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| DaOld Man:
I currently have cable tv, and for the money (80 bucks a month), I dont like paying for commercials. (No hbo, showtime, etc, just basic cable.) I was thinking about putting up a digital antenna to get free channels. Im about 55 miles from Nashville Tn and should be able to get several channels, with the right antenna of course. Just looking for suggestions of outdoor antennas you have used and would recommend. I used this handy website to see the channels in my area: http://www.tvfool.com Thanks. |
| DaOld Man:
Added note: that tvfool site hasnt been updated in a while, so dont know if all the channels it shows are still in service. I was looking at this one: https://www.amazon.com/ANTOP-Antenna-Omnidirectional-Smartpass-Amplifier/dp/B07VQYQSPM/ref=pd_ybh_a_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=EK4F1QP9K3EJBF60XSGV They claim its 360 degree reception so shouldnt need a rotator. I dont like that its made in china, so probably junk, but I bet it would be hard to find one made in USA. Any thoughts? |
| BadMouth:
Haven't had cable in forever. :cheers: Messing with antennas became a hobby for a few years while I was trying to get every channel possible. Omni-directional = competing noise from all directions That antenna also looks way too small for the distance (despite what the manufacturer's claim). 55 Miles is a lot if there are any ridges in between. Post a screen grab of your report (with address redacted) and I can be of more help. EDIT: FYI "Digital" and "HD" antennas are just marketing. An antenna that was designed to receive 500MHz 50 years ago will receive 500MHz just the same today. If there is an old gigantic monster on your roof already, just hook it up. |
| BadMouth:
Don't believe the mileage claims on small antennas. At 55 miles you're going to need the clearstream 4 or a big 8 bay antenna with a pre-amp; on the roof or possibly an old school looking eyesore if any of the channels are VHF. Cheap antennas will probably get the signal just as well, but won't hold up as well over time. It may be worth it to buy the cheap on for experimentation and seeing how you like over the air tv. I started out with rabbit ears and upgraded in small increments trying to lock more stations in solid. Ended up with a Channel Master CM-4228. In retrospect, I should have just skipped to it to begin with. The performance of the clearstream 4 is actually pretty close, but it looks a lot nicer. Looking at stations for Nashville, NBC and PBS is VHF hi which could be a problem, but the government keeps reshuffling to sell off frequencies to the cell phone carriers. The TV fool report should be up to date. It's not easy or cheap unless the stations are close, but once done it doesn't take long for the savings on cable to add up. The picture quality is actually better than cable on some stations because it is not compressed. Since it's digital, a single frequency can carry multiple channels, so they add extra channels like https://www.comettv.com and https://www.grittv.com I get 6 signals, but 18 channels. I have a lot more to say on the subject, but will wait for the tvfool report to see if it is worthwhile. |
| BadMouth:
If you aren't worried about current shows or local news, check out Pluto TV. It's mostly cable shows from 5-10 years ago, which is all new to me because it's been that long since I had cable. https://pluto.tv/live-tv/pluto-tv-travel?utm_source=homepage There's an app for it on all platforms. |
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