Hi Lizzie,

Quote:
I am especially unhappy about the nonexistence of a simple, reliable portable battery-operated TV to use in case of an extended emergency/power outage. Currently, we have a very small black-and-white analog TV that operates on DD batteries. I pull it out during extended power outages and have NEVER had a set of batteries fail to last the entire length of the power outage. I find that access to information both helpful and (I'll admit) comforting. I've looked at the portable digital TVs, and there is nothing out there that will run on just regular batteries. There are a few that have built-in batteries that must be recharged by plugging into the electrical outlet for a period of time. After recharging, it appears that the TV will broadcast for a little over an hour before needing to be recharged again. Some can be recharged with an additional adapter that you plug into your cigarette lighter, but I don't see myself doing that. So, I can pay 4 or 5 times as much money for a TV that will run for a little over an hour, to replace my current setup that lasts days/weeks and provides valuable information. No thanks. I'm not sure why this is true. Is it impossible to make a digital TV that would run off of regular batteries (i.e., DD batteries)? Does a digital tuner take so much more power that there is no way to replicate what a portable analog TV can do?


For some reason there does appear to be a shortage of portable ATSC capable battery powered portable TV designs available. Looking on Amazon I was only able to find these ones, which seemed to be the business.

http://www.amazon.com/Haier-HLT71-7-Inch...0741&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Worlds-First-Batte...9795&sr=8-9

There is also the small problem of the digital TV reception as most of the internal or supplied external whip antennas have a gain problem with the reduced TV signal strength. This should improve though once the full digital switch over takes place. Many of the portable TVs aren't really portable as they still need to be tethered to the main antenna attached to the side of the house.



The European DTV system has a slightly different broadcast format but it is not so different from the ATSC broadcast signal that a wider range of battery powered portable TVs such as the Laura DTV shown above shouldn't become available in the future.

The most cost effective way would be to get vouchers or coupons ($80 worth) from the US goverment to help to pay for an ATSC STB then power both your current portable TV and the ATSC STB from a battery power supply. You should/may then be able to get an ATSC STB which will be powered from a 12V DC power supply. Most STBs shouldn't consume more than a few watts.

https://www.dtv2009.gov/

Having the entire country switch over on the same day is a bit mad though.





Edited by Am_Fear_Liath_Mor (09/23/08 08:30 PM)