# Portable ATSC (digital) TV



## kfcrosby

Portable ATSC (digital) TV

With the recent events in the news (aka Hurricanes) I started reviewing my own disaster kit (you know, for IF the big one strikes the New Madrid Seismic Zone) and found one glaring omission, a portable TV to receive the new digital format.

Anyone have any experience with any of these devices yet? I've thought about getting a plug-in card for the laptop but I have the feeling the laptop will be need for more than just watching TV....

Thoughts... suggestions.... ????


Kevin


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## EXTACAMO

Here is something I found from a google search. http://www.lcddigital.tv/ The stuff is a little pricey though.


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## harsh

If it helps, many of the DTV converters are 12VDC. It seems the industry decided that it was easier to stop making ultra-portables than it was to outfit them with ATSC tuners.

It is likely that few have thought far ahead enough to recognized that the emergency radios that currently get TV audio won't work anymore either.


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## kfcrosby

harsh said:


> It is likely that few have thought far ahead enough to recognized that the emergency radios that currently get TV audio won't work anymore either.


Yeah.. It was kind of a blinding flash of reality this weekend when I thought of this. I figure I can make most anything work off of my 12V system, just trying to conserve a bit more space.

I saw all of those pricey things on that LCDTV site... wowsa..... They ARE proud of those !


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## SamC

I have a "ball game kit" that is just an old portable NTSC TV and one of those $40 government discount converters, and it works fine. But, you need AC, which we use an inverter hooked up to the car for that.


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## PTown

LOL that lcddigital site just ripped off Best Buy's site.

Anyways, bit more reasonable.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8870046&type=product&id=1210377520598


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## fluffybear

PTown said:


> LOL that lcddigital site just ripped off Best Buy's site.
> 
> Anyways, bit more reasonable.
> http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8870046&type=product&id=1210377520598


Cute little thing but it is AC powered.

I would think for a disaster recovery kit, one would want a battery powered unit.


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## machavez00

This one at Radio Shack has a built in Lithium Polymer battery
mixed reviews


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## scooper

fluffybear said:


> Cute little thing but it is AC powered.
> 
> I would think for a disaster recovery kit, one would want a battery powered unit.


The problem - the battery powered one at Radio Shack's battery is only good for about 2 hours (maybe). I'm keeping small TVs with either builtin ATSC tuners or a CECB for emergency use - 25 watts for a 12 inch B/W 20 year old TV and 8 watt CECB - should be good for a long time. I've got a 125 watt inverter, a 750 inverter, 2 cars, and a 12v jumper dry cell that work well for this situation.


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## kfcrosby

scooper said:


> I've got a 125 watt inverter, a 750 inverter, 2 cars, and a 12v jumper dry cell that work well for this situation.


And hopefully a wagon to cart all that stuff around


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## fluffybear

scooper said:


> The problem - the battery powered one at Radio Shack's battery is only good for about 2 hours (maybe). I'm keeping small TVs with either builtin ATSC tuners or a CECB for emergency use - 25 watts for a 12 inch B/W 20 year old TV and 8 watt CECB - should be good for a long time. I've got a 125 watt inverter, a 750 inverter, 2 cars, and a 12v jumper dry cell that work well for this situation.


All of that is great if you can get to your car. In the event of a flood or tornado, I'm not sure I want to be sitting outside in my car. The Dry cell is a nice touch but unless you charge it regularly, it may not be ready to perform when you need it.

Our current emergency kit contains a AM/FM/Weather Radio. I would like to add a TV to mine but at the least is tried and true..


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## Ken S

You could always get a USB tuner and use it in a laptop. They're relatively inexpensive. Some have been for sale on Woot and the like.


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## scooper

I'll go one better on the radio - our's doesn't require batteries - it has a solar cell and a handcrank to power it as well as conventional batteries. Picked up from Woot on a 2 for tuesday . Gave the other one to a nephew .


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## Tower Guy

harsh said:


> If it helps, many of the DTV converters are 12VDC.


I found only one with 12 volt input.

http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?PROD=T3AP-Pro#MORE


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## tonyd79

fluffybear said:


> Cute little thing but it is AC powered.
> 
> I would think for a disaster recovery kit, one would want a battery powered unit.


But customer review said battery lasted 2.25 hours.


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## fluffybear

tonyd79 said:


> But customer review said battery lasted 2.25 hours.


Yes, If you don't have power and your car is underwater or 3 towns over, it's better then nothing. If you convserve and turn the TV off now and then, you can make that 2.25 hours go along way.


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## Upstream

The Dynex TV (from BestBuy) has a built-in lithium-polymer battery designed to run the TV for about 100 minutes without recharging. The TV comes with a AC adapter and a car adapter, both which can be used to provide power and charge the battery.


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## Davenlr

Anyone getting the Radio Shack version, make sure you also have a portable antenna. I am 10 miles from our transmitters, and can pick up ZERO stations with the built in rod antenna unless I carry the TV outside. Works great when plugged into a 2 bay UHF antenna stashed in the closet and fed with RG6QS. Remember the TV stations might run reduced power if a disaster strikes interrupting power (as we discovered when IKE came through). We lost several stations completely, one went to generator at very low power. Only one full power station remained on ATSC for 24 hrs until power was restored.

An APC UPS will power the TV for a LONG time, as will a car battery/inverter.


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## kfcrosby

Davenlr said:


> Anyone getting the Radio Shack version, make sure you also have a portable antenna.


So it does have an external antenna jack... cool


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## Davenlr

Yes. The rod antenna is actually just mounted on top with a short piece of attached coax and a F connector. To use the rod antenna, you have to attach it to the antenna In jack....Its not an internal antenna at all...and from testing, at various lengths, its only remotely effective on the vhf hi band.


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## FTA Michael

FCC chair Kevin Martin sees this problem too. He wrote a letter to Consumer Electronics Association prez Gary Shapiro saying that there aren't enough battery-powered digital TV converters out there. He wrote, "It does not appear that the market is meeting consumer demand for these devices. Please consult with your members and let me know when we might expect to see more such products in the market."

Full story in Broadcasting & Cable here: http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6598603.html


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