Major Problem with the Switchover

[andy1824]

Here is a major problem that I've found with the Analog to Digital Switchover...

To my knowledge there aren't any battery powered digital hand-held TV's or battery-powered converter boxes!

Radioshack will have the battery powered Digital TVs next week but they will be approx $200.

Here's the situation. I live in Wilmington, NC. We are the "test" market, therefore our switch over is Monday Sept. 8, 2008. That's great, but we are also right in the middle of hurricane season. Yes there are still battery powered radios that will work, but old analog battery powered TVs will not work after Sept. 8. without a converter box which will need to be battery powered as well.

any ideas?

[spartanstew]

1. Buy the Radioshack battery powered Digital TV for $200.
2. Buy a Generator.

[Stuart Sweet]

I have noted the same thing; I hope it's temporary. A cheap UPS ought to be able to power a converter box for a couple of hours, or there's always radio.

[andy1824]

I actually googled this and found this interesting article:

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6591176.html?industryid=47169



Here is the wingard battery pack:

http://www.winegarddirect.com/viewitem.asp?p=RC-BP9V

[andy1824]

I have noted the same thing; I hope it's temporary. A cheap UPS ought to be able to power a converter box for a couple of hours, or there's always radio.

Any idea where to find a cheap UPS?

How long should it power a TV/Converter box?

[scooper]

How big an UPS ?

Basically, the more battery the UPS has and the smaller the load - the longer the UPS will run.

[Stewart Vernon]

The portable TV market is where this really hits the hardest because hooking a converter box to one of those (assuming you even have an input on the TV to do so) makes it decidedly less portable!

This shoudl result in a windfall/boon to companies that make portable TVs who will be able to potentially re-sell to all their existing customers a brand new digital tuner portable.

I wonder, too, if it might be possible for TVs that do have some form of input to make some kind of small digital tuner "snap on" type of device to sell to folks as an add-on. That would be a big thing if it could be done.

[NorfolkBruh]

At least in Norfolk, VA we (RadioShack) already have the digital tv. They are $200 plus a UPS... it's about $35.

[Cholly]

This topic has been addressed in another thread for some time now. One point I'd make -- rather than a UPS, I'd suggest a 12 volt DC to 110 volt AC converter of the type sold for laptop computers, etc. They run around $40 at stores like Walmart. Simply plug it into your car's 12 volt outlet and you're in business. A car battery will power the TV MUCH longer than a UPS might.

Other thought: get a good portable radio. Don't bother getting one with TV band tuning because it won't pick up audio from a digital TV station.

[HDTVFreak07]

I have 7" portable digital color TV! Bought it from Best Buy and it's Insignia brand. It works really well and still has analog tuner if some stations have not gone digital yet. It was worth my money.

[n3ntj]

Just design and build an inverter and connect it to some 7A gel cells. You can power the little TV and converter box off the inverter.

[Tower Guy]

To my knowledge there aren't any battery powered digital hand-held TV's or battery-powered converter boxes!

any ideas?

This converter box runs on 12 volts:

http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?PROD=T3APro

You can also get a digital USB tuner for a battery powered laptop.

[Jim5506]

NOT a major problem - effects maybe 0.5% of users?

Void will be filled by the time it is needed.

I have a RS portable 5" TV and never use it - radio is better for the intended use.