Anyone use internet only TV?

Parent Cafe
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<p>We shut off cable last month. I don’t really miss it now that I’ve gotten used to using my streaming Netflix through a Blueray and I’m saving a monthly bill that always goes up. For those of you who have taken or thinking of taking the plunge, what subscriptions to internet TV services do you have? I’m thinking of getting Hulu plus for $7.95/month in addition to Netflix. </p>

<p>I live too far from the city for good antenna reception and I live in the woods so I can’t get satellite coverage. Has anyone used the digital antenna?</p>

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<p>No cable.
No Hulu (other than free).
No Netflix.
No Redbox.
We have an antenna and it brings in a good number of stations but I only watch tennis matches three or four times a year.</p>

<p>I have been reading books purchased at Amazon.</p>

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<p>Don’t bother with the Hulu premium service, you’ll have enough to choose from just with the Netflix. We use a Roku box and OTA antenna on our roof, more than enough for entertainment and info/news. If you are a sports fan you might need more (satellite/cable.)</p>

<p>As far as digital antenna, a 20 year old tv antenna should work fine–you don’t need a special antenna for the newer digital tv format.</p>

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<p>We replaced a four-foot mobile antenna with a nine-foot antenna. Digital requires a stronger overall signal than analog - with analog, the picture degrades with signal loss but you still have a grainy picture. With digital, you get artifacts and stuttering which I find intolerable.</p>

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<p>We are on the side of a mountain and the signal from the towers just above us is blocked. If we could get a signal, I would drop our cable in a heart beat. But without the cable we get no picture whatsoever.</p>

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<p>We’ve got one of these Winegard antennas with a preamp; it’s big! We’re 50 miles from TV stations’ broadcast antenna farm.
[Winegard</a> HD 7698P High Definition VHF/UHF HD769 Series TV Antenna (HD7698P) from Solid Signal](<a href="http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?mc=03&p=HD7698P&d=Winegard%20HD%207698P%20High%20Definition%20VHF/UHF%20HD769%20Series%20TV%20Antenna%20(HD7&c=TV%20Antennas&sku=HD7698P&utm_campaign=daily_run&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=google_base_03_TV_Antennas]Winegard"&gt;http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?mc=03&p=HD7698P&d=Winegard%20HD%207698P%20High%20Definition%20VHF/UHF%20HD769%20Series%20TV%20Antenna%20(HD7&c=TV%20Antennas&sku=HD7698P&utm_campaign=daily_run&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=google_base_03_TV_Antennas)&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Wow Lizard, that is big. We had an antennae at one time and like musicamusica, I got no signal as all due to hills and trees. I’m not sure I really NEED to see sporting events, and DH is no sports fan. So, I probably do not need the antenna. </p>

<p>@musicamusica- really, we get nothing. But I do have a good internet connection. </p>

<p>@lizard - there are a few programs I like to follow, such as Raising Hope and Glee (a few others). How soon can you get current programming on Netflix? I was thinking about Hulu prime for such things. It turns out Fox will be restricting any free access to past shows until 8 days after it airs. I’m sure others will follow.</p>

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<p>I get a good internet connection and I tend to watch a lot online, but H is a sports fan and we have not found an online source for the thousands upon thousands of games he watches each day.</p>

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<p>I like Glee and get it on the regular TV broadcast signal received with roof antenna. We tried the Hulu Plus for trial month and dropped it because too much duplicated what we could already view with broadcast and Roku streaming. Guess there is no perfect arrangement. Maybe get a TV antenna company to survey your location for recommendations; there’s always more than one way to skin a cat!</p>

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<p>ESPN.com shows are free with certain ISPs. We have Verizon in the kids’ apartment so I think that we could watch their content at home but our home ISP isn’t affiliated with ESPN so no-go there.</p>

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<p>I put an old cheap small rabbit ears antenna I purchased for about $6.95 on an HDTV and the digital stations come in much better than the old analog stations did at the same location with the same antenna. One doesn’t need a huge expensive or special antenna to be able to receive the digital broadcasts and before going all out it might be worth a try with a small inexpensive antenna. Of course what’s needed will vary with the particular location.</p>

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<p>Most of the TV stations are about 50 miles away so the little antennas do nothing around here. What really helps is the height of the antenna.</p>

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<p>^^ My point is that alot of people think they need a special ‘HDTV’ antenna in order to receive HDTV broadcasts, probably somewhat due to marketing claims by the antenna makers, but they don’t. Most people live within a reasonable distance of the transmission towers to receive the signal on a relatively normal antenna. Of course, if one lives 50 miles from the transmission tower they’ll need something more but probably not much different than they’d have needed to receive a decent signal from the analog broadcatss. This’ll vary with the transmission strengths of the particular station.</p>

<p>Here’s a good synopsis on antennas for digital broadcasts from the FCC -
[Antennas</a> and Digital Television | FCC.gov](<a href=“http://www.fcc.gov/guides/antennas-and-digital-television]Antennas”>http://www.fcc.gov/guides/antennas-and-digital-television)</p>

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<p>^^um, no. We could previously receive “local” stations with cheap bunny ears. Now, even the medium size antennas won’t receive a thing. Thank you, federal gov’t. You have once again shown you don’t give a damn for those in rural areas. I’m not in the vast hinterlands of Wyoming or S Dakota either, but live in a very flat area on a state highway 46 miles from one of the largest cities in our state. I’m sure DirecTV and DISH are very thankful. Oh, I can’t get DSL either, so streaming or internet tv is out :(</p>

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<p>*^^um, no. We could previously receive “local” stations with cheap bunny ears. Now, even the medium size antennas won’t receive a thing. *</p>

<p>No here too. Seattle is too hilly.We really don’t even get a good signal with the digital boxes cause we don’t have an outside antenna.</p>

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<p>^^ um - yes. Note the keywords of ‘most’ and ‘decent’. As I indicated, there are variables such as signal strength, terrain, distance, and one’s definition of ‘decent’. There’ll always be exceptions.</p>

<p>HDTV is a big improvement over the old lower res standard IMO but obviously not everyone agrees with this.</p>

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<p>OP:</p>

<p>To get an idea if an antenna will be of much use to you at your location plug your address into the following website to see what the signal strengths are of broadcasters in your general area. Again, with radio transmissions there are all kinds of variables including distance, terrain, other obstacles (trees, buildings, etc.), atmospheric conditions, location of antenna in the house (if not an outside antenna), type of antenna, direction of antenna, height of antenna, capability of the receiver circuit inside the TV, etc.
[The</a> Digital TV Transition: Reception Maps](<a href=“http://transition.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/maps/]The”>http://transition.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/maps/)</p>

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<p>Rural areas account for about 20% of the population. Urban areas, the remainder. The urban population living in metro areas under 200,000 runs about 58% of the entire population. I’m in a metro area of about 200,000 and we have one TV station.</p>

<p>There are lots and lots and lots of people that have issues with digital TV reception and that had to upgrade or convert after the transition.</p>

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<p>It shows pretty strong signals, but due to my trees, I doubt it applies to me. 2 satellite companies rejected me a couple of years ago.</p>

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<p>^^ Hook up a cheap antenna and see what you get.</p>