Free Over-The-Air HDTV

on Apr7 2011

In the old days people used to use “rabbit ears” to pick up a TV signal. Well, those days have returned with HDTV and it is free. I get 21 digital (and 23 analog) channels over the air but I never watch analog TV anymore. You don’t need expensive cable or satellite hookups – just your old antenna. There are lots of antennas you can buy which are better, if you want. One that I have has a preamp and the other has a tuner in a box with no amp. It all depends on your situation. Buy a HDTV with an ATSC tuner so you don’t need to buy a separate one. Use good RG6 cable (not Dollar Store junk) and then a preamp if necessary. Sound is great on digital transmission as well. You can get a DVD that upgrades ordinary DVD (not BluRay) to good viewing too. Analog TV will be disappearing so you have to go digital. Digital TV has no ghosting and the picture and Dolby sound are terrific. And FREE!!! The antenna and amp will cost you about $100 and there are no subscription fees – ever.

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17 Comments so far

1 timc101 on April 7, 2011 4:29 am
I have a Digiwave DTV-5000 decoder, although I’m not a big fan of Digiwave. It works well. My Samsung unit died after a year and a half. Lesson learned was to leave it all the time.
2 Kirthin123 on April 7, 2011 4:46 am
What is a good decoder at a reasonable price? I have two HD-ready, that currently ATCS decoder would have, any help is greatly appreciated. I saw @ benny bitter posted his $ 2 HDTV antenna video but you didn’t post a how-to. Anyone actually try this, please let me know! Thanks for the help!
3 greyfoxzero on April 7, 2011 5:39 am
Everything was lookin really well until he swung the monster he calls it an antenna, dear thats ridiculous. The sucker must be outside or on the roof or something.
4 timc101 on April 7, 2011 5:42 am
Yes, and even program line ups.
5 itdudntwork on April 7, 2011 5:49 am
@ MrLxmarshall you could find on the web. If your TV says “Dolby Digital” on the front means that essehr likely that your TV has an ATSC tuner.
6 itdudntwork on April 7, 2011 5:54 am
Can you get Dolby Digital fifth 1 not with the digital SD or HD channels? If you get the TV display, it should tell you the audio information. If it Dolby 5th 1, it should say something like “Multi Channel”.
7 bennyherber on April 7, 2011 5:58 am
Check out my videos. You only need $ 2 worth of parts for a high quality HDTV reception antenna;)
8 MrLxmarshall on April 7, 2011 6:46 am
How do you know if your tuner is built into your HDTV? My father can not find the stupid manual for its HDTV
9 timc101 on April 7, 2011 7:17 am
@ Glock ninja Everyone’s situation is different and free over-the-air is just one way. For me, I get about 20 HD channels. Of course, you still have to pay for Internet access, this is true for an ADSL phone line. If you have VoIP, you may receive a “dry loop” connection to pay on the telephone line. By the way, if you have an antenna, you probably want a booster amplifier with a few more feeds to your TV (as you see in the film).
10 GlockNinja on April 7, 2011 8:14 am
@ I Timc101 my discontinued cable TV service today and out of spite, the cable company my high Internet access over $ 20. I have 4 rooms I got to the processors and antennas. My wife wants us to go with Dish Network, because they are a special version of $ 19th 99 a month for 120 channels for 12 months. Their regular price is $ 39 99 to know that Wonder which way is the best way. I’m just tired of watching high cost of TV. I help Netflix to the lack of movie channels.
11 timc101 on April 7, 2011 9:14 am
@ Ninja glock With cable you need to get an HDTV box and update your subscription. HDTV is like high speed internet – you will not go back. Decoder for analog TVs are cheap. Get an antenna, decoder and some coax cable R6. Test to see what you see. If you like it you can get dump cable and an HDTV with ATSC tuner and still be saved.
12 GlockNinja on April 7, 2011 9:58 am
I am thinking of canceling my cable TV provider, and only through the air. But all my old TVs are the non-HDTVs. So I imagine I need to buy a digital decoder. Do I need to really get outside antenna or can I my cable for the reception?
13 kcking23 on April 7, 2011 10:47 am
my HDTV show only 7 channels
14 ontheroof99 on April 7, 2011 10:47 am
if you save a channelmaster4221hd visits (Google) and play them have a website and the shop is located in Mississauga and they have good preamp also that you want to have setup, I bet if people ü about them come think with any kind of radio tower, at least a 4 bay were not so noticeable, plus you can try to install a outdoors.
15 ontheroof99 on April 7, 2011 11:30 am
Syracuse, is true it much better, just one channelmaster4221HD 4 Bay outside, and I need a preamp winegaurd not fair and then to 2 TV’s, and after 12 June MYtv will be much stronger and split equally with ion-TV and some sub-channels, Rogers screw or bell.
16 timc101 on April 7, 2011 12:22 pm
Maybe a 4-bay channel master would have been better. I finally have a similar need and no amplifier. Once I’ve scanned and Syracuse lost when my channel 9 1 instead of CFTO was amusing.
17 ontheroof99 on April 7, 2011 1:15 pm
Jeez you live in Toronto, I get the same amount as you and more with just a channel master 4 bay outside. Why are you with 2 antenna for 2 TV if you just need a splitter? also what people say when they see this monster inside antenna?

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