DTV Converter Coupon supply to Slow?

The question is, how much longer will the $40 granny box coupons be available?  Because there are so many variables, the best I can do is guess.  The Feds will issue 34 million coupons.  Of those, they have now mailed 40 million coupons.  Yes, the coupons are coming back from the dead.  Over half of the 34 million coupons died a quick death after only 90 days without being used.  That makes available 17 million zombie coupons.  But if half of the zombie coupons redie a quick death, that’s another 8 million zombie coupons, of which half can re-redie to create yet another batch of 4 million zombie coupons, etc.  So, the zombie coupons could number 32 million.  Optimistically, 34 million bleeding edge coupons plus 32 million zombie coupons equals 66 million granny box coupons to eventually be mailed.  But eventually doesn’t keep the pipeline full if the zombies aren’t rising from the dead quickly enough.  The number of coupon requests per day has recently doubled as The Transition looms closer.  A majority of the bleeding edge coupons became zombies.  Now with some Granny Boxes on store shelves without major bugs, only a minority of mailed coupons will continue to die at expiration to continue to rise again to become zombie coupons.  I’m guessing there is presently only a 2 week supply in the pipeline, and the pipeline could run dry.  To watch, see:

https://www.dtv2009.gov/Stats.aspx

I recommend the Zenith DTT901 as best for Granny, but consider getting a better remote and a better antenna.

On Wednesday, January 14 at 3:00 PM in the Sunnyvale Public Library (Silicon Valley), a representative from the FCC will talk about the February 17 Transition to Digital Television.

Update: January 10, 2009:  Yes, the pipeline did run dry, so it is too late to try to get coupons before the Transition.  See:

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/electronics/2009/01/dtv-coupons-joi.html