Megan

1inxs

Megan, welcome to the forum. The price of CECBs don't appear to be going up. Based on your post, you already have one (1) HDTV. You won't need a coupon eligible converter box (CECB) for the HDTV unless it is only HD ready or for some other reason doesn't include an ATSC tuner. CECBs are SD only and won't output a HD signal to your HDTV. I see no reason for waiting to purchase a CECB for another TV, if you are going to need one any time soon. The supply of the CECBs is getting low and you might not find one suitable for your needs if you wait too long.

DTVuser2009

As far as prices i would expect the reverse. when demand goes down the price will drop.

Orrymain

Even more so, you may not be able to find a converter box if you wait too long. I'm not sure how long they are going to make these available. I see it as a short term solution and while some may be available for a while, I'm not convinced about the long run. I would think this is a 10-year at best program, if that. People will be buying new TVs with the digital tuner built in, making the boxes unnecessary. Certainly, I doubt you'll be able to find much variety.

staticMHZ

yeah that may be the case, after a while they'll assume everyone either has a television with a built in tuner or they already have a box.

technology is advancing.

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bicker

There are a lot of folks who have speculated that the coupons, as long as they were valid, were artificially inflating the cost of the converters.

Yes, so that will buffer the effect on prices of the expiration of the coupons (once they actually start cycling out of circulation).

Especially since after tomorrow, there shouldn't be many televisions left that don't already have a converter, and they aren't making any more televisions that will need them.

DTVuser2009

I have an even better question, i wonder how long before we start seeing used converter boxes in thrift stores and flea markets?

HTNut

I would definitely buy before tomorrow or a weekend. I'm predicting a shortage! You heard it here first.

divxhacker

I give that four years, Before then, they'd be footballed around on eBay until the market has boxes that handle both low-power analog and digital, and has many output possibilities - hopefully one that can put out 480p as a norm for the coax and RCA video output. I hate interlaced, I can never get a good freeze-frame like I used to do for PBS cartoons. They always come out blurry.

Jay

Or how much longer it'll take after the coupon program has ended to see sub $20 converters on store shelves.