Millennials Unearth an Amazing Hack to Get Free TV: the Antenna (Paywall)

Wall Street Journal ^ | 8/2/2017 | Ryan Knutson

[RightGeek]

Cord-cutters accustomed to watching shows online are often shocked that $20 ‘rabbit ears’ pluck signals from the air; is this legal?

“I was just kind of surprised that this is technology that exists,” says Mr. Sisco, 28 years old. “It’s been awesome. It doesn’t log out and it doesn’t skip.”

Let’s hear a round of applause for TV antennas, often called “rabbit ears,” a technology invented roughly seven decades ago, long before there was even a cord to be cut, which had been consigned to the technology trash can along with cassette tapes and VCRs.

The antenna is mounting a quiet comeback, propelled by a generation that never knew life before cable television, and who primarily watch Netflix , Hulu and HBO via the internet. Antenna sales in the U.S. are projected to rise 7% in 2017 to nearly 8 million units, according to the Consumer Technology Association, a trade group.

Mr. Sisco, an M.B.A. student in Provo, Utah, made his discovery after inviting friends over to watch the Super Bowl in 2014. The online stream he found to watch the game didn’t have regular commercials—disappointing half of his guests who were only interested in the ads.

“An antenna was not even on my radar,” he says. He went online and discovered he could buy one for $20 and watch major networks like ABC, NBC, Fox and CBS free.

[DocRock]

Radio Shack went bust

And when they did, they took down one of their antenna suppliers. Omni-state made the best uhf/vhf TV antenna exclusively for Radio Shack or Tandy...I forget which one. These are external, mast mounted and look like a ufo. There are several manufacturers of similar looking antennas, but they don't receive nearly as well. I have three. One at my business, one at home and one at my mother-in-law's house. I live in the center of Florida and receive about 90 channels. Half are high def and half of those are in English. The broadcast signals are not compressed like cable and satellite so the picture actually looks better on my hd TV's. The secondary channels are not 1080p but 720 or 480. Still not bad. They used to sell for about $200 but I can't even find used ones on Craigslist anymore. I cut the cable a decade ago and have saved about $20,000 when you add three location's bills. Starve the beast, don't feed the media your hard earned dollars. They hate American values.

[DocRock]

Probably illegal.

Nope. From the FCC's website:
Since June 13, 2009, full-power television stations nationwide have been required to broadcast exclusively in a digital format.
https://www.fcc.gov/general/digital-television

Key word is Broadcast...that means air signals you can pick up with an antenna. It's illegal NOT to broadcast.

[AFreeBird]

I thought he died.. 😏

[TruthWillWin]

Not correct.

[wizwor]

https://freetvforme.wordpress.com/

[Mark]

WitchCraft!

[PrairieLady2]

Holy crap is this true???
±++++++++++++++++±+++++++++

Absolutely true. I have an 8 year old flat screen tv hooked to nothing more than a flat antenna. I get around 30 TV stations as clear as cable TV, and in high def. Obama signed a bill into law several years ago requiring TV stations to put out digital signals so most analog stations went away.

At the time I had an analog TV and had to purchase a digital converter box to convert the signals to a form that the TV could decifer. But with today’s flat screen tv’s the converter is built in so all you need do is connect an antenna.

The amount of stations vary from place to place, even within the same city. It depends on how close the station is, and what might be in between that might disrupt the signal. It’s not perfect. Signals are unstable and are affected by weather, and sometimes even trains. But it still beats the heck out of paying cable thousands of dollars per year for 200+ stations, most of which you don’t even watch, or find there’s really nothing to watch.

I think clearfi has a commercial on TV about their antenna. Any will work, but if you live in a fringe area, you might need a booster or smart antenna.

[Hawthorn]

>> The next article will be about Millenials coming upon newspaper vending machines.

There. Fixed it!

[CJ Wolf]

I was talking to one today who cut the cord. told him about HD antenna’s. he was amazed

[SandRat]

We OLD folks weren’t do dumb after all.

[dfwgator]

What’s next, Shortwave Radio?

[stylin19a]

Sorry...I should not have used such a general and broad statement. I helped my son go through all this about 2 years ago. He cut the cord. I haven't

All VIZIO SmartCast™ 4K Ultra HD displays are tuner‑free.

TVs labeled ATSC, HDTV, EDTV, SDTV, Digital Tuner, or HiDef have digital tuners.

TVs labeled NTSC, HD-Ready, Digital-Ready, or Digital Monitor do not have digital tuners.

no air antenna without a tuner.

[DocRock]

What’s next, Shortwave Radio?

The advancements in ham radio over the last few years is unbelievable. I have an all band, all mode mobile unit that dumbfounds the smartphone generation. They ask about my "CB" antenna which is actually a full sized screwdriver antenna.

[dragnet2]

We OLD folks weren’t do dumb after all.

It was the older folks who got suckered into paying for tv when they had it for free for about 100 years.

Then they got all the old folks to pay to watch their commercials which they've already been paid for, then these crooks billed it as, "commercial free". Yukyuk.

The young folk are probably shocked they got everyone to pay when you can get it for free.

[HandyDandy]

I’ll never forget the night I stayed up late with my father when it came time for “degaussing” the tube in the Heathkit Color TV he’d just built. Scared the hell out of me. He was all decked-out in rubber and we both knew he might not survive the procedure. He also had a remote control to operate the little motors on the rooftop antenna.

[truth_seeker]

Dozens of such “hacks” on youtube.

On your Roku or similar device, check out XTV for just one.

Loads of content.

And for antenna TV, we got lots of channels by getting a good antenna and putting it up high, not some cheap ass thing on the inside of an apartment window.

IOE another secret hack !!

[Disambiguator]

When they finally swindled people to pay for TV and then pay to watch their commercials which have already been paid for...That's wasn't enough to they forced all the sucker to buy into these "bundle plans" essentially forcing people to pay for things they neither want nor need.

No-one is forced to buy cable TV. If you don't like it, cancel! Or better yet, don't sign up in the first place.

[dragnet2]

The higher the antenna the better. Btw, I was told they're now making some look like weather vanes...

This one below, is for long range and comes with real good reviews..

Probably better for those living further out from the broadcast transmitters. Not cheap about $195.....but not every month!☺☺

[dragnet2]

No one claimed anyone was forced to buy it. Only that pay TV was one big con job from the beginning. Btw, I cut the cable years ago.☺

Just curious, are you in the business?

[edzo4]

I rented a beach house long ago that who had a giant antenna in the attic, amazing TV and radio reception