I work in IT so I know there are many ways to watch TV shows and movies online without paying for it but this is not what I’m talking about. I’m not going to get into the messy world of downloading TV shows and movies from torrents or getting some special box that connects to your TV and streams channels from overseas. I want to show you cheaper ways to watch your shows on your TV that is in full compliance with the TV networks. I will focus mainly on watching TV on you television but watching on a tablet, a phone or a computer are also viable options.
The first and overall cheapest option for cord cutting is over-the-air (OTA) TV. The rabbit ear antennas that you used 20 years ago still work to get you free OTA TV but they now have different shapes other than the classic rabbit ears. The signal being sent over the air is now a digital signal. If you have an old tube TV then you will need a digital converter box but if you have a current flat screen TV then the digital converter is built-in. The signal being broadcast includes local affiliates of ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CW, PBS, Univision, and Telemundo in high definition (HD). You also get other local channels. When cutting the cord from cable or satellite there are a couple of things you will need to get used to with OTA TV. OTA TV doesn’t come with a channel guide or with DVR capabilities. There are stand-alone devices that can give you these capabilities but I will discuss them in another blog post. Also in another blog post I will discuss streaming TV. My suggestion for what to do if you miss the live broadcast of your show is to stream it later.
Broadcast Signal Strength and Antenna
In the old days of analog broadcast TV the channels would hopefully show up clear but if there was any interference with the signal the picture would have a snowy effect. Now with a digital signal being sent there is no more snowy effect. They say that with digital signals the picture either works or it doesn’t. But the truth is that some channels might have a digital glitchy look. The ability to get a good signal depends on the distance from the broadcast transmitter, whether the broadcast signal is UHF or VHF, and the antenna you are using. In the Houston area, the broadcast transmitters are located in Missouri City which is southwest of Houston. I live in Cypress and it is about 32 miles away from the broadcast towers. Most indoor antennas advertise receiving signals from up to 35 miles away. Amplified antennas say they reach up to 50 miles away. You can find how far away you are from your broadcast transmitters by going to http://antennapoint.com or http://antennaweb.org. For me the VHF signals are the channels that don’t always show up well which includes ABC, PBS and CBS. ABC showed up well during the NBA finals but now it is glitchy. CBS for the most part shows up well but some times I get a few glitches here and there but it doesn’t really interrupt my viewing. The antenna you use also determines how good the video will appear. What I use is an antenna that I created using coat hangers. Here is a link to show you how to create it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw. The tools, hangers and the wood I already had. The screws, washers and balun I got at Lowe’s. I compared this to a flat internal amplified antenna that I got from Amazon and the homemade one works much better. If you live within 25 miles of the broadcast transmitters the flat indoor antennas should work fine and they cost around $25-$35. The homemade one is ugly so I have it in my attic. The antenna connects to my TV through the coaxial cables that already run throughout my house.
NFL on Over-The-Air TV
Cutting the cord is hard for sports watchers, but the NFL is great with OTA. Thursday Night Football is on CBS, Sunday afternoon games are on CBS and FOX, and Sunday Night Football is on NBC. Unfortunately Monday Night Football is on ESPN so that isn’t shown if you only have OTA TV. Some college football is also shown on ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX on Saturdays. I plan on going more in depth on watching sports while cutting the cord in a later blog post.
OTA TV should be the first thing cord cutters use. Once an antenna is purchased there is no more cost. If you only use OTA TV you can watch live broadcast of all the major networks, which includes primetime shows, local news, daytime and late night talk shows.