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I've got to do some writing and, in passing, I have to say something about television. It'll be one of many times where my audience knows more about a topic than I do. A couple of really fundamental questions. If it matters - I assume it does - the setting is the United States.
1. Is there still "airwaves" broadcast television?
2. When people say "cable" it could either an physical cable or satellite? As I hear it, the term seems to refer to the content, rather than the delivery channel, but I could be wrong. Maybe "cable" is generic, and someone still might say, specifically "satellite" or Dish (?)
3. All cable/satellite television costs money, right? Even what people call "basic"? Sometimes I think I've heard people mix the terms "basic" and "free"; maybe "free" means included service when you buy the delivery channel.
4. Is there advertising on cable/satellite broadcast? All channels? Even the expensive ones?
5. I assume some places have only satellite or only cable. Yes? Do some places have neither (in the US)?
6. I assume that recordings (tapes, DVDs, laser discs) aren't popular anymore because of streaming.
7. Is computer streaming all paid? Some free? Are there commercials in streaming? (I know a little about YouTube; maybe that's like "free streaming".)
Thank you. I think those answers will allow me to bluff my way through this. No need to split any hairs here - worrying about the exception to the (general) rule.
I've got to do some writing and, in passing, I have to say something about television. It'll be one of many times where my audience knows more about a topic than I do. A couple of really fundamental questions. If it matters - I assume it does - the setting is the United States.
1. Is there still "airwaves" broadcast television?
2. When people say "cable" it could either an physical cable or satellite? As I hear it, the term seems to refer to the content, rather than the delivery channel, but I could be wrong. Maybe "cable" is generic, and someone still might say, specifically "satellite" or Dish (?)
3. All cable/satellite television costs money, right? Even what people call "basic"? Sometimes I think I've heard people mix the terms "basic" and "free"; maybe "free" means included service when you buy the delivery channel.
4. Is there advertising on cable/satellite broadcast? All channels? Even the expensive ones?
5. I assume some places have only satellite or only cable. Yes? Do some places have neither (in the US)?
6. I assume that recordings (tapes, DVDs, laser discs) aren't popular anymore because of streaming.
7. Is computer streaming all paid? Some free? Are there commercials in streaming? (I know a little about YouTube; maybe that's like "free streaming".)
Thank you. I think those answers will allow me to bluff my way through this. No need to split any hairs here - worrying about the exception to the (general) rule.
1. Yes, but it's digital, not analog anymore. In some places, you just need a good antenna. Usually receives channels 1-51 but sometimes fewer
2. It's an actual underground cable, but "cable" is used generically to refer to pay TV stations, even if received by satellite or fiber-optic as well as actual cable
3. Yes. Even basic cable (not too many stations) costs.
4. Yes, all have commercials except for the top of the line "premium" channels like HBO, Showtime, etc. which don't
5. Yes. Some have no choice. I have all 3, cable, satellite and fiber-optic (FiOS) as choices. Can't imagine anywhere in the US has no TV reception, except maybe parts of Appalachia in the mountains (?) but they may not have cable or satellite
6. Some people still get DVD's through Netflix mailing service or RedHat
7. Yes and No. Most TV stations like CBS or NBC offer some of their programs free to stream from their websites. Netflix is pay. Amazon Prime is free if you have Prime. Hulu has some free with commercials. Many have no commercials if you pay.
1. Yes, but it's digital, not analog anymore. In some places, you just need a good antenna. Usually receives channels 1-51 but sometimes fewer
2. It's an actual underground cable, but "cable" is used generically to refer to pay TV stations, even if received by satellite or fiber-optic as well as actual cable
3. Yes. Even basic cable (not too many stations) costs.
4. Yes, all have commercials except for the top of the line "premium" channels like HBO, Showtime, etc. which don't
5. Yes. Some have no choice. I have all 3, cable, satellite and fiber-optic (FiOS) as choices. Can't imagine anywhere in the US has no TV reception, except maybe parts of Appalachia in the mountains (?) but they may not have cable or satellite
6. Some people still get DVD's through Netflix mailing service or RedHat
7. Yes and No. Most TV stations like CBS or NBC offer some of their programs free to stream from their websites. Netflix is pay. Amazon Prime is free if you have Prime. Hulu has some free with commercials. Many have no commercials if you pay.
I've got to do some writing and, in passing, I have to say something about television. It'll be one of many times where my audience knows more about a topic than I do. A couple of really fundamental questions. If it matters - I assume it does - the setting is the United States.
1. Is there still "airwaves" broadcast television?
2. When people say "cable" it could either an physical cable or satellite? As I hear it, the term seems to refer to the content, rather than the delivery channel, but I could be wrong. Maybe "cable" is generic, and someone still might say, specifically "satellite" or Dish (?)
3. All cable/satellite television costs money, right? Even what people call "basic"? Sometimes I think I've heard people mix the terms "basic" and "free"; maybe "free" means included service when you buy the delivery channel.
4. Is there advertising on cable/satellite broadcast? All channels? Even the expensive ones?
5. I assume some places have only satellite or only cable. Yes? Do some places have neither (in the US)?
6. I assume that recordings (tapes, DVDs, laser discs) aren't popular anymore because of streaming.
7. Is computer streaming all paid? Some free? Are there commercials in streaming? (I know a little about YouTube; maybe that's like "free streaming".)
Thank you. I think those answers will allow me to bluff my way through this. No need to split any hairs here - worrying about the exception to the (general) rule.
1 - Yes, depending on where you live you can receive from 3 to 50 channels with an antenna. More and more people are cutting that $100-$200 cable/sat bill and getting tv over the air.
2 - I think the term cable applies to both cable and satellite.
3 - Nothing is free. Some providers give you "free" HD with your basic package, but you're still paying for it.
4 - Advertising is what tv is all about. The only stations that don't advertise are the premium movie channels, and they advertise for their programming between movies.
5 - Where I live there is no cable available. If you want tv, you MUST get it through satellite.
6 - BluRay DVD's are very popular.
7 - There are free computer streaming services, you just have to look to find them. Most are paid through subscriptions.
I've got to do some writing and, in passing, I have to say something about television. It'll be one of many times where my audience knows more about a topic than I do. A couple of really fundamental questions. If it matters - I assume it does - the setting is the United States.
1. Is there still "airwaves" broadcast television?
2. When people say "cable" it could either an physical cable or satellite? As I hear it, the term seems to refer to the content, rather than the delivery channel, but I could be wrong. Maybe "cable" is generic, and someone still might say, specifically "satellite" or Dish (?)
3. All cable/satellite television costs money, right? Even what people call "basic"? Sometimes I think I've heard people mix the terms "basic" and "free"; maybe "free" means included service when you buy the delivery channel.
4. Is there advertising on cable/satellite broadcast? All channels? Even the expensive ones?
5. I assume some places have only satellite or only cable. Yes? Do some places have neither (in the US)?
6. I assume that recordings (tapes, DVDs, laser discs) aren't popular anymore because of streaming.
7. Is computer streaming all paid? Some free? Are there commercials in streaming? (I know a little about YouTube; maybe that's like "free streaming".)
Thank you. I think those answers will allow me to bluff my way through this. No need to split any hairs here - worrying about the exception to the (general) rule.
This is for Northwestern Minnesota/eastern North Dakota...
1. Yes....ABC NBC CBS FOX PBS can be gotten over the air free -- along with other local channels varying by location. Depending on how far you live from the transmitting tower you may need to put an antenna on the roof of your house, if you want to go that route. Because of the choice of other cable channels, many dont get these "free" channels that way and are included with the cable or satellite TV package. But with more folks streaming and not having cable/satellite TV some are going back to getting these network channels over the air for free with an outside antenna.
2. When I use "cable" I am referring to having an actual cable plugged into the TV.....I use satellite or just DirectTV or Dish for satellite. Now I have seen the use of pay TV and that can be for both.
3. Yes. For our cable system...we have limited cable...channels 2-13.... then basic cable up to channel 76....then higher tier channels after that. They all cost money at varying rates depending on your service. Same goes for satellite TV (DirectTV and Dish Network) as they have various packages for different money amounts.
4. Yes advertising is on cable channels. Many cable channels insert the national commercials that are played with periods of local commercials that local businesses pay to be aired.
5. Satellite (DirectTV and Dish) are available just about anywhere....cable is not everywhere (most areas though) but rural areas may not have cable and just access to satellite. In cities/towns you have both and can choose.
6. Blu-Ray DVD's are still popular....as not everyone has high speed internet needed for streaming. But renting DVD's for viewing are becoming less common for sure.
7. For streaming...it is a mix of free and pay services. There is a large selection choice. Free services such as YouTube or streaming through a network or cable channel website is free but will come with commercials. Pay services such as Netflix, Amazon and others are commercial free. YouTube is a mix of everything and people or in some cases organizations, networks, etc upload videos to the service. One thing I love about YouTube is when folks upload old commercials or parts of TV shows/news broadcasts from 20-30 years ago. Kind of like re-living your youth.
5. Yes. Some have no choice. I have all 3, cable, satellite and fiber-optic (FiOS) as choices. Can't imagine anywhere in the US has no TV reception, except maybe parts of Appalachia in the mountains (?) but they may not have cable or satellite
I would imagine that some parts of the Rockies there would be places where TV reception doesn't exist. Not really so much with Colorado since those areas are probably well served by Grand Junction, Colorado Springs and Denver but Wyoming and Montana it could be the case unless they live close enough to Billings, Casper or even Salt Lake City to receive something from there. Satellite TV may be available even in those places but then again it comes down to "line of sight". Maybe one's neighbors may have no trouble getting the signal from Dish Network or Direct TV but doesn't mean everyone in the neighborhood can.
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