SEATTLE – On February 17th, 2009, TV goes all digital and the old style signal that's been used since TV began will be turned off by federal law. But without an upgrade, some TV's will stop working.

Now there's concern over the boxes and the government's plan to cover the cost.

If you're getting TV over cable or Satellite, then you're not going to have a problem with your older TV. But for any TV's getting their signal over the air from rabbit ears or an outdoor antenna. Then you've got a problem.

"A lot of people can't afford to go out and buy a new TV," says Jill Novik, communications advisor for the City of Seattle.  She says 100,000 households in Seattle alone get TV over the air.  She's particularly worried about the poor and the elderly.

"Come February 18th, 2009, they'll wake up turn on the TV, and there won't be anything there. And they won't understand," says Novik.

Starting next month, you can go on line or call a government agency and apply for coupons to buy a converter box so your old TV can work.

But there are strings.

The government will make two coupons available per household, but won't issue them before the middle of this coming February.  Each is worth $40 toward the purchase of a converter box, but they're only valid for 90 days and there are no replacements if they're lost or expire unused.

The industry says starting this coming February, the converter boxes should be in stores like Best Buy. Prices are expected to be $50-$70.

It's a tricky guessing game for retailers.  They have to decide just how many converters to have in stock because so many people are buying new high definition televisions that are designed to work with digital television.