Time to get ready for digital TV

The digital television transition may have been delayed, but there's no better time than the present to prepare for it. That's because despite the deadline's postponement, some local stations plan to switch off their analog transmissions later this month anyway. Meanwhile, consumers who need converter boxes to receive the new signals could face holdups in getting them. And even once they have them, they may face setup issues. Connecting the boxes to an analog television is relatively straightforward. But tuning in the digital channels may prove troublesome, particularly for consumers who get weak analog signals now. With weak analog signals, consumers typically can still get a picture, albeit a fuzzy one. With digital signals, however, a weak signal can mean either a picture that cuts in and out — or no picture at all.