Is OTA TV in trouble because of the standard for U.S. digital TV?

[Kelly A]

Flora, IL has 4 transmitters well less than 60 miles away. Major network stations from Terre Haute, IN
are 71 miles away and are quite receivable. WTWO and WTHI should provide plenty of basic viewing
options. Additionally, there are stations from Evansville, IN which are also within reach. The real issue here
is that far too many people expect to place an antenna on a roof with stellar results. It doesn't happen that
way. There is nothing wrong with the past and current television broadcast standards. Careful consideration
as to the antenna, placement, aiming, environment are key to quality, long range reception.

Exactly. The problem is that the recent influx of inexpensive off-shore "HD antenna getting you free TV" ads have made some members of the general public confused. Sure, there are instances in major metropolitan areas with DTV transmission sites nearby, and high-density housing/apartments where these antennas work fine, but more likely there are people who live out of the area who need to have a professional evaluation and install a proper antenna and infrastructure. The good news is, it's pretty rare when you won't be able to receive local DTV signals. It may cost you more than $19.99, but the investment in a good installation will probably outlive you.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

Also, I’m sure as you already know, many rural areas of the country don’t have access to high speed internet, and probably never will.

And places like that are going to increasingly become ghost towns.

I don't even think that's a hot take: A place without internet service is as undesirable today as a place without electric or indoor plumbing would have been in 1960.

Fortunately, Starlink exists and from all reviews operates a pretty decent service. It's not as good as wire line service, but it is better than other satellite based Internet providers.

Flora, IL has 4 transmitters well less than 60 miles away. Major network stations from Terre Haute, IN
are 71 miles away and are quite receivable. WTWO and WTHI should provide plenty of basic viewing
options

Only one of those four carries any of the commercial networks (a translator for WAND/Decatur, an NBC affiliate). So whoopee, the people of Flora might get one of the big four networks, two PBS affiliates and a religous outfit.

WTHI and WTWO are more than 70 miles away, and the Evansville tower farm is more than 75 miles away. All of them are listed as "poor" reception on RabbitEars: RabbitEars.Info. My experience with the same antenna that received NTSC absolutely fine is a frustrating mess of garbled signals that work some of the time, but not usually long enough to watch a show uninterrupted.

The good news is, it's pretty rare when you won't be able to receive local DTV signals. It may cost you more than $19.99, but the investment in a good installation will probably outlive you.

Feel free to enlighten me (or @Prescott Joe): What setup would I need to install to receive all four networks in Flora? I'm probably not going to spend thousands for Aunt Linda's home improvement, but I might spend hundreds.

 

[Kelly A]

Feel free to enlighten me (or @Prescott Joe): What setup would I need to install to receive all four networks in Flora? I'm probably not going to spend thousands for Aunt Linda's home improvement, but I might spend hundreds.

There are several factors that one needs to consider in the planning process:. Do you live in a sticks-and-bricks home or an apartment? Is your home owned or a rental?
Quick personal example: I live 64 miles South of Washington D.C., nowhere near as flat terrain as Florida. I have an outdoor antenna purchased from Solidsignal.com TV Antennas & Parts for Cord-Cutters - Solid Signal just above my roofline aimed North, and can receive 64 different channels, not including the major stations in Baltimore. During storms when my DirecTV gets knocked out, I can easily switch inputs on my TV and receive any of the 64 local/regional stations.
There are a ton of resources online to help you plan and install a system that will work in your situation:

How to pick the best antenna to watch free over-the-air TV - The Free TV Project

Watching free, over-the-air TV with an antenna is simpler than you may think. In many cases, you can take an antenna out of the box, connect the cable to your TV, run a channel scan and voila! You have dozens of local channels to surf. The number of channels you can access and how clearly […]

www.thefreetvproject.org

Choosing an Over the Air TV Antenna for Free HD Channels - Over The Air Digital TV

What the cable companies don't want you to know is that by installing an over the air TV antenna you can get free HD channels right in your living room.

www.overtheairdigitaltv.com

DTV Reception Maps

www.fcc.gov

Antennas Direct | TV Transmitter Locator and Mapping Tool

Find your nearest digital TV transmitter with Antennas Direct's mapping tool. It's a quick and easy way to find digital television transmitters (DTVs) nearest to your location.

www.antennasdirect.com

Antenna Signal Prediction

Which broadcast channels can you receive for free? It's time you cut the cord!

www.antennaweb.org

You can also use apps like Yelp, or Angi's to find reviews on OTA TV installers working in your area. That way you can either purchase the hardware yourself and have them install it, or they can turnkey the whole installation.

David and I did an online estimate for VChimp, and it looked like the cost, including hardware and installation, would run about $600.

 

[Kelly A]

Fortunately, Starlink exists and from all reviews operates a pretty decent service. It's not as good as wire line service, but it is better than other satellite based Internet providers.

I disagree. I have Starlink at two of my homes, and it works every bit as good as a Comcast or Verizon cable Internet connection. In fact, recently Verizon pulled fiber for Fios in my neighborhood South of Washington D.C., but I'm sticking with Starlink. Besides the speed being every bit of Verizon, the reliability of Starlink would be superior in storms or natural disasters.

 

[Prescott Joe]

And places like that are going to increasingly become ghost towns.

I don't even think that's a hot take: A place without internet service is as undesirable today as a place without electric or indoor plumbing would have been in 1960.

Fortunately, Starlink exists and from all reviews operates a pretty decent service. It's not as good as wire line service, but it is better than other satellite based Internet providers.


Only one of those four carries any of the commercial networks (a translator for WAND/Decatur, an NBC affiliate). So whoopee, the people of Flora might get one of the big four networks, two PBS affiliates and a religous outfit.

WTHI and WTWO are more than 70 miles away, and the Evansville tower farm is more than 75 miles away. All of them are listed as "poor" reception on RabbitEars: RabbitEars.Info. My experience with the same antenna that received NTSC absolutely fine is a frustrating mess of garbled signals that work some of the time, but not usually long enough to watch a show uninterrupted.


Feel free to enlighten me (or @Prescott Joe): What setup would I need to install to receive all four networks in Flora? I'm probably not going to spend thousands for Aunt Linda's home improvement, but I might spend hundreds.

I only mentioned the four channels nearby to Flora, IL because, simply stated, there ARE transmitters much closer than
70 miles away. If you use an antenna that was fine during 2009 and before, that antenna is well past its' usefulness.
How is it that people are willing to spend $75, $150 or more dollars EVERY month for subscription television for years
on end but refuse to spend $1,000 one-time for 10-15 years of viewing enjoyment?????? I just don't understand.
From Evansville, IN I receive WTHI/Rf 10 and WSIU/Rf 8 with little difficulty.

 

[TexasTom]

I only mentioned the four channels nearby to Flora, IL because, simply stated, there ARE transmitters much closer than
70 miles away. If you use an antenna that was fine during 2009 and before, that antenna is well past its' usefulness.
How is it that people are willing to spend $75, $150 or more dollars EVERY month for subscription television for years
on end but refuse to spend $1,000 one-time for 10-15 years of viewing enjoyment?????? I just don't understand.
From Evansville, IN I receive WTHI/Rf 10 and WSIU/Rf 8 with little difficulty.

An antenna can last far longer than that. I have an outdoor antenna that was installed over twenty years ago to receive analog TV broadcasts, and it is still working well for picking up local digital TV broadcasts. That's an outdoor antenna that is subject to wear and tear from the harsh Texas weather, and it's still quite functional. For those using an indoor or attic antenna, there's no reason it wouldn't last indefinitely.

 

[KeithE4]

An antenna can last far longer than that. I have an outdoor antenna that was installed over twenty years ago to receive analog TV broadcasts, and it is still working well for picking up local digital TV broadcasts. That's an outdoor antenna that is subject to wear and tear from the harsh Texas weather, and it's still quite functional. For those using an indoor or attic antenna, there's no reason it wouldn't last indefinitely.

The antenna may hold up, but I'd replace the coax every 10 years or so, especially in areas with extreme weather.

 

[Prescott Joe]

An antenna can last far longer than that. I have an outdoor antenna that was installed over twenty years ago to receive analog TV broadcasts, and it is still working well for picking up local digital TV broadcasts. That's an outdoor antenna that is subject to wear and tear from the harsh Texas weather, and it's still quite functional. For those using an indoor or attic antenna, there's no reason it wouldn't last indefinitely.

I would agree with that under some circumstances. Typically, the plastic portions deteriorate faster, crack and/or fail
making the antenna less effective.