Couch potatoes by June 12 must purchase converters to continue viewing free over-the-air television in Summit County.

Those without cable or satellite TV can now view a digital signal on some stations, including KUTV, KSL, KBYU and KUED, according to Summit County Engineer Derrick Radke.

Radke advises those who have difficulty receiving the new digital signal to install an antenna outdoors. Trees and buildings near the antenna can interrupt the signal.

“Indoor or rabbit-ear antennae are discouraged as they will not provide the performance of an outside antenna,” a press release from Summit County states. “If you operate several TVs from the same antenna, you may need a properly installed amplifier and splitter.”

Older televisions require special boxes to convert the digital signal, Radke explained. He encourages people to apply for government coupons to receive discounts on the equipment at www.dtv2009.gov.

Households can receive two coupons. They will allow $40 each toward purchase of equipment to transmit the digital signal through an analog TV.

“With the coupon, out of pocket expense will be around $10 to $15 per box,” the press release states.

Residents with high definition televisions with digital tuners built in will not have to obtain converters.

TVs purchased after July 2007 should have built-in digital tuners, the press release states.

“People are pretty confused,” said Ron Titcomb, an independent engineer helping Summit County covert its television translator sites to deliver digital signals. “Some people just haven’t dealt with it at all.”

Throughout Summit County there are nine translator sites, he explained.

“People who get the converter boxes are going to have to hook them up properly with a good outside antenna,” Titcomb said. “That’s the only way they’ll be able to use free over-the-air television.”

Those with cable or satellite television will not be impacted when analog signals are shut off by June, he said, adding that those with older TVs won’t be able to view free television without a converter box.