Over the air... really?
- Thread starter larrykenney
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A lot people in my area know about OTA, because they have antenna’s to receive Canadian TV for Hockey Night in Canada from Toronto. Some it’s their only source of TV and complain how they can’t watch many Sabres games. Some have cable or satellite as well. A lot of them tell me how amazed they are at all of the channels they get with an antenna, and then when I ask them what do they watch on them, I get blank stares. Sure, in the right area you can pick up two ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX affiliates, but who cares? They show the exact same content 90% of the time. The local ION affiliate has 6, yes 6 subchannels. Three of them are shopping channels. Funny how people complain about shopping channels on cable and satellite, but OTA they’re fine.
I get most, if not all the subchannels on cable. Get, Grit, Justice, TCN, ASN and a bunch of others in the glory of 480i, showing stuff from years ago. I don't have any use for them. I don’t value the big networks either. CBS, NBC, FOX and ABC could go away tomorrow and it would take me weeks to notice, especially after football season.
I watch an incredibly unhealthy amount of TV, I have something like 60 or 70 shows set to record, and that doesn’t include about 10 shows I lost due to cancellation in the past few months, and the vast majority are on cable with a good chunk of premium cable. The primetime content on the networks just does not compare to the stuff put out by AMC, FX, TNT, USA, HBO, Showtime and others. Blue Bloods, 2 Broke Girls, Designated Survivor, Bobs Burgers and The Simpson’s, thats all I watch on the big networks. Well I also watch Criminal Minds and Big Bang Theory, but I will not be watching them after this season, if they happen to get renewed beyond 2017. I watch more shows on Showtime then I do on all of the major nets combined. There is no way you can compare a cookie cutter NCIS or predictable Chicago show with the quality programming out there. There is just no way.
I get most, if not all the subchannels on cable. Get, Grit, Justice, TCN, ASN and a bunch of others in the glory of 480i, showing stuff from years ago. I don't have any use for them. I don’t value the big networks either. CBS, NBC, FOX and ABC could go away tomorrow and it would take me weeks to notice, especially after football season.
I watch an incredibly unhealthy amount of TV, I have something like 60 or 70 shows set to record, and that doesn’t include about 10 shows I lost due to cancellation in the past few months, and the vast majority are on cable with a good chunk of premium cable. The primetime content on the networks just does not compare to the stuff put out by AMC, FX, TNT, USA, HBO, Showtime and others. Blue Bloods, 2 Broke Girls, Designated Survivor, Bobs Burgers and The Simpson’s, thats all I watch on the big networks. Well I also watch Criminal Minds and Big Bang Theory, but I will not be watching them after this season, if they happen to get renewed beyond 2017. I watch more shows on Showtime then I do on all of the major nets combined. There is no way you can compare a cookie cutter NCIS or predictable Chicago show with the quality programming out there. There is just no way.
It's not for everyone, but it is FREE for everyone. If I had my choice between spending $60+ on pay TV versus having to find something to watch OTA, I know which one I'd choose. Now, if money weren't an object....
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I'm the opposite I consider most of the shows on AMC, FX, FXX, showtime, HBO etc. as crap. 1 episode of game of thrones and walking dead was enough to delete them. I do have shooter on the dvr to try.
I find more stuff from the U.K., Australia, Ireland and Canada that interests me and never makes it to US screens than anything on the pay channels here.
To each their own. Hundreds of channels and more reason for ala carte in my opinion.
I have HBO when Westworld is in season.. then I cancel
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I've thought about trying westworld but haven't yet. I have so much stored I haven't watched, that it's hard to start new shows unless they really peak my interest.
Speaking of, was there some talk about moving the CW from WVLI to WHDH with Buzzr and making 56 an indy station or everything stays as is when NBC moves over to channel 60
What does this have to do with a low-power NBC in Boston or the fact that OTA isn't widely appreciated?
Ah, but OTA isn't free for everyone. There are many areas where OTA isn't economically feasible. If you look at the OTA coverage in some of the western states, there are thousands of square miles that aren't covered. Wyoming and Montana are particularly sparse and terrain makes things pretty difficult in Utah, New Mexico, Colorado and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Being in one of those sparsely populated states (WY) I can attest to your statement. It is surprising what can be had where via OTA. But, like retail,it is location, location. I travel a fair bit and have started carrying a small set of rabbit ears and USB dongle just to check what is available wherever I am.
At home, we just recently lost MeTv and H&I. They were replaced with NBC, which we hadn't had. Made me glad I had installed my FTA antennas. Also remember commenting that this free TV isn't all that free. Although, it is just a one time fee, not monthly.
Being a bit more on topic, people here are becoming more aware of OTA as there have been many layoffs and cutbacks. People start looking for ways to keep more money for niceties such as food.
At home, we just recently lost MeTv and H&I. They were replaced with NBC, which we hadn't had. Made me glad I had installed my FTA antennas. Also remember commenting that this free TV isn't all that free. Although, it is just a one time fee, not monthly.
Being a bit more on topic, people here are becoming more aware of OTA as there have been many layoffs and cutbacks. People start looking for ways to keep more money for niceties such as food.
I used to travel extensively in an RV with a rooftop antenna throughout remote areas of New Mexico, Arizona and the California desert. There were only two locations where I could not receive any TV signal whatsoever. One was Lyman Lake State Park in eastern Arizona and the other was Bishop, CA. However, this was back in the analog days and I am sure that digital reception is much more difficult.
I remember being at Red Rock Canyon State Park in the California desert and watching the Golden Girls on KNBC from LA. Good old analog low-VHF could float down into even remote valleys. It was so snowy that we could hardly see which character was speaking but hey, when it is cold and one is tired of sitting by the campfire it was quite enjoyable. Of course now, a signal of that strength would not even scan in on a channel search.
I remember being at Red Rock Canyon State Park in the California desert and watching the Golden Girls on KNBC from LA. Good old analog low-VHF could float down into even remote valleys. It was so snowy that we could hardly see which character was speaking but hey, when it is cold and one is tired of sitting by the campfire it was quite enjoyable. Of course now, a signal of that strength would not even scan in on a channel search.
Which part of Wyoming are you in? Based on your description, I'm guessing Torrington or near there, is that right? If so, what's running on KSTF? I had thought NBC was on 10-2. (I want to update RabbitEars.)
By that definition, nothing is free. Catching a cup of rainwater to drink isn't free because you still have to buy the cup. The fact that it has no recurring fee is what makes it free.
The fact of the matter is that OTA TV has pretty good availability; your statement refutes his, if anything. Like anything else, the number of choices varies from place to place, but many of the rural areas of the west have access to multiple streams of programming via translators or satellite stations. There are definitely people and places that can't receive anything, but those locations are relatively few and far between considering where even relatively small numbers of people are located.
- Trip
In Gillette, a bit north of and West of Torrington. Here we get KOTA out of Rapid City, SD on 12-1 and now KCWY out of Casper, WY on 12-2. When Gray bought KOTA, they apparently did not acquire, or sold off, the MeTv and H&I. They continued to carry them for awhile but eventually decided to up the coverage area of their Casper station and rolled KCWY into their place.
So, here is what we get here now:
KOTA, KCWY, KTWO, KGWC, PBS and Create
There is a LP analog on Ch 22, that I get a very snowy video and no audio. Could be that my TV doesn't know how to handle analog well.
So, here is what we get here now:
KOTA, KCWY, KTWO, KGWC, PBS and Create
There is a LP analog on Ch 22, that I get a very snowy video and no audio. Could be that my TV doesn't know how to handle analog well.
I thought there were not supposed to be any analog stations left in the US anymore?
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Ah. I didn't realize KSGW also got the KNEP treatment.
K22AD appears to simulcast NBC from Rapid City.
I'm about to send you a PM requesting your assistance; not every day I can chat with someone from rural Wyoming!
- Trip
K22AD appears to simulcast NBC from Rapid City.
I'm about to send you a PM requesting your assistance; not every day I can chat with someone from rural Wyoming!
- Trip
Why do you have to critcize everyones post. I was just asking OSU1991 a simple question off the post. Which is related to OTA. Mind your damn business
