This kid on YouTube looks like he 16 but is actually pretty knowledgeable on the subject (antennas):

Thanks for posting this smschulz. What I predicted would happen, happened, with these streaming services. Get you in for a cheap price, then raise the mother fucker over time. I knew this would happen and kept my satellite service instead (Dish). And they have been very cordial to work with. I have a 4k DVR and 3 other 4k boxes. I have all the movie channels available with the most basic cable package I could swindle, and have locals. I have to keep some/many/all of my movie channels on promotional packages so my monthly bill varies from $73 to $93 a month.

Then I use Netflix's tradtional blu ray in the mail program and another company's 4k disc mail service.

Sounds like a made the right move staying in the holding pattern. I'm not paying much more than these bullshit streaming things and I have way more content than they provide that I actually watch. One day satellite will go a la carte and my bill will go down further. This dude in that video just solidified my decision making. I loathe streaming services. Physical media via disc is still the way to fly. Best video and audio possible, not fucking compressed!

Yes, streaming has gone up. But it's still cheaper than cable/satellite, as long as you're not trying to subscribe to every single streaming service available out there.

I used to pay nearly $140/month because my ex-wife had to have cable TV with some premium add-ons.

I currently have HBO Max, Disney+, Hulu, ESPN, Netflix, and Amazon Prime video. This means I pay $48/month (even less if you factor in the price of just the Prime Video vs. all the Amazon Prime benefits) for more video content than I could ever possibly consume. Especially since it's further supplemented by free sources like Youtube and PBS, and an OTA antenna that I never use.

$48 is about half of what Prefontaine pays for satellite, and about a third of what I was paying for cable.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: RogueJSK,

quote:

But it's still cheaper than cable/satellite, as long as you're not trying to subscribe to every single streaming service available out there.

Basic cable, Hulu, YouTube TV are all pretty much the same service and pretty much the same cost.
I looked into the so called cord cutting but really didn't see any benefit or savings.

That was a great rant! Thanks for sharing, smschulz.

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:
One day satellite will go a la carte and my bill will go down further.

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for that--particularly with the bundled streaming services going the opposite direction.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Yes, streaming has gone up. But it's still cheaper than cable/satellite, as long as you're not trying to subscribe to every single streaming service available out there.

Rather the point to the Antenna Man's rant.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
... I pay $48/month ...

That's about half of what Prefontaine pays for satellite, ...

We're paying $36/mo. for OTA TV DVR subscription, NetFlix, HBO Max, PBS Passport, and OAN.

Less than half what Prefontaine pays for satellite and we never want for something to watch. Between them there's always something.

And Antenna Man makes a good point: Just how much TV can you watch, anyway?

Interesting.
I am a true cord cutter, by his definition.
I use an antenna.
And I use Pluto.
By default, I have amazon prime, as I use their shipping.

LOL

I guess we're sorta half-way. We dropped cable fully a couple years ago, but do maintain fiber for my work & family entertainment.

Nothing else, no streaming anything, no Netflix, Hulu, yada yada. Just fiber @ $60/ mo.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: soflaac,

The percentage of shows I want to watch that are free on the Roku (even with subscriptions to Prime and Netflix) is shrinking all the time.

Yes there is a lot of free content, but I've either watched it already or it doesn't interest me.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:
One day satellite will go a la carte and my bill will go down further.

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for that--particularly with the bundled streaming services going the opposite direction.

Definitely not. They have discussed it however so if it’s offered I will go that route.

This isn’t some big time passion deal for me either. I’ve never paid $140, $200, whatever. $75, $85, for everything I have, well I am happy to pay it. Love the hardware and software used. Been with Dish for over 20 years now. They aren’t like cable requiring you to buy x,y,z package to get what I want. It’s a beam from space so the middlemen get the finger. I rarely dine out and don’t go to bars, etc, so the cost is nothing. I save so much money avoiding fast food establishments and restaurants, that’s hundreds per month I don’t pay that other folks do. I loathe apps, the phone, etc anyway so until a la carte is offered, or some company comes out with a movie channel bundle that is zero compression, full video and audio quality, with a DVR or similar functionality I’m not switching anything. I don’t even go to the theater anymore because of the phones and apps. Different strokes.

Like smschulz said, I’ve looked into it over the years, got to use or try streaming this and that and didn’t care for it at all. Nor did I see any benefit. To get what I want it’d cost more than I pay, the same, and it wouldn’t be redundant like it is now. My setup is not dependent on the internet. And whatever number anyone comes up with is arbitrary because you aren’t comparing apples to apples. It’s apples to oranges. “Well I pay this!” Well it’s not a like for like comparison. To me or for my money I like the centralized deal. Opening up apps, digging through shitty menus, just ain’t for me. I don’t really care what is popular either. CUV’s are all the rage but all be damned if I’d buy one. Same thing goes for Disney. Don’t like the company at all so no interest. Netflix, I can get the film on blu ray a year before it’s on their streaming service. Got tired of episodic bullshit too as that’s all been pulled in 20 directions via their apps so it was just easier to say bye then chase it.

I never cut the cord and happy I didn’t. Like smschulz, I’m in the industry also. I handle big pipes at work and have to deal with the Telcos and MSO’s every day I work. They all want to stick it to cord cutters via ISP costs. And working in the industry on fiber every day, when I get home, like many telco/IT folk, the less I’m doing on the internet the better. Nothing is as satisfying as pressing the remote for eject on a 4k player and dropping in 4k or 1080 blu ray. Or having a menu, channel guide, and DVR selection. I’m extremely fond of the simplicity. Each to their own though.

For $40 he'll tell me which antenna to buy. Mmm... no.

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
For $40 he'll tell me which antenna to buy. Mmm... no.

It ain't Rocket Surgery and as long as you get an antenna made for the frequencies in question, you're good to go. Years ago when I was a kid just about every father knew what you needed to know about OTA antennas. Do a google search and you'll have your answer.

I have DirecTV and have had it for around 25 years or so. I take just about everything they offer because I can afford it and I like to watch stuff with few to no commercials. Definitely worth it to me.

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
For $40 he'll tell me which antenna to buy. Mmm... no.

It ain't Rocket Surgery and as long as you get an antenna made for the frequencies in question, you're good to go.

Speaking as somebody with more than a little knowledge of antennas, transmission lines, and RF propagation: Uhm... no. Not really.

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
Years ago when I was a kid just about every father knew what you needed to know about OTA antennas.

I don't know how long ago that was, but things have changed significantly since I was a kid and now.

E.g.: Back when I was a kid UHF didn't even exist. Until 1995 the U.S. and Canada were still on the NTSC (analog) broadcast standard and transmitter power was a lot higher than it is now.

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
Do a google search and you'll have your answer.

Tell that to the thousands of people who tried that, found it didn't work, and having no clue as to why.

For most people it will be pretty straight-forward. But, for the others: Unless you've the aptitude for it, you're willing to put in the time to research it, and you can deal with possibly having to deal with some missteps, it ain't gonna happen. It isn't as easy today as it once was.

I'll give you one example (though, admittedly, this is a corner case): There is a low-power station in my market that is one of the rare stations that's in VHF-Low. There are people half-again as far away from that station as I that can receive it. I cannot. Plus I'm on high ground--with essentially a clear shot from here to there. Our rooftop yagi antenna is VHF-Low/VHF-High/UHF and essentially aimed nearly directly at the broadcast tower in question.

Were it not for the fact I know where to look, and understand such things, the reason others can receive it but I cannot would remain a frustrating mystery.

The reason is the station's radiation pattern strongly disfavors our direction.

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
For $40 he'll tell me which antenna to buy. Mmm... no.

It ain't Rocket Surgery and as long as you get an antenna made for the frequencies in question, you're good to go.

No it's Science.
You can't blame a guy (who really is a an expert on the subject) trying to make a living.
Whether it applies to you is up to you.
Give the kid a break.

Here's his video of the outdoor antenna I purchased a few years back. A Televes DiNova Boss. Though I use this outdoor antenna for my Tablo DVR to record the locals, it has a commercial skip free feature that works very efficiently. I only record a few sci-fi programs. I do have the amplified version of the DiNova Boss, I don't use it here in the suburbs of Miami and it picked up locals up to 70mi clear as you can get. Florida is very flat with basically no obstructions to block a good signal.



It was a snap to install and slid directly down on my Direct TV Satellite dish frame, plugged it in and worked perfectly. It does show some mold growing as does most things here in our South Florida humidity.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
For $40 he'll tell me which antenna to buy. Mmm... no.

It ain't Rocket Surgery and as long as you get an antenna made for the frequencies in question, you're good to go.

Speaking as somebody with more than a little knowledge of antennas, transmission lines, and RF propagation: Uhm... no. Not really.

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
Years ago when I was a kid just about every father knew what you needed to know about OTA antennas.

I don't know how long ago that was, but things have changed significantly since I was a kid and now.

E.g.: Back when I was a kid UHF didn't even exist. Until 1995 the U.S. and Canada were still on the NTSC (analog) broadcast standard and transmitter power was a lot higher than it is now.

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
Do a google search and you'll have your answer.

Tell that to the thousands of people who tried that, found it didn't work, and having no clue as to why.

For most people it will be pretty straight-forward. But, for the others: Unless you've the aptitude for it, you're willing to put in the time to research it, and you can deal with possibly having to deal with some missteps, it ain't gonna happen. It isn't as easy today as it once was.

I'll give you one example (though, admittedly, this is a corner case): There is a low-power station in my market that is one of the rare stations that's in VHF-Low. There are people half-again as far away from that station as I that can receive it. I cannot. Plus I'm on high ground--with essentially a clear shot from here to there. Our rooftop yagi antenna is VHF-Low/VHF-High/UHF and essentially aimed nearly directly at the broadcast tower in question.

Were it not for the fact I know where to look, and understand such things, the reason others can receive it but I cannot would remain a frustrating mystery.

The reason is the station's radiation pattern strongly disfavors our direction.

Speaking as an EE who specializes in RF, yes it is easy.

Sure, there are situations where you might have trouble getting one particular station, but for the most part, it's very straightforward.

Edited to add:

Okay, I decided to see exactly how hard it is to get free info from a reliable source on what antennas I need and what channels are available in my area.

I entered a google search asking what antenas I'd need and here are the first two websites that came up after the Advertising websites:

https://www.antennaweb.org/

https://www.antennasdirect.com...smitter-locator.html

Both tell you what stations are available OTA in your area, distance to each station, antennas that will work in your zip code, and so on.

In short, everything you need to buy and install an OTA antenna for your TV in a 30 second search.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Flash-LB,

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
No it's Science.

More like science, backed by art, backed by a dose of luck

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
Sure, there are situations where you might have trouble getting one particular station, but for the most part, it's very straightforward.

That wasn't what you originally wrote. What you originally claimed was "...as long as you get an antenna made for the frequencies in question, you're good to go."

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
In short, everything you need to buy and install an OTA antenna for your TV in a 30 second search.

Which will work for most people most of the time, but then ​Joe or Jane Doe go and do that, only to find many of the stations "the chart" claimed would work, don't work.

I see it on various forums all the time.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

That wasn't what you originally wrote. What you originally claimed was "...as long as you get an antenna made for the frequencies in question, you're good to go."

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
In short, everything you need to buy and install an OTA antenna for your TV in a 30 second search.

Which will work for most people most of the time, but then ​Joe or Jane Doe go and do that, only to find many of the stations "the chart" claimed would work, don't work.

I see it on various forums all the time.

And I stand by what I said in my first answer as well as what I said in the second.

Figuring it out is trivial with the net being around.

Paying someone to tell you is a waste of money.

And now you're saying that some of the stations these places show you won't work? Exactly how do you know that? Did you try them all? And if the reference on the net won't work, how do you know the info you get from the Youtube guy will work? Do you think he's more knowledgeable than anybody else in the business?

TV antennas are wideband and as long as they're cut to the TV band center frequency, they'll work for all of them.

You'll need a dual band antenna if you intend to go for all VHF/UHF frequencies, but there are bunches of them.

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:

Figuring it out is trivial with the net being around.

Paying someone to tell you is a waste of money.

Yeah, we get your point ~ no one is reaching into your pocket are they?

This thread got me thinking because I really want to get rid of Comcast TV and keep only the internet. I never watch sports and that fee and other garbage fees keep going up.

We had Amazon Prime since before they started streaming services so I don't even count that which would just leave us with HBO MAX and Netflix for a grand total of less that $30 a month. I just hooked up old TV antenna in attic that Iwas planning to throw out and here 32 miles from Chicago my Samsung picked up 88 over the air channels!

Think I am going to cut the cord soon which would save me about $130 a month getting rid of Comcast TV. Wife was against it until I asked her exactly last time she watched anything on Comcast and she had not idea "but there is this baking show I like to watch sometimes." Which I replied "you want us to spend $1600 a year just for that?"

You can probably get the baking show ala carte for 7 bux a month roku