That's a viable option, as long as one isn't too far from the broadcast sites. We tried the antenna option at our country house--which is about 30 miles outside of the city--and it's not enough to pull in the signals (we could only get ONE 'real' channel, and the local spanish one). And, of course, with an antenna, you only get the commercial channels, none of the special cable ones like food network, lifetime, IDiscovery, weather, etc.

But it is definitely a MUCH cheaper way to go, if it works for you and you don't want those other channels.

Well, of course, you don't get those channels, but I found out, I can live without them just fine.

I get 10 channels, not counting the Spanish ones.

Moni

Wow, only 30 miles? I live over 100 and can get them all. I have a big antenna that is about 30' off the ground though. I only can get a couple with a set top type antenna.

I lose them in bad weather though...and sometimes in really good weather - lol! The digital switch really didn't help me out. If the weather is severe we lose both the antenna channels and the dish channels - isn't that nice! I asked someone in the industry about that. They told me to listen to the radio when the weather was severe.

Thanks Uncle Sam for setting us back a few decades...LOL!

Hi Moni,

Thanks for the post. We have become so dependent on cable that we forget, TV viewing use to be free. Our lives sure have changed since we were kids.

sooey

Here is more info about that antenna and lots of good reviews.
http://www.amazon.com/Winegard-FreeVision-FV-30BB-HDTV-Antenna/dp/B003L76BJS

The site below should help you figure out how many channels you will be able to receive.

Here is a link that might be useful: Antenna web

I have antenna TV, too. For years, cable wasn't available here. Now it is, but I'm no longer interested. I don't know how far away we are from the TV stations, but it's a lot more than 30 miles. I think it helps that my antenna is so far off the ground.

I get 14 channels, including three PBS, so I'm happy. Like Iowagirl, my reception can be affected by bad weather--usually only the NBC affiliate for some reason.

Before we moved down here, we got 8 stations just fine. I swore I would never pay for tv! LOL then we moved down here and all we could get was static! and it hurt to pay for tv! lol

Yes, it is awful to have to pay for TV, so expensive. Most of us here are used to TV just being there through our antennas (I know, that was long ago). But if you just get 10-14 channels, you usually have news and a program or two you enjoy. Then we find other things to do if there is nothing on TV. Actually, we have hundreds of channels and sometimes I think, "There's nothing on TV."

That's great, Moni. You are getting your life in order very well. Congratulations.

it should work fine as long as you have an HD tv or the set top box for your older model tv to convert the signals.

Some days I say the same thing there is nothing on tv and I have direct tv with hundreds of channels! I have recently told my husband I was going to drop all the movie channels because every time I go looking for a movie there is nothing new or of interest, I could save a lot by dropping all of those channels then just pay for the movies I want to watch on pay per view. They keep sending me cards in the mail thanking me for being with them for so long and tell me they are giving me so many free pay per view movies just use them before such a date, I have only ever used one, so I don't even use the free ones!

Pay TV.

When I was a kid I remember hearing there would probably be pay TV the future. I had a recurring nightmare that to watch TV, you would have to put a quarter in a little metal box.

Oh how I now wish that was true. Our cable/internet bill is around $200/month. That's a lot of quarters.

Jodi-

I hear ya Jodi. I imagine we have the same carrier! My bill went up $50 this month because my "promotion" ended. Mine is about $200 now for cable/internet and that's without any sort of movies channels.

I called the other day to ask why I had a $3.95 protection plan charge on my bill every month and they told me they added it because a technician had to come out to fix a box that was broken a few months ago, and if I didn't pay the $3.95 a month, I would have to pay for the technician to come out, even if it was a problem with Cox equipment or service. I was flabbergasted - I've never had to pay for a repair that was the company's fault before.

I used to have Verizon fios and I liked them much better where I used to live, but at least in this town there is a monopoly on internet providers. They can charge whatever they want because there aren't really any alternatives.

I wish I could use an antenna, but I live on the wrong side of the hills to get any reception. I went for four years once with no television at all. I had moved to a new city for a new job, my television was broken in the move, and I never replaced it. I didn't miss having television then, but now it's a habit for me again.

you know my direct tv bill went up on my last one I paid and I called and asked why they said well didn't anyone call or mail and let you know about this change I said no indeed, then they apparently looked at my account, I have been with direct tv since they began I am in some sort of flagged account because as soon as they look me up everything changes and they are extremely nice and helpful, and tell me they see I am a platinum account member or something like that, anyway she said she was very sorry and would change that charge and it would not be put on my account and if it showed up again to please call back and it would be removed. Then she offered me more free pay for view movies LOL

so it never hurts to call and say hey what is going on here!

I could not go with out tv, if I had internet that would help some but I just love my big plasma tv and that is our main form of entertainment other than reading.

We always used just an antenna until they switched to digital...we can't get digital signals here.

So we watch TV on the internet now, and we get much more to watch than we did with the old antenna anyway.

I've never had cable in my life.

We've never had cable tv either--can't stand to pay so much for watching commercial tv. We're lucky in that we get quite a few channels and even several different pbs channels. I suppose it won't last forever, but we'll keep our antenna as long as we can.

When we moved her in '76 our neighborhood was a later phase of one that had a homeowners association. Although our tract was exempt from having to join the association some of the covenants were still on the contract. One was no rooftop antennas.

wildchild, my antenna is an indoor antenna. Very low key.

Moni

Mine's not on the roof either. It's about 10 feet above it. :-)

I've been wanting to get off super expensive cable for YEARS. Anything I want to watch on network primetime I can get on internet. But DH has to have his ESPNs & the golf channel. AARRGGHH! The laptop I ordered has a HDMI port, which he remarked "we can hook internet up to the tv." Yeah. But that doesn't solve his ESPNs wants. Eye rolling going on here.

We love cable! I hope we never have to be without it.

When you get your antenna, I hope you can get Create on PBS. It is delightful!

I have had antenna tv for a long time and get around 27 stations depending on the weather. I have the converter box as well because my tv is an older 10 inch portable. Most of my signals come from towers out in the county.

Having a better antenna does make the difference. I had a cheaper antenna that I thought was picking up all the stations but after my sister passed away I was given her new rabbit ears antenna and as soon as I plugged it in I received 10 more stations so I was really thrilled LOL I often scan for new stations to see if the antenna can pick up a few more.

I am also fortunate because I live on the US border so can pick up Detroit and some Ohio stations, but only 2 Canadian stations which makes me laugh. CBC and PBS TV Ontario.

Many shows that are on cable I can watch on the internet. I have been watching past episodes of Hoarders on A&E on my computer. I am also addicted to watching the British Show Time Team.

Love watching PBS on Saturdays - all the cooking shows I need LOL

Anne

shermann--yes, I get Create TV with just an antenna. Love it!