Representative Mike Michaud represents Maine's 2nd District in the United States Congress.

The nationwide switch to digital television is just around the corner. If you are unaware of the switch and what it means, you are not alone. I am writing this today in order to shed some light on the issue.

A few years ago, Congress passed, and the President signed a bill that established February 17, 2009 as the date broadcasters must cease their analog service and begin digital service.

There are many positive things about the transition to the new digital television (DTV) service. By abandoning analog service, spectrum will be freed up and used for the expansion of other commercial services such as broadband. Additional air waves will also be made available to firefighters and police so that radio communication during emergencies is more effective.

The transition also offers benefits to consumers. Digital television offers sharper pictures, a wider screen, CD-quality sound, better color rendition, and the provision by broadcasters of multiple video programming or a single program of high definition television (HDTV).

While the transition to DTV has many positive benefits, it does not come without inconvenience. If you rely on over-the-air broadcasts through the use of rabbit ear or rooftop antennas, there are a couple of steps that you should take to ensure that your TV still works after February 17, 2009.

The analog antennas and analog televisions that many of us have will not be compatible with DTV. In order for our analog televisions to continue to work when the analog signal is turned off, many of us will have to buy converter boxes. These set-top boxes cost between $50 and $70 each.

In order to help cover the cost of the converter box, the federal government is currently offering up to two converter box coupons valued at $40 (approaching the full cost of a box) each to households. For more information or to request a coupon, you should call 1-888-388-2009 or visit www.dtv.gov. According to the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration, just over 110,000 coupons have already been requested by Maine residents.

But before you buy a converter box, you should check to see that your TV does not already have a digital tuner. If you have purchased a TV within the past five years, you should check the manual to see if it is equipped with the tuner. Television sets older than five years likely do not have the digital tuner built in. Once you have obtained a converter box coupon, you’ll have 90 days to use it before it expires.

There is a lot of information available out there on this digital television conversion, but I'm afraid a lot of people still haven't heard of it or are unaware that it is so close. I encourage you to seek more information and share it with your neighbors so that in early 2009 everyone is prepared.

In the meantime, I will work with my colleagues in Congress to ensure that we do everything we can to make this transition as painless as possible.