Watch Free HDTV Channels With the Help of Digital TV Antenna
A few years back I had the shock of my life to see the expensive cable television bill. It was a mixed feeling. At the first instance, I felt disappointed that I was wasting my hard-earned money on abysmal television content featured on some channels — the next moment I realized that I could channelize this money to improve the quality of my life in several ways. However, my family was so obsessed with the programs in cable TV that it would be devilish to cancel cable TV subscription outright. I knew I had to figure out some other ways.
I got my opportunity around the time when television stations were making a transition in their transmission format from analog to digital broadcast. I began to contemplate if it was possible to receive television for free. The idea was good, but I had doubts concerning the picture quality. Decades ago I made a futile attempt to tap into the broadcasting frequencies with an antenna and get a decent picture. I was not mentally prepared to give it a try once again. I did some secondary research on the internet to check if the digital conversion implied that I could watch free HDTV channels with the help of Digital TV Antenna.
Is Free Digital Television Worth Your Time?
I was astonished that most of the people were unaware that a small, inexpensive antenna could catch the signal of several channels in perfect high-definition. Honestly, one of the most underrated and unappreciated technological breakthroughs of this era is the over-the-air digital television.
In sharp contrast to the older system, which is not even broadcast, the question of picture degeneration or snow does not arise. Either Nine out of ten times, you will have a clear picture, or you do not. Hence, the picture quality is not an issue. You will be amazed to know that satellite services and cable emphasizes more on the compression of HD signals in comparison to their over-the-air counterparts. It testifies that while you can watch high-quality picture free, yet your neighbors are paying hefty bills to watch television channels at the poor picture quality.
Over-the-air digital television offers you the feature of channel guide just like a satellite or cable program. The information about current and future applications is encoded in the broadcast digital signal. If you wish to display this information, all you need is a compatible television or a converter box. It has the guide feature for presenting this information.
Choosing a Digital TV Antenna
If you wish to watch free HDTV channels with the help of Digital TV Antenna, then you have got two options. The located-indoors on top of your television or the mounted outdoors. If your location is at a far distance from the transmission tower then outdoors antennas are best because they can receive a signal from far away. However, they are expensive and more significant. Keep in mind that the trick lies in getting the station and not the signal quality.
If you wish to find out which type of digital antenna will best serve your purpose, then you can take the help of the great non-profit website AntennaWeb. With its help, you will be able to find out your distance from the broadcasting tower, and the kind of antenna that will serve you best.
Now the question is how much will it cost? It depends on how powerful the antenna is. The power of the antenna needs to increase with your distance from the TV tower. Roughly you need to spend an amount equivalent to your distance from the broadcasting tower multiplied by $1.5.
Will it work with your television?
Well, if you have a television that is capable of receiving digital signals, then you are all set to watch free HDTV channels with the help of Digital TV Antenna. In contemporary times, flat screen television can receive digital signals gracefully. However, if you have an old style television with a DVST picture tube, then you will need a converter box.
How many channels can you get?
Most of the channels that are available through satellite TV and cable are not broadcasted. It is one of the main downsides of relying on free TV. Hence, you will miss out on favorite sports channels like ESPN, and favorite movie channels like HBO. You can be hopeful of finding several free commercial public television channels that were not known to you.
The Final Take
Satellite and cable TV provide excellent service. The only downside is their surging monthly cost. If you wish to reduce or eliminate monthly rents on television channels, then a little investment of time and money on Digital TV Antenna can suffice your cause as you can still get digital television on high definition free. If you are not an ardent fan of premium television programs and mentally prepared to miss some channels, then Digital TV Antenna can provide you with a great picture without the need of paying a monthly bill on television that you have done for so long.
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