brianiscool
join:2000-08-16
Miami, FL | heh
Antenna is the best source  |
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cwh
join:2006-05-14
San Antonio, TX | Just wait till the local stations start lowering bitrate so they can have multiple subchannels. |
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en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA | reply to brianiscool
Gotta love it...
Free (i.e. no cable/satellite bill) and better quality (no extra compression schemes).
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Canada = Hollywood North |
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ke4pym
join:2004-07-24
Charlotte, NC
 ·Verizon BroadbandA..
 ·Packet8
 ·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to cwh
Actually, this might not happen so much as you would think.
The FCC recently mandated that each sub channel (even if it is just weather radar) must present a certain amount of childrens programming. And, it must be counted seperately of the main channel's childrens programming content.
So, if the requirement is 20 hours a month for your main channel and you're running 3 sub channels you've now got to come up with an additional 60 hours of content.
Many of the stations in my market shut down their weather radar channel because of this requirement. |
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cwh
join:2006-05-14
San Antonio, TX | Childrens programs can have advertisements too. I bet the shutdown is only long to find content and advertisers. It seems like a dumb requirement. |
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riblet
join:2006-03-08
Naples, FL | reply to cwh
They already do it here (multiple subchannels) but the picture quality still beats the snot out of what Comcast squirts through their coax around here. And this is not a major market... |
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AJICQ499087
join:2001-12-01
Louisville, KY
| reply to en102
I watch HDTV over the air for free on my 2005 XP Media Center PC and I often record the goodies to an exteral USB hard drive. 
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low cost and fast speed is what customers want in broadband |
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ke4pym
join:2004-07-24
Charlotte, NC
·Verizon BroadbandA..
·Packet8
·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to cwh
said by cwh  :Childrens programs can have advertisements too. I bet the shutdown is only long to find content and advertisers. It seems like a dumb requirement. There are a lot of limitations for commercials during kid's programming. Depending on going rates, it might not even be worth it.
»www.fcc.gov/parents/commercials.html
»www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/childtv.html
I also have it on pretty good authority that those sub channels are gone for good (atleast on the stations in question here). |
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Lysis
join:2005-03-30
Brooklyn, NY
| reception
not everyone gets reception, there is some website that has info on what antenna you should get depending on A)distance from broadcast 2) what obstacles are between you and the broadcast ie trees, skyscrapers etc.
if you get a hdtv tuner that happens to be bundled with the correct antenna it can be a good deal |
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cwh
join:2006-05-14
San Antonio, TX | reply to ke4pym
Re: heh
Given that broadcasting a subchannel is very low cost, I cant see how it would not be worth while,even if you run the childrens programs at a loss. |
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axus
join:2001-06-18
Washington, DC
 ·Verizon Online DSL
| It's difficult to find a cheap non-USB tuner
I wanted to get a gift for a friend who watched over-the-air television, I thought an HD tuner+antenna would be nice. Wow, I couldn't find anything under $200. I think it's still an early-adopter market with early-adopter prices.
There was much more competition and lower prices for USB antennas, I'm assuming they rely on the computer and driver to handle some expensive things.
The first company to design a tuner/antenna for $40+$40 will make millions when the USA switches over from analog to digital and hands out all those coupons. |
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antdude
A Ninja Ant
Premium,VIP
join:2001-03-25
| Had to dump my rabbit ears and get a bowtie antenna.
I got one of these bowtie antennae: »www.antennasdirect.com/DB2_Indoo···nna.html (30 miles). It works better for analog feed too, but channels 2, 4, and 5 aren't clear still.  |
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RayW
Premium
join:2001-09-01
Layton, UT
clubs:
·XMission
| It works
We are about 45 miles from the transmitters and my neighbor uses the antenna (a normal VHF/UHF that he has had for years) for HDTV and the small dish for all else. He says broadcast HDTV works better than the satellite feeds.
I think I will wait another couple of years, then move my antenna out of the attic and get a HDTV (mine will be about 9 years old anyway).
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I am not lost, I find myself every time. |
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast
| reply to Lysis
Re: reception
said by Lysis :not everyone gets reception, there is some website that has info on what antenna you should get depending on A)distance from broadcast 2) what obstacles are between you and the broadcast ie trees, skyscrapers etc. Here is the web site you refer to:
»www.antennaweb.org/
But because of the Yahoo news story, they are getting so many hits that it overwhelmed their servers. Try back there in a day or two.
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Internet News
My BLOG
My Web Page |
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Hall
Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-28
Dayton, OH
·EarthLink
·AT&T Midwest
·Earthlink Cable Mo..
1 edit | reply to Lysis
said by Lysis :there is some website... The one mentioned in the article, right ??
It doesn't know about trees, skyscrapers, etc though. It *asks* you if those things are between you and the broadcast towers though. I do believe it factors in hills and am real sure it knows about mountains. |
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Hall
Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-28
Dayton, OH
·EarthLink
·AT&T Midwest
·Earthlink Cable Mo..
| reply to ke4pym
Re: heh
said by ke4pym : Many of the stations in my market shut down their weather radar channel because of this requirement. Only one of my local stations operates a weather channel and they started it up not long before the Jan 1, 2007 deadline for this children's programming requirement. It's still running today too.... |
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Hall
Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-28
Dayton, OH | reply to antdude
Re: Had to dump my rabbit ears and get a bowtie antenna.
Bowtie antennas are almost uniquely for the UHF band. Safe to say your channels 2, 4 and 5 are on VHF. |
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russotto
join:2000-10-05
Collegeville, PA | reply to antdude
A DB-2 won't work for VHF, because it's not a VHF antenna.
You could add on a low-band VHF antenna for channels 2, 4, and 5. |
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Gilitar
join:2000-11-20
Mobile, AL | Antenna FTW
I'm currently running a Radioshack VU-90 with the Radioshack antenna mounted amplifier. This way I get all the HD I want with the exception of Discovery HD. Can't beat the price.  |
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Hall
Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-28
Dayton, OH
·EarthLink
·AT&T Midwest
·Earthlink Cable Mo..
| reply to RayW
Re: It works
said by RayW :...and my neighbor uses the antenna (a normal VHF/UHF that he has had for years) for HDTV... This is important for a lot of people to understand. There's no need to go out and buy a so-called "HDTV Antenna". The antenna on your roof that you haven't used in 15+ years will most likely work great, especially if you're 30 miles or less from the towers. My neighbor uses his and it looks worn out, but he gets all the Dayton stations (less then 10 miles) and all of Cincinnati's stations (50 miles). I'll bet if he turned it he'd get Columbus stations too.
I used a $3.99 bowtie antenna from Radio Shack for a while and was able to get all of my local digital stations. |
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