Digital TV switchover and the potential for eWaste

I read a small blurb in the Sunday paper that made me happy: the government is looking to postpone the switch to digital TV in the US yet again. Oh please. Oh please. Generally, I'm not a procrastinator. But in this case, I have been.

Like most people in the nation, I knew the change was coming for about a year and a half: February 17, 2009. But I did not apply for any of those government-issued digital TV coupons (and now I understand they're all out -- but there's a waiting list!). I also am still unclear if we would need those set-top boxes. We have one very swanky newish TV that is flat-panel, high-def, blah-blah-blah (I'm just so uninterested in all that latest technology hoo-ha. I've pretty much left it all up to my geeky, techie husband to figure out what we will need for this new era of television, which may explain the procrastination factor). We have a bare-bones basic cable connection ($11/month). We also did a little experiment last week with rabbit ear antennas. We were able to tune in one local TV station that is already broadcasting digitally, but not very well, and only on one TV (not the fancy flat-panel one). So that option doesn't look promising.

I also tried to convince Heather that she will need the set-top converter box for her old TV (she also has basic cable). But I'm still confused. So I quizzed a cable guy the other day, and he said no to the boxes. But said our signal would be degraded even if we do subscribe to basic cable (huh? Then why am I subscribing?). To further complicate matters, our local cable provider, Comcast, was recently featured in an Oregonian article saying they're moving to digital even sooner than February, but somehow different. Oh, why does this have to be so darned confusing? Really, I'm not a Luddite.

My husband and I have also floated the idea that perhaps we should go without TVs. As much as I like that idea, I know that would mean we'd not really give up watching TV-like content. but we'd hover around our computers more. And I really don't want to do that. My office chair has already left a permanent impression on my posterior. And I'm NOT bringing the sofa in front of the computer, or the computer in front of the sofa!

The only thing I can say with certainty on this subject is that if everyone just went out and bought a new digital-ready TV and got rid of their old ones it could create an eWaste nightmare of ginormous proportions, and/or the thrift stores would be overwhelmed with donations of old TVs. I guess if there's one thing that's good about our crappy economy, it's that most people can't afford big ticket electronic purchases right now. So let's keep our fingers crossed we can stem the eWaste tsumani by making do with what we have -- either by adding the set-top boxes, subscribing to a cable/satellite service, going the route of the low-end rabbit ears or whatever you have deemed will work in your situation. If you do get a new TV, please freecycle or craigslist your old (working) one.

Have you figured out the whole digital TV switchover thing, and are you ready? Or are you already living TV-free with words of wisdom for those of us toying with the idea?