DTV Conversion Coupon program nearly at the breaking point

By Congressional standards (and those aren’t really high standards, mind you), the Digital Converter Voucher program has been a huge success. Maybe too successful.

In fact, they may actually run out of the coupons nearly a month before the February 17, 2009 transition deadline, which would be a pretty big public relations disaster after all the ads to switch before the deadline and the importance of the digital/DTV transition. It will mean better picture and sound, improved HDTV quality, and its long overdue, so it won’t be delayed more than likely.

Congress grabbed $1.34-billion for converter box vouchers to help absorb the cost of the mandatory digital changeover. There were over 1.5 million requests for vouchers just last week, so its not a huge shock coupons are running low.  The rules of the coupon offer are such that once they’re all gone, they’re gone and that’s it, unless any go unused. This means that those waiting until the last minute to make their request are either going to have to give up TV, pony up the money to buy their own converter boxes, get cable or satellite, or hope some of the coupons go unspent.

With the multiple bailouts and the dire financial straits of the country right now, it’s unlikely they’ll direct any more money towards this program, so if you’re one of those that need this device, it might be best to get your request in ASAP.