Now, despite all the information viewers have received, President-Elect Barack Obama wants to delay the transition because consumers are not ready.

Nearly 20 million households that rely solely on over-the-air television signals will be affected by the end of analog broadcasting. Millions more households that receive over-the-air signals on secondary TV sets will also be affected.

The proposed delay has stirred up anger on both sides of the table -- those for the Feb. 17 transition and those hoping to delay it.

"Consumers have been bombarded with information regarding the Feb. 17 firm transition date, and all available information shows that nearly 100 percent of consumers are aware of the transition and are taking the necessary steps," said Gary Shapiro, president of the Consumer Electronics Association.

As of September, the Federal Communications Commission had spent $2.5 million educating the public about the switch and had an additional $12 million to be used over the past several months.

At the Core

Obama's transition team has said not enough consumers have received the $40 coupon for a converter box and the National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) has reportedly run out of the coupons.

"It is CEA's belief that converter boxes are available now in sufficient supply and consumers are aware of and prepared for the transition," Shapiro said. "Legitimate concerns about the coupon program should be addressed immediately by Congress by addressing the bureaucratic accounting rules that are holding up distribution of coupons despite their availability in abundance."

NTIA received more than 26 million requests for the coupons, and more than 9.9 million have been redeemed, NTIA spokesperson Todd Sedmak said during the FCC's September test switch in Wilmington, N.C.

The National Association of Broadcasters "and broadcasters nationwide are committed to being ready by Feb. 17 and strongly support a solution that would enable the government to continue making converter-box coupons available to consumers who rely on free television," said Dennis Wharton, executive vice president of the NAB. "We continue to urge Congress to act swiftly to ensure coupons are made available for those who need them."

Left in the Dark

Not everyone wants the February transition, including Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who is supporting Obama's move to push back the date.

"Moving the transition date entails significant logistical challenges," Markey said. "However, the prospect of leaving millions of consumers in the dark requires Congress to immediately consider the feasibility of the president-elect's proposal.

"In addition, Congress should move quickly to address the needs of the millions of Americans currently on a waiting list for coupons to purchase converter boxes," Markey added.

Congress needs to pass legislation that would provide an exemption to the Anti-Deficiency Act, according to Markey. The law allows Congress to exercise its constitutional right to control the public's purse. The exemption would make it possible for an additional eight million Americans to receive coupons, according to Markey.

Next Step

The NAB is waiting to see what will come of Obama's proposal.

"Congress is taking (the delay) under consideration," said Shermaze Ingram, NAB director of media relations. "We have not heard of a hearing set just yet. I presume we will be hearing if a hearing will take place very soon."