Survival Guide to the Digital TV Switch

There's a two-coupons-per-household limit. It takes about three to four weeks to process the applications and the coupons expire 90 days after they are mailed. They cannot be reissued, whether lost, stolen, or expired. "If for some reason your coupons are expired, ask a family member or friend to apply and share them with you," suggests Mr. Sedmak.

DTV2009.gov lists more than 20 stores and Web sites that accept the government coupons, and you can find performance reviews on the many different converter boxes at consumerreports.org/dtv and cnet.com.

Why the switch? The conversion to all-digital signal frees up airwaves for more Wi-Fi services and new, dedicated communication channels for emergency first responders. Digital broadcasting also allows stations to provide a crisper picture (see graphic, below). Programs can also be broadcast in high definition, but just because local stations can doesn't mean that every one will.

Many families that go shopping for a new converter box are deciding to buy a new TV instead, says Bill O'Mahoney, store services manager at a Best Buy in Boston. Others opt to throw out their old analog "bunny ears" and buy an antenna with the digital converter built-in.

"I would be more focused on finding the right [digital] antenna for you rather than the right converter box, because they are both the same," Mr. O'Mahoney says. "If you have a great TV, you can have a great experience at home, even if it's a basic tube."