FTC Chips In on DTV Education
Federal Trade Commission posts consumer alert on DTV transition, syndicates newspaper article.
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/3/2008 10:54:00 AM
The Federal Trade Commission is trying to do its part to educate consumers about the upcoming transition to digital TV.
Its most recent "consumer alert" -- an advisory it posts on its Web site -- was about the transition.
The FTC provided some consumer-alert tips for those shopping, including the following (taken verbatim from the article):
1. Never pay for a coupon for a digital converter box. The coupons are free from the federal government.
2. Don’t give your Social Security number or other sensitive financial information when you order -- or redeem -- your coupon.
3. If you return a converter box you bought using a coupon, you can’t get the value of the coupon back in cash.
4. Installing a converter box is easy, but if you decide to hire someone to install it, get the price in writing before you agree to the job.
5. Ignore any offer for a “free” converter box, especially if it requires you to pay for shipping or a warranty. The companies that are making these offers are not certified by the government, and their converter boxes are not eligible for the coupon program.
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Adam's right.
And the FCC left a few items off their list.
1. Big Box salemen are telling OTA converter box buyers that they will need to switch to cable or satellite to get HD programing.
2. 16 brands of converter boxes with the "analog pass-through" feature are available: APEX DT250 Apex DT500 CASTi CAX-02 DIGITAL STREAM DSP7700T DIGITAL STREAM DTX9950 DIGITAL STREAM DX8700 DISH Network DTVPal Jiuzhou DTT9001 Magnavox TB-100MG9 Microprose MPI-500 Philco TB100HH9 Philco TB150HH9 RCA DTA800B1 Skardin DTR-0727L TATUNG TDB3001 Venturer STB7766G1 and certainly more.
3. Consumer Report has rated a number of converter boves. Go to their web site.
OTA viewers can also go to antennapoint.com to easily locate the broadcast stations within range, aiming directions and other OTA helpful information.
Michael Sherman - 7/4/2008 5:04:00 PM EDT -
Sounds like the FCC knows some things about the program that the press -- trade and consumer alike -- has yet to pick up on. Bet some officials are willing to provide some details (maybe off the record), if reporters would only so some probing. Now that B&C has run this story, perhaps it could do some follow-up to fill in the blanks. The lagging consumer press would soon follow. This story begins the "enterprising" that readers expect.
Adam Smith - 7/3/2008 8:28:00 PM EDT
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