Gone are the days when rooftop monstrosities and rabbit ear antennas were the only options to enjoy TV entertainment. Thanks to digital antennas, we now have unlimited options that we can choose from for our TV entertainment.
Here are 10 things you need to know about digital TV antennas.
1. Digital TV Is Free
That is right, we said free! If you are still paying to watch your favorite shows, it is high time you migrate to digital TV. Digital TV antennas rely on over-the-air (OTA) broadcasts which are absolutely free. This means that you do not have to pay any subscriptions anymore to enjoy watching your favorite programs. You can always rely on signal solutions TV antennas and save your money while you are at it.
2. Enjoy Watching Local Channels
One major disadvantage of using cable and satellite TV is that they do not air all your local channels. Examples of channels you might be missing include local news, cooking shows, sports, movies, classic TV shows, and kids programming. With a digital TV antenna, you can always unlock these local channels free of charge.
3. Enjoy Watching Major Channels
If you are worried about catching the latest episodes on CBS or CW specials. Don’t be. Almost all the major channels are available to you on digital TV. Depending on the antenna you can get at least 100 channels or more for free. This is because the advertisers are the ones who pay the networks and not the receivers. So, a lot of what you receive on satellite and cable TV you really don’t have to pay for.
4. You Get More Options
If you have used a digital antenna, you will notice that there are channels and subchannels. For instance, if a broadcast station transmits its signals on channel 5 the sub-channels will be on 5.1,5.2,5.3 etc. Apart from its main service, a station is allowed to broadcast up to 4 sub-channels at a go. This gives you more options to choose from for your entertainment.
5. It Is More Reliable
In case of emergencies and bad weather, you will be glad you are using a digital TV antenna. This is the time you want to stay informed of what is happening around you and digital TV will give you that. This is because broadcast signals cannot be easily interrupted. But If you are using cable or satellite TV, you will be on a total blackout. Their signals cannot withstand these harsh conditions.
6. You Get Better Quality
A major advantage you will get using a digital antenna rather than cable or satellite TV is the good quality for both image and audio transmissions. The problem with cable and satellite transmissions is that they have to be compressed for them to fit in as few signals as possible. This really messes up with the image and audio quality. But over-the-air transmissions need very little compression meaning that they do not lose so much data. This allows them to maintain good images and audio quality.
7. Your Location Matters
Before you purchase an antenna, you need to locate the broadcast tower. Your setup will depend on where you live.
Also, your location affects the signal you receive. Structures, hills, trees will obstruct and weaken the signal. If you are surrounded by such, you should place your antenna as high as possible to reduce the number of obstructions.
8. You Do Not Need To Buy A New TV
Many people think that you have to buy a new television to accommodate the digital antenna. But this is not true. As long as your television was manufactured after March 2007 it comes with a digital tuner. You will connect the digital antenna to this tuner. If your TV does not have a tuner, you can buy a converter box which costs you around $50 and below.
9. Digital TV Is Easy To Use
You do not need to be a tech guru to use a digital antenna. And although they work differently, they literally use the same process to set up. Then using the remote, you can auto-scan the channels. The rest will be done by the digital antenna.
10. They Come In Three Categories
Digital antennas come in three categories. These are
• Indoor And Outdoor Antenna
As the names suggest, indoor antennas are installed in the house while outdoor antennas are installed on the outside.
• Directional And Omnidirectional Antennas
Directional antennas have to be pointed to a certain direction to receive the signal. Omnidirectional antennas can pick up signals from all directions.
• Amplified And Non-Amplified Antennas
Amplified antennas have an amplification feature to increase the range. Non-amplified antennas, on the other hand, operate without an amplification feature.
Digital TV Antenna Cable Conclusion
A lot has been said about digital TV antennas. But these 10 things are what no one is telling you, especially the cable and satellite service providers.
