[TWIAR] TV Calls Air Force for Help

[Greg Williams]

CORVALLIS, OR-October 18, 2004 - It's the case of the TV that was
calling
for help. 

Click Here for More WPVI.com Bizarre News
 
An Air Force search and rescue alert was trigged by Chris van Rossman's
flatscreen Toshiba TV. It has a built-in VCR, DVD and CD player. And an
undocumented feature that has authorities scratching their heads. 

Some sort of electric glitch was causing van Rossman's TV to transmit on
the
international distress frequency. The signal was picked up by a
satellite
and relayed to the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center in Virginia.

Van Rossman had no idea until airmen, deputies and Corvallis, Oregon,
police
were knocking on the door of his apartment. The errant signal was traced
to
his TV set. 

Van Rossman was warned to keep the TV off or face a $10,000 fine for
sending
a false distress signal. 

A spokeswoman for Toshiba says they've never heard of this sort of
problem
before. But the company is promising to give van Rossman a new TV.

Gregory S. Williams
AOL IC Help Desk
865-425-4167
williamsgs at saic.com