Local TV Antenna
- Thread starter eaglein3
- Start date
Figure out how far the closest major network antenna is from your house. If it is say 60 miles away then you want to get a long range antenna listed as over 60 miles range. In my experience outdoor antennas work better than indoor.
While y'all are talking tv, I'm thinking about unplugging. I'm considering a firestick plus a digital antenna. What apps are free with the firestick and what apps must be monthly subscription!
I've had a change of opinion on this.
For the last 10 years I used a big "old style" winegard antenna for OTA and it worked. A few months back I got a Amazon " lightning deal" indoor powered antenna. It seems to work better.
Now that being said antennas can be funny things.
Omni vs directional.
Topography.
The weather.
Even the one from Amazon is particular about placement for optimal reception. One thing I like about the indoor one is if the signal is not good it's easy to move. Sometimes a foot this way or that way can make the difference.
Go to antennaweb. It will show you what direction and channels you can get. https://antennaweb.org/Address Get a good yagi antenna and a pre amp. If you have multiple tvs then a network dvr like tablo are wonderful. You hook it up to the antenna and your network then you can record and play channels on all your tvs if they have a roku or firestick.
We love our tablo. You hook one antenna up and it sends the tuner signal over your WiFi to any tv in your home that has an access point like Roku or fire stick or Apple TV. Tablo has a nice user interface grid with all your channels and it even allows you to record events. Having said that, we also pay for Netflix and Hulu Live. Wish we were ok with just tablo and OTA tv
Two questions: What type of company do you call to install an antenna tower/pole that will ground and mount it properly (too old, too steep, & not willing to risk lightning & don’t really want to penetrate my new roof), and how do you get the reception to multiple tv’s?
The last antenna I had was a Channel Master. If I ever have another one, I suspect it will also be a Channel Master.
Yes, but understand that generally due to reduced height and some interference from roof structure it won’t be as good. It still may work just fine for you.
Don’t listen to specific antenna recommendations from folks here unless you share a duplex with them. Everyone’s specific antenna needs vary due to location, geographical interferences, electromagnetic interferences, distance from broadcast towers, orientation of towers in relation to your home, etc. use these 2 websites to see what you can realistically pick up:
Www.antennaweb.org
Www.tvfool.com
Keep in mind that with the FCC repacking mandate, several tv station frequencies will be changing in the coming months so periodically re-program your tv.
Www.antennaweb.org
Www.tvfool.com
Keep in mind that with the FCC repacking mandate, several tv station frequencies will be changing in the coming months so periodically re-program your tv.
Other folks are right: No one antenna fits all. Guessing you would need an outdoor/attic antenna in Murrells Inlet. You can try rabbit ears ($5 or $10) at Walmart, etc. to see. Sometimes that would be enough. Indoor antennas generally need to be near a window or on a wall facing most of the broadcast towers you're trying to get.
If you want streaming over the Internet, you'll need a device such as Amazon Fire Stick, Roku or Apple TV. I don't have a Roku, but I'm told it has a Roku channel with free programming options.
If you want ESPN/SEC Network, you'll need to purchase some kind of streaming plan -- Playstation Vue (you don't need a PS unit), Sling, Hulu Live, YouTube TV, etc. Each has apps available and you can watch some of them remotely when out of town..
Here's a comparison to some of the top paid streaming services. Cord Cutters News offers lots of info.
https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/pla...-philo-vs-watch-tv-vs-hulu-updated-july-2019/
I've got PS Vue and Sling (Blue plan) to go with 60+ free channels via antenna. I'm saving about $50 per month over the cable package I had.
If you subscribe to Amazon Prime for shipping, you can view lots of free movies/TV shows via Prime Video.
There are PLENTY of free viewing options. Go to Pluto.TV to see one example that works on a PC without an app., It streams about 150 channels of various content, including movies, sports (Poker, UFC, wrestling, etc.), news and music (with ads). The Pluto app is free. Other free apps with some/all free programming include Crackle, Stirr, Tubi, Vudo and Xumo. Several have on-demand movies/TV shows.
Apps like HBO and Showtime have a monthly fee.
If you want streaming over the Internet, you'll need a device such as Amazon Fire Stick, Roku or Apple TV. I don't have a Roku, but I'm told it has a Roku channel with free programming options.
If you want ESPN/SEC Network, you'll need to purchase some kind of streaming plan -- Playstation Vue (you don't need a PS unit), Sling, Hulu Live, YouTube TV, etc. Each has apps available and you can watch some of them remotely when out of town..
Here's a comparison to some of the top paid streaming services. Cord Cutters News offers lots of info.
https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/pla...-philo-vs-watch-tv-vs-hulu-updated-july-2019/
I've got PS Vue and Sling (Blue plan) to go with 60+ free channels via antenna. I'm saving about $50 per month over the cable package I had.
If you subscribe to Amazon Prime for shipping, you can view lots of free movies/TV shows via Prime Video.
There are PLENTY of free viewing options. Go to Pluto.TV to see one example that works on a PC without an app., It streams about 150 channels of various content, including movies, sports (Poker, UFC, wrestling, etc.), news and music (with ads). The Pluto app is free. Other free apps with some/all free programming include Crackle, Stirr, Tubi, Vudo and Xumo. Several have on-demand movies/TV shows.
Apps like HBO and Showtime have a monthly fee.
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Two other things:
You can use the existing coax from cable/satellite (if you had it) to hook multiple TVs to one antenna. Antenna would need to be before the box where signals are split to go to each TV.
Below is a link to info about having Sling TV install an antenna.
https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/nee...hat-for-you-even-if-you-are-not-a-subscriber/
You can use the existing coax from cable/satellite (if you had it) to hook multiple TVs to one antenna. Antenna would need to be before the box where signals are split to go to each TV.
Below is a link to info about having Sling TV install an antenna.
https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/nee...hat-for-you-even-if-you-are-not-a-subscriber/
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I have a large boom antenna in my attic feeding three TV's and it pulls in all the Columbia stations plus many more that are not on cable. The picture is superior to cable. The advantage of an attic antenna is it doesn't require grounding and is unlikely to be struck by lightning. Grounding an outside antenna is mandatory and requires a long copper rod driven several feet into ground and it can still attract lightning.
True. But I was responding to the OP who is in Murrells Inlet where antennaweb recommends a pre amp for a good many of the available channels in his area. More channels are blue or violet for him so he needs to go to antennaweb and see what channels are important to him and select the appropriate antenna.
I currently use Dish. I like it but escalating costs have ticked me off. I want the sports channels, local channels, tbs, tnt and latest movies. I know the firestick will give me all the movies Amazon has bought the rights to. Trying to figure the best way to get all my other channels. I hear great things about YouTubetv. But I suspect YouTube will escalate the price like Dish and Directtv.
But a 4k Firestick. Download "Sportztv" ( watch video on youtube on how to do it, piece of cake.) Go to this website http://jc.durextv.xyz/home/index for 15 bucks you get 2 connections and you get 6,500 channels. All sports, all movies, everything. You're welcome.
I can't speak to this company specifically, but many of these too-good-to-be true deals may involve piracy of signal. If a company is unethical enough to steal signals, do you want them to have your credit card information?
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I have a large long range antenna in the attic that sends a signal to 4 tvs, no pre amp. I installed the antenna on a piece of PVC pipe, which is attached to the rafters.
how many sports and movie channels do you have? What do you pay per month? I'm sick of Dish ripping me off?
I’ve got a Roku stick. I use Hulu Live for ESPN, SEC Network etc and it comes with CBS. All you need. $45 a month and you get on demand movies that play on FX, TNT, etc.
YoutubeTV is currently 49.99/mo and includes the family of ESPN channels (incl SECTV), local channels (in the vast majority of markets), and most channels carried by Dish. You can pay extra for the premium channels- just like Dish. An alternative is to use your Roku (or AppleTV, or Nvidia Shield, or FireTv/FireStick) and just subscribe to the apps of the family of channels you really want - like ESPN, Viacom, and major networks (or use an antenna for those). Price it both ways and see which is cheaper.
Me too, however ESPN / Disney is getting ready to pull all of their content from all other platforms and have their own monthly subscription app. I think it is scheduled to launch in Nov.
They are pulling Disney movies but I have not seen anywhere about pulling Espn and related channels. They get a lot of money for those. Maybe they raise the rates for streaming services but they have to balance that with profits and viewers. They don't want to shed any more viewers than they already are losing.
Well that is disappointing.
But, as long as I can get espn,+,SEC network for 30 a month then I'm happy.
YouTube is now a option again.
Amazon said two additional YouTube apps would be available "in the coming months," YouTube Kids and YouTube TV, the cable alternative service aimed at the cutting the cord crowd.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech...in-amazon-fire-tv-plus-chromecast/1679078001/
Amazon said two additional YouTube apps would be available "in the coming months," YouTube Kids and YouTube TV, the cable alternative service aimed at the cutting the cord crowd.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech...in-amazon-fire-tv-plus-chromecast/1679078001/
Here’s a legal way to watch YoutubeTV on a Firestick or FireTV until the official app comes out.
https://github.com/MapGuy11/YouTubeTV-FireTV
You can lose 50% of your signal by placing the antenna in the attic as opposed to above the roof.
I don't see the listing for the one I purchased but it's one of these
Amazon product ASIN B01FUB4ZG8
most tv 's have a signal meter so experiment with placement to find the sweet spot
Amazon product ASIN B01FUB4ZG8
most tv 's have a signal meter so experiment with placement to find the sweet spot
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