Cord Cutting 101: How We Watch TV

By Jon Brooks 

We haven’t had a cable TV subscription since July 2016. 

In that time, more people have decided to ditch traditional cable/satellite television packages in favor of over-the-air television and various streaming services. 

In the past two years we’ve seen the growth of multi-channel streaming “bundles” — which are essentially a variant on the tried-and-true “tiered” cable/satellite channel packages we’ve had the past 20 years. The main difference is that you stream the content from these bundles. 

The question is whether these packages will retain their “value” in terms of price for the long haul. 

When we “cut the cord” in 2016, we went cold turkey. 

To this day, we go without “streaming channel bundles” from outfits like Sling or DirecTV. 

This post outlines how we watch television...

MAKING THE MOST OF AN OVER-THE-AIR ANTENNA

Depending on where you live, using an over-the-air antenna to tune in your local affiliates (and their various sub-channels) is a remarkably practical way to enjoy “live” television for free. 

I’ve tried numerous set-top antennas — rabbit ears, leaf-style, and bow-tie variants. Those antennas tend to be affordable and easy to set up. They also tend to have mixed results. 

(Tuning in digital signals is far superior to the analog-era of “ghosting, striping, and shadows,” but it can still be an arbitrary exercise...)

After playing around with indoor antennas for a year, I was ready to try a more “robust” set up in our attic or on the exterior of our home.

As luck would have it, I discovered an old yagi-style antenna in our attic (that looked like it hadn’t been used since the 1970s). 

I had read a number of “tech forum” posts about re-wiring old antennas such as the one in my attic with shielded, hi-bandwidth coaxial cable. 

I outline the procedure of converting our old attic antenna is this blog post from 2016. 

I’m happy to report that it tunes 24 local channels (including all the Omaha affiliates) remarkably well — and the signal is strong enough to power the HDTVs in our living room and basement. 

The MPEG video that is broadcast over-the-air is uncompressed — terrific sound and resolution. 

However, if your antenna is too weak (and around household items that cause interference), it can cause digital “breakups.” A common problem is high wind interfering with smaller antennas. 

Using an attic antenna has eliminated that problem for us for the televisions connected to the antenna.

USING STREAMING JUDICIOUSLY

There are many ways to stream content from services like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu to your TV (in addition to the streaming “bundles” I mentioned at the beginning of this post). We choose to use an Apple TV unit. 

If your goal is to “recreate” the cable or satellite package you are dropping, things can get pricey. 

Here’s what we have:

Netflix Standard Plan - $10.99/month

Amazon Prime - $119/year (or an average of $9.92/month)

CBS All Access (we opted for the commercial free version) - $9.99/month

PBS Passport - $5/month
YouTube Premium (commercial free) – $9.99/month

In addition to these services, we also subscribe to NCHC.tv so we can watch the UNO Hockey program on the road (as well as other games in the conference). The price for NCHC.tv is $109.95/year regularly (but we are auto-renewed with a special deal that is like $89/year).

We’re also testing ESPN’s new standalone streaming service ESPN+ (UNO Hockey had a series at Union College that streamed on the service, so we decided to try it out). ESPN+ is $4.99/month.

The amount we pay per month is about half the $100/month we paid for cable TV.

TO REPLICATE OR NOT REPLICATE

We are paying about $50/month for our streaming services. Looking at the services we use, you’ll notice that it doesn’t replicate a traditional multi-channel cable/satellite package in any manner. 

Some people might not be willing to make such a change. We’ve found that this setup makes sense for our viewing habits — habits that had to adjust back in 2016 when we cut the cord. 

Others will argue that we could get a multi-channel streaming package (with channels like ESPN and HGTV) for the amount we pay for the streaming services we use. 

That is true. 

We could also purchase an over-the-air DVR (like the TiVo Roamio OTA DVR, or the upcoming Amazon DVR (geared toward cord cutters). Such a move would allow us to drop the CBS and PBS subscriptions.   

However, both the PBS and CBS streaming services have been making inroads in original content not found on the broadcast side (PBS is also good about dropping “all episodes” at once for the latest seasons of shows like “Victoria” on the service — and a $5/month donation allows us to “binge” those episodes). 

DO I MISS CABLE TV?

There are certain times that we miss having a multi-tiered cable package, but those moments are few and far between. So much content exists today that it is hard to find the time to watch the programming we have available.

What I like about cord cutting is the ability to “pick and choose” the services you want, and cancel them anytime. 

We use an Apple TV box to stream content on the three TVs in our home, but streaming apps are built into a variety of streaming devices, as well as most televisions and DVD/Blu-ray players on the market — so there are many options out there for consumers. 

WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS

I don’t know what the future holds for cord cutters, but there are some exciting technologies on the horizon. 

The next generation of over-the-air television is called “ATSC 3.0” and will provide consumers with stronger digital signals, 4K HDR video, on-demand content, and the ability to receive TV signals on phones, tablets and PCs (all using the same antenna tech we use today).  

FINAL SUM GAME

I remember a world before cable television. 

Part of the reason people ditched antennas for cable TV had a lot to do with the “reliability” (or lack thereof) of TV signals in the analog era.

We didn’t have a cable subscription until I was in high school (despite the fact that a number of my friends had cable in the early 80s).  

There has never been a better time to go “back to the future” and take a cue from television technology of the past. 

Cord cutting is also a great way to try something new, save some money, and use the latest streaming technology to your advantage. 

>> If you enjoyed this blog post, follow me on Twitter/X — @TheJonCrunch 

Previous post: When Kevin Costner Had a Mustache … And Played a Pro Cyclist

Eclipse Anomalies Create TV Reception Oddities?

I've been using over-the-air antennas the past two years or so to pull in free digital television transmissions from our local TV providers. 

During that time, the channels pulled in on our LED televisions have stayed within the parameters that sites like antennaweb.org outline as being "receivable" in our area -- the TV towers that are within range of our home in Omaha, NE. 

But there have been a couple of anomalies, and they have both coincided with significant astronomical events. One happened this morning and it jogged my memory of a similar instance back in 2015. 

In late Sept. 2015, I happened to be up early one morning and ran a channel scan on our living room TV (something my geeky side does periodically to see if there are any new channels in the market). 

On that particular day, I was able to tune in KAKE from Wichita, KS (digital channel 10.1). Wichita is roughly 330 miles southwest of Omaha. The fact that any antenna in Omaha picked that up was peculiar. The fact that it was a small, set-top bowtie antenna raised even more questions. 

So I did some research: On Sept. 27, 2015, there was a "Supermoon Lunar Eclipse" viewable in the United States. 

This morning, just two days before the "2017 Total Solar Eclipse" (Nebraska is in the "path of totality"), I decided to run a channel scan and see if any distant channels tuned in on my HDTVs. 

I was in the basement, and the 4K UHD set is currently hooked up to a small, bowtie-style antenna (RCA ANT1000) that is affixed to our basement window (which is a pretty difficult placement when it comes to long-range reception). 

Oddly enough, the TV tuned in PBS affiliate KOOD, Smoky Hills Public Television. KOOD is located in Bunker Hill, KS, which sits along the I-70 corridor in that state. It serves the western half of Kansas. 

The TV in our basement was able to tune in KOOD-DT channel 9.1 and its two subchannels (PBS Kids and PBS Create). The signal came in strong and stable this morning. 

(I was also able to receive the KOOD channels via our attic antenna on the HDTV in our living room.) 

Bunker Hill, KS, is about 300 miles southwest of Omaha. Like the Wichita station we received during the lunar eclipse in 2015, it is well out of our range.

These are the only two instances where I have been able to tune in channels that broadcast from so far afield.  

None of our antennas is particularly long range in nature (i.e. they aren't 100+-mile range outdoor mount antennas), and I haven't been able to pick up channels from places like Lincoln, NE, Sioux City, IA, or Des Moines, IA -- which are all closer than Wichita or Bunker Hill, KS. 

The only thing I can surmise is that atmospheric anomalies created by current "eclipse conditions" have an impact on the waves carrying the digital TV signals in our region.  

Check out my previous blog post: "Utah Trip, Part 4 -- Stranded, Slurpees, Trolley Square, Burgers, and a Tonka Truck"

He Said I'd "Be Better Off Getting an 8-Track"

Yep, that's the 1960s-era antenna I found in my attic last summer…

I must have a message tatooed on my forehead that says, "come up and bother me."

Sometimes you just want to browse a store without a staff member bugging you. Know what I mean?

Bridge and I were at Sam's Club on the Fourth of July, picking up supplies for Robin Hill Pool (they had run out of cheese for the nachos, which is something akin to a pandemic at that place). 

While Bridget was at the cashier checking out, I decided to wander over to the electronics section and browse the televisions. 

A chatty staff member decided to come up and talk to me while I was looking around. He was in his twenties, and had a whole host of opinions on the state of television.

At one point during the conversation, he pointed at a Mohu TV antenna and said, "A customer came up to me the other day wondering about the antenna and I told them they'd be better off getting an 8-track. It's all streaming, man." 

While I enjoy my 4th Generation Apple TV unit, and enjoy streaming a variety of content on it, I also enjoy using over-the-air antennas on my TVs. I think it is a useful and critical component of "cord cutting."

Some of you read my previous post outlining how I hooked up a 1960s-era antenna I found in my attic to pull in all the local digital channels (the main channels offered in stunning, uncompressed HD). In addition, I use various "set top" antennas on other HDTVs in my home. 

I appreciate the ability to stream content via broadband internet. Love it. But the fact remains that there is a significant amount of content available for free, via antenna. 

For example, I was able to watch former UNO Hockey player Jake Guentzel hoist Lord Stanley's Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 11 of this year via my antenna on WOWT (our local NBC affiliate) -- for free. Since I hooked up the decades-old antenna, everything has been rock solid (even during tornadic weather in our area). 

I don't have to worry about bandwidth, buffering, or data caps -- all factors to consider when streaming content on a monthly basis. 

One other point I'd like to make...

It isn't like using an antenna is some sort of ugly, makeshift method for watching TV in our home. 

Look at our lovely setup: 

Our video cabinet is neat and clean. Every item has its place. We have our 40-inch LED HDTV, an Apple TV (with an Apple wireless keyboard), and Panasonic Blu-ray player. 

The thing that bugs me is that consumers are walking into places like Sam's Club looking for salient advice when they purchase an electronic device. 

I've had good luck the past two years with my over-the-air antennas, and appreciate the opportunity to watch live events like the Super Bowl, the Oscars, the Stanley Cup playoffs and a whole host of news, sports and entertainment programming throughout the year. 

To suggest that using an antenna is something akin to using an 8-track tape deck is ridiculous. 

According to The Denver Post, TV antenna use is expected to grow by 9 percent this year. While the numbers might not be earth shattering, the long-tread technology is enjoying something of a renaissance. 

Furthermore, I was alive when 8-track tapes were a thing. We had one in our 1970-something Toyota Corona, and I have many memories of my parents playing The Carpenters as we tooled down the road (that fact should help my retro street cred). 

The next generation television transmission standard is called ATSC 3.0, and it is already being tested around the U.S. It will bring signals that are more robust (and can be received on your mobile phone), 4K UHD picture and immersive sound, and other interactive features for a richer viewing experience. Here is a primer video on ATSC 3.0 from the consortium that has developed the standard:

It'll be a few years before TV stations around the country make the conversion, but the new standards promise to bring an even better experience to those who use an over-the-air antenna to receive broadcast television (Samsung and LG are already building sets with ATSC 3.0 tuners for sale in South Korea, where ATSC 3.0 is getting set to launch for next year's Olympic games). 

None of it seems like "put out to pasture" technology to me.  

What do you think? Feel free to leave me a comment below!

And be sure to read my previous post: Inflatable Tube Creatures in Kearney 

Give It New Life

We've been working to organize the basement. I work down there most of the day (Bridget mainly works upstairs). I have been trying to make it nicer so the space will be more conducive to productivity.

My goal is to try and make the dark, cool space more enjoyable.

The basement was finished in the 1970s -- and, as you can imagine, it is a mix of cinderblock walls and wood paneling (that we painted an off-white color when we moved in).

After 12 years, it is a process of organizing and removing accumulated "stuff."

I added a Bose radio a year or so ago, and my niece Julia helped me create this homage to a 1999 computer store. 

I've wanted to add a TV to the space, but would rather not invest in a new set until this whole 4K UHD thing is figured out.

My first LCD flat panel was a Vizio VX37L HDTV I purchased in 2007. We used it until 2012 -- when the digital tuner went bad.

It is a fairly common issue with Vizio's of that era. It wouldn't be an issue if we had cable, we could hook up a box to one of the HDMI ports.

But since we use antennas to pick up over-the-air digital broadcasts, I couldn't pick up anything with the TV.

We've discussed getting rid of the old Vizio for the last few years, but hadn't yet bid the TV farewell.

So, I decided to give the set some new life.

Various companies sell "digital tuner" boxes to pick up OTA signals. They are largely used with old analog sets, early HDTVs without digital tuners, and projectors. 

Some of the models offer the ability to output in HD via an HDMI port on the back.

I picked up a tuner at the store, along with a new HDMI cord. I have several antennas, and placed the TV on a table along the south wall of my work area so I could place the antenna in a small window in the foundation. 

I hooked up the antenna to the tuner, ran the HDMI to the appropriate port on the HDTV, and followed the onscreen instructions to scan the channels. 

I was able to pick up 21 digital channels (which is typical for our house with the small indoor antennas), and includes all the locals. 

By default, the box output to 1080i on my TV (the OTA signals are broadcast in 1080i), but allows you to set various resolutions including 1080p, 720p, and 480p. 

It has a program guide, and gives you DVR abilities if you hook up an external USB memory stick or hard drive. 

(I didn't have a drive available, but might try it at some point down the road). 

The picture looks nice (the TV had a good looking picture for its day), and I used an RCA cable to run the sound from the box to the Bose radio (the TV speakers are fine, but it sounds better via the stereo).

So there ya go. I have a "new" HDTV in my workspace and it cost me ~$50 in supplies.

British TV Envy

I've talked a bit on here about my penchant for over-the-air antennas, and digital content you can pull into your HDTV.

Outside of the main networks, channel lineups can vary greatly across the U.S.

As I've read various online forums about tuning in the free broadcast signals, I have run across posters from Great Britain talking about installing "aerials" (antennas) to pick up "Freeview." https://www.freeview.co.uk/

Curious mind that I have, I had to Google search what exactly "Freeview" was, and what it entailed.

It's kind of cool. Here is a link talking about what Brits get for free, over-the-air, with an antenna:
https://www.freeview.co.uk/why-freeview/channels

- 60+ standard-definition channels
- 15 HD channels
- 25 radio stations

They mention that Freeview allows citizens to pickup 95% of the country's most-watched programming for free.

All HDTVs sold in the UK since 2010 have Freeview built in (older TVs may need a converter box, which is similar to what you have to do with older TVs in the U.S.)

You can purchase Freeview HD DVR boxes (from companies like Panasonic) that cost around $200 U.S. dollars, and allow you to record all your programming for free, with no monthly fee. 

(One note: Any home, or business, institution, etc. watching or recording a live TV broadcast -- terrestrial, satellite, cable or internet -- has to pay an annual "television tax"...a television license - about $175 U.S. dollars per year).

In addition, they have recently introduced "Freeview Play" which is an added on-demand Internet component that allows viewers to stream content to their Freeview Play-enabled TV or DVR box (with a wifi connection).

What's nice about the setup in Great Britain is that they have a unified website, outlining exactly what people can receive (including an area where you can type in your specific location for channel lineup), and how they can receive it. 

In comparison, it seems like folks in the United States have to "hunt-and-peck" their way to figuring out how to tune in channels over-the-air (the FCC website has some resources, but it is fairly woeful for a novice).

While gear heads and geeks do their best to create cord-cutting guides online, it sometimes feels like you are an "outlier" if you don't have cable or satellite.

I know that the group which sets ATSC standards (how you tune in digital channels with an antenna on an HDTV in the U.S.) is currently working on "ATSC 3.0" which will have a 4K UHD broadcast standard, 7.1 surround sound, be Internet Protocol-based (which will mean you can access and stream on-demand content on various devices), and broadcast digital signals much more efficiently.

But we are still a few years away from that.

Choosing Your Antenna (Part 1)

The #1 thing I recommend when cord cutting is purchasing an antenna. 

Earlier in the year, I was following this cord cutting blogger (with a major tech website) who was lamenting the fact that she couldn't watch the Oscars.

Several people commented and said, "Buy a $10 antenna at the store."

The blogger replied by saying she felt having an antenna defeated the point of "cord cutting."

(This is where I rolled my eyes).

She still had hi-speed Internet to power the various streaming services she used.

Cord cutting is just a term to refer to people who eliminate subscription cable/satellite TV packages. It isn't "code" for only using the Internet to stream programming.

Many of you stream content alongside your subscription TV service.

There are a number of cord cutters in the Omaha-metro area I know who are like the blogger mentioned above. They subsist on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu.

Great. Fine. If it works for you, I'm not gonna judge.

I Remember What It Was Like Before Cable
As if I need another reason to point out that I am getting old...

Cable didn't come to our neighborhood until 1981 or so.

I was incredibly envious of my friends who had basic cable at the time. Especially when they talked about watching "USA Network's Cartoon Express" after school.

We didn't get basic cable until 1988, when I was in high school.

(I wasn't too broken up about it because I had a VCR and TV of my own...before any of my friends.)

The concept of living without cable television isn't foreign to me. I did it for the first 16 years of my life...

...and hasn't bothered me being without it the past 14 months.

The cool thing is that over-the-air television broadcasts today feature hi-definition digital programming, Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, and don't suffer from the picture issues that plagued the old analog broadcasts. And it is all available for free.

It Is An Art As Much As It Is a Science
Okay, so you are thinking about trying an antenna.

I recommend trying to live as a "cord cutter" before you cut any subscription services. It takes some getting used to, and might not be the right choice for your household.

Start out with an inexpensive set-top antenna. They can be solid performers, and often offer better results than their more expensive counterparts.

You can determine how far you are from your city's TV towers by visiting antennaweb.org. Punch in your address or zip code and the site will give you a map detailing how far you are from the towers, what angle they are from your house (so you can point an antenna that direction), and get information on what type of antenna you'd need to pick up a particular channel.

Antennas sold today have a "mile range" description on the box (or in the "product description," if you purchase online).

When it comes to antennas, there are both directional and multi/omni-directional models. It is typically labeled on the box (or in the "product description" if you purchase online).

Directional antennas generally perform better if they are pointed toward the TV towers. Omni-directional antennas are said to perform equally well regardless of the position (but my experience is that placement is important regardless of the type used).

I've used the flat, "leaf-style" antennas, bow tie antennas, and "rabbit ear" antennas, but there are other styles available.

The set-top models on the market today come in both amplified and non-amplified varieties.

With these small indoor antennas, I recommend either purchasing an amplified antenna, or purchasing a separate amplifier to go with your non-amplified antenna.

Unless you are within a couple miles of a TV tower, the set-top type antennas benefit from a bit of amplification (The amplifier is a device that plugs into a wall outlet or the USB port on your TV. It uses a small amount of electrical current to help "boost" the signal). 

Some argue that amplified antennas can be counter productive in certain instances because they can provide too much signal and keep channels from tuning in. But that is only if you have a particularly strong signal (most HDTVs have a signal meter built in, which we will get to in a moment).

The trick with any of these antennas is placement. Generally speaking, the higher you can get in a room the better, and it is often recommended that you put them close to a window.

As I suggested in the title of the section, "it is an art as much as it is a science." Basically, you'll find that antennas can perform well in a variety of spots.

In Omaha (where I live), the signals broadcast are relatively strong. The main towers are at 72nd and Crown Point for KETV (ABC), KMTV (CBS), WOWT (NBC). The KPTM (Fox) and KXVO (CW) tower is just west of Springfield, NE.

NET's (PBS) tower in Omaha is on the UNO campus.

Hooking It Up, Scanning for Channels, Looking at Signal Quality
Antennas are designed to be connected to a TV via the coaxial jack (sometimes called the "F" connector). If the antenna comes with a built-in coaxial cable, you can just hook it up. 

If you choose an amplified antenna (or add an amplifier to your passive antenna), you would hook up the amplifier to the coaxial jack, connect it to the power source (outlet or USB port), then hook the antenna into the amplifier.

Note: Different models have different setups, so consult the instructions with the antenna.

Once the antenna is connected, you can go to the menu/setting area on your TV and set the channel source as "Antenna" (consult your user manual).

You can then scan for channels. In the Omaha area, the following over-the-air channels are available:

3-1 - KMTV (CBS, HD)
3-2 - LAFF (Comedy-based programming)
3-3 - Escape (Mystery and crime programming)
6-1 - WOWT (NBC, HD)
6-2 - Cozi TV (Classic TV shows and movies - NBCUniversal owned)
6-3 - AntennaTV (Classic TV shows)
7-1 - KETV (ABC, HD)
7-2 - MeTV (Classic TV shows)
12-1 - NET (PBS, HD)
12-2 - NET World
12-3 - NET Create
15-1 - KXVO (CW, HD)
15-2 - This TV (Movies)
15-3 - Grit TV (Action movies, westerns and classic TV shows)
26-1 - NET (PBS, HD)
26-2 - NET World
26-3 - NET Create
32-1 - KBIN (Iowa Public TV, PBS, HD)
32-2 - KBINSD1 (IPTV Learn, Create, PBS Kids)
32-3 - KBINSD2 (World)
42-1 - KPTM (Fox, HD)
42-2 - MyNet/This (Movies and classic TV shows)
42-3 - Comet (SciFi and fantasy programming)
48-1 - KOHA (Daystar - Christian programming, HD)

The number of channels you will receive depends on a variety of factors. The Iowa Public TV signal, for example, is hard to get reliably with a typical antenna in western parts of the city.

I have generally been able to tune all but Iowa Public TV (32-1 to 32-3) consistently with the various set-top antennas I have used and tested.

In addition, your TV may tell you how strong your signals are. Some TVs have an indicator that shows "bars" (like a cell phone) in the channel info section. Other TVs have a system information section in the menu area that will indicate "Signal Quality" (with a number between 1 and 100 -- 100 being the best) when you are on a particular channel. 

A benefit of over-the-air HD signals is that they are uncompressed, which means you are getting the best possible resolution available.

(Note: if you are using an older TV -- something made 10-15 years ago -- you might need a digital converter box to use a digital antenna).

What Kind of Set-Top Antenna Do I Like the Best?
There are positive and negative aspects to each antenna type.

The "leaf style" antennas -- such as those by Mohu or the 1ByOne antenna pictured below -- are multi/omni-directional antennas. They come in amplified and non-amplified varieties. 

The 1ByOne antenna is a decent antenna, includes an amplifier, and is affordable on Amazon.com.

I've had really good luck using various "rabbit ear" style antennas. Most of them don't come with an amplifier, but you can purchase this RCA Amplifier at a variety of big box, home improvement, and online stores.

While I realize the "rabbit ears" don't look as sleek and modern as some other styles, they have been in use for many years, and they have a proven track record tuning in over-the-air TV signals. 

I also like bow-tie-style antennas. The RCA model pictured below works pretty well (with the addition of an amplifier) in our location. It isn't exactly a bow tie shape, but it is close. I have a couple old Radio Shack bow tie antennas I really like, and I'll focus on those in a "homebrew antenna" post down the road. 

As I said earlier, I would start with a moderately priced antenna and work from there. It is very possible you'll be happy with the results right out of the box. 

The Spirit of Adventure

You have to be willing to try different things in this process, but it is a worthwhile adventure.

Depending on your location it could take a bit of tweaking to get the right setup, but there are plenty of resources available, and the various antenna manufacturers have toll-free numbers you can call if you need assistance.

You really don't have anything to lose in the process. It is a nominal amount of money spent that can yield cost saving results.

I was watching a video on YouTube recently where one particular cord cutter (and antenna fan) said he'd been without pay TV for the past 10 years, and estimated he'd saved $12,000 ($100 per month) during that time.

In the past week, these are some of sports broadcasts I was able to watch for free with the over-the-air antennas in our home:

College Football

• Notre Dame vs Texas - ABC 
• Central Florida at Michigan - ABC 
• Tulsa at Ohio State - ABC 
• Nevada at Notre Dame - NBC 
• Virginia Tech vs Tennessee - ABC 
• Kentucky at Florida - CBS 
• BYU at Utah - Fox 
• North Dakota at Bowling Green - ASN (15-2 KXVO Subchannel) 
• Georgia Southern at S. Alabama - ASN (15-2 KXVO Subchannel) 

High School Football

• Lincoln Pius X at Millard South KXVO Game of the Week (KXVO) 

NFL Football

• Carolina at Denver - NBC 
• Green Bay at Jacksonville - Fox 
• NY Giants at Dallas - Fox 
• San Diego at Kansas City - NBC 
• New England at Arizona - NBC 

Golf

• PGA Tour Golf: BMW Championship - NBC 

While not as comprehensive as a multi-tiered cable or satellite package, it is a decent amount of sports programming to get with an antenna.

This weekend, the Nebraska-Oregon game will be available on ABC to antenna users in the Omaha-area.

If you solely stream programming to your TV, it is a game you might miss.

Antennas were what people used to use to receive television programming. The idea of paying was a foreign concept for a number of years.

Unfortunately, the past 30 years has changed the paradigm to the point where many consumers don't realize you can get free broadcast television.

As a result, prices for cable and satellite subscriptions have continued to rise.

I think that is why we are seeing a renewed interest in antenna use. There is a better slate of programming available today for antenna users than at any time in history.

Read yesterday's blog post: Pop Culture Influences of 9/11

"We Can Rebuild It. We Have the Technology"

My friends know that I have spent the past year experimenting with various over-the-air antennas for our HDTV.

We decided to cut our cable TV subscription last year, but I didn’t want to give up watching my favorite shows. I had used antennas to pull in digital programming in the past, so I’ve been experimenting to find the best way to get over-the-air channels.

Many people don’t know that you can get dozens of over-the-air channels (25 approximately) in the Omaha area. What that means is, you can enjoy free programming from networks like ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, the CW, and PBS. It only requires a TV and an antenna. And, in many cases, these digital channels are in high definition (HD).

Many of the "HD antennas" sold today use classic designs (for example, some of the better set-top antennas today are classic "hoop and rabbit ear" and "bow tie" antennas that have been "rebranded"), and while there can be subtle design differences, antennas are pulling in UHF/VHF bands like they did 40 years ago.

A month or so ago I discovered an old TV antenna in the attic of our 1950s-era home. My initial curiosity was piqued when I discovered the end of a piece of old twin-lead cable protruding from the wall in the upper reaches of our hall closet.

I recognized the wire from my days as a kid, when we used antennas to get TV broadcasts, and the leads on the flat twin-lead were held onto TVs back then by a set of screws. 

I hadn't ever traversed into our attic (which is more of a glorified "crouch space.”) But when I opened up the access door in the ceiling by our bathroom, I was met with a large antenna, which I figure is 40 to 50 years old. It was also aimed toward the TV towers located in north-central Omaha.

So, I went back into our linen closet, stripped the ends of the old twin-lead wire, and connected them to a 300-ohm-to-75-ohm snap-on transformer. Basically, it converts the signal from the twin-lead cable into coaxial cable, for use with today's TV sets.

When I hooked it up to our TV, I didn't get any additional HD and digital channels from the set-top antenna units I had previously used, but the digital and HD channels were -- on the whole -- very stable in extreme weather conditions.

Digital and hi-definition signals don't suffer from the myriad of issues that old analog signals did back in yesteryear, but stormy weather can cause moments of pixelation.

I was very impressed over the intervening days and weeks, and I started reading various online forums and blog posts by TV enthusiasts about finding old attic antennas and "resurrecting" them for use with their HDTVs in their home.

(Here is an example of one such homeowner.)

People recommended replacing the old twin-lead wire with RG6 coaxial cable (which is what cable and satellite companies use to hook up various services to your home). It is sturdier and higher-bandwidth than the old RG59 cable companies used in the past, and can transmit more data faster.

In addition, they recommended a "continuous run" of cable (no extenders or splitters) to preserve signal quality.

Today, in order to get rid of the old brown, twin-lead cable, we attached a different kind of transformer. In order to run coaxial cable directly from your TV to the antenna in the attic, you have to get a matching transformer that connects directly to the connections on the antenna.

I wasn't keen about rewiring the antenna, but when I closely inspected the old twin-lead wire in the attic last week, I realized the brown insulation was cracking and splitting (even though the encased copper wire looked okay). 

That meant likely signal loss. And I wanted to make sure the ancient aluminum beast in my attic was able to provide maximum reception.

So...today my dad and I removed the old twin-lead from the antenna terminals, added on a new matching transformer ($1.97) to the wingnut connection points, and ran 50 feet of brand-new RG6 quad-shielded coaxial cable ($15.48) from the antenna to the TV.

The job required a drill, flashlight, mask (to block attic dust) and a tape measure (to run the new cable through the walls to the back of the TV).

Other than being super messy (we have mounds of rock wool insulation in our attic), it went pretty fast. In the picture below, you can see the new gray coaxial cable attached to the black matching transformer. 

The signal is much stronger with the new cabling, and all 25 local channels we should receive (according to antennaweb.org) we now do receive (an improvement of four channels over the previous configuration).

Obviously, you don't need an attic or roof mount antenna to enjoy local channels over-the-air. The signals are strong in the Omaha area, and a simple pair of rabbit ears will get you most everything.

But it is kind of fun to bring new life to an antenna that has sat unused for decades.

What's fun about using something so old is that you realize just how many historic events this antenna might have witnessed when it was first installed years ago.

Special thanks to my dad for aiding in the rewiring and routing today! 

>> If you enjoyed this blog post, follow me on X/Twitter for more great content — @TheJonCrunch 

Read yesterday's blog post: CBS Takes Big Brother "Over the Top"