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Hilarious ad on the back of Parade Magazine

JHBrandt

JHBrandt

"New invention gives U.S. residents Free TV and gets rid of cable or satellite bills"

"... U.S. residents who find their zip code listed in today's pulication are getting Free TV thanks to an amazing new invention called the Clear-Cast."

"How It Works: Just plug it in to your TV and pull in up to 953 crystal clear digital TV shows Free with no monthly bills"

By now you've probably figured out the "amazing new invention" (which they're selling for $47) is a piece of technology called an "antenna" :D I have no idea whether it's any good, but I love the way they keep capitalizing the word Free.

OK, now for the serious part. The ad lists these OTA channels: NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, PBS (all HD); CW, ION, ION Life, My Network TV, Trinity, Retro TV, This TV, Univision, Telemundo, Qubo, HSN (DFW has all of these); Create, PBS Kids, The Weather Channel (didn't know that was available OTA ??? DFW does have Accuweather, though), Universal Sports (the ad copy is apparently a couple of months out-of-date), Cool TV, & The Country Network. They didn't list PBS World, Me-TV, Antenna TV, Daystar, Estrella, Telefutura, Azteca or a few others generally available throughout the country.

In terms of overall network availability, DFW stacks up pretty well, but there's still room for improvement.
 
is that one of those blocks you plug the TV into, and uses the house wiring? ::)

Where's that other ad link, w9wi? The one about the small "dish" on top of the TV set? :D

cd
 
Bob E. Nelson said:
cd637299 said:
is that one of those blocks you plug the TV into, and uses the house wiring? ::)
Click to expand...

There an entire thread here that brings quite a few chuckles, highlighting some rather "interesting" antennas from days gone by and, sadly, from the current era:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=35083
Click to expand...

Post #3....that's the ad I once saw! That one was a trip..... Thanks! Just read that schlock! "Legal in all 50 states." I'll have to look at the rest later....

cd
 
JHBrandt said:
"New invention gives U.S. residents Free TV and gets rid of cable or satellite bills"

"... U.S. residents who find their zip code listed in today's pulication are getting Free TV thanks to an amazing new invention called the Clear-Cast."

"How It Works: Just plug it in to your TV and pull in up to 953 crystal clear digital TV shows Free with no monthly bills"

By now you've probably figured out the "amazing new invention" (which they're selling for $47) is a piece of technology called an "antenna" :D I have no idea whether it's any good, but I love the way they keep capitalizing the word Free.
[...]
Click to expand...

Is it this that you saw in Parade? https://www.clear-cast.com/
 
easttxtv said:
Is it this that you saw in Parade? https://www.clear-cast.com/
Click to expand...

It's good to know that the X1 is a digital antenna. But the web page doesn't indicate if it has full-color capabilities as well.

When shopping for an antenna, I make sure that it's truly "SPACE AGE" (TM), color-capable, 100% digital and can receive ultrasonic sound. As an old radio guy, that ultrasonic audio characteristic is of paramount importance.
 
Basically the clear-cast site is a modern version of that Post #3 ad I mentioned.....so they *are* entering the Space Age, so to speak. And, it converts to a "secure" site, so that nobody is peeking! :)

P.T. Barnum's words still ring true today! ;)

cd
 
I remember the ad for the indoor antenna that you plugged into your wall socket. "No cable bills because you aren't getting cable!" No crap...
 
cd637299 said:
is that one of those blocks you plug the TV into, and uses the house wiring? ::)

Where's that other ad link, w9wi? The one about the small "dish" on top of the TV set? :D

cd
Click to expand...

This one doesn't plug into the wall, but it does have holes for easy mounting on the wall. There's a photo here: https://www.clear-cast.com/images/hero_dr.jpg

It's hard to tell much more because it's fully encased; could be pretty much anything from a somewhat large bow-tie to a fractal antenna (like in your cell phone, but scaled up for UHF/VHF-Hi).
 
This ad ran on one of the inside pages in one of the sections of last Sunday's Houston Chronicle too. Interesting how the ad lists a bunch of zip code prefixes, which seem to cover most of the country, except this antenna is supposedly not available in Massachusetts or California. I bet they are running ads in Massachusetts or California saying that the antennas are not available in Texas.
 
Looks like a simple bow-tie, from their photos.
And, without the "discount code", it's $68.00.

Why doesn't Winegard, or Channel Master, do these ads, with some real, rooftop antennas?
 
kenglish said:
Why doesn't Winegard, or Channel Master, do these ads, with some real, rooftop antennas?
Click to expand...

It's actually the sort of ad I'd expect from, say, Terk; but Winegard could probably do a similar ad (but with less deception and more tongue-in-cheek) with their SS-3000 indoor antenna.
 
After laying low for a few months, the Clearcast ads returned today (3/11/2013) to my local paper, the Tampa Bay Times -- as before, it publicised it as the greatest thing since white bread, with the usual "no cable / satellite bills", zip code list, and the pic of the FedEx guys waiting impatiently while the assembly line workers, working very conveniently near the exit, put the finishing touches on the boxes.

Also, last week in the same paper, they had an ad for another device that offers free high-speed internet, recycling the zip code list and assembly line pic from the Clearcast ad. Though I have a feeling that those who order THAT will feel even more ripped off than those who ordered the Clearcast from the same people.
 
Yep - saw one of their ads on Antenna TV last night. At least they've dropped the price to the proverbial $19.95 ::)
 
^ Thank you for the above 2 posts; I lost that website (linked in post 3), and I wanted it back! Some discussion boards frown on bumping old threads; thank the Lord that this one doesn't.

Bookmarked now.

BTW I have Antenna TV....I will have to be on the lookout for that commercial; some of the spots here in Miami are covered w/ PSA's, though.

cd
 
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