Give the Gift of Digital Television With a Converter Box for Friends and Family

Give the Gift of Digital Television With a Converter Box for Friends and Family

Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Suggests Helping Less Fortunate Make Digital TV Transition with Affordable Set-Top Converter Box

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the most thoughtful gifts of the holiday season may be to help a friend, family member or someone in need make the transition to digital television (DTV) ahead of the February 2009 switch-off of analog TV signals by full-power broadcasters.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081219/AQF026)

This is the perfect time of year to think of others and to help your neighbors who might need assistance with the DTV transition," says Mark Lloyd, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the nation's leading grassroots human rights organization.

"Low-income households, seniors, minorities, or persons with disabilities -- those millions of Americans most likely to be adversely affected -- cannot be permitted to lose their television lifelines, even for just a day or two," he said. "If you know of someone who is watching analog TV today with an antenna, please do what you can to help that individual make the transition now."

When considering your gift list, consider that one of the most affordable ways to make the transition is with the purchase of a digital-to-analog converter box, like the DTT901 from Zenith. The federal government is offering $40 discount coupons for consumer purchase of digital TV converter boxes. Coupons, which are delivered by mail, need to be requested by the end of the year at http://www.dtv2009.gov/, or by calling 1-888-DTV-2009. The Zenith converter box is widely available at national retailers at a suggested retail price of less than $60 (just $20 with the government coupon).

Zenith is encouraging analog TV viewers to install their boxes now to begin enjoying the benefits of digital broadcasting and to avoid possible confusion about receiving the new digital channels on Feb. 17, 2009, when the nation's full-power TV broadcasters make the transition to all-digital service.

With only two months remaining until the analog switch-off, Zenith has stepped up its consumer education efforts by launching an online resource to help consumers properly install their new converter boxes. The Zenith web site (http://www.zenith.com/dtv) includes a new online video that, among other things, shows how to scan the new digital channels with a touch of a button on the box's remote control. Captioned and also available online in Spanish, the video shows how easy it is to connect a converter box to an analog TV (http://www.zenith.com/dtv/setup.html).

The Zenith DTT901 digital TV tuner converter box, endorsed by low-power community broadcasters, full-power broadcasters and disability advocates for its ease-of-use, combines advanced digital technology in a simple package for consumers. Watching digital full-power or analog low-power TV stations are both possible with the DTT901, which is designed to "pass through" analog TV signals from the antenna to the TV when the converter box is turned off. When turned on, the converter's on-board digital tuner delivers additional channels of weather, news, and entertainment sent by local digital TV broadcasters.

If you already have a digital TV (with a built-in digital tuner) or if your analog TVs are connected to cable or satellite, the digital TV broadcast transition won't affect you directly, but you can still help others make the transition to DTV, suggests LCCR's Lloyd. If you applied for government coupons and don't need two after all, you may wish to help someone obtain a converter box with it or even purchase a box as a gift without using a coupon.

"Think about your neighbors in need during this season of giving," Lloyd urges. "Consider donating one or more converter boxes to your local senior center, assisted living facility, church or synagogue. For those in need, it will not only brighten their holidays but brighten their lives year 'round."

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Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081219/AQF026
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN3
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: Zenith

CONTACT: John Taylor of Zenith, +1-847-941-8181, john.taylor@zenith.com;
or Dave Arland, +1-317-701-0084, dave@arlandcom.com, for Zenith; or Maggie Kao
of LCCR, +1-202-466-4735, kao@civilrights.org

Web site: http://www.zenith.com/
http://www.dtv2009.gov/

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Profile: International Entertainment