I have one of those little box for an older tv. Here is my thought. Most of the time the lights will come back on before cable (which is what i use). So long as you have lights you can run the tv. but newer tv's won't have cable or dish. could you not hook the little box the the weather tv and have the same emergency tv? this is a question before I attempt to destroy my old tv and my emergency tv. the bfa

This needs to be a news story. How many people are getting rid of their weather tv's not realizing they can be used? Just a barefootangel thought.

I just went back and checked and a news story was done in July 2008 how the weather tv would be no good and people could pay like over $200 for a special one. this story needs updating. thank you Sir. the barefootangel

HELLO BFA! I'm assuming you're talking about an emergency battery operated TV. Most of these don't have a connection for a cable,most just have a built in antenna and/or a plug for a external antenna.The converter box for over the air reception at this time only come for use with 120 volt ac.You can get a small inverter /converter to use to convert 12 volt dc to 120 ac,usually from a car battery.The converter box to convert from digital to analog ,over the air, doesn't consume much power so a small cheap inverter would handle the box.I've seen some of these in BIG LOTS!,WAL-MART and other places.If you're willing to go to a little extra trouble by getting one of these small DC to AC inverters,you can still use what you have for some time .You still have to connect the digital converter box to the TV using an adapter from the box to the TV if you have connections on the back of the TV for an external Antenna.

and i still have my old set with a converter box i am using for emergencies like you all described. generator will power old tv and converter box, not sure if the power is clean enough for that new flat screen.

and i still am not sure enough about those new portable digitals to rty one awful pricey, and i barely get signal in the house on the converter box

Hey Claycity! I tried my flat screen or should I say flat panel tv on one of my big Inverters and it seemed to operate fairly well. I had questions about it though,seeing as it produces a modified sine wave and if you try reading the voltage with a normal volt meter it reads lower than the 120 volts from a normal sine wave.Since I put up a new vhf/uhf antenna and a pre-amp right below it I now get at least 20 channels of over the air digital.I would think where you are located you would be getting the same or more.If you're not too confined by trees blocking some of the signal.If I can help you in some way give me a holler on the other board.