HD Antennas

[cardncubfan]

Does anyone here just use internet & HD TV antennas for viewing television? I'm considering dropping cable(Century Link) & going with just internet & the HD airwaves. Just wondering if anyone else does this & how do they like it?

What kind of set up do you have & such? I currently have 3 tv's that I would need antennae for. Two of them are smart tvs & have internet built in. The other I have a Roku for & use Netflix on all 3. Looking to cut down on monthly expenses.

 

[BigRedRage]

I cut cable in like 2010 and love it.

I have cheap antennas, they work great. Dont buy an expensive one unless you need to.

Hell, my bedroom has the equivalent of a paper clip for an antenna and it works great.

I have roku or xbox in every room and subscribe to netflix and Hulu. Have all the TV I could ever want and cards games are all on local channels.

 

[puckhead]

All you need is an ATSC tuner for the TV to go with an antenna. Your modern smart TV's should have the tuner already built in but depending on how old your third TV is, you may want to check.

Just buy a cheap antenna from somewhere that has a good return policy in case you are in a special location that needs a higher end one. If that's the case, there are ways to crack that nut fairly inexpensively.

All of the broadcasts in the valley are coming from South Mountain, so if you can line of sight that, all the better.

 

[Linderbee]

We cut cable many years ago as well. We have an old home computer that we use as a dvr and as much as I hated cutting cable at the time, I have to admit we never run out of stuff to watch.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

I use the Leaf and it works pretty well. Your channel lineup can change even by moving the device just a few inches or even angling it slightly differently, so experiment for a while until you find the best location.

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/f20/hd-antenna-reccomendations-209500.html?highlight=mohu

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I have an outdoor Winegard antenna that I installed on my roof where the existing satellite dish was and I am able to pick up Tucson stations. I am thoroughly impressed with the quality.

I bought a USB TV Tuner stick and use Windows 7 Media Center as a DVR to record shows.

 

[BigRedRage]

I have an outdoor Winegard antenna that I installed on my roof where the existing satellite dish was and I am able to pick up Tucson stations. I am thoroughly impressed with the quality.

I bought a USB TV Tuner stick and use Windows 7 Media Center as a DVR to record shows.

I have been curious about doing a rooftop antenna, made a big difference it sounds like.

 

[cardncubfan]

Thanks for the input everyone. I was looking at the Mohu antennas. They seem fairly reasonable in price. I will have to check my 3rd tv to see if it has a tuner. It's around 5 years old so maybe it does. Does Hulu charge monthly like Netflix & are there advantages to Hulu over Netflix?

 

[BigRedRage]

Thanks for the input everyone. I was looking at the Mohu antennas. They seem fairly reasonable in price. I will have to check my 3rd tv to see if it has a tuner. It's around 5 years old so maybe it does. Does Hulu charge monthly like Netflix & are there advantages to Hulu over Netflix?

If it is a flat screen, it should have a tuner in it.

Netflix is $8 per month and has their original content and older shows.

Hulu is $8 per month, has commercials but it works as a DVR for network TV. IE: Americas got talent is on tuesday nights while my wife is at work so we watch it wednesday on Hulu instead. Hulu is mostly good for this only, keeping up with network tv shows.

For walking dead (my favorite show) I just buy the season so I can watch it. It costs me 42 bucks for a season which isnt terrible vs 6 months of cable to watch it.

Fear the walking dead and other future AMC shows will be on hulu as well. TWD is on netflix but season 5 hits when season 6 starts airing so you are way behind if you do not buy the show.

Also, you can pilfer reletives for passwords for their cable to get access to things like HBO GO or showtime online if they have subscriptions to it through an app. HBO go standalone is $15 per month but if you know someone who already has it, they likely dont mind you using it especially if youll buy them lunch once a month or something.

 

[DeAnna]

I have a Leaf HD also - square panel that plugs into the TV.

My reception for broadcast channels is sometimes iffy. I live on the far north Valley (Cave Creek & Deer Valley) and my condo faces north. Sometimes I have to jiggle it around to get a good reception on certain days, plus some channels come and go.

The roof mounted ones are supposed to be much better.

 

[DeAnna]

are there advantages to Hulu over Netflix?

Main difference I've found is that Hulu gives you more current content - mostly from tv shows. for example, episodes of Modern Family will be posted that same week.

Neither service is very good for movies.

 

[BigRedRage]

Main difference I've found is that Hulu gives you more current content - mostly from tv shows. for example, episodes of Modern Family will be posted that same week.

Neither service is very good for movies.

and you need to watch hulu occasionally as most shows they delete content 4 weeks after it airs so you have to keep up more than you do on netflix.

Personally I rent movies online for $5 through vudu or something if they are new. if they are older, netflix or hulu could have them.

If you are more of a movie person than tv person, there is always a standard netflix bluray by mail system.

 

[cardncubfan]

Thanks again. It looks like I can get everything I need with Netflix & Hulu. I went to the Leaf/Mohu website & it shows I can get 69 channels where I live in Chandler. So for roughly $20/mo for Netflix & Hulu plus another $20 for internet I should be able to save at least $100 per month.

 

[BigRedRage]

Thanks again. It looks like I can get everything I need with Netflix & Hulu. I went to the Leaf/Mohu website & it shows I can get 69 channels where I live in Chandler. So for roughly $20/mo for Netflix & Hulu plus another $20 for internet I should be able to save at least $100 per month.

69 channels of garbage! lol.

There are maybe 10 channels you will actually use unless you like watching pastor sermons or spanish TV.

$16 a month will cover hulu and netflix.

$20 a month internet will cause you problems unless you stream in one room only at a time. At 7mbps I would get some lag when two people watched netflix at the same time. When I switched to 30mbps at $65 a month, I can stream flawlessly in 3 rooms at a time.

As far as I saw it, I am paying for internet regardless so I did not factor internet cost. I took my $120 a month cable bill and went to $16 a month. Thats all I see.

I did have an initial investment in some rokus but that was almost 6 years ago and they all still work.

 

[DeAnna]

but Hulu has Drunk History!

 

[Covert Rain]

I think I will be joining the ranks of cord cutters soon. I am looking at Mohu as well. However, in addition to streaming (Netflix, Hulu), I am looking to get a DVR and currently looking at Tablo or channel master to record OTA local shows.

 

[BigRedRage]

I think I will be joining the ranks of cord cutters soon. I am looking at Mohu as well. However, in addition to streaming (Netflix, Hulu), I am looking to get a DVR and currently looking at Tablo or channel master to record OTA local shows.

with a DVR hulu might be unnecessary.

Xbone will have DVR features in 2016 if you can hold out. (will need an external HD for it but 2TB ones are available under $100)

 

[thirty-two]

I think I will be joining the ranks of cord cutters soon. I am looking at Mohu as well. However, in addition to streaming (Netflix, Hulu), I am looking to get a DVR and currently looking at Tablo or channel master to record OTA local shows.

I cut the cord officially today (well, effective October 13). I Purchased a Channel Master DVR+ and a Mohu. The DVR was the only thing stopping me from cutting the cord completely in the past I wanted to be able to record the football games and the few shows I watch on network TV. I didnt want a DVR with a monthly subscription. Very excited to try it out.

Saving about 80 bucks a month.

 

[Covert Rain]

I cut the cord officially today (well, effective October 13). I Purchased a Channel Master DVR+ and a Mohu. The DVR was the only thing stopping me from cutting the cord completely in the past I wanted to be able to record the football games and the few shows I watch on network TV. I didnt want a DVR with a monthly subscription. Very excited to try it out.

Saving about 80 bucks a month.

I am leaning more towards Tablo but let me know how the Channel Master DVR works out.

 

[Town Drunk]

I cut the cord last month. Was hoping to use an HD antenna and to pair it with Sling TV, but unfortunately I'm blocked by mountains and can't get any signals. I'm waiting for network channels to be available on Sling or some other streaming service.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I cut the cord last month. Was hoping to use an HD antenna and to pair it with Sling TV, but unfortunately I'm blocked by mountains and can't get any signals. I'm waiting for network channels to be available on Sling or some other streaming service.

Sign up for Hulu Plus in the interim if you don't already have it. You can get a lot of the local shows there.