Hi NTK,
Unfortunately for mobile television owners, all TVs that receive broadcasts over-the-air (by antenna), will need a digital-to-analog converter box.
Why? The
FCC has decided that once the entire country goes to
dtv after the
digital transition, no stations will be allowed to switch back over to analog, even if there’s an emergency such as a hurricane or earthquake.
So, what are the options for owners of mobile TVs? Not many.
There are two obstacles to overcome when converting your portable television to
DTV...
1. A converter box will need power. As of todays date (9-15-08), there are zero converter boxes on the market that are battery powered. I've been watching news feeds for converter boxes coming out in the next year which will be battery powered; and there's no information on such a product.
Updated 11/15/08 - There is now a converter box that can be powered by battery. Check it out here: http://www.dtvusaforum.com/winegard-...ox-market.html
2. Does your portable television have an external input which would allow it to accept an output from a digital converter box? Most mobile TVs are built to receive analog signals only, and do not have the capability to accept an external source.
If you're looking for an alternative to get news during an emergency, you may want to consider purchasing a portable radio. Most battery powered radios are more compact, and can last much longer on battery power than portable TVs.
