Screens Would Go Black

February 17 of 2009 could be a day marked in the history books as the Dawn of the Digital Age of Television. The original plan of Congress was to cease all analog television signals and convert the nation's T.V. stations to digital. Of course, not everyone has a television that can receive digital signals, and very few wish to buy a new television because of the plans of the government. In order to reach neutral ground, the digital converter box was introduced. This box, as most know, is designed to allow older model televisions to receive and interpret digital signals. The box runs around $50, and is purchasable at most Walmarts and Targets, as well as various other electronic stores.

However! Congress is seeking to push back the historical transfer date!

Apparently, there are still twenty million people without digital converters. I've spoken to a few people I have classes with at university, and I've heard some stories that indicate the boxes could be pretty hard to come by, at times. Is this because the devices are under-produced? Or are people buying multiple boxes for multiple T.V.s? I guess another pressing question might be: Will we be ready on the new projected conversion date? Only time will tell.