It may finally be time to pull the plug on that old TV-at least, that's what the government says.

President Bush recently signed a law stating that as of February 17, 2009, all television broadcasts will be in digital (DTV) format. People with TVs that use antennas to receive signals over the air (as opposed to through cable or satellite) will no longer be able to receive programming unless they integrate an off-air ATSC tuner. About 80 million televisions will be affected.

But don't toss out those rabbit ears just yet. People with these TVs-known as analog televisions-can purchase converter boxes from consumer electronic stores that will allow them to receive the new digital signals.

The move is part of an industry-wide effort to use DTV broadcasting to improve the technical quality of TV programming.

"The switch to DTV from analog signals will guarantee a better service for consumers," says Bob Scaglione, senior vice president and group manager at Sharp Electronics Corp.'s product and marketing group. "Television pictures will be clearer and high-definition content (HDTV) will be more readily available."

While thousands are expected to buy the new digital converters, many more are thought likely to simply purchase a new digital TV at some point over the next three years-thereby joining the ranks of the nearly 35 million Americans who've already done so.

In fact, digital televisions such as Sharp's flat-panel AQUOS? HDTVs have long been top sellers. The liquid crystal display television (LCD TV) comes in a variety of sizes, from 13-inch all the way up to a 65-inch version, which is the largest available.

So does that mean everyone is embracing the coming DTV revolution? Those who know about the DTV changeover seem to be, but according to the Consumer Electronics Association, "those in the know" only make up about 20 percent of Americans.

To help bring the rest of us up to speed, the electronics industry is planning a number of educational initiatives. Be on the lookout for public service announcements, mailings and Web sites that explain the DTV switch and that help viewers decide how to get with the new program.