Emergency Alert System on ROKU!

[jonnyd97]

Hi gents. Now that my family is ''cutting the cord'' on cable television we will be watching DVD's and Roku. Almost 100% of our watching will be *non-broadcast* type television.

We typically are accustomed to receiving Emergency Alert System ("EAS") messages once or twice per year for *severe weather* type of announcement and other life saving warnings and notifications. We also would receive Amber Alert and Silver Alert type messages that would come thru the CATV system regardless of what channel we were watching.

I wonder does ROKU have any plans to cooperate with FCC and FEMA to transmit appropriate messages to people watching television via ROKU? ROKU has my zip code, at the least, so therefore they could technically know which messages to send to me.

Thoughts? Thanks guys!

 

[Fringe Reception]

Jonny,

Are you sure you want to receive those alerts?

Jim

http://www.dtvusaforum.com/content/...ency-alert-system-test-sunday-04-01-2012.html

 

[MrPogi]

Both Weather4US and Weather Underground can be monitored for weather alerts. There is also a weather screensaver (forget the name!)

I think a weather screensaver could be made with the EAS built-in, but I remember reading somewhere that Roku prohibits screensavers from doing certain things... I can't find the link now!

 

[jonnyd97]

Thanks for the info. I understand what you're saying. But if I'm streaming a 1984 episode of MacGyver via Hulu and the government chooses that particular time to try to communicate to me that the sky is falling then I am out-of-luck I guess!

 

[Aaron62]

Thanks for the info. I understand what you're saying. But if I'm streaming a 1984 episode of MacGyver via Hulu and the government chooses that particular time to try to communicate to me that the sky is falling then I am out-of-luck I guess!

This is definitely something to consider for streaming TV watchers, especially as more people cut the cord and use devices like the Roku.

As an alternative for now, most all smartphones support WEA and EAS messages. Wireless Emergency Alerts: Frequently Asked Questions

 

[Jim1348]

NOAA Weather Radio Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME)

.....Thoughts?.....

You really ought to invest in a NOAA Weather Radio that has the SAME feature. For something as important as this, you owe it to yourself to have one in your home. The features on the phones are great, particularly if you are away from home, but for home use the NOAA weather radios can be invaluable.

NOAA Weather Radio SAME Info

NOAA Weather Radio

 

[jonnyd97]

Well although with the Government Shut Down currently here in CT we are having trouble with our NOAA transmitters not being serviced and therefore NOT FUNCTIONING haha!

 

[Rickideemus]

Man, this is the first time I ever heard of someone wanting MORE gubment alerts! Everyone I know gets pi$$@d off as he11 every time a storm alert cuts into Charlie's Angels or whatever.

Ever hear of a "hurricane party"? Any time there was a warning on the TV we'd all go out on the porch and BLOW. :nyah: (Keeps the hurricane away you know!) Mom thought it was great fun. People were just a little tougher in my day.

Rick

 

[jonnyd97]

I did some research and purchased a Reekom S.A.M.E. type radio with a beacon for my alerts. Thanks men for your replies! See you next time.

 

[Pam G.]

That would be great. Like your watching tv and not watching a local station and, if your deaf or hard of hearing (HOH) you could actually seena warning pop up on your Roku tv.it would be so cool also.