Digital TV antennae for your home?

[Saab2000]

So I have been a pretty satisfied subscriber to Sling TV and until yesterday YouTube TV. But they added content I didn't need and raised the price. So I called their bluff and cancelled the service. I didn't dislike the service at all, but I'm trying to limit expenses, especially those I don't use much and really, I don't use it enough to justify it for now.

But I wouldn't mind getting the local broadcast channels, which are free.

Anyone use a home digital antenna? Many seem to be pretty unattractive, sticking to walls or windows and having wires running to them. Ideas for a reasonably attractive solution? Also, amplified or non-amplified?

Suggestions?

BTW, I may have asked this four years ago. I had an antenna in Minneapolis when I was living there and it worked pretty well, though for certain channels I had to move it around a bit. I couldn't receive a single channel when I lived in Michigan and no longer have that particular antenna. So I'm wondering if anyone uses anything they can suggest in 2020.

[Too Tall]

All TV antennas are "digital" for the sake of argument.

When I was looking for the best rooftop, or attic, TV antenna I ended up with a Winegard.

Line sight is everything, so get the antenna high as possible and use a smartphone app to aim it for the best reception of the channels you want most.

Attic Antennas | HDTV Digital Antennas Products | Winegard Company

Digital TV Antennas on the App Store

[sine]

Coat hangers.....

http://www.repeater-builder.com/ante...er-antenna.pdf

[defspace]

I don't have any experience with it, but I know my parents use Locast to stream local channels: Home - Locast

[gt6267a]

After the latest bill increase from Comcast, I've had enough and we are getting serious about the cord cutting. Current plan is to put the antenna in a guest room facing the OTA sources. Plug antenna coax into the house coax and put an OTA tuner / DVR in the basement.

I called an antenna company and they recommended a window cling for my house: Flex. I'm ok with that in my guest room with some careful wire trimming. Tools like TVFool are good to detemine signal strength and direction. Amplifiers depend on signal strength and for my house, no amplifier is needed. You might check signal strength from TVFool and/or call an antenna company to provide feedback on the amplifier or antenna.

I'm currently researching products like HDHomeRun and FireTV ReCast. Curious to hear if anyone is using one of these tuner / DVR for OTA products?

[davids]

Saab,

You're talking about a TV antenna to grab over-the-air ("OTA") channels, right?

Use the FTC's tool to gauge the power you will need: DTV Reception Maps | Federal Communications Commission

Then go to Amazon and get one. I got a super-cheap one (under $10 if I remember right) and it works acceptably well at my urban home, the five times annually that I watch OTA TV.

[Mabouya]

Suggestions?

Try living without it for a while and see how that works out.

I haven't had a TV for at least 20 years. I do have a Netflix subscription (2 DVDs / month, one at a time) but don't use that much either (I think I kept the last DVD for about 6 months before finally sending it back to them).

Too much other stuff going on in life to spend time watching the tube.

[Saab2000]

Try living without it for a while and see how that works out.

I haven't had a TV for at least 20 years. I do have a Netflix subscription (2 DVDs / month, one at a time) but don't use that much either (I think I kept the last DVD for about 6 months before finally sending it back to them).

Too much other stuff going on in life to spend time watching the tube.

It’s not for me. It’s for occasional guests in my house. And I don’t mind local channels during NFL season.

My mother likes to watch local and network news. Her demands in life are low and if I can help fulfill this request it’s the least I can do. Personally, I can go weeks or months without regular TV, but it’s nice to have the option on those occasions I’d like to turn it on.

As it happens, the Locast app someone mentioned appears to be exactly what I was looking for. I’ve only used it enough to know that it appears to get me what I want (local OTA channels and their sub-channels) via my Roku. They solicit donations for this free app and I will likely donate if I use it more in the future.