Free Digital TV with Clear Cast antena, tell me more!

[jbones]

Clear Cast Free Digital TV, tell cable company bye-bye?

Saw an advertisement in my local newspaper yesterday, and since I know the ad is a full-page sales pitch I was hoping someone here has had an experience with telling the cable company later, and going the free digital route. Has it worked for you, or is it just an old school antenna in a nice wrapping. I’ve seen them for cheaper at stores but just never interested me; always saw it is some crap you’d find in a “As seen on TV” store at the mall. I didn’t order one, nor do I know anyone who has go this route.

Your thoughts!

View attachment 19759

 

[Me007gold]

These look like the basic OTA channels that you get for free regardless

 

[Regulator]

With the conversion the digital over the air broadcasting a few years back the old idea of the rabbit ears getting a bad signal is a thing of the past. I have a few friends that use a digital antenna and the picture is pretty good. I would easily say that the HD is just as good as what my cable HD channels are. The only problem is that it does limit you to the channels that you receive. If all you watch is normal network TV then you will be fine and have no need for cable. The "free" over the air broadcast provides 3 or 4 channels per network as well. If I remember correctly one is usually a dedicated news, another for dedicated weather usually just permanently showing the radar, and the other two are misc broadcasting.

I have a bit more of a serious TV habit that requires two DVR's (yes I usually are recording 3 or 4 channels at a time in the evening). A lot of the TV I watch is on the cable channels as well, so over the air digital broadcasting is not an option for me.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

 

[The_Roadie]

Overpriced crapola with a grain of truth thinly concealed by breathless advertising hype.

Hype: Clear Cast — A $38 ‘New Invention’ That Eliminates Cable/Satellite Bills Forever? | Stop the Cap!

 

[jbones]

These look like the basic that you get for free regardless

Oh yes I hadn't thought of that, but I've read that some cable compines had blocked OTA channels, forcing you to purchase at least the basic service.

I first though of this for my father, retired, on a fixed income, but than he watchs the same channels as I, History, FOX News, Discovery, SCIFI and such, and not sure if those would be received.

 

[Regulator]

I first though of this for my father, retired, on a fixed income, but than he watchs the same channels as I, History, FOX News, Discovery, SCIFI and such, and not sure if those would be received.

Nope, not available over the air channels.

 

[DJones]

I have a few friends that use a digital antenna and the picture is pretty good.

There is no benefit of a so-called "digital" antenna over an older antenna type. Electromagnetic waves are analog, but instead of transmitting lumanance, chrominance, and sound, the digital transmits bits to represent those signals. Both analog and digital are AM.

I have four rooftop tv antennas, a subscription to DN, and a FTA system. I can watch everything. I like being able to switch between affiliates of networks if one gets interrupted with an anoucement such as weather conditions.

 

[jbones]

Nope, not available over the air channels.

Well that ends any interest I may have had for pops, not to mention my wife has to have TFC in the lineup so no good for me either.

So this is just a $40 OTA antenna?

 

[DJones]

So this is just a $40 OTA antenna?

Yes it is.

When I was in high school, I built antennas all the time. With a small block of 2x4 and copper wires, coupled with my free converter box, my whole class watched the inauguration of President Obama.

 

[The_Roadie]

So this is just a $40 OTA antenna?

If it's as little as $40 with Shipping, Handling, Graft, Greed, and Corruption thrown in I'd be shocked.

Yes, it's just OTA technology, and you need a relatively recent digital-capable TV to decode the signal.

 

[jbones]

If it's as little as $40 with Shipping, Handling, Graft, Greed, and Corruption thrown in I'd be shocked.

Yes, it's just OTA technology, and you need a relatively recent digital-capable TV to decode the signal.

It is $47 only, plus shipping, if you order in the first 48 hours, per the advertisement. I have new 52" hardware not an issue with me. I do suppose this would be a great savings for retired or unemployed folks to lower the bills. But not for me right now, I enjoy too much some of the channels this wouldn't offer.