SEATTLE - If you have cable or satellite TV, the transition to all-digital (DTV) in February will be painless.
But if you're relying on just your converter box, you might have some work to do.
Will Urban, an antenna contractor in Seattle, says people who use the over-the-air-signals may be in for a shock when all TV broadcasts go digital next year.
"A lot of people are putting it off and saying, 'well I figure it out or I'll get someone to help me when the time comes,'" he said.
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One thing Urban doesn't see getting a lot of attention is antennas. If you're counting on a converter box during the transition to DTV, you'll need either a set of rabbit ears that fit on top of your TV or a big outdoor antenna to get a picture with digital.
"Make sure that it works," Urban said.
Antennas are kind of tricky. Some work better than others. A lot of it depends on where you live in relation to the towers, and even if you have an old TV antenna that works fine now, it might not pick up a digital signal.
"You don't know unless you try it out first," Urban said.
Figure out if you're in a dead spot blocked by the physical geography of the Puget Sound area, which could leave you with no picture at all.
"A lot of people just assume they're not in a dead area and they get the gear and they hook it up and they're really disappointed," Urban said.
Bottom line: Don't be surprised in February. Figure out your options ahead of time, before you're programming becomes limited.
Before you buy an antenna find out the store's return policy, in case you need to exchange it for another one.
Make sure you exhaust your options before committing to cable or satellite TV.
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