The Digital-to-Analog Converter Box

A digital-to-analog converter box is a unit that connects to your television and picks up over-the-air digital signals to convert them for display on a standard analog television.

If you have more than one analog television that receives signals with an antenna or "rabbit ears," and your local television stations have switched to digital, you need a digital-to-analog converter box for each one.

Remember, if you watch television via cable, satellite, or the Internet, you do not need a converter box to receive over-the-air digital television.

Need a Digital-to-Analog Converter Box? Consider the Following

Digital-to-analog converter boxes are available at a number of electronics and general retailers, both in-store and online.

You need a converter box that has an analog pass-through feature to be able to watch channels that have switched to digital and channels that are still broadcasting in analog. This feature is useful if you live in an area where some stations have switched to digital and some stations will continue to broadcast in analog after the August 31, 2011 transition deadline.

Look for the following label to ensure the box is suitable for use in Canada: "Supplementary Television Receiving Apparatus - Appareil supplémentaire de réception de télévision, Canada, BETS-7 / NTMR-7."

Make sure to ask about the return policy. You will want to be able to return the box if you find that it does not work with your television once you have brought it home.

Take the time to read the instructions that come with your converter box before you install it. Once you have completed the installation, try rescanning if you're having difficulty finding some channels.

Remember, you do not need a converter box for the transition to over-the-air digital television if you already have a television with a built-in digital tuner, or if you subscribe to cable, satellite, or an Internet protocol (IP) television service.