February 17th of 2009 - that's the date TV stations will no longer broadcast analog signals, and switch to all-digital.

For most of you, the change should be painless. But if you have an older TV, and don't subscribe to cable or satellite service - be warned. The stations you usually pull in with just an antenna will be blacked out.

Newschannel 7 knows this can be confusing, so lets start with an easy question: How do you know if your TV is analog or digital?

Well if you purchased it in the last couple years, its probably digital. "Digital tuners have been required by the FCC to be built into TV sets”, said Brandon Knapp, electronics manager at Furniture and Appliancemart in Wausau. “As far as the old analog sets, most of those have been moved out, and have been gone from most floor displays for at least the past six to eight months."

If you're still not sure whether your TV is analog or digital, you can check on your television or in your instruction manual. If it says a 'digital tuner', ATSC tuner' is built in, your television will work just fine one year from now - no matter how you're getting your signals. But if you find your TV is analog-only, you're not alone.

Wisconsin ranks 3rd in the nation with 23%, more than half a million households, relying on over the air signals for television. That means our state has to do more to be prepared for the switch-over.

“Uniformly we're trying to make people aware of this cutoff time”, said Representative Jerry Petrowski. “Then they can make whatever adjustments to continue to have that TV that's out there on the airwaves." Petrowski says State government officials say they'll be talking about the switch over the next year to build awareness, and they're not the only ones hoping to help with the switch.

"We're trying very hard to let people know this is coming”, said Tom Moore, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Cable Communications Association. “I know other broadcast and consumer electronics, even the Federal Government is trying to let people know that there's something they may have to do."

So just what options do you have if you have an analog TV that won't work after next February’s switch? First of all, you could buy a new TV with a digital tuner. Secondly, you could subscribe to either cable or satellite. Either service would provide you with a box to receive the digital signal for you. But the third, least expensive option is to buy a digital-to-analog converter box. These boxes are about to hit stores shelves, and cost between 49 and 69 dollars. But the federal government will help you pick up the tab.

The Federal Government offering two $40 coupons per household to put towards the converter box. You can apply for those coupons though the website linked to below. But once again, you only need it if you have an analog TV that uses an antenna to get its signal instead of cable or satellite.