THINKING OF DROPPING CABLE? HERE'S AN OPTION
5/26/2024
You just received your most recent cable bill, and big surprise, it went up—again. You utter a few cuss words and immediately begin thinking about cutting the cord. But, what would you replace your cable with?
If this scenario sounds familiar (cuss words optional), you’re not alone. More Americans now stream their TV content over the internet, as opposed to receiving it via cable, fiber, or satellite. Unfortunately, streaming services can be just as costly as cable, if not more expensive. For those of you in this quandary, I offer another option: an over-the-air (OTA) antenna.
Simple and cheap, an OTA antenna can be attached directly to your TV and allow you to pick up the digital, high-definition signals broadcast by your local TV stations (kind of like the old days, only in HD quality). In the Detroit Metro area, you can receive signals from WJBK Fox 2, WDIV NBC 4, WXYZ ABC 7, WWJ CBS 62, and many more.
Happily, it doesn’t cost a penny to watch these channels—you only pay the price of the equipment when you buy it. One of the simplest and best rated antennas is the Mohu Leaf, available on Amazon for about $35. You can hang it on your wall or in a window, facing the direction of the broadcast towers.
Does all of this sound too good to be true? Maybe. You will not be able to get channels such as BigTen Network, ESPN, CNN, History Channel, Hallmark, Turner Classic Movies, etc. In other words, all of those channels you get when you subscribe to Xfinity, Youtube TV, AT&T, and other subscription-based providers.
You also may not be able to receive all of the Detroit TV stations you’d like. Based on my house’s location in Ann Arbor, the direction my windows face, and the trees in the way, I can’t receive Fox 2 Detroit consistently. (No Lions football games!) I also can’t receive CBET channel 9 in Windsor. (No Hockey Night in Canada!)
Of course, there are OTA antennas with built-in signal amplifiers you can buy. For many people, these beefed up antennas are enough to pick up all of the Detroit area stations. For even better reception, you can have a professional-grade antenna mounted on the top of your house, but this can get costly.
The bottom line is, it all depends on what channels you’re willing to forego that will determine your decision to switch to an OTA antenna. For some folks, it’s an easy decision to drop their subscriptions and an easy process to set up their antenna. For others, it’s worth it to pay a lot of money to Xfinity, AT&T, or YouTube TV in order to see the channels they want. Hopefully, it’s just helpful knowing that you have an alternative to subscription TV, should you decide enough is enough.
If you’d like to explore your options or learn more about OTA antennas, I’d be happy to hear from you! Contact me here.