Sure, there was plenty of hoopla about the transition from analog to digital being delayed a few months from February 17 to June 12, but don’t delay in sending out your request for a digital converter box coupon.

Many of you will still find out tomorrow if your favorite stations can be viewed on your TV, as about 40 percent of stations are sticking to the original Feb. 17 deadline.

If you have sent out for the NTIA (National Telecommunications and Information Administration) DTV coupons (apply for up to two), you may be twiddling your thumbs for a bit. The AP is reporting (via USA Today) that there’s a waitlist backlog of 4 million requests.

We knew that coupons were running low, and for now the government is still reportedly churning out 100,000 coupons per day. That includes a lot of retreads from all those coupons that have expired—they go poof! after 90 days.

So sign up your $40 coupons today, as they’re doled out on a first-come-first-served basis, as NTIA spokesman Bart Forbes reminded the AP. I’m sure tomorrow on Feb. 17 the government’s DTV site could be hit hard with traffic, and the early bird catches the coupon.

Arlen Schweiger - Managing editor of Electronic House Magazine

Arlen contributes product news items to electronichouse.com along with his role on the print publication. Got a tip? Send it along!