[opendtv] Re: News: DTV Converter Box announcements
- From: "Russ Wood" <russ.wood@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 10:13:27 -0000
Discussing emergency information systems, I don't think that anybody has
mentioned the Deaf or Hard-of-hearing, what use can they make of radios?
Remember that the demographics are skewed and as people get older they
get deafer so the people who can't use radio will be a higher proportion
of those who need assistance.
If the Bobby (sorry State Trooper) who comes to knock on their door
doesn't know the occupants are deaf - will he just move on when nobody
comes to the door immediately?
Russ - from the UK
________________________________
From: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Cliff Benham
Sent: 26 January 2008 18:44
To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [opendtv] Re: News: DTV Converter Box announcements
Craig Birkmaier wrote
At 10:26 AM -0500 1/25/08, Barry Brown wrote:
With all that has been written about my initial posting
about not having any battery operated ATSC converter boxes, my principle
concern has been missed - that is when local residents have to spend 4-6
days (or more) without power after a storm has passed through an area.
It is this period when OTA is certainly a good friend and source of
contact with the outside world.
Agreed.
But we really can't expect a legacy portable NTSC receiver to
work, and it seems grossly impractical to outfit these device with
battery operated convertor box.
Several years ago a hurricane caused a power outage here in Southeastern
Pennsylvania that lasted 4 days.
This was serious because out here in the country, power is the only
utility besides phone and cable which were out as well.
There is no city water or municipal gas system, so I had no water at
all, because there was no power for the well pump. No way to cook or
take a shower. And, no news from radio.
All the radio stations I could receive continued to play 'nationally
programmed' music but broadcast no 'public service information' about
current conditions. Had it not been for a portable 12 volt TV and a
couple of camcorder batteries I rigged to run it, I would have been cut
off from all news.
Whether you think so or not, a portable TV that can receive current
information in an emergency situation is a necessity, not a nicety.
Come down out of the clouds and remember that the original intent of a
broadcast license was 'to serve the public interest, necessity and
convenience'. Now, because so few radio stations are locally programmed,
TV is the only good source of 'local
specific' information in an emergency.
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