It’s Feb. 17, 2009.

You’re sitting in your chair, Big Gulp in one hand, the remote in the other ready to relax by watching nobodies warble their way on the American Idol, but when you turn your TV on something isn’t right. The signal isn’t going through.

Did the network mess up? Did someone knock out a power transistor? Is your TV broke?

The answer is no! It’s just you have antennas and the world is no longer about analog. Everything is going digital in 2009, whether you’re ready or not.

All television networks and stations are switching over to digital Feb. 17 next year and US Senator Claire McCaskill wants to make sure Missouri residents are ready for the switch.

McCaskill’s staff will be hosting “Kitchen Table Talks” in St. Louis City and County to help answer the questions of residents about the transition.

They will give Missouri residents information about the resources provided by the government to help citizens make the switch to digital television or DTV.

Once the transition is in effect next Feb. all analog televisions not connected to cable, satellite or a digital converter box will go dark. More than 400,000 Missouri residents still use analog televisions with only basic, free channels.

“We need to get the word out about how the government can help,” McCaskill said in a recent a press release.

To help with the transition the government is sponsoring a voucher program where citizens will receive two $40 vouchers to purchase converter boxes for analog TV sets.

The converters tend to cost between $40 and $60.

For more information or to receive a voucher call 1-888-DTV-2009 or visit dtv2009.gov.

Below is the schedule for McCaskill’s Kitchen Table Talks.

Thursday, March 20
Noon-2 p.m., Bridgeton Community/Senior Center, 4201 Fee Fee Rd., Bridgeton, Mo.

Monday, March 24
Noon-2 p.m., Winter Garden Apartments, 5708 Kingsbury, St. Louis, Mo. 63112

Friday, March 27
10 a.m.-Noon, North County Senior Towne, 528 Northwest Plaza (St. Charles Rock Rd. and North Lindbergh), St. Ann, Mo.