Do you need to prepare for the digital TV switch?

There's been a lot of misinformation out there about the February 2009 switch from analog to digital broadcasts in the TV world. Digital signals take up a much smaller chunk of spectrum than analog ones. So this change will allow the government to reclaim wireless real estate from TV stations and then sell it off at auction. You might think that your old, non-digital TV will be useless when the change is made. But that's not entirely correct. First, let's clarify who this coming change will affect. The more than 80 percent of people who use cable or satellite to get TV won't have to worry about anything. It's the less than 20 percent who watch TV for free with rabbit ears who will have to make a change.

Here's what you need to know if you fall into the latter category: Your old TV will not be trash in 2009. It just needs a converter box that allows it to accept digital signals. The feds are subsidizing two $40 vouchers for each person with an old TV. But don't run out to get them just yet; the coupons are only good for 90 days and the boxes are still fairly expensive. By the fall, Clark expects that they'll be at a price point where the vouchers should cover most of the cost. The neat thing is that the picture on your old TV will improve once you get a digital signal.