DTV Switch = Hurricane Kit, Portable TV Switch
Hurricane season started June 1st and the switch to Digital Television is June 12. Believe it or not, I can draw a parallel between the two that may require you to make another change in your life.
I’m talking about your portable analog battery powered television and your hurricane preparedness kit or for some people, your football tailgating kit. When television stations across the country turn off their analog signal Friday, June 12 many portable, battery powered TVs that you have used for years at football games or when the power goes out will no longer work.
Furthermore, most of your analog portable sets can NOT be connected to a digital converter box like your regular TVs because they require a power source. One of the main reasons for having a portable TV is for situations when the power doesn’t work…so you need an alternative.
Now may be the time to invest in a small, portable television capable of receiving digital channels without a converter box or subscription TV. And as big as we like our digital TVs in our house to be, companies now make some pretty small and affordable portable TVs that will be ready for the digital conversion.
One is the Eviant T7, it’s a seven inch widescreen digital TV capable of receiving free, digital channels without converter boxes or subscription TV services. This one can be found at many electronic and department stores complete with a built-in rechargeable battery. It retails for $169.99, but I found it online at Amazon for only $119.99 with free shipping!
Tim Heller’s blog out of Houston also talks of the portable TV problem and he found a portable TV for $99.99 from Target with free shipping. However, both the price and free shipping option are temporary.
Let me know if you find any better deals! For more on the DTV conversion, check out NBC17’s chief engineer’s blog here.
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Comments
That rechargeable LiIon battery – if fully charged – ought to see us through the first hour or two of power loss. What do we do for the next 100 hours or so? My analog portable used replaceable “D” cells – much more sensible for an emergency device.
New Image Digital has a AA Battery Operated Portable Digital Tv, 7″ for $159.99. Comes with stand, remote, av cables, port for additional antenna/cable, car/home charger, AA Battery pack that takes both disposable and rechargeable AAs, and will recharge the appropriate ones off of home or car. Also sells extended 12/22/30 hour batteries…www.newimagedigital.com.
Thanks Alyssa for the other suggestion. Chuck…you bring up a good point. This TV would be something that you could charge at work or on the neighbors generator. Let’s hope we never have one of those “100″ hour events! The new digitals use more power and the old “D” cells won’t cut it.
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Check this link for a solution: http://www.digitaltvtrainer.com/national/showme-battery-tv-converter