DTV to analog TV tuners in stores by Jan 18th. Be sure to get your $40 coupons.

As a public service, were a passing along the news that DTV set top boxes should be showing up on retailers shelves by Feb 18. So says the NTIA:

DTV converter boxes should be on store shelves by Feb. 18, one year before the turn-off date of analog television, the acting administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) said last week.

Meredith Atwell Baker, acting NTIA administrator, made the statement at the first formal meeting with its government partners in a wide-ranging DTV education effort. She said she did not think the FCC will need to require broadcasters to air public service announcements about the transition or cable operators to use bill stuffers, adding that voluntary industry efforts remained the best way to get the message across. (from Broadcast Engineering)

You are entitled to 2 $40 coupons toward the purchase of 2 boxes. If you have not applied for your coupons yet, you may do so here. No word on how quickly the coupons are being issued. We applied on Jan 02, the first day online apps were accepted and are still waiting.

Please be sure to share this information. Our potential Third Pipe in the air depends on transitioning the analog TV world. It’s a safe bet the transition will be delayed if enough broadcasters complain, so lets make sure they will not have a reason.