With the changeover to Digital TV coming up in February, people are confused on whether it will affect them or not, even some RVers are not sure if they need a Digital TV Converter Box to receive TV using their RV’s antenna. Here is the question I recently received and the answer I gave. Hopefully this information will clear up the most common questions people have about Digital TV.

I’m still confused about the digital TV thing. Our 2006 RV is cable and internet ready, but if we are not at a campground do we need a converter to pick up TV signals after Feb?

ANSWER

Thanks for your question. There is a lot of confusion about the change to Digital broadcast TV scheduled to take place on February 17, 2009.

If you do not have a TV with a digital tuner, you will not be able to receive any stations when using an antenna, all you will get is snow.

If you are at a campground with cable TV, you will be able to receive TV, whether your TV has a digital tuner or an analog tuner.

Since your RV is a 2006 model, there is a pretty good chance that you will need a converter box for each TV in your RV to watch TV using an antenna.

The government required that all TVs sold after March 1, 2007, had to have digital tuners. The TVs in your RV were manufactured before that.

You say that your RV is “cable and internet ready”. Unfortunately that does not mean that it is Digital TV ready. It simply means that the cable and wiring to hook up your TV and computer were pre-wired in when they constructed the unit.

The first thing I would do is find the owner’s manual for your TV/TVs. The manual will tell you specifically if it has a digital tuner. If you do not see anything in the manual about a digital tuner, then you will need a converter box.

If you are still not sure, try to find the model number of your TV (this is sometimes hard in an RV because the TVs are usually built into a cabinet). Once you find the model number, go to the TV Manufacturers website and look up the specifications for your TV. If the Specs do not mention “digital tuner” then, you will need a converter box.

Digital Converter boxes can cost as little as $40.00 to well over $100.00 (depending on the extra bells and whistles the box comes with).

The boxes are available at electronic stores, WalMarts, K-Marts etc.

Now, here is the GOOD NEWS. There is a government funded program to help offset the cost of purchasing a converter box for TVs without digital tuners.

This program is called the “TV Converter Box Coupon Program”. When you go to their website you fill out a simple form and you can receive up to two coupons valued at $40.00 each towards the purchase of a converter box.

These coupons look like credit cards and are accepted at places such as Best Buy, etc. Here is the catch; these coupons are only good for 90 days after the date they were mailed to you. There is a limit of 2 coupons per household.

The last I heard, the demand for these coupons was so great, that there was a chance that they would run out of them by the middle of January, unless they received more funding from the government.

The government website to get the coupons is www.dtv2009.gov Hopefully we have cleared up any confusion you might have.

Virtual receptionist is the smartest alternative available for small businesses that do not have enough funds to hire a receptionist to handle the huge number of inbound calls. To resolve customer issues, a dedicated customer support is essential in every office, whether big or small. Virtual receptionist for small businesses can indeed be seen as a blessing in this circumstance, as it provides dedicated support round-the-clock.

A hosted PBX phone system with auto attendant can act as a virtual receptionist. The auto attendant integrated with the hosted PBX system forms the interface between the company representatives and the callers. It will greet the callers with a custom greeting message and provide them with a menu containing various options such as dial by name, dial-by-extension, zero out to live operator and group dialing. One can get connected to the right extension through these options. The virtual receptionist transfers the important calls to the appropriate persons through dedicated phone lines or high bandwidth internet connections. Moreover, the virtual receptionist can handle multiple calls to your small business office simultaneously. The calls will be redirected to a voicemail system if the recipient is busy or not available. The voicemail messages can be received on the user’s regular email account as well. One can access his voicemail messages using a personal computer with internet connection.

Along with virtual receptionist, the hosted PBX phone service providers offer local numbers and toll free numbers to support the smooth functioning of small businesses. Local numbers give a local presence to the company while the toll free numbers give a nationwide presence.

With small business virtual receptionist, you can rest assured that you will never lose a client because of your inability to attend a phone.

Virtual hair style software is one of the most exciting services provided by beauty industry, if you are looking for a drastic change on your hairstyle, then, virtual hairstyles makeove is worth giving a try. You regularly read the major fashion magazines, stare intently at celebrities’ latest hairstyles and wonder whether now is the time to shear several inches or more from your present hairstyle. This is a brain-dead-simple solution, known as Virtual Hairstyle Makeover. It’s very easy, even your Grandma can manage it without any problem. The only 3 things you need are: 1. Internet access and 2. A photo of your face or a model or celebrity and 3. An access to a virtual hairstyle tool.

Advantages of Virtual Hairstyles Makeover

The great thing about a virtual hairstyle makeover is that there is no risk whatsoever, no panicking at the prospect of an unappealing cut, no regrets as hair is swept away from the floor of the salon, never to return. The advantages are immense and potential hairstyles are now viewable from all direction as there is no longer any need to guess what a haircut will look like from the side or from the back. Once you try, then you will know the beauty of virtual hairstyles system: The only limits lie with your imagination. It’s a fun and pain free way of viewing your own picture with different hair styles and colors.

So, don’t forget to try virtual hair-makeover for lots of fun before after photos, both men and women. You can find these programs on various hairstyles websites.