I got the coupon way back in the beginning of the summer - and found out that the boxes were not available in the local stores yet. They finally turned up locally about a month before the coupon was due to expire. And that was when we found out that *none* of the local stations had activated digital yet, so it was useless to us anyway. And then, some months after that, we decided that the price of LCD TVs had dropped enough that there was no reason for us to stick with the CRT TV anyway. So we got the new television, and gave the converter box and the old TV away to some deserving college students who helped us with some heavy lifting around the house.
The stupid thing about it is, the allowance of $40 to get a box means that *all* of the converter boxes will cost *at least* $40 (and more likely $50) until after the coupon program ends. I predict that within a year after that, you'll be able to pick one up for about ten bucks. Because ten bucks is about what people are willing to pay, and is about what the actual electronics and manufacturing are probably worth. I don't believe the coupon program actually reduces the prices for the consumer at all, it is just a flat-out subsidy for the manufacturers of converter boxes.
Given that they are doing this right at the very moment in time when the CRT television has officially become obsolete, anybody who cares particularly will be wanting to replace their bulky, heavy, cranky, energy-hungry old CRT television anyway. And anybody who doesn't care particularly will just skip over-the-air broadcasts anyway, and keep using their old TV for watching videos. Or as a paperweight, or whatever they are currently using it for. I really don't think the coupon program was at all necessary, or even useful or desirable.
2 comments:
There was a comment that people had trouble getting coupons. What a lame excuse. That may have been true 6 months ago. It's fixed.
I got a coupon and went to Best Buy and got a box. Of course. We have cable, and I don't need it. But I'm ready just the same.
I was going to use it with the Computer MB I'm going to do with the Scouts.
I got the coupon way back in the beginning of the summer - and found out that the boxes were not available in the local stores yet. They finally turned up locally about a month before the coupon was due to expire. And that was when we found out that *none* of the local stations had activated digital yet, so it was useless to us anyway. And then, some months after that, we decided that the price of LCD TVs had dropped enough that there was no reason for us to stick with the CRT TV anyway. So we got the new television, and gave the converter box and the old TV away to some deserving college students who helped us with some heavy lifting around the house.
The stupid thing about it is, the allowance of $40 to get a box means that *all* of the converter boxes will cost *at least* $40 (and more likely $50) until after the coupon program ends. I predict that within a year after that, you'll be able to pick one up for about ten bucks. Because ten bucks is about what people are willing to pay, and is about what the actual electronics and manufacturing are probably worth. I don't believe the coupon program actually reduces the prices for the consumer at all, it is just a flat-out subsidy for the manufacturers of converter boxes.
Given that they are doing this right at the very moment in time when the CRT television has officially become obsolete, anybody who cares particularly will be wanting to replace their bulky, heavy, cranky, energy-hungry old CRT television anyway. And anybody who doesn't care particularly will just skip over-the-air broadcasts anyway, and keep using their old TV for watching videos. Or as a paperweight, or whatever they are currently using it for. I really don't think the coupon program was at all necessary, or even useful or desirable.
Post a Comment