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Trying to cut back on cable/satellite as we just don’t watch enough TV to warrant spending 50+ a month on cable/satellite service. We do have one digital TV and then just a regular Sony big CRT type TV. What do we need to be able to watch broadcast TV in our area?
Just an HDTV antenna if you have a built in HDTV tuner which most HD TVs have. Radio Shack carries the antennas for $10. You'll get free, crispy, clear OTA HDTV reception for all the local channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, WB, CW, FOX).
If you don't have an HDTV tuner, you can get an HDTV tuner setup box. The government used to give them out for free.
Do not get one of those flimsy locally made flat "antennas" to touted here a while ago. Huge waste of money. It included a laminated board you stick on a window.
Lots of variables in broadcast OTA TV reception in this area due to terrain, broadcast antenna locations, etc. As a general rule, high and outside are good things. I'd start with one of the antenna web based resources to get an idea of how practical it will be to receive which stations at your physical address, but checking with your neighbors isn't a bad idea either.
Might be easy, might not ...
My husband just put up an HDTV antenna. It was a Terk brand, costing about $70. It needs to face the stations you want. It is mounted on a porch roof, and he had to buy a $10 extension rod to clear the trees. We think it is worthwhile, as we can also now get several Wilmington stations 40 miles away, instead of just the Greenville stations offered by DirecTV.
You do not need an "HDTV" antenna. Any TV antenna will pick up the signals. It's up to your TV or set top box to decipher them. I used a simple tv antenna for about 2 years on a small HDTV in a bedroom where we did not have cable. Outdoor antennas will work much better than ones you set on top of the TV. And the higher the better. An "old fashioned" tall metal pole antenna like those of us who remember the 70s and earlier, will work best. They may not be fashionable, but they still work best.
You can also put a huge antenna of the type BigKahuna recommends inside your attic. That's what I have going on in DT Durham, and I record all of my shows on a custom MythTV box I built. It works great, I can fast forward through commercials, and it's all free (after a $100 antenna investment and ~$500 investment in the computer).
My co-worker swears by the DIY "Coat Hanger HDTV Antenna!". It costs like $5 to put together and he has assembled three of them. Search YouTube for the video.
Trying to cut back on cable/satellite as we just don’t watch enough TV to warrant spending 50+ a month on cable/satellite service. We do have one digital TV and then just a regular Sony big CRT type TV. What do we need to be able to watch broadcast TV in our area?
I picked up an HD over the air antenna from a local (Raleigh) based company called Mohu. It has worked very well and looks nice to boot. If you get to their web site, it will also show you how to find out what channels you can pick up in your area, based on FCC information.
Last edited by backto_nc; 04-17-2012 at 04:32 PM..
Reason: (typo)
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