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First, it's important to know that the February 17, 2009 deadline for
the digital television transition only applies to full-power broadcast
stations. Cable companies are not required by the government to
transition their systems to digital, and can continue to deliver
channels to their customers in analog. Cable companies are actually
required by FCC rules to continue offering local broadcast stations to
their customers in analog as long as they offer any analog service.
This requirement will continue for at least three years after February
17, 2009. The Commission will decide in 2011 whether the requirement
should be continued beyond February 17, 2012. This means that
customers who receive analog cable service (without a cable set-top
box) will be able to continue to do so.

However, for business reasons (among other things, digital is much
more efficient than analog), cable companies may be interested in
transitioning their systems from analog delivery to digital delivery.
If a cable company makes the business decision to go all-digital
(meaning it will stop offering any channels to its customers in
analog), it must ensure that its analog customers can continue to
watch their local broadcast stations. This may require customers with
analog televisions to get a set-top box. If the cable company provides
the customer with a set-top box, any costs related to it will be
determined by the cable company. Therefore, it is recommended that
analog cable customers contact their cable company to ask if a set-top
box will be needed, when it will be needed, and if there will be a
cost.

It is also important to note that a cable set-top box is different
from a digital-to-analog converter box. A digital-to-analog converter
box is necessary only for analog televisions that receive their
programming over-the-air using a rooftop antenna or "rabbit ears"
connected to the set. A digital-to-analog converter box is not
necessary for a TV connected to a paid television service such as a
cable or satellite TV provider. Information on any set-top boxes
needed for a paid service such as cable or satellite should be
obtained from the service provider.