Need a coupon for converter to digital TV? Better get it now

— -- Have you converted? If you haven't, you might want to start hustling. The USA becomes an all-digital TV market on Feb. 17. When it happens — at midnight — more than 70 million analog TVs that use antennas to receive over-the-air signals will need help to keep going.

To hold on to their TV signal, consumers must install a digital TV box that converts analog signals to digital. The government is offering $40 vouchers to offset the purchase. The device costs $40 to $70, on average. Those coupons can take up to six weeks to receive. The upshot: If you wait much longer, you may not be able to beat the Feb. 17 deadline.

"You should deal with this now," urges Todd Sedmak, spokesman for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which is handling the coupon program.

"We're encouraging people to apply for coupons by the end of the year," says Linda Yun, spokeswoman for the National Association of Broadcasters.

So far, about 22 million households have requested more than 41 million coupons, the NTIA says. Only about 14 million have been redeemed.

About 70 million TVs will be affected by the switch, the NAB predicts, a fraction of the 296 million TVs overall, according to the Consumer Electronics Association. Only TVs that use antennas, typically, "rabbit ears" or rooftop antennas, will be affected, not cable and satellite TV customers.

Digital TV, or DTV, is an advanced technology that offers better pictures and sound, as well as interactive and multicasting options. The conversion was ordered by Congress. Lawmakers wanted to reclaim airwaves given to broadcasters for free decades ago so they could be auctioned and used for other things, such as public safety and mobile data transmissions. That auction, which occurred earlier this year, raised more than $20 billion.

It's unclear how many converter boxes will ultimately be installed. The average home has 2.6 TVs, some used for gaming and other non-TV uses, says Meghan Henning of the CEA.