by KYW's Pat Loeb
Unless Congress takes very fast action to postpone the date, television will go completely digital next month. That will render old-fashioned analog sets useless, unless they're connected to satellite, cable, FIOS or a converter box. Some officials fear the elderly, in particular, are not prepared for the switch.
Several dozen people showed up at the Philadelphia Senior Center for a chance to figure out how to stayed tuned in after television goes digital. CEO Robert Groves says he wants to make sure the center's clients are ready:
"They could be cut off from a lot of important, not only entertainment, but news and information just to get through the day."
"It's not as simple as they say it's going to be."
Evelyn Nelson has done everything the public has been told. She got a coupon, she got a converter box, but she still can't make it work:
"It keeps saying low signal or whatever."
Nelson doesn't think confused seniors are the problem but she does predict problems if broadcasts go all digital, as scheduled, February 17, 2009:
"I think a lot of people are going to be sitting there with no TV. If you don't have cable then you're going to really be in trouble."
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