Do you have an unused, unexpired coupon to buy a converter box for the upcoming digital TV transition? If so, a project started by public-interest groups in the Twin Cities — Donate DTV – is asking you to donate it for people in need. For each coupon donated, Blaine-based electronics retailer Mosquito Productions will provide free converter boxes to organizations that help rural communities, Latinos and people with disabilities.

The Minnesota-based charitable organizations that make up Donate DTV include Main Street Project,  Minnesota Media Empowerment Project, People Escaping Poverty Project and Arc Greater Twin Cities.

On June 12, all TV stations will switch to all-digital broadcasts. Viewers with older, analog TV sets who use an over-the-air antenna will lose all programming unless they take action. Getting a converter box is the cheapest option and is helped by a government-backed program that issues $40 vouchers to defray the costs of the devices, which start at $40. More expensive options include subscribing to cable or satellite services, or buying a digital TV. 

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 7th, 2009 at 10:32 am and is filed under DTV switchover. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.