Red Cross: People Should Update Disaster Plans Due To DTV Transition
Battery-powered TV with an antenna has been part of many people's plans and won't work without a converter box
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/9/2009 11:36:08 AM
The Red Cross has advised people to update their disaster-preparedness plans in light of the DTV transition hard date June 12.
That is because a battery-powered TV with an antenna has been part of many people's plans -- sets that won't work without a converter box.
"Congress has mandated June 12 as the last day for television stations to broadcast in analog format and the first day for the switch to digital broadcasting," said the Red Cross in a release put out onthe PR Newswire Tuesady. "If you don't have a television capable of receiving a digital signal or if you rely on an antenna for reception (not pay television, cable, or satellite service), you will need to act now and make the changes necessary to make sure you will be able to access local television stations. This access is especially crucial during a disaster, when many people in the past have used battery operated televisions with an antenna to get disaster news."
The FCC issued a similar advisory last weekend, saying the fixes for battery-powered sets included rechargeable battery packs, car battery adapters and small generators, as well as buying a portable DTV set.
