Chances are, you feel pretty strongly that you give enough of your hard-earned money to your state as it is, but if you're a resident of California, Connecticut, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Texas or Wisconsin who purchased a DTV converter box from Best Buy, you may have donated a little extra. Reportedly, some Best Buy locations accidentally overcharged for sales tax when deducting the $40 government voucher from the purchase price of DTV boxes, and now the retailer is looking to right the ship by doling out refunds. If you paid with a credit card, sit tight -- your check is in the mail; if you used greenbacks, don't even bother spending $5 per gallon to retrieve your $2.50.

[Thanks, Matthew]

Heads-up, DTV holdouts. Your digital-to-analog converter box has arrived, and it's shipping right now. DISH Network's DTVPal (known as the Sling TR-40 in a previous life) can be snapped up as we speak from the DTVPal website or by phone. Best of all, the $59.99 box qualifies for the NTIA's coupon program, meaning that you can procure one for just $19.99 -- if your voucher hasn't expired yet, that is. For those still on the fence, you can check out a review of the box here.

RCN already pulled the trigger and shot down any remaining analog stations in Chicago earlier this year, and now the time has come for the same merciless execution to hit Boston. Starting next month, the cable company will be nixing analog channels in order to "make room for more digital channels." Notably, RCN will be offering up converter boxes gratis for those currently without ($2.95 per month for additional ones), although it's estimated that 80% of the carrier's Bay State subscribers are already well equipped for the digital shift. Mum's the word on when this change will enable it to toss in a few more high-def offerings, but here's to hoping it's sooner rather than later.

By now, we're sure you've heard just how much the US government is allocating for the 2009 analog shutoff ($1.5 billion), not to mention the boatloads of cash that has been / will be spent on advertising. A new report, however, is explaining that the impending switchover could be costly to more than just the feds. Cable companies, broadcasters and consumers all have legitimate complaints, and each of the groups will be sharing some of the associated costs. Many argue that broadcasters are actually benefiting from the change, as they essentially garner free spectrum to use for channel expansion. Of course, these very broadcasters assert that it's costing them millions to procure equipment necessary to comply with the mandate, and cable companies are shouting in a similar tone. In the end, the article suggests that all of this may really be "much ado about nothing," and while we can't help but agree (with reservations), we're just hoping that all this unoccupied spectrum will lead to a universal boost in HD programming.

Given yesterday's post about the use (or non-use, as it were) of government-issued digital TV vouchers, we began to wonder if our own readers were having difficulties tracking a box down before their coupons expired. We already asked if you were aiming to get one, and if you stated yes, has finding one been a lesson in futility / simplicity? Let us know below!

For those of you out there who have managed to hang on to your government-issued DTV voucher(s), this is probably the box you've been waiting for. CNET just wrapped up a review of the DTVPal (formerly known as the Sling TR-40), and overall, it couldn't find a whole lot to hate. The EPG was deemed "excellent," the analog pass-throughs were smiled upon and the "solid" reception seemed to delight. They did knock the "overcomplicated" remote and the lack of front-panel buttons, but in the end, those niggles didn't keep critics from calling it "a top choice" for folks on the hunt for a digital TV converter. Tracking one down before your coupon expires is apt to be the real challenge.

Okay, it's not that alarming, now is it? How often do you (or wait, let's use your neighbor in this example) let mailer coupons sit around, collect dust and expire? Yeah, exactly. According to a recent writeup over at WDEF-TV, around half of the 840,000 government-issued digital TV coupons have already expired before they were used, and interestingly enough, Congress may not be placing all of the blame on procrastination. It's said that many folks are still having a tough time tracking a converter box down, and judging by Ben's runaround a few months back, we guess we can sympathize. For those with recently expired vouchers, you may want to keep them around a few weeks longer -- if this proves to be too widespread, The Man may actually extend their useful life to enable more citizens to get discounts.

Dilly-dallying around, are you? Even if you haven't taken the time to secure a digital converter box for the impending 2009 analog shutoff just yet, RadioShack has a box incoming that may tickle your fancy. The Digital Stream DTX9950 not only enables your antiquated set to receive OTA signals long after the February 17, 2009 switchover (Wilmington, North Carolina notwithstanding), but it also features an analog pass-through. According to the company, said feature will "enable consumers who watch full and low-power TV stations to do so without the need for a splitter or A/B switch to a digital-only converter box." Better still, this one is NTIA approved, meaning that your $40 government voucher can be used on the $59.99 device if it's still valid as of this week.

To no one's surprise, retailers are putting up a fight against fines handed out by the FCC regarding point-of-sale notification that analog-only TVs will go black after the digital switchover. Circuit City was the first to lodge a complaint and Best Buy followed quickly afterwards. Among the retailers' complaints are: the required signage was never made available for comment, the acts were not "willful or repeated," and that the FCC has no jurisdiction over the sales. We've tried to use arguments similar to those first two on speeding tickets -- you guess the result. Whether or not the FCC has jurisdiction is the more interesting point; the commission justified imposition of its point-of-sale rules in part III-B of its "Second Report and Order." Our take is that this legal action is really just a not-so-friendly way to negotiate the fines down, and expect the retailer bandwagon to get crowded if this is successful.

Read - Circuit City challenges FCC fine
Read - Best Buy challenges FCC fine
Read - FCC "Second Report and Order" [PDF link]

The idea of testing and/or "rolling" the digital transition across select US markets makes sense -- such a large change is sure to come with its share of hiccups. One Las Vegas station actually simulated the analog shutoff last week, though, and it came off pretty smoothly. During its newscasts, NBC affiliate KVBC put up a simulated "static snow" image with a graphic overlay instructing confused viewers to call the DTV transition phone number for info. How many calls did the KVBC front desk receive? One. Kudos to KVBC for pulling this little test -- as we all know, the real implications of the analog cutoff won't dawn on many people until they actually lose reception. This is a "news you can use" feature we'd like to see catch on around the rest of the country!

Britain began its own digital switchover months ago, but now it seems that there may be some grousing in the UK about the post-analog world. There are some serious concerns about the takeoff of HDTV in Europe, and a recent report concludes that HD-DTT (digital terrestrial television) penetration could be limited to 7-percent by the time the analog shutoff completes in 2012. But now the UK, acting as a bellwether for Europe, is considering plans to hand back up to 12 frequencies initially headed to the auction block. The good news: this plan would produce up to 40 HD-DTT channels for all to enjoy. The bad news: this would require broadcasters to modify their transmission equipment beyond initial plans for the digital transition, which in many cases has already moved into implementation. That sounds expensive, and if European broadcasters are anything like US ones, expense was the major hurdle in getting onboard with the analog shutoff to begin with. We really admire the goal of getting OTA HD across Europe, but we don't think this will fly -- at least not without some serious turbulence.

Alright, so we've already covered the step-by-step to acquiring a digital converter box for those looking to keep that analog set kicking for the foreseeable future, but what about folks who just want a vanilla TV that'll hold its own after February of 2009? Suzanne Choney over at MSNBC has put together a checklist that encompasses just about everyone -- from folks looking to snag a non-HD digital set to individuals mulling the decision to buy a unit with an integrated CableCARD. Of course, the obvious question that must be asked when shopping a new set is "Does this thing have a built-in ATSC tuner?" If so, you're golden. Still, it's a pretty handy guide for those sick and tired of wading through paragraphs upon paragraphs of technobabble, so give it a peek if you're still scratching your head.

[Image courtesy of NFM]

You knew it was coming, but now Verizon's putting the rubber to the road with its effort to phase out the last remaining analog channels on FiOS TV. The carrier will tackle the phase out on a regional basis, starting with New York on April 21st. Those affected should have already received notification of the impending change, as Verizon will be doling out free digital adapters to keep said customers from pulling their hair out in frustration. Of course, it's not missing the chance to offer up more sophisticated set-tops to these very folks in hopes of coaxing them into bigger, clearer packages, but it's not like we're going to argue with Verizon trying to up the HD adoption rate around here.

It's official: HD aficionados in the UK will soon be able to get their fix via Freeview. If you'll recall, the Freeview HD trial that took place in 2006 went over quite well, and according to Ofcom, up to four free HD channels will be broadcast. Unfortunately, users looking forward to such niceties will be forced to wait until analog is switched off in their neck of the woods, and of course they'll also need an HD-ready TV and a new set-top-box. We've already heard that BBC will be one of the four channels, and ITV, Channel 4, Five and Welsh network S4C have all been "invited to bid for [the other] three slots in which they can broadcast high-definition TV or other new services." On the upside, the whole of the country should be digital by 2012, just in time for the London Olympics -- and for those lucky souls in and around Whitehaven, you'll get the spoils first.

[Thanks, Kieran and Andy]

Granted, almost half of OTA-only households in America (48-percent, to be precise) are planning on picking up a digital converter box in order to get a few more years of life out of their old set, but for those taking other routes -- like spending their stimulus checks on a new flat-panel -- it seems as if tossing 'em in the garbage is a last resort. According to new research from the Consumer Electronics Association, fewer than 15 million NTSC-only TVs will be removed from homes through 2010. Of those, 95-percent will be resold, donated or recycled -- or so the owners say. We can also remember a time when Salvation Army accepted bulky, inefficient CRT computer monitors with open arms, but trying to hand one over today can be a lesson in futility depending on the store. All in all, we figure it's easy for respondents to voice good intentions, but shortly after these sets become useless in the OTA realm without a DTV converter, we have our doubts about the vast majority of them dodging the dump for very long.