America's switch from analog to digital TV broadcasting has been completed. Compared to analog, digital broadcasts provide a sharper picture and more programming options — but you need the right equipment to watch them. If you want to view over-the-air broadcasts from your local stations, any old-fashioned TV (one with an analog-only tuner) needs to be connected to a digital-to-analog converter box, or replaced by a new TV with a built-in digital tuner. The digital TV transition is not an issue for cable and satellite TV subscribers.

Digital converter boxes

You need a converter box for each old (analog) TV that is connected to an antenna. Converter boxes sell for $40 - $80. You can reduce the cost significantly by taking advantage of the government's coupon program.

How to sign up for the government's $40 converter box coupons

You may apply for up to two $40 coupons per household. You can apply at the government's website, or by calling 1-888-DTV-2009. The coupon program will accept applications until July 31, 2009, or until the program runs out of funds. The coupons expire after 90 days.

Unfortunately, Crutchfield does not sell DTV converters and cannot redeem the government coupons. However, we've assembled some tips to help you find the right converter box for your needs, plus some pointers and diagrams to help you hook it up.

What should I look for in a DTV converter?

Most stores offer only one or two models. But if you have a choice of boxes, here are some things you may want to look for:

Analog pass-through
To watch channels from both analog and digital TV stations, you'll need a converter box that will allow the analog signal to pass through to your TV set. This feature will come in handy for people who can receive smaller, local low-power stations that won't be changing to digital.

Other considerations

• Does it have a signal strength indicator? This will help you aim your antenna to get the best possible signal from each station.
• Does it have the video and audio outputs you need to connect it to your TV?
• What cables are included?
• Will it be easy to use? For example, elderly people will probably prefer a remote control that has large, well-spaced buttons.
• Can it run on batteries? If you use a battery powered TV for information during emergencies, you'll need a DTV converter that can be powered by batteries or you'll have to buy a separate portable powerpack.

What to expect from a converter

Compared to analog, DTV broadcasts provide a sharper picture (and more program options). However, DTV tuners require a strong signal. You won't see a "snowy" but watchable picture from a weak signal. If you don't get a good picture, you'll get a badly distorted one or none at all.

You may need a new antenna
Because weak signals may not be picked at all up by the tuner in your DTV converter, you may need to aim your antenna toward the transmitter or get a better antenna.

For more information on how to select, install and aim a TV antenna, and to learn how to locate the transmitters in your area, see our article on HDTV antennas.

The DTV picture is a different shape
Many digital TV shows are broadcast in widescreen mode. To fit the wider image on your old TV, the converter box has to squash the picture and put black bars above and below it. People in the picture will appear smaller. If this bothers you, you can zoom in and fill your entire screen, but that chops off the sides of the picture. Or you can select a mode that squeezes the wider picture into the narrower screen, but this distorts the images.

You may lose some of the benefits of your VCR
Unless you have separate converter boxes for your TV and your VCR, you won't be able to watch one program while recording another. Unless your converter has an event timer built-in, and few do, you can only do timed recordings on one channel.