Some TV Options When The Lights Go Out.

I continue to get asked about the availability of battery powered digital TV sets. With the storm season on us and the inevitable Duke power outages almost a sure thing, many rely on small battery powered TV sets to get news and weather reports. With the analog broadcasting cut off just around the corner for the local commercial station on June 12, and the public TV stations already broadcasting only in digital, your trusty old analog portable will soon be useless.

When I last wrote about this a year or so ago, there were only two portable DTV sets available and they were very expensive. Things are beginning to change. While I will discuss some options, I still feel that unless you absolutely can’t live without TV during a power outage you may wish to wait a bit longer for sets with more features and lower prices to emerge.

You have two options for receiving local over-the-air DTV broadcasts. You can purchase a tuner that plugs into a lap top computer and uses the computer screen to display the program or you can select from a number of small battery powered TV sets with digital tuners. The Hauppauge Company offers a USB option. You connect an antenna to the “Stick” with is about the size of a memory stick. It uses a small remote control to operate the TV features. This model can also be connected to cable service but that won’t help much during a power outage. I have not tested this model although I have an earlier model from Hauppauge that works quite well.

There are several makers of similar tuners all of which retail at about $100. The key to optimum performance is a good antenna. Most of these come with cheap telescoping antennas that will not provide good reception. Use your regular “rabbit ears” antenna or better yet connect it to an outdoor antenna.

If you don’t want the hassle of using your lap top as a TV there are now some small LCD TVs that have digital tuners. They retail from about $99 to $150 and work like any portable TV. All have built in rechargeable batteries. While it might seem convenient, if you are without power for an extended period of time, it is nice to be able to pop in a few regular AAA batteries rather than sitting in your car charging your TV battery from your car’s power plug. Most of these small 7”models only get about 2 hours of use on a single charge.

You can find several models on Amazon.com. I have not seen any at the local electronic stores yet. I am sure they will be there soon. I expect to see better models at lower prices in a year or so. If you can wait, it is a good idea.

Some TV Options When The Lights Go Out.

I continue to get asked about the availability of battery powered digital TV sets. With the storm season on us and the inevitable Duke power outages almost a sure thing, many rely on small battery powered TV sets to get news and weather reports. With the analog broadcasting cut off just around the corner for the local commercial station on June 12, and the public TV stations already broadcasting only in digital, your trusty old analog portable will soon be useless.

When I last wrote about this a year or so ago, there were only two portable DTV sets available and they were very expensive. Things are beginning to change. While I will discuss some options, I still feel that unless you absolutely can’t live without TV during a power outage you may wish to wait a bit longer for sets with more features and lower prices to emerge.

You have two options for receiving local over-the-air DTV broadcasts. You can purchase a tuner that plugs into a lap top computer and uses the computer screen to display the program or you can select from a number of small battery powered TV sets with digital tuners. The Hauppauge Company offers a USB option. You connect an antenna to the “Stick” with is about the size of a memory stick. It uses a small remote control to operate the TV features. This model can also be connected to cable service but that won’t help much during a power outage. I have not tested this model although I have an earlier model from Hauppauge that works quite well.

There are several makers of similar tuners all of which retail at about $100. The key to optimum performance is a good antenna. Most of these come with cheap telescoping antennas that will not provide good reception. Use your regular “rabbit ears” antenna or better yet connect it to an outdoor antenna.

If you don’t want the hassle of using your lap top as a TV there are now some small LCD TVs that have digital tuners. They retail from about $99 to $150 and work like any portable TV. All have built in rechargeable batteries. While it might seem convenient, if you are without power for an extended period of time, it is nice to be able to pop in a few regular AAA batteries rather than sitting in your car charging your TV battery from your car’s power plug. Most of these small 7”models only get about 2 hours of use on a single charge.

You can find several models on Amazon.com. I have not seen any at the local electronic stores yet. I am sure they will be there soon. I expect to see better models at lower prices in a year or so. If you can wait, it is a good idea.

How Did I Do?

It is always dangerous to make predictions. It is even more dangerous and potentially embarrassing to make those predictions in writing. Nevertheless, last year at this time I made some predictions and suggestions in this column regarding electronic products and services during 2008. How did I do? Well, let’s see

In that column I mentioned that you could look for some great deals on digital televisions after the 2008 Super Bowl®. Once that day passed, sales would slow down and you would be able to get some great deals. For sure that did happen and with the slowing of the economy and the added DTV manufacturing capacity now on line, there continues to be great deals on new digital TV sets of all sizes. Since they have been so deeply discounted, I don’t think you will see any significant price cutting as we move toward the February 17th analog cut off.

Also in that column and in several others during the year I warned that if you didn’t decide to subscribe to cable or satellite you needed to either purchase a new digital TV or get a set top adapter. Well, after a less than orderly start, the adapters did find their way into stores in early 2008. However, even today, some retailers have had supply issues. Also, the federal government began to issue coupons. Each household is eligible to get 2 coupons each worth $40 toward the purchase of a DTV adapter. That program from our good friends in DC has been less than smooth. Since they decided that the coupons would have a 90 day expiration period, many people found themselves with worthless coupons. If you have not ordered coupons, you can still do so. For more information you can call 888 DTV-2009 (800-388-2009) or go to www.dtv2009.gov.

I opined that the cell phone providers would begin to expand capabilities beyond one-to-one communication. Many will find it surprising that the United States and Canada are among the most backward countries in the world with our cell phone networks and hand set capabilities. In many countries today you can now do your banking via cell phone, pay for gas, buy a subway fare and watch sporting events. Well, I was a bit optimistic about this prediction. The flagging economy has slowed the introduction of several enhancements. I don’t see much change in 2009.

I predicted that more devices, especially in automobiles would be controlled by voice commands. This technology has been available on higher end products. Again I was wrong as the big car companies had other issues to address and slowed down implementation of this technology.

I predicted that the process of “data mining” would increase with the promotion of store affinity cards that identify you as you check out with your purchases. More and more stores have such cards and are using them to target the distribution of advertisements and coupons via direct mail using this information.

Finally, I predicted that the green energy efficiency movement will get into full swing with added emphasis on doing little things in your home that will add up to substantial community savings. For sure that happened, spurred on by the price of oil and electricity.

Next week I will have some predictions for 2009.

How Did I Do?

It is always dangerous to make predictions. It is even more dangerous and potentially embarrassing to make those predictions in writing. Nevertheless, last year at this time I made some predictions and suggestions in this column regarding electronic products and services during 2008. How did I do? Well, let’s see

In that column I mentioned that you could look for some great deals on digital televisions after the 2008 Super Bowl®. Once that day passed, sales would slow down and you would be able to get some great deals. For sure that did happen and with the slowing of the economy and the added DTV manufacturing capacity now on line, there continues to be great deals on new digital TV sets of all sizes. Since they have been so deeply discounted, I don’t think you will see any significant price cutting as we move toward the February 17th analog cut off.

Also in that column and in several others during the year I warned that if you didn’t decide to subscribe to cable or satellite you needed to either purchase a new digital TV or get a set top adapter. Well, after a less than orderly start, the adapters did find their way into stores in early 2008. However, even today, some retailers have had supply issues. Also, the federal government began to issue coupons. Each household is eligible to get 2 coupons each worth $40 toward the purchase of a DTV adapter. That program from our good friends in DC has been less than smooth. Since they decided that the coupons would have a 90 day expiration period, many people found themselves with worthless coupons. If you have not ordered coupons, you can still do so. For more information you can call 888 DTV-2009 (800-388-2009) or go to www.dtv2009.gov.

I opined that the cell phone providers would begin to expand capabilities beyond one-to-one communication. Many will find it surprising that the United States and Canada are among the most backward countries in the world with our cell phone networks and hand set capabilities. In many countries today you can now do your banking via cell phone, pay for gas, buy a subway fare and watch sporting events. Well, I was a bit optimistic about this prediction. The flagging economy has slowed the introduction of several enhancements. I don’t see much change in 2009.

I predicted that more devices, especially in automobiles would be controlled by voice commands. This technology has been available on higher end products. Again I was wrong as the big car companies had other issues to address and slowed down implementation of this technology.

I predicted that the process of “data mining” would increase with the promotion of store affinity cards that identify you as you check out with your purchases. More and more stores have such cards and are using them to target the distribution of advertisements and coupons via direct mail using this information.

Finally, I predicted that the green energy efficiency movement will get into full swing with added emphasis on doing little things in your home that will add up to substantial community savings. For sure that happened, spurred on by the price of oil and electricity.

Next week I will have some predictions for 2009.