Who uses TV antennas anymore? - Page 5 - Videokarma.org TV - Video

wilkes85 · #61 03-19-2009, 12:54 AM

I have another question. Do I live in the only place in the world that doesn't have any UHF channels?
We have 4, which is Global; 8, which is CTV; 11, which is CBC, and 13, which is french CBC.
I don't think anyone around here except for me even still uses analogue TV, because of the extremely limited channels.
Also, Canada isn't raping us of true free TV until 2011, so I still got a few years left to use the knob to change channels.

Also, I do have digital cable, I just don't have it in my room.

Fred Sanford · #62 03-19-2009, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ohighway

Well.... up until about a week ago.... me. Even though we're close to a major metropolitan area (Baltimore/Washington) we only had one TV/internet choice up until recently. Comcast. And based on the input from the neighbors who claimed horrible service,-plus- the fact that Comcast wanted about $3k to run their cable down my long driveway to my house.... I said NO WAY.

Verizon FIOS service -finally- reached our area, and now we're hooked up for internet and basic TV. (No charge to run their wire to our house) The internet connectivity was the only thing I was really interested in... but with package prices basic TV service was only a few $$ more, and gave the kids access to Nickelodeon, etc.

However I'm not at all a big time watcher of TV. If there was no one else in the house to consider, I'd just hook my TV to my cheapy DTV box and amplified antenna, and leave it at that.....

Similar deal here- ComCast has an awful rep, and wants $3K to bring cable up my driveway. Verizon will bring FIOS to the house for free, but it's not near me yet.

je

Robert Grant · #63 03-19-2009, 01:11 PM

That $3K a drop sounds almost suicidal for Comcast. Why don't they just give everyone the telephone numbers to D* and HughesNet?

Hifirob2 · #64 03-19-2009, 02:22 PM

I have only "kinda" been watching this thread - only because I initially took offense to the OP (sorry).

Heck yeah I still use my TV antennas. With all the crap on cable and dish, I can't see paying major bucks for something I rarely watch.

And with my digital converter boxes, I get super picture quality, and absolutely the BEST (uncompressed?) digital sound ever! Some TV shows sound as good as a DVD. I never got that when I had cable.

Rob

Ohighway · #65 03-19-2009, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Grant

That $3K a drop sounds almost suicidal for Comcast..........

You got that right. We were so desperate for decent internet connectivity (we'd been suffering via dialup) that I probably would have signed up with them even with some of the horror stories the neighbors were telling. But when they hit us with that "$3k to come down your driveway" that effectively sealed it as NO DEAL. The gas company came down my long drive for free. Ditto Verizon. Why not Comcast? I figure it would have all averaged out for them ........ plus they would've gigged us for a monthly bill. Oh well, their loss.

zenith2134 · #66 03-19-2009, 04:37 PM

Yeah it doesn't add up, Ohighway. Seems like they're being a bit stingy. I mean, think of the amount of bulk cables and accesories they must have, not to mention it doesn't take much manpower to do that job...

I only use antennae for analog TV, and have digital cable but after the transition I did get the converters since there will come a day when i want free OTA again....

automojo · #67 03-19-2009, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilkes85

I have another question. Do I live in the only place in the world that doesn't have any UHF channels?
We have 4, which is Global; 8, which is CTV; 11, which is CBC, and 13, which is french CBC.
I don't think anyone around here except for me even still uses analogue TV, because of the extremely limited channels.
Also, Canada isn't raping us of true free TV until 2011, so I still got a few years left to use the knob to change channels.

Also, I do have digital cable, I just don't have it in my room.

For your information-the FCC isn't "raping"(?) us of free tv, it's merly going digital-buy a convertor box-it's still free. Better picture sound-no snow-it's a great deal

It's amazing-even here some don't understand digital tv and the convertor box-truly amazing

*zenithfan1* · #68 03-19-2009, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by automojo

For your information-the FCC isn't "raping"(?) us of free tv, it's merly going digital-buy a convertor box-it's still free. Better picture sound-no snow-it's a great deal

It's amazing-even here some don't understand digital tv and the convertor box-truly amazing

We understand digital perfectly. We also understand that buying a box and bigger antenna is not free. The reception also sucks. I'll take a little snow over a constantly glitching picture any day. Then I look outside and birds are on my antenna causing the disruption. Analog never did any of that bogus crap. Worked fine for over 60 years.

zenith2134 · #69 03-19-2009, 06:07 PM

Fringe reception suffers most with digital, OTA television. Compared to analog, which could make a snowy b&w picture out of the weak signal, digital is pretty sucky. It's either there totally or gone totally.

Unless the transmitter power is turned up drastically, I can't see digital tv working for a lot of people, especially those using existing antenna systems or people living in the boonies...

automojo · #70 03-19-2009, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zenithfan1

We understand digital perfectly. We also understand that buying a box and bigger antenna is not free. The reception also sucks. I'll take a little snow over a constantly glitching picture any day. Then I look outside and birds are on my antenna causing the disruption. Analog never did any of that bogus crap. Worked fine for over 60 years.

Zenith-First-I was was not quoting you directly, another member-so "we" probably doesn't fit well-Second-Tv's-antenna nothings free-the signal is free for you to take with the required equipment.
Sorry to hear your reception sucks-in Hudson I don't have any problem-but bandwidth is marketable and worth huge money- it was only a matter of time-
Like it or not digital tv is here to stay, my suggestion would be instead of being angry- try to make the best of your available signal, or contact your local stations to see if they can help-like any new technology, there are some wrinkles to be worked out-perhaps it's as simple as turning the juice up

*zenithfan1* · #71 03-19-2009, 07:32 PM

I'm not angry at all, I do use the signal the best I can. I'm just making an observation and stating my personal opinion that analog technically "works" better in some situations. I can't deny the fact that the picture and sound are great when digital works. But buying stuff to get a free signal is not free at all. I used the term "we" because you did not clarify as to who you were talking about, you said "even here some don't understand digital tv and the convertor box-truly amazing".

automojo · #72 03-19-2009, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zenithfan1

I'm not angry at all, I do use the signal the best I can. I'm just making an observation and stating my personal opinion that analog technically "works" better in some situations. I can't deny the fact that the picture and sound are great when digital works. But buying stuff to get a free signal is not free at all. I used the term "we" because you did not clarify as to who you were talking about, you said "even here some don't understand digital tv and the convertor box-truly amazing".

I was quoting wilkes85. Anyway- you had to buy the TV, antenna and supporting cast-those usally aren't free-the box-for me at least was $39 with the G coupon-I understand that some areas aren't the best for digital tv signals- hopefully by you, and others contacting stations and the FCC with your observed problems-they can be corrected. When analog commercial radio, and tv began-I'm sure they had a whole host of problems as well-new technologies usally do-unfortunatly-lets hopefor all of our sakes, they get them ironed out

*zenithfan1* · #73 03-19-2009, 08:01 PM

I hope they fix it too, then I can drop satellite. It's expensive for how much crap there is on there that I don't watch. I wish the boxes were made a little better too. There is always at least one thing I don't like. I keep buying different ones and they could all use some improvements. The best so far are the Zenith and Digital stream it seems. I have an "Access HD" box that works well but the menus and firmware are nothing to write home about. It keeps forgetting the channels I program in.

Jeffhs · #74 03-19-2009, 08:03 PM

I believe OTA DTV reception will improve once the stations are all transmitting at full power. The reason a lot of folks are having trouble getting certain digital stations OTA (aside from distance or terrain issues) is that many of those stations are presently transmitting at somewhat less than their full authorized power level.

Zenithfan1: I did not realize that something as simple as birds sitting on an outdoor TV antenna could wreck DTV reception until I saw your post. As we know, this won't do much if anything to analog OTA reception, but I guess digital is a lot more fussy than analog ever was; witness the "all or nothing" nature of the former. I remember when the cable system here (Time Warner) converted to 100 percent digital last year. I was watching the evening news on my RCA CTC185 19" set shortly after the conversion was completed (or maybe it was still in progress) and saw the picture freezing and pixelating like crazy--I didn't see the end of that night's news because of the problem. I recently spoke with a technician for TW who told me that yes, they did have their share of problems at first, but that's part of the process of transitioning from one technology to another--there will always be bugs to be ironed out.

Hifirob2 · #75 03-19-2009, 08:05 PM

Yes, there are a few glitches. My two converter boxes shipped to my door cost me around $25, I think (with coupons).

I do feel a little like I've stepped back in time, though. I have had to uninstall all my signal boosters (they actually made the reception of digital signals worse), and install a A/B switch - to switch between the roof antenna (receives only some stations in digital) and my little set of rabbit ears and UHF loop set up indoors (to receive the remaining digital signals).

I hate the breakups of reception when using the indoor antennas. Low planes, helicopters, even my neighbor upstairs walking around can easily disrupt the signal. Very annoying IMHO, considering we are supposed to be progressing with technology.

The killer sound quality helps make up for that, though, so I'm good. Until they reassign some of the channels, and I have to do a scan on the boxes to see if there are any new stations - and see if I lose any.

Rob