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How the digital switch will affect analog, battery-powered TVs

Submitted by WWAY on Fri, 05/16/2008 - 5:01pm.READ MORE:
We've received a number of calls and e-mails this week from viewers concerned about what the digital transition will mean for their small, analog, battery-powered TVs. A lot of people rely on those TVs to get updates during severe weather. The bad news is they will not work after the digital switch. But there are digital battery powered TVs available. Radio Shack is the only Wilmington store we could find that has a seven-inch, portable TV in stock right now, but it only has two of them. The store plans to get more soon. "Most people probably didn't even think about it until hurricane season comes around," Radio Shack employee Mike Swencki said. "That's when they'll realize, 'Oh, my old portable TV that I was being warned with is not going to work anymore.' So I think it's good that people are now aware that these new portable digital TVs are out there." The brand Radio Shack carries is about $200. Its built-in, re-chargeable battery lasts three to four hours.

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Battery TV

Submitted by GrammaRuth (not verified) on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:40pm.
The new battery TV'S are GARBAGE!!! I bought one from Office Depot. Even on the cable connection I could only get a few channels. The rechargable battery is only good for around 3 hours - WHAT GOOD IS THIS IN A LONG POWER OUTAGE?? I returned it. We went 3 days last year without electricity. We have a replacable battery lantern and had our $15 emergency TV with replacable batteries + dry ice in the frige and freezer. Life was livable. Now we have everything but the TV for emergencies. Today was garbage day so I tossed my WONDERFUL EMERGENCY TV. Tomorrow they are calling for severe weather, LUCKY US if the electric goes out we can sit and look out the window in the day light and be scared all night!! My Mom-In-Law is 90 and lives alone on a wooded lot. She is terrified now if they call for storms and she had to toss her emergency TV too. THANKS GOVERNMENT!!!!!
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Portable Digital Tvs Available using Batteries

Submitted by Phyllis (not verified) on Wed, 10/08/2008 - 2:16pm.
I found another website that also carries the protable digital battery operated tvs. They only have two sizes...7 in, and 8.4 in., but me and hubby use porables for emergency situations as well as camping or going on a trip. The battery pack comes with it as well as other accessories, hook-ups so that you can also hook up a dvd player and gaming player. The cost for the 7 in. is 249.99 and the 8.4 in. is 349.99. I ordered the 7in, as that will work for us. They are made digital (not analog) and will take 10 AA batteries and depending on the location you plan to use it at, depends on local tv stations available in that particular area. Here is a link to their website: http://www.lcddigital.tv/7_tv_digital.html and here is link to their homepage: http://www.lcddigital.tv/index.html Hope this helps anyone and everyone looking for one.
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Anolog TVs

Submitted by icue (not verified) on Sun, 08/31/2008 - 11:38pm.
Screw the cost. What about the Federal government deciding that we are on our own out here. During Frances we were under hurricane force conditions for over 90 hours. The TVs were our eyes and ears. After Wilma 6 million were without power for days, some for weeks. We have been relegated to being on our own in the dark by OUR government When exactly did the government turn their backs on the people?
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Reply to "When Did The Government turn their backs on the People

Submitted by Guest Dianne (not verified) on Tue, 08/23/2011 - 1:56pm.

WHEN DID THEY NOT?? It's time to put a stop the the whole bunch, Republicans and Democrats and vote INDEPENDENT all the way. This way they will have no one to fight with or compete against leaving us to pick up their tabs. When will people wake up and see how much their greed has put us into debt. They live high on the hog while we starve paying for their wealth. "God" forbid the millionaires & billionaires have to pay a little extra tax and why do we have to pay over $600,000.00 PER DAY to print presidential dollar coins and then another $600 million for another place to store them. Why do we borrow from China, pay millions in interest and then give them $90 Million for their health care. I could go on and on, just Google Government foolish spending and see for yourselves. IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP AND SMELL THEIR CRAP!!!! Time to FIRE the whole bunch.

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For all the people who have

Submitted by Guest9999999 (not verified) on Wed, 05/21/2008 - 11:34pm.
For all the people who have negative comments to make about a short battery life or cost of a television that WILL work, you should be thankful that at least there's an option.
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price complaints

Submitted by special Guest star (not verified) on Thu, 06/12/2008 - 12:02am.
If you are old enough to remember when the old battery powered TVs came out, you can remember how expensive they were. Anything new (or small) is expensive at first. $200 is an EXTREMELY reasonable STARTING price. Once the early adopters have been lured in, the prices will begin to fall to reasonable levels. In the meantime, make use of a converter box if you can.
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Converter??

Submitted by olly (not verified) on Tue, 04/14/2009 - 3:57pm.
The comverter box needs power.AC POWER. AC power(lack of) is the reason you need a battery TV to begin with
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WOW MORE MONEY

Submitted by concern mom (not verified) on Mon, 05/19/2008 - 1:29pm.
Wow, now is this shocking(not) another way for the rich to get richer and the poor to get poor. Between gas prices, and food, jobs lost, now we can't even watch tv for free without buying other things to make it work. Something has got to give people
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Battery Powered TV

Submitted by Bud (not verified) on Mon, 05/19/2008 - 8:11am.
I paid $15.00 for my battery powered black & white tv. Works great! Owned it for eight years. Now,$200.00 at Radio Shack! BULL..........
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Battery Powered TV

Submitted by Hab (not verified) on Sun, 02/08/2009 - 5:14pm.
I agree with you,$200.00 for a batter TV is bull.... Of course we have to "deal" with, just like everything else. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
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You will be able to use your

Submitted by Guest9203932 (not verified) on Mon, 05/19/2008 - 10:22am.
You will be able to use your $15 TV for about 9 more months now. After that, it will not work anywhere in the United States. Deal with it.
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small portable digital tv

Submitted by Leo (not verified) on Fri, 05/16/2008 - 7:01pm.
A rechargeable battery that lasts three to four hours is little comfort during a storm that lasts 8 to 12 hours, and if the electricity is knocked off for 10 days as it was during Fran. Also, your digital audio signal will not be picked up by handheld radios that have a TV band. Big help, huh? What we need is a small handheld digital TV that is powered by disposable batteries -- and it shouldn't cost $200 to make 'em.
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?handheld digital TV that is powered by disposable batteries

Submitted by Ann (not verified) on Thu, 03/12/2009 - 11:55am.
Just curious if you ever found a handheld digital TV that is powered by disposable batteries for sale anywhere?? Thanks -- Ann
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handheld digital tv w/ disposable batteries

Submitted by A (not verified) on Wed, 06/24/2009 - 4:02pm.
check out www.newimagedigital.com. Battery powered portable digital tvs that can take disposable AAs or rechargeables. $160, not bad, they have free shipping right now. YouTube video they have looks good too.
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disposable battery handheld TV

Submitted by Shari (not verified) on Mon, 04/06/2009 - 11:50am.
Ann, I do have a handheld TV that is powered by disposable batteries. It's a Casio. It's a color TV that has a 3 or 4-inch screen, and is powered by AA batteries. It cost a pretty penny several years ago. The whole thing weighs probably less than 2 lbs, and is only about an inch thick or so. It's gotten us through many hurricanes here in Miami. I'm going to get a battery powered digital converter box (it is eligible for use with $40 government coupon). It's the Winegard RCDT09A, about $60 before coupon. The battery backup pack is admittedly separate, but it only costs about $15. (Winegard RCBP9V) So for about $35 out of pocket, I can keep my nifty, small, color handheld emergency TV working - frugally! - in the digital age. Hope this helps you.
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Casio TV

Submitted by GrammaRuth (not verified) on Thu, 06/18/2009 - 12:48pm.
Before buying the Winguard converter box,(if you can find one) check for cable connection on your TV. Ours doesn't have one, not does our 5" TV. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A CABLE CONNECTION YOU CAN NOT USE THE CONVERTER!! I called and talked to the company to discover this info. I tossed both portable TVs.
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Casio TV

Submitted by Maryfl (not verified) on Fri, 06/19/2009 - 10:53am.
If you have a Winegard RCDT09A for sure do not toss your Casio TV. That nifty (and expensive when we bought it TV) has gotten us through several hurricanes and the power outages afterwards. I am glad that I bought the converter box when Amazon had them. Of course you can't get cable channels but you can get the local stations (which are what you want in a storm). All it took was a $5 part from Radio Shack--a y adaptor to a stereo 1/8 plug--to connect the converter box to the Casio using RC cables. Paid about $11 more for an antenna to connect to the converter box and I was in business. As Shari says you can buy the battery pack from Winegard for $15.
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