The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / The Annual "What Kind Of Antenna Should You Buy To Get OTA TV?" Story

**Posted by RadioActive** January 23, 2025 5:20 pm

This seems to come up somewhere almost every year, typically just before the Super Bowl airs: what's the best TV antenna to buy to get over-the-air television for free?

And sure enough, here's this year's entry, courtesy of the U.S. TV Guide, which tries to remind viewers there's more to watching than just streaming, downloading and massively small phone and computer screens.

One of the problems, of course, is that it boasts about bringing in signals around 70 miles away or more. But that may not be far enough for most of us hoping to get the slightly more distant Buffalo stations and their dozens of subcarriers.

Have to admit I like the look of that round ball, although I doubt it will work as advertised. And it would look pretty dumb on your roof!

**Posted by RadioAaron** January 23, 2025 5:29 pm

RadioActive wrote:
And sure enough, here's this year's entry, courtesy of the U.S. TV Guide, which tries to remind viewers there's more to watching than just streaming, downloading and massively small phone and computer screens.

This streaming=-phone screen thing keeps coming up, and it's not relevant. You *can* watch streams on your phone, but it's also the primary way "TV" is watched.

For the Superbowl example, if someone were starting from scratch, it would be much simpler to stream the game on Tubi that to get set up to watch it OTA.

**Posted by RadioActive** January 23, 2025 6:03 pm

RadioAaron wrote:
RadioActive wrote:
And sure enough, here's this year's entry, courtesy of the U.S. TV Guide, which tries to remind viewers there's more to watching than just streaming, downloading and massively small phone and computer screens.
This streaming=-phone screen thing keeps coming up, and it's not relevant. You *can* watch streams on your phone, but it's also the primary way "TV" is watched.

For the Superbowl example, if someone were starting from scratch, it would be much simpler to stream the game on Tubi that to get set up to watch it OTA.

Yes, I know that, but I was referring to people who may be away from their sets or computers during The Big Game and may want to watch it on the literal small screen. Better than missing it altogether!

**Posted by mace** January 24, 2025 5:08 am

This ad is geared towards Americans the majority of whom only care about receiving the four main U.S. networks. For most of them, an indoor antenna will suffice. However, we are looking at this ad from a Canadian perspective. An antenna that will guarantee reliable reception of the U.S. nets. Since the 1950's, in the GTA. an outdoor antenna has always been required to achieve this. That is still true today. However, today the digital signals, while delivering a crystal clear picture, don't travel nearly as far as their analog ancestors did. The Goliath model claims reception in the 70 mile range. That would be fine for WNED and WUTV whose towers are located on Grand Island. However, the towers for WGRZ, WIVB and WKBW are all located in Colden which is in the 80-85 range from Toronto. I think that would make reliable reception iffy when you factor in weather, trees and buildings.

**Posted by Capricasix** January 24, 2025 1:18 pm

Anecdote only. My spouse and I live in northwest Mississauga, and we have a Channel Master rooftop antenna which reliably receives signal from the transmitters in Grand Island and Colden (over 100 miles away). I acknowledge that this kind of antenna likely wouldn’t be possible to have in an apartment building.

Last edited by Capricasix (January 24, 2025 1:19 pm)

**Posted by Radiowiz** January 24, 2025 1:30 pm

RadioAaron wrote:
For the Superbowl example, if someone were starting from scratch, it would be much simpler to stream the game on Tubi that to get set up to watch it OTA.

I wonder if any bars will use Tubi to keep their fees down?
This is from 2017, but it might still apply to today if bars are STILL forced to pay more for sports than the residental rates.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/rogers-bell-are-going-to-charge-bars-more-for-sports-channels-1.4036988#:~:text=Both%20Bell%20and%20Rogers%20are,show%20those%20big%20sports%20events.&text=%22They're%20taking%20money%20out,%2485%2Da%2Dmonth%20package.

**Posted by turkeytop** January 24, 2025 1:57 pm

Here,at our mobile home park in Florida, a lot of the old people are dumping their cable and getting antennas. Somehow I've a acquired the reputation as the go to guy for putting up antennas.

There are about 60 channels available here OTA. But they don't care about 60 channels. They only want one channel. The one that carries Wheel of Fortune.