ClearStream1 Antenna

Getting HD channels for free is not rocket science. And, it has nothing to do with an illegal cable hook-up that your neighbor can set up for fifty bucks. Television, in case anyone forgot, is actually free. Way, way, back before cable and satellite, before the HBOs and the Showtimes, people used to watch television without subscriptions. They just sat through the commercial breaks (which we still do by the way), and those commercials paid for the networks to run.

Today many channels are still broadcast over-the-air and simple to tune-in to. All you need is an antenna and HDTV. That’s it. And, for the tiny percent of HDTVs out there without built-in digital tuners, you’ll need a digital receiver — the same as those offered in the DTV program. If you bought a television after Mar. 2007, it will most likely already have a digital tuner because at that point it became a requirement of televisions sold in the United States. Refer to http://www.dtv.gov/ for more information.

There are also devices to watch over-the-air TV on your PC. USB dongles such as the Elgato EyeTV allow you to watch TV, schedule and record shows all on your personal computer. The high-definition broadcasts are just as available on your PC as they are for your TV. Cell phones are also coming out in 2010 that can receive local TV signals through what is called MobileDTV. Although you wouldn’t actually call those signals HD, the concept of having free digital video streaming over-the-air is still exciting.

Here’s what you need to receive free HD channels over-the-air (OTA):

Antennas
You’ll want an antenna capable of both UHF and VHF reception. These antennas may look like a combination of both rabbit ears and a circular antennas, or like the ClearStream antenna pictured above. Try to determine whether you need a uni-directional or multi-directional antenna. If the broadcast stations are fairly close to each other, you maybe able to use a uni-directional. If the stations are scattered around 360°, use a multi-directional. You can refer to AntennaWeb to locate facilities.

Broadcasts
Major networks ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX all broadcast over-the-air (OTA). The high-definition signal, sent simulaneously with the standard-definition (SD) signal, can usually be found on the first sub-channel of the broadcast number. For example, the high-def signal for channel 5 would most likely be 5-1. Other broadcasts, including the SD version and other programming may be found on 5-2, 5-3, etc. Some of the networks are making use of those extra bands, while some of the bandwidth is just being wasted.

Reception
Choose an antenna, or experiment with different types, to see which gets the best reception in your house or office. Move the antenna around to see where it picks up the most signals. Obstructions such as brick walls are not going to help your signal strength. If possible, get a rooftop or outdoor antenna that can bypass some of those obstacles. You should also consider choosing between a long range, medium range, or short range antenna depending on how far away broadcast facilities are.

Scanning
Sometimes scanning for the digital HD signals is the most frustrating part. If you find you don’t have good reception move your antenna and re-scan. Make sure you are scanning for digital channels only, as many tuners will scan for both analog and digital signals. Scanning for analog after June 12, 2009. Try doing this a few times to find the best positioning. For the best positioning of your antenna, refer to AntennaWeb for local broadcast facilities and which way to direct your antenna.

Picture this: Your at a family outing during an NFL playoff and you’re out of sorts thinking about missing the game. Just take along your portable digital TV or cellphone and with a decent signal you’ll be able to watch it anywhere. Or better yet, if the technology works as promised, you’ll be able to watch DTV while on a jog. The ATSC has even successfully tested mobile DTV reception at speeds up to 100 miles per hour.

ATSC Mobile DTV, or Mobile DTV, is the technology enabling a smaller H.264 video/audio stream to run simultaneously along current digital channels (which include both standard and high-definition). The devices, whatever they are, will need some way of receiving the signal. USB dongles, portable receivers and antennas are among the most common add-ons. Netbooks and laptops are also being designed with built-in Mobile DTV receivers.

So what makes this so different from portable TVs that were used back in the analog ages? First of all the image is digital. That means there will be no snow, no color channel shifting, no rolling frames. If the signal is good, the image will be perfect. Secondly, the chips will enable many devices to receive the digital signals, not just televisions.

Mobile television can also be found in other forms such as paid subscriptions to mobile phone networks or IPTV services. But what makes Mobile DTV so appealing is that it’s free over-the-air. Combine that, with the fact that DTV broadcasts are live and local, and you’ve got a great tool for staying in touch with local events, weather, traffic and news. Studies by the Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC) show half of mobile device owners would be willing to watch commercials if given free access to programming.

LG Mobile DTV chip

From a different perspective, what may make Mobile DTV attractive to television broadcasters is the potential of premium content. A broadcaster might purchase paid programming from a network like CNBC or Discovery Channel and offer it by subscription alongside the free (advertisement-based) channels.

Mobile DTV has been in development since 2007 but it wasn’t until October ‘09 that the ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) approved the standard for Mobile DTV. This spring, a test run of Mobile DTV will take place in Washington and will include approximately 18 channels and several hundred Motorola DTV units.

LG displayed one of the first Mobile DTV players at CES 2010 (the LG DP570MH) which also serves as a DVD player. The $249 portable TV is expected to hit shelves this spring. The company also displayed its ATSC mobile DTV chip, which can be used in various devices for receiving digital transmissions. PC dongles from DTVinteractive and Pixtree, a prototype Mini notebook from Dell, and a portable DVD/TV from Audiovox were among other Mobile DTV enabled devices on display at the convention.

How will Mobile DTV be embraced in 2010? According to the OMVC, Mobile DTV users could range from 25 million to 100+ million users worldwide by the end of 2010. That is, of course, if manufacturers can get that many Mobile DTV-enabled products on the shelves.

The selection is limited to public channels that are broadcast over-the-air. You won’t get Discovery HD, TNT HD, or premium channels like HBO HD and Cinemax HD. But if you are looking to save a buck and can live without a large selection of channels, a simple antenna can your replace your cable or satellite box.

Digital television (DTV) has enabled the broadcast of 720p and 1080i broadcasts over-the-air due to its efficient use of bandwidth. High-definition channels have been broadcast for years now, and the amount of HD programming has substantially grown. The big networks, NBC, ABC, CBS and FOX have upgraded most of their primetime shows to HD. Shows like “CSI,” “Survivor,” and “Lost” are some viewer favorites which showcase the potential of high-definition broadcasts. PBS also provides a good amount of HD programming.

Getting the HD channels is pretty simple. First of all, you’ll need an HDTV. The HDTV must have a built-in digital tuner (most newer HDTVs do). If not you’ll need to use a digital receiver to capture the channels. Your HDTV will also need an antenna. Sometimes rabbit ears will do the trick, but it must be an antenna with both UHF and VHF reception (both rabbit ears and a circular antenna) are an indication.

If there are too many obstructions around your home you may need to use an outdoor antenna which will most likely give you the best results. Some folks have a rotary antenna which can be turned to face the direction of a specific broadcast facility. Other antennas like the ultra-long range Clearstream 4 (pictured left) get excellent results in a compact size. Amazon has a large selection of antennas as well as AntennasDirect.

HD channels are not just limited to viewing on your HDTV. You can also get over-the-air HD channels on your computer using a simple device like the Pinnacle or Elgato USB converters. The devices are small receivers that translate the digital signals and display them through software on your PC. They are available for both Windows and Apple operating systems and depending on the monitor can look really good.

After you have connected an antenna to either your HDTV or computer you may need to reposition it for optimal signal reception. If you do reposition the antenna be sure to re-scan for the digital channels. Your digital tuner will automatically scan for every available channel and record the ones with signals. (Note: If you have not re-scanned after June 12 you may be missing out some digital channels.)

Over-the-air reception is not the solution for everyone. Remote locations and places where there are many obstructions may not provide optimal HD results. Harsh weather conditions can also affect digital reception. A great resource to help you find the right antenna is AntennaWeb.org.

If you already have HD channels through a provider try setting up an antenna just to compare quality. You can’t beat over-the-air broadcasts because they are normally uncompressed beyond the native file compression and do not suffer from the degradation you may find in cable broadcasts and streaming internet content.

As we enter the first weekend in the U.S. without analog television signals, you may be having some trouble getting good DTV reception or receiving certain channels. Here are a few tips to help you get the most available channels and best quality HD over-the-air.

1. Make your cables are all tight and secure. Sometimes a loose coaxial cable will cause your reception to flicker or drop out.

2. Make sure you have an appropriate antenna. Older rabbit ear antennas will pick up VHF stations but DTV uses both VHF (for channels 2-13) and UHF (for channels 14-51). If you have an antenna with both rabbit ears and a loop, you are using the right antenna.

3. Check for obstructions. Indoor antennas tend to have the most difficulty getting reception. Try moving the antenna to slightly different positions, like closer to an exterior wall and rescan for channels.

4. Try using an outdoor antenna. Outdoor and especially rooftop antennas have less obstructions and therefore can get cleaner reception. If you can get some channels strongly but others come in weak, try using a rotating antenna which can turn in the direction of broadcast stations.

5. Check signal strength on your converter box. Many digital-to-analog set-top boxes feature a meter to measure the strength of the digital signals. You can usually access this through the menu options.

6. Find out where your local broadcast stations are located. By using the FCC’s DTV reception map you can find out which stations near your zip code have strong signals and which are moderate, weak, or provide no signal.

7. Finally, scan and rescan. After you adjust your antenna, you should rescan for the digital channels. Moving the antenna just slightly can make a world of difference.

If you need to purchase an antenna, Amazon has a large selection to choose from. If you need more information on DTV, you can refer to http://www.dtv.gov/.

The other benefit to getting digital channels over-the-air (also known as OTA,) is that the picture quality is superb. Aside from occasional drop outs due to interference from high winds or obstacles, digital signals are as clean as they are when they leave the broadcast facility.

Now on to over-the-air HD channels. I’ve done comparisons with DirecTV HD and Verizon FiOS HD and the over-the-air HD is as good or better than the service providers. There is a reason for this. Over-the-air signals are uncompressed. Service providers, especially cable providers, sometimes need to further compress content in order to fit into a limited bandwidth. Cable companies in particular, have been criticized for over-compressing HD content.

As for audio, the same holds true. In fact, while all broadcast video does have a native compression scheme necessary to reduce file size, audio does not have to be compressed. Audio that is broadcast over-the-air is in its raw state and CD quality. You’ve probably heard of HD radio, this is essentially digital radio.

To receive digital Standard-Definition (SD) and High-Definition (HD) channels over-the-air you first need an antenna. A rooftop antenna works best, but picture frame antennas and simple rabbit ears will also do the trick. For the best possible reception, use a rotary rooftop antenna that can turn to face the direction of the signal.

If your television already has a built-in digital channel tuner, you are set to go. If not, you’ll need a digital-to-analog converter box. This simply converts the digital signal to an analog signal that your TV can understand. $40 coupons are available from the government’s DTV conversion program.

Once you’ve got your antenna hooked up, you can do an auto-scan of channels to see what channels are available in your area. Because of the ability to multi-cast, also known as multi-channels, additional channels will show up like 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 and so on. These channels often have content not available through your service provider.

One thing you will notice is the volume level of over-the-air audio is much lower than through your television service provider. This is because the service providers amplify or “normalize” the audio of different programs to be consistent. Just turn up your volume and be amazed by the uncompressed quality.

1. Over-the-air digital HD
You need an HDTV with digital tuner to view over-the-air high definition broadcasts, but you don’t need to pay a service provider for the channels. Simply plug in an antenna to pick up local HD networks like NBC, CBS, ABC and PBS. Downfall: channel availability will vary according to where you live and how many signal obstructions there may be.

2. Download HD content with Xbox Live or Playstation Video Store
If you subscribe to Xbox Live you can download plenty of HD titles. If you own a PS3, you can also download HD content. An HDTV is obviously needed, and chances are if you own a hi-def gaming console you will probably have one. Question is, why would you download from the PS Video Store when you have a Blu-ray player right in your hands!

3. Use a USB stick to watch HD programs on your computer
Pinnacle & Elgato both make the USB device. The compact receivers cost around $100-$125 and capture digital and high-definition broadcasts through a connected antenna. A small set of rabbit ears will cost about $10, and with the software provided you can schedule and record programs.

4. Watch iTunes HD titles on your PC
iTunes has quite a few TV shows available for download, and recently added back NBC content in standard and now high-definition to its library. HD downloads generally cost $2.99 per episode, and some TV show episodes are currently available to download for free.

Although laptop and PC monitors don’t have the same type of luminance or contrast an LCD or Plasma television has, they can display a great amount of detail. I work on an Apple LCD monitor with resolutions up to 1920×1050. The contrast ratio doesn’t compare to my Samsung LCD HDTV, but it does display a good picture.

If none of these options work for you, bring a six pack over to a buddies house that has HDTV.

DTV (Digital Television) allows for the broadcast of digital, rather than analog signals. Digital transmissions take up less bandwidth than analog so additional channels can be broadcast. Multi-casting, made available through the increase in amount of bandwidth, allows for additional channels like 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, etc. You just have to have an antenna and digital television or converter to see the channels.

Typically, video compressed in MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 will allow up to 5 standard-definition channels or up to 2 high-definition channels. Most high-definition channels are available on channel 2-1, 4-1, 5-1, and so on.

HD channels are about the best quality you can get in broadcasting. The quality is as good or surpasses the quality from satellite, cable and fiber-optic providers. It should be noted that high-definition quality also has a lot to do with the original content. So for example a film from the 70’s may not have the same quality as a recently released film. To be fair, try switching from an over the signal to a provider signal to see the difference.

Over-the-air audio is also great quality because it is uncompressed. HDTV provides 5.1 channel surround sound audio using Dolby Digital AC-3 format. The audio hasn’t been normalized so it will be much lower in volume than the audio you get with your cable or television provider.

To get HD broadcasts over-the-air all you need is an HDTV with digital tuner and antenna. A set of rabbit ear antennas will work, however if you want more stable transmissions try a rooftop antenna. The only downfall to using antennas is that the signals are susceptible to obstacles. When the digital signal is slightly obstructed, it will result in pixelation of the image.

HD broadcasts over-the-air are limited to the major networks like ABC, CBS, NBS and PBS. If you’re an avid TV watcher you may want to have a service provider as well as an antenna set up. To check local HD channel listings in your area go to TitanTV.

Here is the list of NTIA-Approved digital-to-analog converters that are NO LONGER available according to manufacturers and retailers.

AMTC AT-2016 AMTC AT2015 AMTC AT2016L * APEX DT150 APEX DT502 * AVION ATB 7707 AccessHD DTA1020AD * AccessHD DTA1020AU * AccessHD DTA1030D * AccessHD DTA1030U * Airlink101® ATVC101 Apex DT1002 Apex DT500 * Artec T3AP * Artec T3AP Pro * CASTi CAX-01 CASTi CAX-02 * CASTi CAX-03 * CHANGHONG ATT888 * COMPONEXX CX-900 COSHIP N9901T * CRAIG A4108 Clear Tech CTDCB100 Cleartech CT DCB100A * DAYTEK CAX-01 DAYTEK CAX-03 * DENCA NL8118 DENCA NL9119 DENCA TBX1005A DIGITAL STEAM DSP6500C * DIGITAL STREAM D2A1D10 DIGITAL STREAM D2A1D20 DIGITAL STREAM DSP6500R DIGITAL STREAM DSP7700P * DISH NETWORK TR-40CRA by Dish Network * Daewoo DAC-100 Desay ATSC 8000 ECHOSTAR TR-40 *		Fuyai ATSC 630 Fuyai ATSC 630A * GE 23333 * GE 23334 * Goodmind DTA1100 * Goodmind DTA1100B * Goodmind DTA900 Goodmind DTA980 Gridlink GLT-300 Jiuzhou DTT6000 Jiuzhou DTT9001 * Kingbox K8V8 MAG CCB7701 Magnavox TB100MW9A * Magnavox TB110MW9 * MaxMedia MMDTVB03 Microprose MPI-500 Microprose MPI-500PT * Mustek MAT-K50 OLEVIA DTA100 RCA DTA 800A SUNKEY SK-801ATSC * SVA DAC100 Skardin DTR-0727 Skardin DTR-0727L * Skardin DTR-0728L * Skardin DTR-0729L * Synergy Global Supply SYN2009 TATUNG TDB3001 * TATUNG TDB3000 Tunbow Electronics E60010 Venturer STB7766G1 * ZINWELL ZAT-856 ZINWELL ZAT-950A * Zentech EZTV DF2000L * Zinwell ZAT-756A Zinwell ZAT-950 iNet Access SSR 2100A * jWIN Electronic Corp JD-TV1000
*The manufacturer has indicated that these models are capable of passing analog signals through to the TV set.

I’ve used two of these USB capture cards. One is the Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Ultimate Stick and the other the Elgato EyeTV Hybrid. Both devices require you to attach an antenna (that must be DTV/HDTV compliant) to the USB unit. Antennas can range from $9.99 to hundreds of dollars, depending on the size. Small rabbit ears will be good enough to grab the DTV signals as long as you are in a good reception area.

Once the antenna is connected, you use the included software on each device to tune into HD or STD channels, record content to your hard-drive, and even schedule recordings. You can also use the devices to import footage from an external player like a VCR via an A/V adapter cable. This is a great way to archive those old home movies digitally.

The Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Ultimate Stick lists for $129.99. The Elgato EyeTV Hybrid retails for $149.95. Both are available on the company’s online stores or other retail outlets.

The DTVPal (don’t ask me why they chose to use the word “Pal”, are we in the U.K.?) is a small, streamlined sized converter box that sells for $59.99. The converter is eligible for the government issued $40 coupon for DTV conversion. So if you apply the coupon, you can get your old sets looking like brand new digital TVs for $20.

Dish Network doesn’t provide local stations in all areas, so this converter box would allow viewers to pick up their local stations in high quality and have it convert to their non-digital TVs. No more snow, no more interference. If you have a clean connection to a broadcast tower (you’ll probably need some sort of antenna), it will be the best picture on that old TV to date.

Digital does have some artifacts though. If the digital signal isn’t clean enough pixels can drop out here and there. But what the heck? It’s free.

See the Dish DTVPal digital-to-analog converter store.

Learn more about the DTV conversion and converter coupons.

You can also receive high-definition broadcasts on your computer using an antenna attached to a USB card such as the Elgato EyeTV and the Pinnacle PCTV.

Digital television provides the format for high-definition broadcasts. Most major networks are broadcasting in digital (DTV), and all networks will have to by Feb. 2009 in order to meet the digital transition requirement. If your TV is not digital, you will need a box to convert the digital signal to analog. $40 coupons are available for anyone at the DTV2009 website.

But let’s get back to the antenna. The CEA has developed a fantastic website that will show you (once you put in your zip code), the kind of antenna you will need and which way it will need to face to receive the best signals. It even takes into consideration the buildings around you that may interfere with the signal. Check out AntennaWeb.org.

It should be mentioned that over-the-Air (OTA) transmissions are limited in programming. You wont find ESPN, Showtime or TNT over-the-air. However OTA broadcasts are fantastic quality because they are uncompressed. You can also flip through multi-casts, which sometimes offer programming that isn’t available through service providers.

Related Links
Approved digital-to-analog converters
Reveiw: Digital Stream DTX9900

Tech guy Gary Krakow of MSNBC recently wrote a review of the Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick, a $129 device that contains an HDTV video and audio card. The stick plugs into your computer and receives over-the-air HD signals. There are no subscriptions to satellite or cable services required because HD signals are broadcast over-the-air as digital television, or DTV.

The Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick works with Windows XP and Windows Vista computers. There is a non-HD model (PC TV) that sells for $99. If you work on Apple computers, a Mac HD stick has just been released that also sells for $129.

There is not much installation involved. You simply attach a portable, telescoping antenna to a metal surface, and plug the device into your USB port. Then, using the supplied Pinnacle Media Center software you can tune the channels. The software also digitally records programming onto a DVD, iPod, PSP or other portable media devices. A remote control is also included for those of you who can’t get off the couch to change the channel on your laptop. Does that make sense?

The Pinnacle HD Pro Stick also acts as a video input card, allowing you to capture any analog source material via a supplied S-video A/V adapter. I’m not sure where they were going with this but if you want to go “back in time” to analog, you have the option.

DTV signals that are captured over-the-air are clear and sharp. There is no snow or ghosting of images as there was in the old days of antenna reception. Krakow says, “From my New York City test lab the PCTV HDTV Pro Stick was able to find and receive more than 20 over-the-air HDTV stations. That’s a lot better than the tuner in my two-year old Samsung direct-view TV can find at any given time.”

The PCTV HD stick is available at major retailers like Best Buy and Circuit City, as well as other electronic retailers and online stores.