First, please understand that you are talking about two different animals here.
HDTV is High Definition TV.
DTV refers to Digital TV.
They are not the same subject.
When broadcast TV goes over to digital next year, those of us who get "over the air" transmissions via antenna will all have to have either a TV set that already has the ATSC tuner in it that receives digital content or get a box that will convert the digital signals to the analog TVs that many of us still have. If you are on cable or satellite you may still be getting an analog signal because they are not required to go digital only just yet. They can pick up the digital transmission and send it to you in analog form. But most likely they will go digital eventually if not immediately. At that point you may need a converter of some sort.
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Analog sets connected to a cable or satellite box shouldn't require a converter. But older, so-called cable-ready TV sets (in which the cable plugs directly into the set) may need a converter box unless, as some expect, the cable company converts digital signals to analog for their analog-cable subscribers.
HDTV refers to the resolution of the image. You must have a set that is capable of receiving high def AND a high def signal. Many people who buy HDTVs are angry when they get it home and realize their signal is standard definition and they have to pay more (via cable or satellite) to get the better resolution. Though if they are going from old analog images to any digital output they would see a big improvement anyway.
As to the coupons, I signed up for mine but don't expect them to be sent out for a few weeks since the converters are not in a wide variety of stores yet. Several manufacturers have them ready but I imagine not in enough quantity to put in stores. Note that the coupons will only be good for 90 days from issue and only for the FCC approved boxes.
Will you need a new antenna to receive digital signals? Probably not if you now get a good signal from your present setup.
Here's a good way to find out.
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You can also go to the FCC.com website, click on "Media" on the right-hand side (down just a little bit), when that page comes up, click on "Video Division, Including TV" on the left-hand side and the when the next page comes up, click on "TV Query".
When the TV Query comes up, there is a spot for "Call Sign". Put the call sign for the stations that you receive in the box (i. e. KHOU). Scroll down to the box with the various formats listed and click on "TV Query (detailed output, including CDBS links)"
Information about the station will come up. Scroll down to the section that has "Digital" to the right of the page, it will be in red. Click on "Service Contour Map" and you will get a coverage map of the usable signal for the station. This will give you an idea of how far inside (or, alas, outside) the contour you are and your chances of continuing to receive the station. You can do this for all of them. Be sure to click on the full power section or you may pull up info on a "Special Temporary Authorization" that does not indicate the final coverage for the station.
This will at least tell you if you are within the range of the signal. However you may have to redirect your antenna or get a better one if you have hilly terrain between you and the station.
I did some digging at the site because my DVR gets most of the digital signals from NYC except NBC. I found an application from them for an extension to construct a new digital antenna. When the Twin Towers came down they took all the TV stations with them. Most relocated to the Empire State Building but are sharing spots on the antenna and some are not as powerful as others. I think the NBC digital signal is just too weak to receive for me.
Here are some other links for further info.
List of accepted converters and discussion. Note the following:
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these converter boxes are FORBIDDEN to have any HDTV outputs (HDMI, DVI, component, TOSLINK, Digital Coax audio) whatsoever. The primary purpose is to allow the old analog TVs to receive the ATSC signals, and to that end, all they need for outputs are RF modulator, s-video, composite video, and at least 1 set RCA analog audio output jacks
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=948767Some have already reached stores:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.js...rentPage=searchhttp://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?sk...d=1199495190393http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8343230http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8283870More:
http://www.dtv.gov/http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=704585
