Comcast notified you that you will need the converter boxes because your municipal offices receive expanded basic service. However, if there are certain televisions that are only ever tuned to basic channels, including your ABC/NBC/CBS/Fox affiliates or public access/educational/government channels, then you probably do not need converters for these TVS. Basic channels will continue to be available in analog NTSC format for the foreseeable future in all but a very few areas. You'll want to confirm that you are not in one of those regions. Expanded channels, such as ESPN and CNN, are moving to digital exclusively in all Comcast markets.

Just when Internet TV and HD OTA are gaining popularity the cable companies are making it more difficult to get cable content on your PC. Currently I have an NTSC/clear QAM tuner which receives about 70 digital and analog channels (the same channels are simulcast). Soon however, Comcast will be dropping the analog channels besides the local broadcast and PEG stations (if they haven't already in your area). Also, I've heard they will begin encrypting all digital besides the locals, since the FCC approved their proposed encryption scheme for their DTAs. So now you either need use CableCard (few tuners available and only works with Windows Media Center) or you need to use a cable box and an IR blaster (not as high quality as the digital signal must be decoded and encoded again plus the additional rental fee for an extra receiver).