TV Converter Box Coupon Program Website

TV Converter Box Coupon Program Website

The DTA converter box coupon program is another horribly managed government-involved and industry-irresponsible project. Retail stores are supposed to be stocking these converter boxes, but since they are the same stores that lose money selling a converter box versus a digital TV, they use every means in their arsenal to keep the distribution numbers low. Additionally, the feds instituted a 90-day expiration policy on the coupons without even telling applicants in the first several months of the project.

I applied for one of those coupons only to find that it expired in less than two months of me receiving it (not even the 90 days they are now finally telling people). It expired because I could not find *any* of the stores listed on the coupon that actually carried any converter boxes let alone had any in stock. Of course, I called the registration number and they said nothing could be done, yet each house can have two coupons and I should apply for the second one. After a long conversation they advised me to wait a month before applying for it -- that was supposed to give time for stores to begin selling them. Of course I would not believe them since they are the government, but changed my mind since they had created and were regulating the program. I actually waited two months, checked stores to see that a couple were supposedly selling them, and registered for that second and final coupon. It arrived with almost 3 months before it expires. I am now down to two weeks before it expires and I have only seen two demo models and no actual units in any of the stores. I have found many people's blogs with the same situation being left without a solution. I can't believe this.

Why do they need expiration dates? From an accounting perspective, people hate to leave debts like that lying around for very long. So, couldn't they just say that the coupons expire on the day of the change over? I guess I need to be a good American consumer and buy the large digital sets and maybe even get one of those premium cable packages that are as bloated as the triple stacked burger being sold at every fast food burger place -- maybe I can super size both the TV and the cable package?