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Although congress has delayed the mandatory February 17 deadline of switching to digital TV, many analog television owners may be in for a rude awakening when they try to watch their shows on that day and find a snowy picture. Approximately 500 television stations have announced that they plan to make the switch to digital on February 17, regardless of the delay.

The new legislation does not mandate the delay; it gives television stations the option to decide when to make the switch.  So, this means some stations will continue to continue to broadcast in analog while others will be exclusively in digital.  To prevent the lost of broadcast, consumers will need to sign up for cable/satellite service, purchase a converter box or get a television set with a digital tuner. 

Although the official transition is not until June 12, it would probably benefit consumers to make the switch sooner than later.  This is especially important if you are concerned about missing the latest episode of Lost or American Idol.

Read: [PC World]