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When you head for grandma and grandpa's house this holiday, officials at the Department of Commerce hope you'll be looking at more than just the Christmas tree. They want you to check out the television, too.
The switch to digital television is just 71 days away, and that means if your grandparents have an older television, one that's connected to an over-the-air antenna, it will no longer work come Feb. 17, 2009, unless they buy a converter box.
Francine Giani with the Utah Department of Commerce says, "People need to step and just make sure, especially for seniors, because they do rely on television for some of that contact if they don't have relatives that live close by. We're asking everyone who is making visits this holiday season to check the television sets."
If their TV signal comes from a cable or satellite provider, they're set for the switch. If they have a new TV, there's no need to worry. The new televisions are built for a digital signal.
If neither of those applies, they're going to need a converter box. They cost about $60, but the government is still offering $40 coupons to off-set the cost.
And one last thing, if your grandparents live in St. George or anywhere in Washington County, it's important to know that KSL-TV will be switching to digital a little earlier: Dec. 15. For the rest of the state, our switch to digital will be Feb. 17, 2009.
If you need to get one of those coupons, CLICK HERE.
For more information on the switch, CLICK HERE.
E-mail: corton@ksl.com
