Why Pay Hdtv Is Free!!!

intrac · 02-15-2005, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mata7

hey guys what i can get in, mississauga, ontario

mata7 -- depending on your antenna, you should be able to get:
WGRZ - NBC, WKBW - ABC, WIVB - CBS, WNLO - UPN, WUTV - FOX, WNED - PBS, and WNYO - WB. You may even be able to pick up CITY and Toronto1, and soon CBLT. You need a set with built-in ATSC tuner or a Set Top Box with tuner or 8VSB module. If you are close to the lake, you may even get these with an inside antenna.

RonInBigEasy · 02-15-2005, 08:28 AM

http://www.antennaweb.org

Plug in your address and you'll get the channel listing info in your area. You should also sort on digital channels to get an idea how many could broadcast HD programs.

intrac · 02-15-2005, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonInBigEasy

http://www.antennaweb.org

Plug in your address and you'll get the channel listing info in your area. You should also sort on digital channels to get an idea how many could broadcast HD programs.

RonInBigEasy -- this site doesn't work with Canadian addresses.

RonInBigEasy · 02-15-2005, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by intrac

RonInBigEasy -- this site doesn't work with Canadian addresses.

Sorry....didn't know that. I'll file that away!

mata7 · 02-15-2005, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by intrac

mata7 -- depending on your antenna, you should be able to get:
WGRZ - NBC, WKBW - ABC, WIVB - CBS, WNLO - UPN, WUTV - FOX, WNED - PBS, and WNYO - WB. You may even be able to pick up CITY and Toronto1, and soon CBLT. You need a set with built-in ATSC tuner or a Set Top Box with tuner or 8VSB module. If you are close to the lake, you may even get these with an inside antenna.

thank you, can you please recommend me a good antenna

intrac · 02-15-2005, 01:56 PM

I like the Channel Master 4228 which is an 8-bay antenna. You can buy it locally from Hosick Television Co, 416-243-1071, 1844 Jane Street, York, ON M9N 2T4. (Just South of the 400 Extension) This is what it looks like.

teranova · 02-15-2005, 11:49 PM

I bet you could pick up Mars with that rig!

RonInBigEasy · 02-16-2005, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teranova

I bet you could pick up Mars with that rig!

LOL not quite, I bought this a couple of weeks ago and an average of about 42 miles from my HD network signals and still in the "tweaking" mode, trying to get a strong, consistant signal from all the channels.

intrac · 02-16-2005, 08:45 AM

The picture is deceiving. It's only 36"x 40". It's an excellent antenna -- UHF only and good average gain of about 10dB across, good beamwidth.

teranova · 02-16-2005, 11:34 AM

Thanks for the info. Just looking at it, with nothing to gauge the scale, it looks gigantic! It reminded me of my old 10' diameter C-Band satellite dish often referred to in magazine articles as a B.U.D.(Big Ugly Dish)
When we can get HDTV locally, I'll look into buying one.

pcheenan · 02-25-2005, 08:48 PM

Can you recommend a specific OTA and for antennas? Do you have a link?

CatManDoo · 02-25-2005, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csurfer

HD TV is FREE. Why does everyone want to Pay. Since I have my HD OTA system, I don't even need cable.

Picture is better than Cable, better than Satelite. Drive to Buffalo or your nearest boarder state and P/U an OTA receiver. Get a decent Antenna, ( mine was 129 at the RAT SHACK ) I installed it in the atic and Bob'ss you uncle.

Great Picture, ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, PBS, Toronto1, CITY and more to come.

Best part. LEGAL AND FREE No more cable bills.

Downside limit to networks.

Everyone that has seen our system, can't beleive this reception and picture is FREE. Toshiba 65 inch running 1080i

So you get 7 stations? Whew!!!!!

What about ESPN, CNN, TBS, INHD, etc ....?

I hate the Cable companies

as much as anyone, but I'm stuck like millions of others because they're the easiest way to get more than 10 channels.

I still don't understand the OTA debate because as far as I know, there is no ATSC receiver in the world that will pick up the "cable" stations.

To steal a modified line from Dire Straits, "I want my ESPN".

intrac · 02-26-2005, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CatManDoo

So you get 7 stations? Whew!!!!!

What about ESPN, CNN, TBS, INHD, etc ....?

I hate the Cable companies

as much as anyone, but I'm stuck like millions of others because they're the easiest way to get more than 10 channels.

I still don't understand the OTA debate because as far as I know, there is no ATSC receiver in the world that will pick up the "cable" stations.

To steal a modified line from Dire Straits, "I want my ESPN".

The only stations you get with OTA are the networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, WB, and FOX) and some Toronto HD locals.

ESPN, TBS, etc are all cable stns. The only way to get these are satellite or cable.

An ATSC tuner will "pick-up" cable stations if you use a CableCard supplied by your cable company. Most newer ATSC equipped sets (SONY, etc.) have CableCard slots. That way you don't need a separate STB. However the CableCards aren't 2-way, so you don't get VOD.

In fact an ATSC-equipped set will pick-up the un-encrypted HD stations that are on cable -- such as some of the broadcast networks.

BrianO · 07-31-2005, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by intrac

There is a good probability that you should get the following US HD channels:
WFFF in Burlington, Ch. 43, Approx. 80 mi S.E.;
WCFE in Plattsburgh, Ch. 38, Approx 60 mi S.W:
WETK in Burlington, Ch. 32, Approx. 80 mi S.E;

All the rest are CDN HD channels either now on the air or coming on shortly.

Update on Montreal area:

The only TV station in the Plattsburgh-Burlington area currently (July 31, 2005) broadcasting digital programming into the Montreal area is Mountain Lake PBS (WCFE) in Plattsburgh. They are broadcasting on physical channel 38, virtual channels 57.1 and 57.2. The transmission antenna is located on Lyon Mountain which is 25 miles west of Plattsburgh. Chanel 57.1 is their relay of the PBS HD channel (1080i) and 57.2 is a standard definition (480i) digital version of their regular chanel 57 analogue programming.

WPTZ Plattsburgh and all of the Burlington stations broadcasting into the Montreal area, including those you list, will NOT be broadcasting any digital programming into the Montreal area until the Mount Mansfield (Vermont) joint-facility is completed in the second half of 2006. Note that WPTZ will not be broadcasting digtally from North Pole, New York where their analogue transmitter is located.

CBC and Radio Canada in Montreal have been broadcasting HD programming since March 2005 from a temporary tower located on top of their building in downtown Montreal. However, their signal is not receivable anywhere on Montreal's West Island because Mount Royal blocks the signals. This situation will not change until technical and environmental problems with the broadcast tower on Mount Royal have been resolved. The tower serves 7 Montreal stations. The latest estimate for the earliest resolution of the tower problem is Spring 2006.

Jaso109 · 08-17-2005, 11:51 PM

i live in Barre, vermont right in the middle of vermont about 45 miles from burlington. would i be able to pick up any HDTV channels OTA.

02-15-2005, 08:28 AM	#32
RonInBigEasy Smile! Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New Orleans area. Age: 54 Posts: 222	http://www.antennaweb.org Plug in your address and you'll get the channel listing info in your area. You should also sort on digital channels to get an idea how many could broadcast HD programs. __________________ "I don't see any difference" - Typical wife response

02-25-2005, 08:48 PM	#41
pcheenan My plasma is High Def. Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 9	Any recommendations for an OTA box? Can you recommend a specific OTA and for antennas? Do you have a link?

02-15-2005, 11:49 PM	#37
teranova High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 369	I bet you could pick up Mars with that rig!

02-16-2005, 08:45 AM	#39
intrac High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 125	The picture is deceiving. It's only 36"x 40". It's an excellent antenna -- UHF only and good average gain of about 10dB across, good beamwidth.

02-16-2005, 11:34 AM	#40
teranova High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 369	Thanks for the info. Just looking at it, with nothing to gauge the scale, it looks gigantic! It reminded me of my old 10' diameter C-Band satellite dish often referred to in magazine articles as a B.U.D.(Big Ugly Dish) When we can get HDTV locally, I'll look into buying one.

08-17-2005, 11:51 PM	#45
Jaso109 How can anyone watch standard def? Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 29	i live in Barre, vermont right in the middle of vermont about 45 miles from burlington. would i be able to pick up any HDTV channels OTA.