The Echostar TR-40 SDTV converter box will be $39.99 and free with a NTIA coupon.

[HDTV1080P]

These prices on the Digital to analog ATSC 480I converter boxes keep getting cheaper. I just received information from one of my reliable sources that the EchoStar TR-40 ATSC 480I output converter box which is scheduled to arrive in June is going to have a manufactories suggested retail price of only $39.99 and free with a NTIA coupon. Which also means every household in America can have two of these TR-40 boxes for free if they have two $40 NTIA Coupons. With the government offering every household two free 480I ATSC converter boxes people should not complain about the shutoff of the NTSC system in the US. This EchoStar TR-40 also has an electronic program guide with analog pass through and VCR timers. The VCR timers will be popular for people that have old VCR’s and DVD recorders without an ATSC tuner. Unless it is canceled there might be a RF only mono with no composite RCA jack Sansui and other brands of converter boxes coming in late 2008 for only $29.99.

The $40 NTIA Coupon is only good for SDTV 480I ATSC converter boxes
It is a shame that the $40 NTIA Coupon can only be applied to the lower quality SDTV 480I ATSC converter boxes. It would be ideal if the $100-$160+ Coby, Samsung, and other true HDTV 1080I ATSC boxes could also receive the $40 credit. There are still several people that own a 720P, 1080I, and 1080P monitor or older HDTV’s without the ATSC tuner. Hopefully people with a true HDTV display will be smart enough to purchase the correct box so they do not down convert the local programming to 480I quality.