In the current age of entertainment, dropping a ton of money on cable no longer gives you the best options when it comes to television. But for many people, the influx of streaming sites and subsequent price inflation (alongside the streaming exclusives) stretch their finances too thin for them to have more than one or two services.
Fortunately, there’s an option that provides a lower-cost option to get all your favorite options. But what is this option, and what other benefits does it provide?
Well, we’re glad you asked. It’s time to delve into our guide on how to save money and reduce connection problems with a digital TV antenna! Now without further ado, let’s jump right into things.
Save Some Serious Cash
One of the main perks of swapping over to a digital antenna is that you’ll save a good chunk of money when opposed to cable. This is partly because cable television requires an all-or-nothing approach, where missing one bill locks you out of all your channels.
Using a digital antenna subverts this by granting you access to a set number of networks through purchase alone, which you don’t have to spend any monthly fees on. This makes the antenna a one-and-done purchase as opposed to the long list of bills cable companies stick you with. Digital TV antennas are also inexpensive, with most models selling for less than $100.
What’s more, the range of channels available to antennas has expanded to bigger names like FOX, ABC, and The CW. So, you still get the same great variety of shows to choose from. And if you’re a fan of pay-to-watch channels like HBO or Cinemax, you can still access them on your TV through the Internet even with a digital antenna.
Connection Problems No More
Are you worried that you could need your TV for emergency broadcasts during a natural disaster or other crisis, only to have the signal fail when you need it most? Well, digital antennas provide a greater signal strength than cable and satellite providers. This is because the broadcast signals they use are harder to disrupt than the manual connection of a cable (like if it frays) or the long-distance work of a satellite signal.
These antennas are also better suited for people who live in remote areas. This is because they lack the proximity to cable or satellite signals to get anything better than mediocre reception.
If you don’t want to ditch your cable subscription, you can also purchase a digital antenna to use as a backup. This way, if your main form of TV dies out during a disaster, you can still receive signals without sacrificing the benefits of cable during normal times.
You can also purchase signal amplifiers to allow your antenna to pick up signals from a greater distance.
Digital antennas also provide matching (if not superior) picture and sound quality to their cable and satellite counterparts. This is because cable and satellite signals are compressed. This means that pieces of the signal are lost to ensure the signal travels quickly.
Antennas don’t receive compressed signals, and as such don’t have to sacrifice picture or sound quality. Thus, you’ll get consistent HD quality on your favorite shows without having to deal with any signal issues.
Versatility in Placement
Digital antennas also come in a variety of different forms, allowing you to place them almost anywhere in your house. The indoor antenna tends to be the smallest and hooks up directly to your TV.
Attic antennas are a great midrange option between indoor and outdoor antennas. This attaches your digital antennas to a metal pole in your attic, allowing you to keep the antenna out of the way without subjecting it to the elements. However, attic antennas can experience interference from certain lights or materials within your roof.
Finally, outdoor antennas allow you to perch the antenna up at the top of your roof, keeping it from crowding up any space inside. Though they are more complicated to install and more subject to damage outside, they also carry the best signal strength of the different digital antennas. Outdoor antennas also tend to carry a bigger price tag than indoor ones.
Bonus Channels
If you’re looking for some new stuff to watch, digital antennas have you covered through local stations. These offer local news, weather, sports, etc. from studios close to where you live, giving you a greater variety of channels to tune into. You can also pull in “classics” stations that show re-runs of television classics like The Lone Ranger.
Digital antennas also grant you access to “out-of-market” channels, or channels viewers cannot see if they aren’t within a certain distance. Cable companies can only provide you the out-of-market channels close to where they are stationed.
So, try researching what markets your home’s close to. If you live near several, you can take advantage of your house’s location to pull in a bunch of channels you wouldn’t see otherwise.
Ease of Use
Finally, digital antennas are popular choices because they don’t require a whole lot of time and effort to set up. Most indoor antennas can get set down into their location and start working out of the box with only a few minutes of setup. This convenience makes the antennas great choices for those with busy schedules.
That said, outdoor antennas can prove a little trickier. However, you can bring in affordable and professional TV antenna installers to help you receive quality TV in no time!
Sit Back and Get Comfy
And there you have it! Now that you have this guide on saving money and reducing connection problems with digital antennas, you’re ready to watch your favorite shows without the worry of bills or spotty signals getting you down! And if you’re looking for more information on getting the most out of your television, make sure to tune in to the other articles on our site!
So take care until we see you again, same Bat-time, same Bat-channel.
