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How to Watch Free HDTV Channels in Your Area with a Digital TV Antenna

By Jason Steele Date February 14, 2022

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Two years ago, I looked at my cable television bill and I decided that I had had enough. I multiplied my bill by twelve and thought of all the things that I could have spent a year’s worth of cable TV on. My family wasn’t ready to cancel cable and stop watching TV altogether, but we wanted to stop throwing our money away on all of the lousy content that was on most of the channels. Around the same time, the conversion of television stations from an analog format to digital broadcast was in the news, and it piqued my curiosity. The idea of receiving television for free was great, but I had major concerns about the quality. I had given up attempts to pull in a decent picture with an antenna decades ago, and I really did not ever want to try that again. But I dug a little deeper – what if the digital conversion meant that I could get a few high quality channels for free?

How Good Is Free Digital Television

After some research, I decided that over-the-air digital television is the most under-rated and under-appreciated technological breakthrough of our time. With a small, inexpensive antenna, most Americans can pick up dozens of channels in perfect high-definition. Unlike the old system, which is no longer even broadcast, there is never any picture degradation or “snow” with digital television. 99% of the time, you either get the picture, or you don’t, so picture quality is rarely an issue. In fact, it has been shown that cable and satellite services actually compress their HD signals more than over-the-air broadcasters. The result is that my neighbors who pay for their television channels actually get a lower quality picture than the one I watch for free!
Motley Fool Stock Advisor recommendations have an average return of 397%. For $79 (or just $1.52 per week), join more than 1 million members and don't miss their upcoming stock picks. 30 day money-back guarantee. Sign Up Now Another surprising benefit is the channel guide feature that you get with over-the-air digital television. Just like a cable or satellite program, a broadcast digital signal is encoded with information about current and future programs. Any compatible television or converter box should include a guide feature to display this information.

How to Choose a Digital TV Antenna

To get free, over-the-air, HD TV, you need an antenna, which can be either outdoor-mounted or located indoors on top of your television. Outdoor antennas are larger and more expensive, but they are able to receive signal from further away. Remember, it is not a question of signal quality like the rabbit ears of yesteryear, it’s merely a question of if you get the station or not. So which one should you get? Fortunately, there is a great, non-profit website called AntennaWeb that can help you figure out how far you live from the broadcast towers, and what kind of antenna you should buy. My personal rule of thumb is that the amount you will need to spend on an antenna will roughly be equal to your distance from the broadcast tower in miles multiplied by $1-$1.50 per mile. I spent about $40 for my antenna, an Antennas Direct DB2 Multi Directional HDTV Antenna (and the transmitters are on top of a mountain about 35 miles from my house). The antenna I use is about 1 square foot, and I mounted it on my roof with ease. I know others who live even further away who use the same antenna successfully. I also know some people who report great success with smaller, indoor antennas that can rest on top of your computer (e.g. Terk HDTVa Indoor Amplified High-Definition Antenna).

Will It Work with My Television

Once you have an antenna, you just need a television capable of receiving the digital signal. Most modern flat screen televisions can receive digital signals, but most of the old style picture tube televisions will require a converter box. When the analog signal was being phased out, the government actually offered each household vouchers that would cover most of the cost of the converter box. Today, you can still find these boxes for under $50 (e.g. Zinwell Analog to Digital TV Converter Box for $40). Once you connect your antenna, you need to go to the television’s setup menu and scan for digital broadcast channels.

How Many Channels Will I Get

Currently, I get about 40 channels for free. The downside of relying on free TV is that a host of channels available by cable or satellite (e.g. DIRECTTV) aren’t broadcast. Frankly, it’s a pleasure not to waste hours of time watching cable news channels, but many people will miss ESPN or other sports channels. When it comes to premium content on channels like HBO, I have found myself renting the DVDs at the end of the season on services like Netflix or Blockbuster. On the other hand, I have found several commercial-free public television stations that I had not known of. If I spoke Spanish, I would also be enjoying about a dozen Spanish language channels. Nevertheless, I am now able to view some great programming on everything from nature documentaries and cooking to current events.

Final Word

Cable and satellite TV would be great services, if it were not for their skyrocketing monthly costs. By spending a little time and money buying and installing an antenna, you can have high-definition, digital television without the monthly fee. Yes, you will miss out on some channels, but you will still get a great picture and you’ll have one less bill to pay. Do you watch free digital HD television by using an antenna? How do you like it? Share your thoughts here. Save Money Manage Money Lifestyle Technology Entertainment TwitterFacebookPinterestLinkedInEmail

Jason Steele

Jason has been writing about personal finance, travel, and other topics on blogs across the Internet. When he is not writing, he has a career in information technology and is also a commercially rated pilot. Jason lives in Colorado with his wife and young daughter where he enjoys parenting, cycling, and other extreme sports.

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