# Broadcast rules !!!



## yelrav

I just got rid of cable and installed a broadcast antennae. My picture is great with a signal that is uncompressed it's truly amazing. Does anybody else get their signal over the air? I receive around 40 channels.I also have netflix and hulu+.I've cut my TV bill by 2/3 of what it use to be.I pay 16$ a month for N/H and 39 a month for internet from AT&T.


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## Stewart Vernon

I watch a lot of OTA TV... but not sure what it has to do with Dish Network?


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## yelrav

It has nothing to do with dish or direct just wanted to see if anybody went to total OTA and broke ties with the conventional methods.


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## phrelin

Then you may want to join the discussion on the thread Bye Dish - Hello OTA.


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## CCarncross

yelrav said:


> It has nothing to do with dish or direct just wanted to see if anybody went to total OTA and broke ties with the conventional methods.


I use OTA but half of what I watch isnt on the big 4 networks, and no local CW in HD To watch what I want when I want, strictly going OTA is out of the question.


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## Nick

What? Free TV? Where?


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## Davenlr

I do the same thing, although I still have satellite TV. I use PlayOn, FTA satellite, and 2 OTA tuners on a HTPC, then extenders in each room for OTA/internet content. Each room also has a satellite receiver as well. Some things available on satellite just cannot yet be duplicated in the internet/OTA only environment. I give it about two years.


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## retiredTech

I would like to do OTA but the signal is way too weak even with a 4-bay 20 feet up.
Had poor OTA with analog and virtually no OTA with digital.
OTA is all about location.
I suspect many rural areas have problems with digital.


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## phrelin

retiredTech said:


> I would like to do OTA but the signal is way too weak even with a 4-bay 20 feet up.
> Had poor OTA with analog and virtually no OTA with digital.
> OTA is all about location.
> I suspect many rural areas have problems with digital.


Heck, I couldn't get analog.


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## Davenlr

retiredTech said:


> I suspect many rural areas have problems with digital.


That is the whole reason behind cable TV's inception. And most cable companies still offer "locals only" basic cable packages, which if bundled with their internet offerings, usually cost about the same as "Internet Only". Might be worth considering if you want to go the "OTA/Internet" route, and cannot get OTA . If you dont have cable available, all the networks are available on FTA, although a 10' dish is still required.


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## SayWhat?

Davenlr said:


> I do the same thing,
> 
> FTA satellite,


I keep threatening to do that, but I don't know enough about it even after reading Sadoun's boards. I keep hearing that there isn't much in the clear any more.



retiredTech said:


> I would like to do OTA but the signal is way too weak even with a 4-bay 20 feet up.


Go bigger and higher. I'm using a more conventional antenna at about 45' and I get a good selection. One station from about 60 miles is flaky sometimes, but it's stable most of the time.


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## Davenlr

SayWhat? said:


> I keep threatening to do that, but I don't know enough about it even after reading Sadoun's boards. I keep hearing that there isn't much in the clear any more.


Well, for Networks, CBS, ABC, NBC, and PBS are available in HD, FOX in SD (sometimes HD), MeTV SD, CW HD, RTN in SD, THIStv SD, TuffTV SD, Univision HD. PBS World SD, ION HD, Telemundo HD.

News: AlJazeera English and Russia Today in SD, ABC News Now

Weather: WeatherNation SD and HD

Sports: Most all ESPN events (have to search for where they are) in HD, Universal Sports

Movies: PixL HD

Of course, if any major news event breaks, it will be covered all over the arc.


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## Scott in FL

yelrav said:


> I just got rid of cable and installed a broadcast antennae. My picture is great with a signal that is uncompressed it's truly amazing.


Over the air signals are compressed.


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## n3ntj

Using MPEG-2


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## Scott in FL

And that's just the OTA signal. All of the major networks use compression to deliver their feeds to the local affiliates. ABC and CBS both use MPEG-4 for distribution to the local stations, as well as contribution feeds between their own facilities.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/archive/index.php/t-1075686.html


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## joshjr

yelrav said:


> I just got rid of cable and installed a broadcast antennae. My picture is great with a signal that is uncompressed it's truly amazing. Does anybody else get their signal over the air? I receive around 40 channels.I also have netflix and hulu+.I've cut my TV bill by 2/3 of what it use to be.I pay 16$ a month for N/H and 39 a month for internet from AT&T.


While thats great for you, OTA, Netflix and Hulu do not cover all shows people are interested in. I'm happy its working out for you but the setup I would need to record OTA would not be cheap and I wouldnt want to have to go through all that hassle for it to not see shows I want. For people that can get by on those options, I say go for it and enjoy the savings. I will also say be on the lookout for more internet providers to do away with unlimited packages if more and more people go to streaming shows.


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