Why did Fry's have a $30 rebate on a $30 PC TV Tuner?

The answer is DTV is coming. On 2/17/2009, all analog TV signals will be digital. The PC TV tuner will be mostly useless on that date. They're trying to get rid of their old stock now. Most people have a small inkling that DTV is happening, but don't know how fast it is coming. By March 1, 2007, all new TV's must be sold with a digital tuner, but beware. Digital TV Monitors are exempt. Digitial TV Monitors are marketed to people with cable or satelite TV, who don't watch TV programs via a TV antenna. But I bet you some people will buy the Digital TV Monitor and when they bring it home and try to watch over-the-air digital TV, they get nothing and wonder why. You must buy a TV with the ATSC Tuner.

Between January 2008 and March 2009, the Fed government will issue two $40 coupons per household for a digital to analog converter. You'll have to request these coupons before they will be sent to you. The converter will let you watch DTV on your old analog TV. Why buy this converter instead of getting a new HDTV? You could, but then you'll have to also buy an DTV VCR, DTV DVD recorder, etc. I think it'll be cheaper to convert your incoming signal to analog and use your existing home entertainment equipment until they need replacing. The coupons will also be good for only 3 months. I would resist getting the coupons until you see ads for the converters at Fry's. Once they do the massive push to sell these converters, request the coupons. I bet they'll be deeply discounted in late February 2009.

Do you need to buy a HDTV antenna? Maybe. You might be able to get away with your normal outdoor antenna. I would only upgrade the antenna after getting the converter box and see what channels you can receive. You may also try an indoor antenna first. Digital signals will be very finicky -- either you get a picture or nothing. With an indoor antenna, you could rotate the antenna to get all the channels you want. With an outdoor antenna, you'll have to live with not seeing some of the available channels, just like with analog signals, but instead of getting a fuzzy picture and/or sound, you get nothing on some of your channels.

Should I get cable or satellite? Maybe. I heard that some local TV stations will refuse to broadcast their HDTV signal on cable or satellite. They will only broadcast over-the-air. Some small local stations will still broadcast in analog.