For a long time, antennas were the staple way that Americans received their television signal. Today, we’re seeing a significant reappearance of these free signal grabbers. This is not only because of the massive increase in the cost of cable television, but also due to the slow abandoning of city life that some major cities are seeing.
So what are antennas like in the year 2018? Let’s look.
Antennas in the 21st Century
One of the primary reasons for abandoning antennas was a growing concern for the radiation that they gave off. While this was largely untrue, this ended up condemning the personal television antenna with the rise of “safer” satellite and cable television options.
Today, there is little concern for the safety of an antenna. While you do still have to mount it on top of your home, most of these pick up the smallest signals. Our digital televisions no longer require the strength of signal that analogue televisions did simply to show us a picture. Since the signal has been simplified, it is much easier for a digital television antenna to pick up a wider variety of channels than the old “bunny ears”.
What You’ll Pick Up and What You Won’t
We won’t lie to you- you aren’t going to get every single channel that your local cable company broadcasts. However, we ask you to do this: Spend a month with a notebook. Write down what shows you watched and what channels they were on.
You’ll be shocked at how few channels you actually use. Yes, your cable package may come with hundreds but we’re willing to bet that you only use 20 to 30 of these. Most likely you can pick these up with a proper antenna, for free, rather than pay the hundreds of dollars per month just to tune in.
Antennas are an investment. They may be a few hundred dollars out of pocket for a very good digital receiver, but in two months’ time you’ll have made your money back.
The Online Agenda
If, on the off chance that you can’t get your local channels or a specific show via your antenna, there is always online streaming. Even if you don’t own a computer or have the internet at home, local internet cafes and libraries usually allow the streaming of television shows. We feel that this is a small price to pay for saving thousands of dollars per year by cutting the cable cord.
Still not convinced? There are plenty of reviews online, as well as social media groups, devoted to helping you find the right antenna for your area. A quick search will find hundreds of websites that will help you install and perfect your antenna to get you the best signal possible.
And let’s be honest. If the antenna doesn’t work out for you, your cable company will be right there with it’s arms out waiting for you. It’s worth a shot to save a little more green every month, even if it doesn’t work out, because as a returning cable customer you’ll have more incentives to choose from than an existing customer. Retention is a thing.