us AAirways
Line Up and Wait
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us AAirways
I have a 19" tube tv from the 90's hooked to a converter box in the basement. Still works after all these years.
Going Free From Cable TV
- Thread starter Jaybird180
- Start date
I have a 19" tube tv from the 90's hooked to a converter box in the basement. Still works after all these years.
denverpilot
Tied Down
Reviving this thread because I think it's the right one...
Hey Mari...
From Wikipedia's page on KTVD...
"In late January 2015, Gannett reconfigured KTVD to change KTVD programming from 1080i to 720p, increased the compression ratio and used the space to add a duplicate of the KUSA 9.1 digital subchannel from RF VHF 9 as "KUSA-HD," digital subchannel 9.4 (viewers who can receive both channels will now see digital subchannels 9.1 - 9.3 from RF VHF 9 and 9.4 from RF UHF 19.)"
You can probably receive Channel 9 out here in the hinterlands now. We've never had any trouble receiving 20, and when they reconfigured the sub-channel last month, we now get 9-4 which is a simulcast of 9-1 done at 1080i off of the channel 20 UHF transmitter. (Which is all really RF channel 19. Ha. Clear as mud, right?)
Anyway. Point is... You might already have noticed, and have it. But if not, re-scan if you don't see 9-4 and it'll pop up, if you had any trouble receiving the VHF-HI Channel 9-1 signal from Lookout Mtn. You can probably receive "Channel 9" through the simulcast on KTVD's UHF transmitter now.
Hey Mari...
From Wikipedia's page on KTVD...
"In late January 2015, Gannett reconfigured KTVD to change KTVD programming from 1080i to 720p, increased the compression ratio and used the space to add a duplicate of the KUSA 9.1 digital subchannel from RF VHF 9 as "KUSA-HD," digital subchannel 9.4 (viewers who can receive both channels will now see digital subchannels 9.1 - 9.3 from RF VHF 9 and 9.4 from RF UHF 19.)"
You can probably receive Channel 9 out here in the hinterlands now. We've never had any trouble receiving 20, and when they reconfigured the sub-channel last month, we now get 9-4 which is a simulcast of 9-1 done at 1080i off of the channel 20 UHF transmitter. (Which is all really RF channel 19. Ha. Clear as mud, right?)
Anyway. Point is... You might already have noticed, and have it. But if not, re-scan if you don't see 9-4 and it'll pop up, if you had any trouble receiving the VHF-HI Channel 9-1 signal from Lookout Mtn. You can probably receive "Channel 9" through the simulcast on KTVD's UHF transmitter now.
Everskyward
Experimenter
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Everskyward
Thanks! But I never got rid of my Dish subscription. Still paying but only watching sporadically.
I know, stupid but...
CJones
Final Approach
Good revival..
Anybody using SlingTV? Due to the terrain immediately around our house, we get spotty reception. I wouldn't mind paying $20/mo for the handful of channels that we would actually watch as long as that $20 doesn't grow into the $100+ cost that cable/satellite bills always do after their intro deals expire.
Anybody using SlingTV? Due to the terrain immediately around our house, we get spotty reception. I wouldn't mind paying $20/mo for the handful of channels that we would actually watch as long as that $20 doesn't grow into the $100+ cost that cable/satellite bills always do after their intro deals expire.
bflynn
Final Approach
Yes. It cut our bill from $200 to $35 because they freaked about us leaving and gave us a bargain to stay. It's come back up and we're just under $60 now, most of it for internet. About every 2-3 months I get an offer to come back to TV, but fool me twice, shame on me.
We use broadcast TV via an antenna and find reception to be just fine. Also Roku for Netflix and Amazon plus a few other free channels that are rarely watched. Sling is available for $20 to give you ESPN if you gotta have college football. I was initially excited when they announced it, but once it came out I realized that I didn't care that much.
All told we're spending under $80/month for TV, internet and phone. We don't have good choices where we are, it's either the cable company or ISDN. The Chief Pilot keeps wanting to switch phone service out to a VoIP solution, but since we spend less than $20/month now, it can't save us much and I don't really trust VoIP that much.
Generally you can't get "cable" channels without going through a cable/satellite provider. Almost all of them have agreements preventing them from selling directly to consumers OR they're afraid to because it doesn't fit their cost structure.
denverpilot
Tied Down
I got an email back from Don at Channel 9 (transmitter engineer) confirming this.
He mentioned that Channel 7 is now also simulcasting on UHF via their Azteca affiliate station also.
So both VHF stations in Denver took some bandwidth from their low power UHF affiliates to fill in where is "VHF challenged" folk (as Don calls us) are at.
Definitely time to re-scan all the TVs to see what's changed on the OTA side of things in Denver.
denverpilot
Tied Down
Oh another note for the future...
Ergen/Dish bought MASSIVE amounts of terrestrial spectrum in the just-completed AWS-3 "cellular" spectrum auction, via Dish holding companies, and no one quite knows why.
Could be for a service. Could be for trade bait. Could just be for money. Hard to say. Dish probably can't afford to buy either TMo or Sprint at current prices so I think those rumors are bupkis.
Drove the prices on the auction way up and probably rocked TMo and Sprint's plans...
Ergen/Dish bought MASSIVE amounts of terrestrial spectrum in the just-completed AWS-3 "cellular" spectrum auction, via Dish holding companies, and no one quite knows why.
Could be for a service. Could be for trade bait. Could just be for money. Hard to say. Dish probably can't afford to buy either TMo or Sprint at current prices so I think those rumors are bupkis.
Drove the prices on the auction way up and probably rocked TMo and Sprint's plans...
CJones
Final Approach
denverpilot
Tied Down
dell30rb
Final Approach
Expect to repeat the phrases " I don't want a TV or Phone bundle. I just want internet" and "I'm not interested, I just want internet" to your cable company
I did it and they stuck me with a stupid $55/month bill for the standard internet package. I called back the next day, after a good night's sleep and was able to negotiate the internet bill down to $40. I have 2 providers in my area and that was the best deal I could get.
Some offer the entry level internet for $20/mo or less. But you need at least 10mpbs download speed if you want to stream good, high quality HD video from netflix or hulu.
Everskyward
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Everskyward
Only one of my two TVs is digital and it didn't find anything. I live on the east side of a rise so reception has always been bad.
denverpilot
Tied Down
Yeah. I confirmed that we are both beyond the "contour line" for the UHF-RF channel 27 Azteca transmitter which is at Mt Morrison (lower than Lookout). It's low power.
So we're probably SOL on both watching Channel 7's simulcast and Sabado Gigante. Haha.
But UHF does "knife edge" better at terrain features than VHF does, so some lucky folk probably receive it.
The UHF-RF channel 19 KTVD transmitter is at a higher site. Thus... Channel 9-4 simulcast probably works out where we are.
Had an email back and forth with Don, the transmitter engineer at 9. He mentioned similar stuff to older posts here that the real key out where we are is a good antenna. Which I agreed with.
Nice guy. I told him to say hi to Paul from Channel 4. Heh.
RF geekery. Fun stuff.
NoHeat
Final Approach
Yes. Great for watching ESPN and ESPN2. I haven't had that at home for 15 years as a cable cutter. I am happy.
They offer a one-week free trial, so feel free to try it out.
wsuffa
Touchdown! Greaser!
Wish they offered the regional sports networks. Yes, you can get the league pass but it blocks out local games.....
Mason
En-Route
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Mase
About a year ago I moved.
Did not renew my DirecTV at the new home, put up an antenna instead, signed up for Netflix.
I miss a few things but have learned to live without them. However, I do need to be able to RECORD programs in HD for time-shifting and later viewing and the device that does that for me is the ChannelMaster. Records OTA programs in full HD and can do almost anything your old TIVO could do on cable, but only on broadcast TV. Nice device.
Did not renew my DirecTV at the new home, put up an antenna instead, signed up for Netflix.
I miss a few things but have learned to live without them. However, I do need to be able to RECORD programs in HD for time-shifting and later viewing and the device that does that for me is the ChannelMaster. Records OTA programs in full HD and can do almost anything your old TIVO could do on cable, but only on broadcast TV. Nice device.
CJones
Final Approach
I ended up biting the bullet and signed up for 3 months so I could get the 'free' Roku stick which will play SlingTV as well as the AmazonPrime and Netflix that we already have plus some PBS and other kids stuff that my wife wants for rainy days.
Will post back after we get it up and running for a while.
mcheathe
Filing Flight Plan
I cut out Direct-TV 3 years ago by installing a Home Theater (HT) system for my home. I used an older Celeron processor computer dedicated to the HT system. You will want a computer with quite cooling fans. The only software on this computer is dedicated to HT system, mainly Windows 7, which includes the application Windows Media Center (WMC). WMC includes an app to Netflix. I have added 3 free add on applications to WMC; Media Server, to manage all of my saved video files (over 1000 saved movies and TV shows), the Amazon Prime app and the app for Hulu (not Hulu Plus).
I installed an OTA antenna on which I receive all the national networks in HDTV and 15 to 20 other TV broadcasters. A TV receiver card in the computer ($100) accepts the TV input from the OTA antenna and converts the output to a HDMI signal sent to the TV. The TV receiver card is also a 2 channel DVR that is saved to the hard drive on the computer. Adding a 2nd TV receiver card would add 2 additional channels to the DVR.
In addition to broadcast TV, Netflix, Hulu and others, WMC also has selections that will display your digital photos on the TV and play all the tunes that you have in audio files.
A remote controller made specifically for WMC ($25) operates the HT system. The only WMC function it cannot perform is turning off the power to my TV.
The main computer is located up-stairs and it is the hub for all computers in the house. I utilize a telephone company DSL, at 12MB, using their router and its wireless connections. The HT connection is a sent from the router via a wireless connection to a “bridge” co-located with the HT. I run a wired cable from the bridge to the HT computer. I do not have any problems with the speed of the streamed video, even when other computers in the house are using the router and/or internet. Another cable run from the bridge goes straight to the TV and another cable is run to a Western Digital TV Hub. The TV hub is also connected to the TV via a HDMI cable. The bridge has 1 unused cable port. I am able to control all aspects of the HT system and its attached devices from my main computer.
I do not have access to ESPN or other sports networks. The same is true of the premium channels like HBO, Showtime or others (their shows are available for download, if you know how and where to look).
I am very satisfied with my setup and its functionality. I am saving about $100 per month now that I cut the cable cord. It cost me about $200 to set it up (using an old unused computer) including cabling, antenna, TV receiver card and remote, so I am many dollars ahead. And best of all, I have the capability to save any video file I want and view it as many times as I want at whatever time I want to.
I installed an OTA antenna on which I receive all the national networks in HDTV and 15 to 20 other TV broadcasters. A TV receiver card in the computer ($100) accepts the TV input from the OTA antenna and converts the output to a HDMI signal sent to the TV. The TV receiver card is also a 2 channel DVR that is saved to the hard drive on the computer. Adding a 2nd TV receiver card would add 2 additional channels to the DVR.
In addition to broadcast TV, Netflix, Hulu and others, WMC also has selections that will display your digital photos on the TV and play all the tunes that you have in audio files.
A remote controller made specifically for WMC ($25) operates the HT system. The only WMC function it cannot perform is turning off the power to my TV.
The main computer is located up-stairs and it is the hub for all computers in the house. I utilize a telephone company DSL, at 12MB, using their router and its wireless connections. The HT connection is a sent from the router via a wireless connection to a “bridge” co-located with the HT. I run a wired cable from the bridge to the HT computer. I do not have any problems with the speed of the streamed video, even when other computers in the house are using the router and/or internet. Another cable run from the bridge goes straight to the TV and another cable is run to a Western Digital TV Hub. The TV hub is also connected to the TV via a HDMI cable. The bridge has 1 unused cable port. I am able to control all aspects of the HT system and its attached devices from my main computer.
I do not have access to ESPN or other sports networks. The same is true of the premium channels like HBO, Showtime or others (their shows are available for download, if you know how and where to look).
I am very satisfied with my setup and its functionality. I am saving about $100 per month now that I cut the cable cord. It cost me about $200 to set it up (using an old unused computer) including cabling, antenna, TV receiver card and remote, so I am many dollars ahead. And best of all, I have the capability to save any video file I want and view it as many times as I want at whatever time I want to.