[VRWCtaz]

I don't know where to start with this. Maybe we should begin with the US Commerce Department television converter clause in the Constitution.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

To heck with the converter coupons, where is my HDTV coupon? I want it NOW.

[edcoil]

I bought one for camping, a portable tv and was given no warning this was going to happen - where is my coupon?

[Rodm]

Shear Foolishness!

[untrained skeptic]

If the entire $1.5 billion was used, the government could offer coupons for 37.5 million television sets. The law, approved last year, permits eligible homes to receive up to two coupons, each worth $40.

Are the idiots in congress seriously suggesting that the federal government needs to subsidize the costs of converter boxes for TWO televisions per household doesn't have cable or satellite television subscriptions?

I can go out and buy a new, low end DVD player for $40.

A tuner box for HD TV is not going to be a big expense, at least not after a few months go by and the market drives down the price.

However, it the government offers $40 coupons, the converters will definitely cost at least $40 if not $50-$60 since the government will have artificially raised the price consumers are willing to pay.

This is a huge government handout to consumer electronics companies, and since the US is not a major player in that market, it's mainly a gift to foreign companies.

This is really, really stupid.

[Texas_Jarhead]

I think Congress budgeted something like $8B for converters but cannot find the stones to pony up $1B for border fencing.

[Shermy]

TV networks are poor and need help so Congress passed this subsidy for them. It has nothing to do with bribes/campaign contributions given to congressmen.

/sarc

[RicocheT]

OK, tell me the date I need to drop my subscription to cable TV in order to get my two $40 coupons. I'm sure these will have cash value like WIC coupons do. I will sell them.

I'll wait about 45 days and then my cable co. will lure me back with a lower rate for the next year. It's nice to be a leach.

[dalereed]

They ought to be free to everyone that could care less about HDTV.

[Diamond]

I need a new refrigerator coupon.

Cordially,

[ChildOfThe60s]

Consumers have been reluctant to buy the new sets because many still cost more than $1,000.

Duh. When they made the stoopid rule they should have passed a law requiring all new digital sets to cost $200. That is the way economics works, isn't it? In D.C that is...

[-YYZ-]

So what's so wrong about providing these converters for off-the-air television viewers? The gov't has decided to sell off the freqs currently used for analog television transmissions, rendering all the pre-digital sets (and VCRs, etc) out there useless. Should everyone have to get cable or digital sattelite, or a buy a new television with a built-in digital tuner? I mean, this doesn't really affect me, since I have cable and have already made the move to HDTV (will these boxes receive HDTV channels and down-rez them to SDTV resolution, also?), but why should the current off-the-air TV viewers have to pay the costs of this change?

[Professional Engineer]

I need a new laptop coupon since I get my news solely from the web!