The on-again, off-again digital TV transition delay is on again.

Yesterday the House of Representatives approved a bill that would postpone the analog-to-digital transition slated to take place later this month to June 12, giving viewers a few more months to upgrade their technology.

The bill is expected to be signed by President Barack Obama, a proponent of the delay. The Senate has already passed two versions of the bill, which was defeated last week in the House before being reexamined this week.

Yesterday the House passed the bill on a vote of 264-158, with many Republicans opposing it. They argued that consumers would be confused by the switch after months of being told that Feb. 17 is the changeover.

Some have also argued that the bill merely delays the inevitable, that there will be some confusion no matter when the transition occurs.

A relatively small percentage of homes are totally unprepared for the changeover, according to the latest Nielsen data, totaling 6.5 million. But Obama’s concern is that many of those are poor, rural, elderly and minority residences.

Still, hundreds of stations are expected to proceed with the Feb. 17 date as planned. Wilmington, N.C., became the first station to do so last year in a test case that went relatively smoothly.

The extra four months will allow more time for consumers to redeem or request coupons for a digital converter box. Thousands were on waiting lists and thousands more never redeemed theirs in the government program that begun last year.

The analog phase-out is being undertaken in order to turn those airwaves over to wireless companies and public safety agencies.