Free Content First:
Broadcast networks must, well, BROADCAST their signals over the air for
free. And those over-the-air broadcasts
are now digital and much of the programming is in high-definition. Many say the broadcast quality is better than
cable TV, because cable TV providers often compress the signal to squeeze more
channels into that little, itty-bitty thin coax cord.
In my case, I bought an inexpensive indoor digital antenna
from Philips (about $30) just to see what channels I can receive over-the-air. To my surprise, I receive 32 channels. I receive local affiliates for ABC, NBC, CBS,
FOX, and PBS (two stations each for NBC and PBS). I also receive local stations affiliated with
CW and myTV. New with over-the-air
digital TV service are sub-channels within the signal of your main
channels. For example, my local PBS
station serves-up its main feed, but also another 3 sub-channels with different
programming. The 32 channels I receive
include these sub-channels. That’s a lot
more channels than when I was a kid, in the BC era (BC=Before Cable.)
There’s really no such thing as “snow” with digital signals
– either you get a clear picture or you get no reception. One caveat – sometimes you can receive a weak
signal that is still strong enough to show the channel, but the signal will
occasionally drop enough to cause stuttering of the audio and/or pixilation of
the video. Try repositioning your
antenna to improve reception for all of your channels.
In my example, then, of the 25 television shows I want to
watch, I can receive 13 of them for nothing more than the $30 indoor antenna.
Now how about the 12 cable shows I still want to watch after
cutting the cable cord?
Current savings with 13 of my 25 TV programs - $82/mo. +
one-time cost of antenna
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