Be Prepared: A TV for Use in Power Outages and Emergencies.

Q: Will my old portable DC TV work after the digital transition?

I was recently asked this question, so I set about doing some research about what options are available if you need a TV for use on a power outage.

A: Do you mean, an old analog portable - battery operated - TV? The short answer, in most cases, is NO.

However, do have a number of options that will get you TV in an emergency, even when nobody else has power or TV. You can even get that old analog TV to work if you have time (and money) on your hands. 

Read on...

Save money... get HDTV for free!

Here's a local news story about families that have cut the cable,
News Report that ran on KGW Channel 8 Portland, Oregon:




"Ugly mass of metal"? hmm, to me an antenna is beautiful. It screams "FREEDOM!"

My favorite quote, though, is "I didn't know you could still use them". Yes, you can!

The "secret" for getting FREE HD TV

The "Secret" for Getting FREE HD TV.

 Ready?

Put a TV antenna on your roof, in your attic, or on a wall. Aim it toward your desired stations, and enjoy.

Huh? That’s it? Hey, I know what you're thinking. "My grandfather had an antenna. He got 4 stations and bad reception. That’s why we pay for TV now - more channels and HDTV. Besides, do they even do that anymore?"

This is NOT your grandfather's Antenna TV!

Yes, they still do that. Over-The-Air (OTA) TV is very much alive and well, and better than ever. AND more channels. But, you ask, what about your grandfather's 4 snowy channels, then? In 1974, that was the state of the art of OTA TV. That was then, this is now. It's not 1974 anymore, we're in the digital age now. In most markets, you can get ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and PBS, in full HD, and at least some of the minor networks (ionTV, CW, ThisTV, etc). At my location, I get 30 channels – 13 in HD.

I know most of you are looking to just call someone and “just make it work”, and there is probably someone who CAN do it for you (See the FAQ). But the purpose of this blog is to save you money, and that almost always involves investing time and/or money. So, your first task is to find out what channels you may be able to get, and where they are.

NOTE!

Please, READ THIS ENTIRE POST before you do anything!