It has been more than a year since some older model televisions stopped picking up regular transmissions. The digital transition happened in February 2009. This means that all television stations stopped broadcasting in analog and switched to digital. If you still have an analog television, but to use it you just have to go to through a couple more steps.

There is no need to invest in a brand new television because of the switch. If you still own an analog television and you do not have a cable or satellite box, you just need to get what is called a digital converter box. This is basically a box that filters everything and converts it to digital transmission instead of analog. These boxes are in stock in most electronic stores and other outlets.

Before the switch occurred, the government was offering a forty dollar coupon to help people purchase the digital box. You had to apply for the coupon by actually going to the electronic stores and filling in a form, which you had to mail out. You could also apply over the telephone or online.

There where thirty three million coupons available and each household was allowed to apply for only two. These coupons had an expiration of 90 days at which time they would expire if they had not been used in that time period and reissued to someone else.

You could go to any retailer to redeem the coupon. Once you get the box it comes with the necessary cables and instructions. The setup process is a very easy process. The box comes with a remote and you simply plug in the cord from your antenna into your box, and then the cord from the box into your television. Lastly all you have to do is plug in the electrical cord and your box is ready to go.