You may recall that I shut off my cable TV around a year ago. It’s bad enough that I pay $70 a month (yes, that’s right) just for my high speed internet, which I need for business. My cable TV was running me another $60 each month, and I refused to continue to succumb to that sort of highway robbery. So, I took the plunge and pulled the plug. Honestly, I have not missed my TV. Not only do I listen to more NPR (which instantly made me feel smarter), but I am in a better mood with the removal of most of the bad news delivery agents from my life. I use Hulu.com to watch my favorite sitcoms.
Recently, however, I started playing around with a desktop computer that I own. It has a jack for cable TV and one for a digital antenna. I have been investigating how to get free TV with a digital antenna so I can get my local news. Local news is very valuable during hurricanes or other local emergencies. So, I decided to give it a whirl.
I went to Best Buy and bought an RCA antenna. After using some coupons I had, the total cost was less than $15. As I live in a semi-metropolitan area, I didn’t go for the biggest or best. I wanted to see how a mediocre antenna would work. I hooked it to the computer, and performed a scan to see what stations would come in. After repositioning the antenna on an easel, I was able to get about 6-8 channels. The antenna works best up high and close to a window. (Mine is now currently in the middle of the living room and will need to be relocated to a more convenient home.)
Now, these are not the staticky channels of the olden days of antennas. These are crisp, clear, vibrant digital channels. I was totally amazed! I am currently watching them through a 22″ HP LCD monitor that apparently is very good quality. I would like to get a 26-27″ LED monitor or television to act as my permanent TV so I can continue to use my old monitor in my office.
Being self sufficient is a fun, money-saving process. For $15 I now have basic cable with no recurring fees. If I reposition the antenna, I can probably get up to 12 channels. And I never have to deal with Comcast.
Want to find out what stations are near enough to you to watch through a digital antenna? Put your address into this website to find out. I live 3 miles northeast of downtown Sarasota, and I am able to tune in all of the Sarasota, Bradenton and Tampa stations.
Do you know what this means? No more waiting until the next day to see 30 Rock or The Office on Hulu! Hurray!
