Act soon to try out your TV's converter

As my Aunt Thelma would say, "This is not acceptable."

If you have an over-the-air set, it's time to find out if your signal is acceptable. Wal-Mart is selling converter boxes for $50, while Radio Shack and Circuit City are selling units for $60. I would suggest buying only one box to start. If it works, buy identical boxes for additional TVs; if it doesn't work, you can try another brand.

Hook the first box to your TV with your current antenna (or buy a rabbit ears if your TV's built-in antenna is hardwired). If you have a roof antenna, connect the antenna cable to the converter and run a cable from the converter to the antenna input on your TV set.

If everything works as planned, you'll get a better picture than you ever had before. If you can't get a decent picture without investing lots of money that you don't want to spend, let your congressman know now. Only Congress has the power to postpone the switch until the kinks are worked out.

For information on the digital transition and the government's $40 coupons for converters, visit www.dtv.gov or call 1-888-388- 2009. Hearing-impaired consumers should call 1-877-530-2634 (English/TTY) or 1-866-495-1161 (Spanish/TTY).

mike.himowitz@baltsun.com