Less than six weeks from now, the United States are scheduled to make the transition from analog to digital television, which could result in leaving approximately 8 million of the nation’s households in a black out.

The event is prone to happen because this week, the Commerce Department announced that it had run out of money to subsidize digital converter boxes, which people who don’t have cable or satellite service or a TV with a digital need in order to be able to still receive signal when the switch occurs.

The program that was supposed to provide viewers with the coupons to reduce the cost of the converter boxes was the main reason behind the fact that president-elect Barack Obama’s transition team asked the Congress to postpone the scheduled for February 17 transition.

Nevertheless, the shortage of funds for the $40 vouchers is not the only issue where the switch to digital television is concerned.

Another problem is that many people could come to lose some channels they now have via analog TV unless they also purchase a new antenna, along with a converter box, in case they need one.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) informed that 18 percent of the nation’s television stations would have a digital signal that would reach about 2 percent fewer viewers than they used to through analog broadcast.

Moreover, given that digital TV offers either a clear picture or no picture at all, people who are currently getting fuzzy reception will get no reception once the transition takes place.

Therefore, they will need both a converter box and a more powerful indoor or outdoor antenna, but unfortunately, the government does not subsidize for the latter piece of equipment that costs between $75 and $150.