From Matthew Torres,
Your Guide to TV / Video.
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This isn’t much of a secret so there’s no reason to try and stuff the cat back into the bag. Buy an antenna. Get free high definition and digital television programming. There are some stipulations, but really, it’s that simple.

Introduction to Off-Air Antennas

Top Digital/HD Antennas

What’s the Catch?

In order to receive free digital and high definition signals you must meet all of the following conditions:

1. You live in an area that is capable of receiving over-the-air (OTA) broadcast signals.
2. Your local broadcast stations (ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, etc) transmit a digital signal.
3. You either have a HDTV that has a built-in digital (ATSC) tuner or a HD-ready TV and an external HD receiver connected to it.

Do You Meet the Conditions?

Here are some general answers based on each condition listed above. They are numbered accordingly.

1. Most of the U.S. population should live within range of an OTA broadcast tower. The only exceptions would be people living in rural areas like desert, wide-open plains or middle of a mountain range. Some people that live in the downtown portion of a city with large buildings might also have trouble receiving OTA signals.
2. Most local affiliates broadcast in digital at some point during the day. Keep in mind that prime time programming from the networks is usually in digital or HD. To find out if your local stations offer digital programming go to www.antennaweb.org, enter your zip code and see the list of your local stations and the format they broadcast in.
3. You should know the answer to this already. If you don’t, look at your owner’s manual or call the manufacturer and ask them. If you bought your television before 1996, it is likely you do not have a television capable of displaying digital or HD programming.

You Meet the Conditions…Now What?

It is time for action now that you know you have everything needed to receive free high definition and digital programming. This is what you can do:

1. Go to www.antennaweb.org to find out the best antenna for your area. You can get a generalized recommendation or specific for your address. If you use your address and provide your email address then I would uncheck the two boxes if you don’t want to receive emails from the Consumer Electronics Association.
2. Once you know what kind of antenna you need then go to your local electronics store or shop online and buy the unit. If you are buying an outdoor antenna then don’t forget to plan for the extra cable you might need to wire it into the TV.
3. Once you have the antenna at your residence, install it. You might need to auto-program your television in order to access the digital stations. If you have a cable or satellite HD receiver then you might be able to connect your antenna directly to the receiver and receive HD through the receiver without having to switch the TV source to antenna.
   • If your TV is HD-ready you will need to connect the antenna to the receiver in order for the TV to receive the digital/HD signal.

Financial Benefit of an Antenna

If you subscribe to cable or satellite then you don’t need an antenna. You can probably get your local broadcast stations (plus several cable channels) in HD by subscribing to your provider’s high definition package. This charge will likely between $10-15 a month for most providers.

The cost for a HD-package should cost about fifty cents a day, which is less than a pack of gum or small cup of coffee at a gas station. The charge for a HD-package seems modest when looking at the cost on a per day basis.

However, not everybody wants or needs to pay an extra $120-$180 a year (plus taxes) on their already expensive cable or satellite programming, especially when some of the channels (ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, etc) offered in the package are free if you have an antenna.

The initial cost of an antenna and HD receiver (if necessary) might be more expensive than desired. You might opt for the convenience of the cable or satellite high definition package. Before you do, think of the long term investment of an antenna.

Considering digital television is here to stay and that in 2009 all TV will be in digital, if not high definition, you can easily expect to save over $1000 in programming charges over the next 7-10 years not including taxes.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) says that anyone owning an antenna that is capable of receiving analog signals should be able to use that same antenna to receive digital signals. As a result, I suggest that you try using your analog antenna before buying a new antenna specifically designed for HD reception to see if you can save some money.