Comments on: When Broadcast is Better than Cable http://financefreelancelife.com/2008/10/23/when-broadcast-is-better-than-cable/ Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:23:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Joe Blow http://financefreelancelife.com/2008/10/23/when-broadcast-is-better-than-cable/#comment-54194 Joe Blow Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:40:22 +0000 http://financefreelancelife.com/?p=1130#comment-54194 I cant get fox 55 even though i did the automatic setup I cant get fox 55 even though i did the automatic setup

]]> By: SKO http://financefreelancelife.com/2008/10/23/when-broadcast-is-better-than-cable/#comment-35520 SKO Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:23:42 +0000 http://financefreelancelife.com/?p=1130#comment-35520 I have three analog televisons. I got my first Insignia and put it on my newest analog. I received 9 stations after only having one previously (no cable)!! I used a $34 RCA rabbit ears antenna. When my two coupons finally arrived, I decided to get two more converter boxes, one for a TV on the north end of my house and one for a spare. I also decided to get a new digital TV for my bedroom (center of the house) figuring my reception would be even better with a "native" digital set. Here are the results: The brand new digital TV (built in tuner.....Westinghouse 19") got only 1 local digital channel! No matter what room I put this TV in or what antenna I used (I have a $34 RCA rabbit ears, a $50 RCA Flat antenna and a cheap $12 DTV compatible antenna), the result was the same. Since I had three converters, I decided to see what would happen if I put my "spare" converter box on my oldest analog TV in the bedroom where I wanted to use the new digital TV. The result: 5 digital channels with the converter box on a 15 year old analog TV!! Didn't matter what antenna I used.....same result. Four more than the brand new TV with the built in digital tuner! Can anyone explain to me why a new digital TV gets less digtal channels than analog TV's with a converter box attached? We're talking the same house, same rooms, same floor. I lost an entire nights sleep experimenting with this. I'm baffled by it and so is Best Buy!! I ended up returning the new Westinghouse flat screen tv. If I can get more than one channel using a $20 converter box and my old TV's, why spend $300 on a new digital TV! I live in a rural area, about 25 miles from the closest tower. I have three analog televisons. I got my first Insignia and put it on my newest analog. I received 9 stations after only having one previously (no cable)!! I used a $34 RCA rabbit ears antenna.

When my two coupons finally arrived, I decided to get two more converter boxes, one for a TV on the north end of my house and one for a spare. I also decided to get a new digital TV for my bedroom (center of the house) figuring my reception would be even better with a “native” digital set.

Here are the results: The brand new digital TV (built in tuner…..Westinghouse 19″) got only 1 local digital channel! No matter what room I put this TV in or what antenna I used (I have a $34 RCA rabbit ears, a $50 RCA Flat antenna and a cheap $12 DTV compatible antenna), the result was the same.

Since I had three converters, I decided to see what would happen if I put my “spare” converter box on my oldest analog TV in the bedroom where I wanted to use the new digital TV. The result: 5 digital channels with the converter box on a 15 year old analog TV!! Didn’t matter what antenna I used…..same result. Four more than the brand new TV with the built in digital tuner!

Can anyone explain to me why a new digital TV gets less digtal channels than analog TV’s with a converter box attached? We’re talking the same house, same rooms, same floor. I lost an entire nights sleep experimenting with this. I’m baffled by it and so is Best Buy!!

I ended up returning the new Westinghouse flat screen tv. If I can get more than one channel using a $20 converter box and my old TV’s, why spend $300 on a new digital TV!

I live in a rural area, about 25 miles from the closest tower.

]]> By: jp http://financefreelancelife.com/2008/10/23/when-broadcast-is-better-than-cable/#comment-32947 jp Thu, 11 Dec 2008 04:08:17 +0000 http://financefreelancelife.com/?p=1130#comment-32947 the cable companies are running these ads to say sign up for the swith to over the air digital knowing you can get the digital channels with an antenna (outdoor). these guys are sneaky the cable companies are running these ads to say sign up for the swith to over the air digital knowing you can get the digital channels with an antenna (outdoor). these guys are sneaky

]]> By: We’re canceling our cable (and still watching our favorite shows) | Sense to Save http://financefreelancelife.com/2008/10/23/when-broadcast-is-better-than-cable/#comment-29507 We’re canceling our cable (and still watching our favorite shows) | Sense to Save Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:01:13 +0000 http://financefreelancelife.com/?p=1130#comment-29507 [...] When broadcast is better than cable - Mrs Micah [...] [...] When broadcast is better than cable – Mrs Micah [...]

]]> By: That One Caveman http://financefreelancelife.com/2008/10/23/when-broadcast-is-better-than-cable/#comment-29248 That One Caveman Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:37:44 +0000 http://financefreelancelife.com/?p=1130#comment-29248 I've been strongly considering dumping cable, myself. They don't provide me much value and I only watch a small handful of channels beyond what's offered for free over the air. I bought an externally-mountable antenna and I look forward to hooking it up soon to see if I can safely drop cable. I’ve been strongly considering dumping cable, myself. They don’t provide me much value and I only watch a small handful of channels beyond what’s offered for free over the air. I bought an externally-mountable antenna and I look forward to hooking it up soon to see if I can safely drop cable.

]]> By: klcthebookworm http://financefreelancelife.com/2008/10/23/when-broadcast-is-better-than-cable/#comment-29195 klcthebookworm Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:42:13 +0000 http://financefreelancelife.com/?p=1130#comment-29195 Oh, thanks for the how to pick a TV antenna link, fern. I'm waiting for my coupon to arrive. The problem I ran into with rabbit ears is my house has a tin roof and aluminum siding. The TV signals would not get through. Now when my great-grandmother lived in the same house, she had an outdoor antenna and got broadcast TV fine. But one of the occupants between her and me got cable and sold the antennae for scrap. I can't afford cable, the rabbit ears didn't work, so I've been stuck. Oh, thanks for the how to pick a TV antenna link, fern. I’m waiting for my coupon to arrive. The problem I ran into with rabbit ears is my house has a tin roof and aluminum siding. The TV signals would not get through. Now when my great-grandmother lived in the same house, she had an outdoor antenna and got broadcast TV fine. But one of the occupants between her and me got cable and sold the antennae for scrap. I can’t afford cable, the rabbit ears didn’t work, so I’ve been stuck.

]]> By: fern http://financefreelancelife.com/2008/10/23/when-broadcast-is-better-than-cable/#comment-29157 fern Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:29:08 +0000 http://financefreelancelife.com/?p=1130#comment-29157 I really think you should check out www.antennaweb.org. They go into quite a lot of detail about the 3 basic types of TV antenna and how to pick the one that's right for you, based on which channels you watch most often. I really think you should check out http://www.antennaweb.org. They go into quite a lot of detail about the 3 basic types of TV antenna and how to pick the one that’s right for you, based on which channels you watch most often.

]]> By: mrsmicah http://financefreelancelife.com/2008/10/23/when-broadcast-is-better-than-cable/#comment-29140 mrsmicah Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:47:55 +0000 http://financefreelancelife.com/?p=1130#comment-29140 @Frugal Dad, I'd recommend looking at basic rabbit ears. A lot of them pick up pretty much everything that's out there and are designed so nicely that they're respectable in any living room. But double check it does tv signals, since I've run into a few radio-only ones. @Frugal Dad,

I’d recommend looking at basic rabbit ears. A lot of them pick up pretty much everything that’s out there and are designed so nicely that they’re respectable in any living room. But double check it does tv signals, since I’ve run into a few radio-only ones.

]]> By: Frugal Dad http://financefreelancelife.com/2008/10/23/when-broadcast-is-better-than-cable/#comment-29137 Frugal Dad Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:43:55 +0000 http://financefreelancelife.com/?p=1130#comment-29137 This was a great post--and as "basic cable" subscribers I'm stoked at the idea of canceling yet another bill! So, if we have "digital-ready" televisions already, what type of antennae do you recommend? This was a great post–and as “basic cable” subscribers I’m stoked at the idea of canceling yet another bill! So, if we have “digital-ready” televisions already, what type of antennae do you recommend?

]]> By: To cable or not to cable? « Treading Softly http://financefreelancelife.com/2008/10/23/when-broadcast-is-better-than-cable/#comment-29134 To cable or not to cable? « Treading Softly Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:02:36 +0000 http://financefreelancelife.com/?p=1130#comment-29134 [...] Micah posted last week about her experience with dropping cable.  It worked out very well.  They applied for the $40 coupon that the government is giving out to [...] [...] Micah posted last week about her experience with dropping cable.  It worked out very well.  They applied for the $40 coupon that the government is giving out to [...]

]]>