ScottC4746
OBS Chief
A non train traveler at work asked me if one can take a portable TV to watch in your room. My thinking is no because even broadcast TV requires cable now. Correct?
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Portable TV in Rommette
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amamba
Engineer
Broadcast tv just requires that the tv have a digital antennae and be a newish model or have a converter box for the digital signals.
But I don't know how good your reception would be with an HD antennae on a moving train.
But I don't know how good your reception would be with an HD antennae on a moving train.
Although I have cable, I think normal broadcast television by antenna is still available.
I would question the reception on a train to be poor at best if at all. Also, if a signal
was available, you would need to have earphones (like radios & computers) to operate it on
the train.
I would question the reception on a train to be poor at best if at all. Also, if a signal
was available, you would need to have earphones (like radios & computers) to operate it on
the train.
Cho Cho Charlie
Engineer
Yea, you need to have an ATSC tuner on your TV to receive the new digital broadcast TV signals. And I agree that even if you were able to successfully pic up a local station, it would not be local for very long as the train traveled.
Personally, I take a portable DVD player with a built-in LCD screen. We watch movies when we aren't otherwise occupied.
Personally, I take a portable DVD player with a built-in LCD screen. We watch movies when we aren't otherwise occupied.
wkaemena
Lead Service Attendant
I don't know how the DVB-T (Terrestrial Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting) is in the USA? But even in completely DVB-T covered Germany you can forget about trying to watch TV on your laptop when traveling on train. Now imagine to be in remote areas of Arizona or Utah .... FORGET it !
the_traveler
Engineer
As said, you would need a portable TV that receives digital signals. Most of them sold were analog only. And even if you could pick up a local station in (say) Salem, OR or Lincoln, NE - once the train is out of town by 10-25 miles, good luck getting reception!
1) With DVDs these days, and the total lack of anything worth watching on TV (except sports), it's a little hard to imagine why someone would even conisder this.
2) As mentioned, earphones are required.
3) As an altrernative, you could suggest your friend do some reading about the landscape and the flora/fauna along the route, the history of settlement by us invaders, the indigenous folks,, and the history of the railroads. One can potentially learn far more looking out the window, and get more enjoyment, than one ever will watching TV.
Just thoughts. One size does not fit all. And th emost important thing of all is to have fun. .
Phil S
2) As mentioned, earphones are required.
3) As an altrernative, you could suggest your friend do some reading about the landscape and the flora/fauna along the route, the history of settlement by us invaders, the indigenous folks,, and the history of the railroads. One can potentially learn far more looking out the window, and get more enjoyment, than one ever will watching TV.
Just thoughts. One size does not fit all. And th emost important thing of all is to have fun. .
Phil S
the_traveler
Engineer
Just to elaborate, I find the best "show" is outside the window!
cirdan
Engineer
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some TV stations are also streamed on the internet, so a laptop or similar with roaming access should also do the job.
Texan Eagle
Conductor
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Can you take a portable TV onboard Amtrak? Yea sure, nobody will stop you from bringing one.
Will you be able to get reception and actually watch something on the portable TV? Unlikely.
A quick online search revealed this on Amazon. Seems like people have been having luck getting digital broadcast signals on the thing.
Ryan
Court Jester
I'm sorry for nit-picking, but this is a pet peeve of mine - there is no such thing as a "digital" or "HD" antenna, it's all marketing crap.
All an antenna does is take a radio signal out of the air and convert it into an electrical signal on a cable that gets fed to a receiver (or takes that electrical signal from a transmitter and converts it to a radio signal flying through the air).
You can use any old antenna to receive the digital TV signals (HD or SD) broadcast today, as long as you have a tuner that is capable of decoding that signal.
On our trips entertainment is handled via my laptop and DVD movies. As for the news, weather, and other current events my windows phone handles that nicely. On most routes you can pick up cellular connections. Magazines, and books also help pass the time.
Even if you had a small hand held digital TV with you, the tuners in them are not powerful and they will only work in the big cities.
Even if you had a small hand held digital TV with you, the tuners in them are not powerful and they will only work in the big cities.
trainman74
Conductor
Others in this thread have used the acronym: the digital TV broadcasting standard in the U.S. is called "ATSC," which is a somewhat different system than DVB-T. (It's akin to the difference between the analog color broadcasting standards, NTSC and PAL.)
I've had trouble picking up AM and FM radio signals on the train, to say nothing of TV -- I think the metal car bodies are a big part of the problem.
leemell
Conductor
A much worse problem is that ATSC signals are very difficult to sync up to while moving even when in range of a station. Don't even think about it. BTW, all of the broadcast stations are on the air and except for the antenna cost (any TV antenna) it is free HD. In the Los Angeles area there are 58 stations that can be picked up in most places.
amamba
Engineer
Thanks for correcting me. I did not know this! I really appreciate learning something new. So is the converter box the tuner that one needs to make the old tvs work? Because I had a devil of a time trying to give an old tv away recently because it needed the converter box (which I didn't have for it).
NorthEncantoGirl
Train Attendant
I was considering bringing a radio onboard but thought twice about it, for the above mentioned reasons. Instead, I'll read, journal, digest scenery, and engage and converse with fellow travelers (I hope the ones on my train in August will be personable). The idea of a DVD player was something I'd thought of, but for my midrange trip, I don't think I'll need it. I'm sure I'll have more than enough to entertain myself. TV on the train never once entered my mind.
Ryan
Court Jester
Exactly! And yeah, now that the transition to digital signals is complete, those converter boxes have all but disappeared...Thanks for correcting me. I did not know this! I really appreciate learning something new. So is the converter box the tuner that one needs to make the old tvs work? Because I had a devil of a time trying to give an old tv away recently because it needed the converter box (which I didn't have for it).
amtrakwolverine
Engineer
you can get converter boxes at the big box marts for like 30-40 dollars.
BuzzKillington
Service Attendant
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I got a slingbox so I could watch TV on my iPhone. I tried it on Amtrak and it worked decently well through most areas... but not so well once you hit the state of Iowa....
Wait till you try the Sunset Ltd.,Southwest Chief and the Empire Builder!! :lol:
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You'd think there would be a "satellite" version available at this point, but probably horrendously expensive!
trainman74
Conductor
I can get 87 Los Angeles over-the-air channels from here in Sherman Oaks (with an "el cheapo" rabbit-ears/UHF-loop antenna). Now, I only ever watch a small percentage of those, but still...
lthanlon
OBS Chief
I brought a small shortwave receiver with me on a couple of recent trips and was able to get decent local AM-FM reception in many areas, and could pull in powerful AM stations at night. Shortwave reception was pretty disappointing, even when I taped a wire antenna to the glass of my roomette window. I think the basic trouble is you're rolling along in a metal box.
Who's your cell phone carrier?
BuzzKillington
Service Attendant
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AT&T... (what they don't know won't hurt them...)
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