What is an "Off The Air" tv channel?

[sam_gordon]

ok, if i go to manual settings, i have a choice of

tv- there is no signal strength box
cable dtv- there is a signal strength box
cable tv- no signal strength box
dtv- there is a signal strength box

which do i want?

dtv

 

[pat fan]

Well, it's official, no Patriots for me tonight.

The antenna thing just won't work, our mountains are too high Guess it's the Packers V Chargers instead.

Thanks anyway Sam!

 

[sam_gordon]

Well, it's official, no Patriots for me tonight.

The antenna thing just won't work, our mountains are too high Guess it's the Packers V Chargers instead.

Thanks anyway Sam!

Sorry.

 

[tvguy]

I got cable 25 years ago, now a dish, but I never took down my outside roof top antenna. Came in handy when cable went out, and now that all the local over the air channels have .2, .3 and .4 subchannels that the cable and dish companies do not rebroadcast, it's a whole additional source of channels. I also have a digital converter box that I bought for $10 with those coupons they were offering, since my TVs are OVER 25 years old.

 

[pat fan]

I got cable 25 years ago, now a dish, but I never took down my outside roof top antenna. Came in handy when cable went out, and now that all the local over the air channels have .2, .3 and .4 subchannels that the cable and dish companies do not rebroadcast, it's a whole additional source of channels. I also have a digital converter box that I bought for $10 with those coupons they were offering, since my TVs are OVER 25 years old.

Our house used to be my DH's grandma's house, and she did have a HUGE rooftop antenna which only picked up 2 channels that you could barely see. We just live in a deep valley in the boonies. I'm glad you can get them though!

 

[sam_gordon]

Our house used to be my DH's grandma's house, and she did have a HUGE rooftop antenna which only picked up 2 channels that you could barely see. We just live in a deep valley in the boonies. I'm glad you can get them though!

Stupid question... is that antenna still up? As mentioned before, there's no such thing as an 'HDTV' antenna. If that antenna is still available, hook it up & try.

I do think if you want to put the money/effort into it, you CAN get OTA reception. It's just a matter of how high a tower you need and how powerful an antenna. Unfortunately I don't know of any way to know without trial & error.

 

[pat fan]

Nope, the antenna came down after it was damaged by wind. It was as high as you could get it, above the top of the roof peak on a pole, and it still just pulled in those 2 crappy channels.

Sure, we could probably spend $2grand on a new, super huge antenna and a 50 ft. pole with a blinky light, but I doubt we'd get much better than Gram got. Remember, we just got high speed internet 1 1/2 yrs ago and it's out half the time because they ran it through Ma Bell wires!

 

[sam_gordon]

Nope, the antenna came down after it was damaged by wind. It was as high as you could get it, above the top of the roof peak on a pole, and it still just pulled in those 2 crappy channels.

Sure, we could probably spend $2grand on a new, super huge antenna and a 50 ft. pole with a blinky light, but I doubt we'd get much better than Gram got. Remember, we just got high speed internet 1 1/2 yrs ago and it's out half the time because they ran it through Ma Bell wires!

A 50 ft pole with a huge antenna could make a difference. All the cable companies (with one exception--out of 120) in our area get the locals by putting an antenna on a pole (or tower). This includes companies 60+ miles away from the transmitter.

So I know it can be done. But as you said, it's not exactly cheap.

 

[Micca]

Applause for a valiant effort on the part of Sam Gordon

FWIW: "Off the air" is a lousy descriptor for "Over the air".

 

[sam_gordon]

Applause for a valiant effort on the part of Sam Gordon

FWIW: "Off the air" is a lousy descriptor for "Over the air".

Thanks. I tried.

To me "off air" makes sense (as opposed to "off satellite" or "off cable"). OTA should be "over the air". Actually, to a broadcast station, "off the air" has a different connotation.

 

[Nayan]

Thanks. I tried.

To me "off air" makes sense (as opposed to "off satellite" or "off cable"). OTA should be "over the air". Actually, to a broadcast station, "off the air" has a different connotation.

I don't think many stations would like to be called 'off the air'!

And a big thank you too Sam! I learned something in this thread .

 

[sam_gordon]

I don't think many stations would like to be called 'off the air'!

And a big thank you too Sam! I learned something in this thread .

Glad I can help!