Government Subsidized Television

The government has given us clear TV reception.

Remember the last post (and probably several others prior to that one) where I mentioned that we are cheapskates?

Yes? So, it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that we do not have cable. We have never had cable. In fact, we went for a few months at the beginning of our marriage without a television at all.

The problem with no cable and an antenna (almost the best antenna available at Best Buy, by the way), is that next year all the television channels are going to be broadcast in HD only. Our antenna will be useless at that point.

Sooooo… in steps the government.

Because, I mean, we didn’t ask for broadcasting technology to improve. We were perfectly happy to watch the major networks with a bit of snow and some rabbit ears. So, it really wouldn’t be fair to ask us to pay for 30 channels of cable television when we only want the 15 we can get with the antenna.

To rectify the unfairness of it all, the government is providing coupons for HD TV converter boxes to all who apply.

I can only suppose that the legislators in Washington saw the injustice of the situation and spent probably a year coming up with this brilliant solution. (That’s as opposed to working on things like immigration, wars, and healthcare. I mean, come on. What’s more important? Children going to see the doctor or frugal Americans being able to watch the tube?)

So, of course we applied for and received a coupon from the government to help us out of our desperate situation.

(Let this be a warning to all of you who a.) do not have cable or satellite and b.) use only an antenna to watch television. Apply for your very own government coupon to buy a box that will allow you to continue watching TV! Do it now!)

(Or, more realistically, just keep sitting there chuckling at the fact that someone out there actually does not have cable and has to buy a special device to continue watching the 15 channels they do get in order to keep up with all the new fangled technology.)

So last weekend we visited Best Buy, armed with our government issued coupon for a magical TV converter box.

I have no idea what HD does or means. I don’t have a clue how this box hooked up to our TV now gives us crystal clear picture on our 15 channels, but it does. No more moving the antenna around to find the least blurry view. We even get an on-screen TV show guide. We are moving up in the world.

Thank you, U.S. government.