I don't get a chance to post much, but there are some topics I just have to speak up about. The DTV transition is less than 2 years away, and because I spend practically all my time researching and writing about TVs, I keep getting questions about what it will mean for people. (I even noticed a thread on the Crutchfield Forums, where some debate over the upcoming HDTV transition muddied the waters of a "what kind of TV should I get" answer.) 

The FCC's mandate requires that all terrestrial analog TV broadcasts in the U.S. end on or before Feb, 17, 2009. So, right away, the 85% or so of viewers who mainly watch cable or satellite TV can relax. They shouldn't see any interruption in service, and if a digital set-top box is needed, I'd expect their service provider to foot the bill.

The analog shutoff will mostly affect viewers whose main TV source is local over-the-air broadcasts received via antenna. Once all 1600+ TV stations switch off their analog signal, standard TVs (those with an analog-only tuner) will need to be connected to a digital-to-analog converter box, or replaced by a TV with a digital tuner.

Electronics makers are already busy designing simple, low-cost converter boxes that connect between the antenna and TV. Picture quality won't be high definition, but it will be clear, ghost-free digital. These converter boxes are projected to sell for $50-$100, but the final bill for consumers should be lower. Starting in early 2008, the government will make available up to two $40 coupons per household to help offset the cost of switching to digital TV.

Samsung, LG, and Thomson (RCA) have announced that they will be building converter boxes, with first shipments tentatively scheduled for early 2008. I saw prototypes of the Samsung and LG models out at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, and Crutchfield should be among the first retailers to get them. As described in press releases, these converter boxes will be small, stripped-down devices designed to connect to a TV using the basic composite video jack, providing 480i picture resolution. Nobody is carrying these boxes at the moment because they don't yet exist.

I also wanted to remind y'all that the analog shutoff affects more than just TVs. This past March 1 was the deadline for manufacturers to stop shipping devices -- TVs, VCRs, DVD recorders, etc. -- with analog-only tuners. This is where you'll really need to stay on your toes. Electronics makers are building models with built-in digital tuners as well as models with no built-in tuners at all. These tunerless models typically cost around $100 less than units with tuners, and are aimed at people who use a satellite or cable TV box.

By the way, retailers are now required to place a consumer warning on models with analog-only tuners. And overall, it seems like dealers are being more consistent about describing tuner capabilities. If you're shopping for a TV or video recorder, you should at least know these basic terms:

• NTSC: analog over-the-air tuner
• ATSC: digital over-the-air tuner
• QAM: digital cable tuner (allows cable subscribers to watch unscrambled programs without a set-top box)
• CableCARD-ready: digital cable tuner that can also access scrambled premium programs like HBO and ESPN (getting scrambled programs requires a CableCARD from local service provider)

Hope this info is helpful.

Steve