Reply #93: Wrong.

[onenote]

Congress expressly amended the Communications Act of 1934 to not only authorize the FCC to auction the spectrum in question, but to mandate it to do so. And auctions were first authorized by Congress in 1994, when the Democrats controlled both Houses of Congress and the White House. Additional auction authority was given to the FCC by Congress in 1997, which admittedly was when the repubs controlled both houses, but also was still under a Democratic president.

As for the price of the converters, the only converters that the $40 coupon will apply to are basic devices, not the higher end $150 devices to which you refer. EchoStar, which recently purchased SlingMedia and is entering the consumer electronics market, has announced that it will have $39.95 digital to analog converters in stores in volume by June. The coupons, by the way, haven't even started being sent out yet.

Also, I'm willing to place a bet that during next year's holiday buying season -- which is when interest in the transition is expected to peak -- boxes will be available for pretty much next to nothing. In particular, I'm guessing that many retailers will try to promote the sale of new digital tvs by giving away a digital to analog converter with the purchase of a new set, so that you can continue to use your old set is a bedroom or somewhere else in the house (or give it to a relative).