By David Vitrano
L’Observateur

LAPLACE—The long-touted transition to digital television is finally coming on Friday, June 12.

That means residents who receive broadcasts through an antenna must obtain a digital converter for their televisions by that date or run the risk of fading to black. Cable or satellite subscribers do not need to do anything to prepare for the change.

Converter boxes can be purchased at a number of local retail outlets or online. $40 vouchers also are still available through the Web site dtv.gov.

According to Reserve Telecommunications Vice President of Operations Scott Small, installing the boxes is a simple process that involves connecting a couple of cables. Consumers must take note, however, of the type of connection their set has for its antenna, as certain connections require an adapter.

Viewers who use an antenna will still need that antenna to receive broadcasts. The box does not take the place of an antenna.

The upside of the conversion will be better picture quality, even for analog viewers. It is not on the level of high definition, which is currently only available through cable or satellite providers, but the picture will be noticeably better, said Small.

On the other hand, digital transmissions are more of an all-or-nothing matter, said Small. Gone are the days of watching fuzzy channels; if an antenna is not receiving a clear enough signal from a digital transmitter, the picture will either be heavily pixelated or completely black.

Furthermore, those who are addicted to their portable television sets may run into problems after Friday. Most of the sets out today are analog and would also require a converter box, which kind of defeats the purpose of its portable-ness. Still, kits are available for anyone determined to hold onto their current totable entertainment center. Another option is a digital portable TV, but according to Small, these sets run in the range of $300.

The original date for the digital television conversion was February 17 of this year. It was hard to ignore as commercials alerting the public to the impending change plagued the airwaves in late 2008 and early 2009. That date, however, came and went with only a small percentage of broadcast stations making the switch. The reason for the inaction, according to Small, was it was felt not enough people were prepared for the change.

This time, those who still have not taken the proper precautions should not expect to be so lucky. According to Small, another postponement would have to go through Congress, and that seems unlikely at this late date.

“The real problem is they sold the analog spectrum last year,” said Small.

For more information on the digital television transition or to get a $40 voucher for a converter box, visit www.dtv.gov or call 1-888-CALL-FCC.