On February 17, 2009, all analog television broadcasts will be switched over to digital. Are you ready? If you have cable or satellite TV, yes, you are ready. Because cable and satellite are often already digital signals, and your receiver would then be a digital converter, the switch won’t even be noticeable.

But if you’re using an antenna you will probably need a digital converter box, but not necessarily.

Most newer televisions are digital. However, if the television does not have a built-in digital tuner, it will not be able to pick up the new digital broadcasts without a digital converter box. Televisions marked with “Digital Receiver,” “DTV” or “HDTV” should have a built-in digital turner and wouldn’t need a digital converter box.

If, on the other hand, the television is a “Digital Monitor” or “HDTV Ready” it is unlikely to have a built-in digital tuner.

To help make the digital transition easier for those using analog televisions, the government has set up the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program.

The program offers up to two $40 coupons to households to purchase eligible digital converter boxes. Go to the program’s website: http://www.dtv2009.gov/ for more information and to apply for the coupon.

It takes about two weeks on average to receive the coupon after submitting the application.

According to CNET.com, the Zenith DTT900 DTV and Insignia NS-DXA1 converter boxes are solid choices, with easy-to-use designs and good picture quality and reception. Both converters should be available from most major electronics retailers for around $60 and are eligible for the $40 coupons.

Digital converter boxes are used between an antenna and an analog television to change the digital signal being broadcast to an analog one so that the television can read the signal.

So just remember, if you don’t have cable or satellite television, or a television with a built-in digital tuner, you will need a digital converter box to still receive off-air television after February 17, 2009.