television stations across the country will stop broadcasting in analog and switch to digital.

Of the country's nearly 1,800 broadcasters, 756 stations have already made the transition. In four days, the remaining 1,030 will join them in the digital age.

But about 3.5 million U.S. television households, or 3.1 percent, aren't ready yet, according to a May poll from Nielsen Media Research.

If you're one of the TV watchers who still needs to prepare for Friday's deadline, don't worry. Here are a few tips to get you set up and running in no time.

1) Before you panic and head out to your local electronics store, make sure your TV's not already digital-ready.

To help make the process a little easier, the broadcasting industry's DTV Transition Coalition created a searchable database to help you figure out if your television has a built-in digital tuner.

If you can't find it there, check your television for any labels or markings that indicate that it contains a digital tuner. Statements to look for include: "Integrated Digital Tuner," "Digital Receiver," "DTV," ATSC" or "HDTV."

Televisions that are 25 inches or larger, or were purchased since 2005, are more likely to have a digital tuner.

If your television was purchased before 1998 or is a smaller LCD set (15- to 18-inches) it probably has an analog tuner.

Also, TVs labeled as "HD-ready," "Digital Ready" and "Digital Monitor" may sound promising but don't necessarily contain a digital tuner.