[November 08, 2009]

Tulsa World, Okla., Kyle Arnold column: Yes, you can get good TV signal without satellite, cable

Nov 08, 2009 (Tulsa World - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- With a crystal clear signal, I tuned in to nearly every game of the World Series and laughed along with "The Office" and "30 Rock" -- all without cable or satellite.

In June, U.S. TV stations switched from analog to digital television signals and the promise of better quality and more possibilities for the future of broadcast television.

The switch was of particular importance in Tulsa, where 15 percent of the audience tunes in via antennas. I didn't make the switch until mid-October, when I bought a house that didn't give me free cable like my old apartment.

So with the possibility of a $50-a-month cable bill in front of me, I decided to give the new technology a try.

Finding a box Even though newer TVs have digital receivers, neither of my stone-age televisions do. To get any signal, I had to purchase a digital receiver at about $50. The FCC is no longer giving away $40 coupons for the set-top boxes.

The boxes are also hard to find and several stores were out of stock. Fortunately, local electronics retailer Video Revolution had a few, and I also spotted some at Target.

Finding a signal Viewers also need to buy a digital-ready antenna, which runs between $10 for an indoor antenna and $50 for an outdoor model.

Pat Baldwin, president of KTUL-TV, channel 8 in Tulsa, said many reception problems come from the use of indoor antennas.

"I tell people to get a very good antenna, on the roof or on a pole," Baldwin said. "If you're having a problem, chances are it's your antenna." Bad weather also affects signals, but that problem too can be alleviated with a better antenna.

My first ventures with an indoor antenna were disastrous and I could find reception for the local FOX and CBS affiliates after the first scan of channels. My wife, Macay, gently reminded me that we wouldn't be watching "The Office" on NBC without it and she would have to go another week without catching "Desperate Housewives" on ABC.

The problem was fixed after I crawled into the attic, deciphered a bundle of cables and put the indoor antenna near the gables. The solution isn't permanent, but reception is great until we upgrade to an outdoor antenna.

A clear, bright future The technology has also afforded us a few channels not found on cable because each broadcaster can send out up to four or five channels within their signal. KTUL, Tulsa's ABC affiliate, broadcasts its traditional station, a 24-hour weather channel as well a retro station playing programs such as Magnum P.I.

Currently, stations are broadcasting inexpensive, older programs with their extra channels but that could change as some stations are testing a system that would allow stations to give syndicators a cut of advertising revenue, instead of a set fee per program, Baldwin said.

That would allow stations to add newer programs without heavy up-front costs.

But the clear advantage of the digital television switch is cable-quality reception. We get 21 channels of television and audio, and every major broadcaster, including ION, PBS and CW. Some broadcasters also use high-definition quality signals.

Compared to satellite or cable, investing in the digital television is minimal. A digital receiver box is about $50, and a good outdoor antenna is about $50. It's a little trouble, but in the end, the monetary investment is about two months of cable.

To see more of the Tulsa World, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.tulsaworld.com. Copyright (c) 2009, Tulsa World, Okla. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

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