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Canadians dump pay services for free HDTV - from an antenna

money.canoe.ca — Free HDTV from an old-style television antenna? It's more likely than you think - and getting more popular as well.

Who dugg this? Made popular May 31, 2009

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  • MrRtd, on 05/29/2009, -1/+76I grew up in a home that always had cable TV, but when I moved out on my own and was a student, it was just unaffordable, so even to this day (some 15 years later) I've never subscribed to cable/satellite, never found it to be worth the price. Most of those speciality channels are full of reruns, crap, and even more crap. (I know this 'cause satellite is included in my rent). I'm a very dissatisfied TV viewer!
  • rockstar1o9, on 05/31/2009, -2/+75If ESPN started broadcasting over the air, cable and satellite would go out of business in a heartbeat.
  • moocow1452, on 05/31/2009, -0/+54The only thing worth a cable subscription to me, make or break, is Discovery.
  • WordsnCollision, on 05/29/2009, -3/+56"57 channels and nothing on"... so why pay for it? Antennas can bring in 15-25 stations and the quality is excellent - up to HDTV levels - because a cable company doesn't compress the FREE signal.
  • momzilla54, on 05/29/2009, -2/+48Well, who could blame them. Satellite and cable services that actually give you anything worth watching in the US cost $60 or more monthly, and usually much more. I think after equipment charges my satellite bill is more like $120. Though I don't miss the antenna-on-top-of-the-house look. The last time I had one of those was on my parents' house in like 1982.
  • douggmc, on 05/31/2009, -1/+30"up to HDTV levels" ....?

    Uhhh .. if you get HD over-the-air channels they ARE "HDTV levels" and BETTER quality than 99% of the HD channels you get from your cable/satellite provider (assuming same original source ... e.g. your primetime shows from ABC/CBS/FOX/NBC .. etc.). You are getting them almost directly from source via over the air. The cable/satellites take that same source and compress the ***** out of it to get it to fit wiith all the other junk through their transmitters/cables.
  • bdbr, on 05/31/2009, -0/+21That's probably why they moved Monday Night Football from ABC to ESPN.
  • SpeedStix, on 05/29/2009, -1/+21I am doing this soon.
  • PainToad, on 05/31/2009, -3/+22Huh? how is HDTV over the air a new thing? Here in Australia we've had it for years.
  • KSUdesigner, on 05/31/2009, -0/+18Networks are still transmitting, what are you talking about? What do you think all the fuss over the conversion to digital transmission is over? Not all of them are transmitting HD singals, but they're still transmitting.
  • inactive, on 05/31/2009, -2/+20"Yeah, but many network stations have dumped their high power transmitters years ago for low maintenance data upstream feeds...."

    Cite your source otherwise this is bullcrap.

    "If networks start transmitting again..."

    Bullcrap! Are you some shill working for the cable industry?
  • bdbr, on 05/31/2009, -0/+17There's also Science Channel, Discovery, Smithsonian, National Geographic, History, History Intl, etc, along the same type of programming. PBS occasionally has that sort of thing but sometimes its just the Three Tenors or Lawrence Welk.
  • Elranzer, on 05/31/2009, -1/+18Most CableTV sucks, but Discovery is indeed a great channel. I believe they were one of the first to even offer their line-up in 1080i when everyone else was flirting with 720p (and some still are).
  • bdbr, on 05/31/2009, -0/+13We've had it in the US for years too (since 2003 where I am), and I suspect Canada had it as well. There isn't anything new about it from a technology standpoint. The only thing that might be "new" is that people are dropping cable and using OTA to save money.
  • iBleeedOrange, on 05/31/2009, -1/+13If only they used monster cables....
  • TheCosmicFool, on 05/31/2009, -1/+13I am a Canadian with Over the air HTDV. This is about MEEE! yay!

    Seriously though, I bought a TERK HDTVa antenna from TigerDirect because I refuse to pay ***** rates for ***** programming or sign any contracts for better rates. It works great because I am in the GTA and close enough to Buffalo to get US stations in HD like Fox 29 etc.
  • beerhound, on 05/31/2009, -0/+11I can't speak for the rest of the world, but in North America 1080p doesn't exist as an HD standard. 1080i is the highest broadcast standard. TV makers (sony, I think) started offering 1080p capable TVs that were really just a marketing gimick to sell "better" TVs. There was pretty much zero 1080p content at the time. Now many blu ray disks do offer 1080p, so it might be worthwhile to movie buffs. It has been several years since I looked into it, but no TV broadcasts were offered at higher than 1080i, so the only way a 1080 TV set makes a difference to TV watchers is if it is capable of taking a 1080i signal and deinterlacing it.
  • douggmc, on 05/31/2009, -0/+11Here's what I get OTA digital:
    NBC - 2 channels
    CBS - 1 channel (actually 2, but second is full time weather)
    ABC - 1 channel (2nd is weather)
    FOX - 1 channel (2nd is same broadcast in standard def)
    PBS - 4 channels (only 1 us usually good programming)
    Local University - 4 channels (mostly crap broadcasting)
    CW - 2 Channel (if you like Buffy, old reruns, etc.)
    MyTV? - 1 Channel (lots of old reruns, Springer)
    ION - 3
    QUBO - 1

    .... so that is 20 digital OTA of which all have at least some HD.
  • Yazilliclick, on 05/31/2009, -0/+10Yeah no kidding. I don't actually watch tv myself, gave it up except for movies. I've been tempted to order cable a couple times but $50/mo gives you the basic crap of which the only thing good would be news. To follow a couple shows I may interested in I'd have to add on two more seperate packages (because they're of course never in the same one) which is another $10/mo. Of course things would look like crap, could go digital and get a couple hd channels solely to show of having an hdtv but then that's an extra $15/mo for the service and $20/mo for the equipment rental. Unless of course you want a DVR which is part of their purpoted reason for digital and the future, that's $35-$45/mo.
  • williamgauci, on 05/31/2009, -0/+10Yes it does, where do you think over half of the signals we're picking up is coming from? A lot of them are US stations spilling over the border. Do a little research, all your cable companies are doing is picking up the same signals you could get with an antenna and sending them to you via a cable.
  • jdigriz, on 05/31/2009, -1/+10Sure. Just get an HDTV converter box if you have an older TV. I'm getting about 30 channels all in excellent quality.
  • bigdoglj52, on 05/31/2009, -2/+11does this work in USA?
  • superkendall, on 05/31/2009, -1/+10Because this is the North American Continent where large moose and thick puffs of indian smoke signals have until recently made HDTV difficult to receive over the air due to interference.
  • linagee, on 05/31/2009, -0/+9Why pay for cable TV when you can watch it on the internet?
  • quanta88, on 05/31/2009, -0/+9Not surprised: the Golden Horsehoe (Greater Toronto) area is uniquely posed for HDTV OTA.

    People who want to learn more should check out the Digital Home forum: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/forumdisplay.php?s ...

    The CN Tower, tallest free-standing structure in the world, has the major local Canadian TV (CBC, CTV, City, Global) broadcast antennas at its peak that provides incredibly large coverage. Just south of Toronto is Grand Island, Buffalo where many US TV (Fox, PBS) antennas are set up. Because of this, many Torontonians have line of sight to both locations and can even get away with indoor antennas.

    And while cable/satellite HD feeds are often heavily compressed, OTA signals provide an uncompressed pristine quality image...for free!
  • kinseyincanada, on 05/31/2009, -0/+8all you need is hockey night in canada and youre done.
  • inactive, on 05/31/2009, -0/+8When I had cable I only watched Discovery, Comedy Central and USA Network, the rest was not worth paying $39 for basic. It would be nice if these companies just started broadcasting over the air in select markets. They already get revenue from commercials anyway.
  • mhf03, on 05/31/2009, -0/+8The cable companies fail to realize that the price might be the reason people are staying away and resorting to HD antennas with the combination of the internet to satisfy their needs. Only reason to get cable is for sports.
  • Charrion, on 05/31/2009, -3/+11Sadly, that's not really an option for those of us who don't live clustered along the U.S. border.
  • johnsmith3210, on 05/31/2009, -0/+7No they're not. If you have a Full HD tv, 1080i is better. Sure the bitrate makes a difference but it is visually better especially if your tv can deinterlace (1080i 60fps to 1080p 30fps).
  • doctorcaligari, on 05/31/2009, -0/+7How can you only have cable? It's illegal for HOA's and apartment complexes to restrict or ban antennas/satellite dishes
    http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html
    It even gives you a number to call to report them.
  • Klowner, on 05/31/2009, -1/+8I've heard a large portion of the cost of cable/satellite television is due to how much ESPN charges the carriers. I'd gladly have cable/satellite TV without ESPN if it were a reasonable price (ie. not $60/mo)
  • Guspaz, on 05/31/2009, -0/+7Not in Montreal you don't. There is only one English OTA channel in HD (CBC), and while I get CBC SD, I don't get anything on CBC HD.
  • 0xbaadf00d, on 05/31/2009, -0/+6With all the ***** reality tv on Discovery these days it has really gone down hill.
  • Taiyoryu, on 05/31/2009, -0/+6I dropped cable this week as a cost cutting measure. I used my HDTV converter coupon and picked up a Zenith at Sears. Got a $5 antenna from Radio Shack. I get 25 channels. Insane how well such a cheap, indoor setup works. I'll be upgrading to a better antenna later to boost the signal, one with a reflector, and mount that in the attic. The DB4 from Antennas Direct is my leading choice.
  • aufte, on 05/31/2009, -0/+6Now if there were more than three good shows on TV, we'd have something really great in the works.
  • bdbr, on 05/31/2009, -3/+915-25 stations? There are only four broadcasters, plus PBS. Some of them have sub-channels, but its usually just a lower-def copy of the main channel or a weather channel. If you're getting more than 10 stations, its just another copy of the same broadcaster from somewhere else.

    Over-the-air HDTV looks fantastic (I've had it since 2003), but there's no reason to overstate what you get.
  • Paradiddler45, on 05/31/2009, -0/+5Science Channel is what Discovery used to be. Just stick to that.

    On the same note, National Geographic is amazing. It's what Discovery should be. Easily the best channel on TV.
  • Brandoskey, on 05/31/2009, -0/+5those are digital converter boxes
  • inactive, on 05/31/2009, -0/+5It will, nephew.
  • BossKey, on 05/31/2009, -0/+5I get a similar number of channels OTA. That plus Internet TV means why the hell should I pay for cable.

    Especially when so many cable channels drop their bitrates to squeeze in more channels, meaning (and this has been documented) free OTA HD can often look better than the cable HD you pay through the nose for!

    OTA FTW.
  • Bootlessjam, on 05/31/2009, -1/+6Yeah here in aus free over the air TV is standard. Very few people have satellite and even fewer have cable, probably cos we have decent channels and a free HD sports channel.
  • LargeStack, on 05/31/2009, -0/+5Whats new. Nothing Quebec is ever easy. Except hot woman, amazing food, terraces in the summer, lower real estate prices, lakes, rivers everywhere, snow boarding 15 30 minutes away, and many other things. Over all tv radio sucks,but hey they are less and less important. The internet has made being English irrelevant.
  • llopez1223, on 05/31/2009, -0/+5Really? I feel that Discovery has basically become as my friend put it "just a big career day." If you want a documentary you have to watch Sunday evenings if you're lucky.
  • bobjrn2, on 05/31/2009, -0/+5the Science Channel is kick ass
  • Rikushix, on 05/31/2009, -0/+5I love how knowledgeable you sound when you say "and he did something with the wiring".
  • Brandoskey, on 05/31/2009, -0/+5comprehension fail
  • superkendall, on 05/31/2009, -0/+4You ever hear of Big Brother? Well in Canada it's Uncle Bob.

    Kidding. Actually british slang.
  • 0xbaadf00d, on 05/31/2009, -0/+4I am still waiting for the day when we will buy channels a la carte over the internet. So I can buy the few channels that I actually watch.
    Sadly, I am not sure this will happen. There are way too many crappy channels being propped up by the cable package system.
  • NotACYBORG, on 05/31/2009, -1/+5Think you are looking at his statement from the wrong side of the border...
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