Where Can I get a Converter Box?

Where Can I get a Converter Box?

Topic Author: WBKO Engineering

Posted: Aug 11, 2008

Replies Posted: 35 comments

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Where Can I get a Converter Box?

Hello, Tim here.

Where Can I get a Converter Box? That is the Million Dollar Question.

Due to the high demand stores are selling out of them as fast as they can get them. I went to www.dtv2009.gov and found a list of retailers participating in the TV Conveterter Box Coupon Program. You may request up to two Coupons per family. You may use the above web site or by dialing 1-888-388-2009. Here is the list below.

Best Buy, Circuit City, Kmart, RadioShack, Sears, Target, Walmart, Camping World, Stargazer Satellite Systems, McGown TV Sales& Service, Rite Aid Pharmacy, HH Gregg, Sam's Club, Pamida, Davis Electronics, Custom Digital Services, Gross Appliance & TV Inc., Sight & Sound Electronics

For more information on the DTV transition.

KET DIGITAL HELPLINE 1-866-291-8189 www.ket.org/dtv

Antenna Web www.antennaweb.org

Federal Communications Commission www.dtv.gov

National Association of Broadcasters www.dtvanswers.com

Posted by: Ken Location: Atlanta
Mrs.C, once you receive your coupon cards, there will be a list included where you may be able to purchase a converter box. HH Greg, Best Buy, and Wal-Mart are just a few who carry the boxes. However, if you have not received your coupons yet, you may not get them. A few sources are reporting that the government has exhausted the funds for the program.

Posted by: Ms.C. Location: Barberton, Oh
Looking for where to find a converter box for my household already have applied for my couponds... please somebody help me out and email me back with any information you can find or have on this matter. Thank you.

Posted by: tom Location: 6 miles east of I-65,cemetery road
I have 2 digital tvs,on one I can not get any local digital channels.but the other tv picks them up great.any help? I have a antenna.

Posted by: Dianne Location: Logan County
I'm wondering too, why didn't you wait until February to convert?? I agree with you losing viewers. I'll be watching Fox News as well!!

Posted by: Wayne Johnson Location: Greenville,Ky.
First of all why didn't you wait till February to convert over? We are having trouble hooking up the converter box. You all will lose a lot of your viewers over this. I guess we will just wath Fox news on satelight.

Posted by: nothappy I purchased the box and so far I'm not liking this digital converter idea. I can't see the channels such as channel 5,fox25,CW56,none of my spanish channels and what I'm able to see it's very unclear. sometimes i'm able to hear sound with no image. it's better to buy a HDtv rather than wasting time on this one.

Posted by: Ken What alot of people need to understand is that most TV stations do not have their digital signals at FULL power. Therefore, if you are getting weak or non existing signals now. Odds are that this will improve after the DTV conversion. If you are using an antenna, you still have to adjust it to receive peek signal strengh.

Posted by: gracie Location: butler county
I agree with the women from brownvill. We should not have to pay anything on these boxes. If the goverment want this done so bad then they need to make sure that everyone gets one without having to pay for it. This is just another way of punishing the poor. Some of us cant afford satelight, or and some are not fortuniate enough to get cable. I am not about to get one of these boxes. if I want to know the weather I will simply walk outside and look. Hey it is raning to day. It doesn't take a rocket scientest to figure that out.

Posted by: TRISHA Location: COLUMBIA, KY.
I bought the converter box because I have an antenna. I get and see several channels including channel 13. It is very plain and I have no complaints..... until I hooked up the box!!!!!!all I can get is 34,23,29!!!!Trisha ain't happy!!!!!!!!!! I receive channel 2,3,4,5,8,9,10,11,13,15,20,21,22,23,24,27,28,29,32,34,40,41,58. So, explain why digital is supposed to be better???????? You do have faithful watchers in the countryside too!!!or you will till Dec. Signed: A VICTUM OF PROGRESS!!!!????

Posted by: donna Location: morgantown
I have hooked up my box thanks to my local radio shacks help. I am currently using rabbit ears for channel 13.I have gotten my universal remote to program and can turn tv off on up down etc my problem is no wizzard popped up to help me finish the process my menu button does nothing can anyone help me I have to have channel 13 help

Posted by: LaBeryle Pierce Location: Franklin,Ky
We have Comcast cable. When you do your tests, we lose the signal. Is Comcast going to do anything about this?

Posted by: June Location: Scottsville
Bought the converter box and hooked it up but can't get any signals, including the one channel I could get with my rabit ears.

Posted by: Barbara Location: Falls of Rough
When we hooked up our converter box we still can not get channel 13. Do you have any idea what we are doing wrong?

Posted by: barby morris Location: morgantown,ky.
we bought a converter box,we do not like the thing, if it rains or the wind blows ,which it always does here,the channels gone on and off, signal no signal, its so frusterating to try and watch a show ,i have to restrain myself from throwing the remote at the stupid thing!hope after the dead line things are different,we also have an expired coupon because it took so long for the stores to stock them ,phew this is one big hassle!!!!

Posted by: Penny Location: Horse cave
I have Comcast but I still lost the signal during wbko's test. Comcast says everyting is okay on there end. What do I do?

Posted by: Paula where do we go pick the box at. Thank You

Posted by: Amber Location: Leitchfield
To top off my WONDERFUL experiance that I am having with you guys and your testing to digital, I just tried to get a converter box for my other tvs, and I was DENIED! Apparently my 80 yr old tiny farmhouse is registered as a buisness with the government. I am so happy that Uncle Sam is worried about the quality of my TV viewing!

Posted by: Elmer Location: Beaver Dam
I bought a new TV that has the following on it. 720 High Definitiong "Built in DTSC Digital Tuner allows access to over the air HD and standard definition programs with connection of an antenna. (not included)" I also bought a large outside antenna that said it was for HD reception. When WBKO ran it's test my screen went blank. Next I bought a in line booster th at goes between the antenna and TV. The next test my screen again went blank. I reprogramed my TV checking for HD channels and picked up no channels. I am at a loss as to what to do. I was getting excellent reception before the booster. After the booster I still get the same excellent reception but pick up more channels.

Posted by: Jennifer Location: Leitchfield, KY
We purchased a converter box for my mother in law. We tried to hook it up over the weekend and we receive the message that "No programs are found." We have talked to several people who say their box works fine. I'm not sure what we are doing wrong, but we can hook the box up to a tv in the bedroom with rabbit ears and pick up four channels of KET. But the box will not pick up any channels with an antenna for the tv in the living room. I don't understand why this is. Maybe someone can help?

Posted by: carol Location: BG
We are using rabbit ears ,no outside antenna will Tv still work with conversion box with rabbit ears?

Posted by: Tim Location: WBKO Engineer
Horse Branch: The answer to your question is NO we have not turned our transmitter off. I would try to rescan for channels. Another option is to check your antenna and may be re-ajust it. If you can wait untill after mid December to return or puchase anything to help with the reception of our signal. In mid December we will be upgrading our antenna and transmitter. We will also be moveing our digital signal to TV channel 13.

Posted by: Ron Morris Location: Horse Branch
I hooked up the converter box and got 13-1 13-2&13-3 for about 2 days then no signal. Do you turn the digital signal on and off? If not then my 2 boxes are bad, I've already returned one. Please reply..

Posted by: Shannon Location: Bowling Green
May be a question that needs to be directed elsewhere but why are local channels available with Insight Cable Service but not with Direct or Dish TV.

Posted by: Sandra H Location: Tompkinsville
The Tompkinsville Wal-Mart is still charging 49.00 for the converter box. They finally got some in tonight, but when we went to check out our coupon card had expired too. Guess I'll have to do something else. Why an expiration date? That's crazy.

Posted by: Tim Location: WBKO Engineer
Bee Spring, Ky. Make sure you antenna is pointed south. If you sill don't get WBKO I would wait until after we change our antenna in December before I bought anymore upgrades. I would also look at the specs on a new antenna before I purchased a new one. Here is the reason. There is no such thing as a digital antenna. Antennas are made to receive a band of frequencies. Not the information on the frequency. If you need to purchase a new antenna make sure it is VHF and UHF. Tim

Posted by: lannie carroll Location: bee spring ky
I have hooked my converter box but i cant get the wbko channels.Iam getting a lot of outher stations.I have it hooked to an outside antenna do i need a digital antenna. thanks for any help Lannie Carroll

Posted by: Ken I think that WBKO should produce a 30 min. or longer program detailing the DTV conversion. Not only informing the viewing area of why the transition is happening. But, also to go indepth explaining how to properly setup a converter box, and adjust their antenna to receive optimum reception. This would be a great service to the community.

Posted by: Angie Location: Brownsville
I currently have an outdoor antenna and get ABC and NBC. I hooked my digital box up and don't get anything?? Any suggestions it keeps saying my signal is to weak for any channels! Please help I don't have any other way of picking up any channels. Will I have to get any kind of booster?

Posted by: dalton Location: morgantown ky
I INSTALLEDCONVERTBOXIHAVEBLACKLINEONBOTHSIDEOFMYTVSCREENWILLTHISGOAWAYGOHDORDTV

Posted by: Tim Location: WBKO Engineering
Hello Amber. I have good and bad news. the BAD NEWS first. As I have stated before, With our digital signal we are only able to cover about 80% of our analog coverage. Our current digital antenna is located on the south side of our tower, so coverage to the north of the tower is limited. GOOD NEWS We have plans to move the antenna to the top of our tower in November and replace our transmitter in December. After December we should have 100% digital coverage of our current analog signal. If you receive our current analog signal after December you should be able to receive WBKO in Digital. Thanks Tim

Posted by: Amber Location: Leitchfield
We bought a new tv, and a new (expensive) antenna that recieves digital, however the reception is HORRIBLE! Will the signal get stronger? With analog, we get 7 channels, with digital we get 2 and they are pixelated and jumpy. We can not afford dish, so has the government in all their wisdom hurt the less fortunate again?

Posted by: Al Location: Franklin,Ky.
Got mine at HH Gregg early on. After the coupons, they each cost $10. Now WalMart is selling them for $30, which means that it'll cost you nothing if you use your coupon there.If you have to add money to your coupon to get one, you're being ripped off.

Posted by: Renee Barrett Location: Brownsville, KY
We should not have to pay anything for these converter boxes! The government wants everything digital then they should supply us with the equipment that we need to operate a television with. I checked out a few places and Walmart is $50 so we still have to dole out $10 and I am not willing to do so-- I would rather not watch the TV at all if it comes down to me having to put more money into it! What is next? our radios? Telephones? This is just another way to put more money into the polititions hands and I refuse to do so!

Posted by: Norma Location: edmonson co,
ya might need that box, but i wasted several trips to bg and still couldnt find one in time, MINE EXPIRED AND IM AGGERVATED, is not right now i wont be able to have one to watch my local channels, the gov shouldnt put just a 90 day time period,wish every one luck in finding one IN TIME,,,,,,,,,,,