Big audience for digital TV converters

With broadcast TV stations preparing to switch to all-digital signals early next year, about 5.3 million U.S. households have taken the government up on its offer of discount coupons for a gadget to ensure their sets will continue to get the picture. Each U.S. household is eligible for two $40 coupons toward the purchase of converters that sell for about $60, and most have asked for the maximum. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration said Tuesday that 10 million coupons had been requested since the program began Jan. 1. Redemption is going much more slowly, because consumers need to wait for manufacturers to roll out the boxes and for retailers such as Best Buy Co. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to stock them. As of Friday, 280,128 coupons had been redeemed. The government started mailing the coupons in February.
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-digital9apr09,1,31507...
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