I’ve had cable or satellite for every football season that I can remember - until now. I spent the first two weeks of this season streaming games and this is what I took away from it: http://www.wholehogsports.com/news/2017 … ions-2017/
Hey Matt, I live up on a hill in east Fayetteville, actually on the east side of that hill. Will an antenna still pick up the signals if there is no line of sight?
I would think so, depending on the quality of your antenna. I live in a little on the west side of town and pick up the channels easily with the antenna well away from the windows. I would think your being on top of a hill should help.
With regards to these new inside antennas . . . I know it’s best to place them near a window. But the way my place is situated (condo), the TV is by the South wall and the only window in that room is directly across from it, facing North. I live in the Dallas area, and so the cluster of TV towers for local stations are almost due south of me.
I guess what I’m asking is how well these things work if you put it on an inside wall, directionally facing the transmission towers (i.e., if I put the antenna on my south wall, facing south). as opposed to putting the Antenna closer to the window on the north side of the room?
Of course, I understand that no one will have a definitive answer unless they know all of the variables. But, how do these antennas generally work through brick walls?
My wife and I just cut the cord a few weeks ago. AT&T bundle for Internet, landlines, and Uverse has been around $300. We hardly watch any TV these days. AT&T just started offering fiber in our area, and with our retirement to Springdale approaching, we decided to get rid of Uverse and try streaming. My wife’s only requirement was to be able to get DIY and Hallmark channels, I just wanted to view Razorback replays.
We opted to stay with AT&T streaming service DirectNow. Apparently AT&T owns Direct and Dish (Sling TV is Dish’s streaming svc). Internet went from 20meg to 100meg and cost $10 less. Phone went down $8. DirectNow was $50 with no contract and free Roku. Savings per month look to be around $160. Should be noted that DirectNow and Sling TV are only 2 services that offered Hallmark channel that I could find (IMPORTANT to make the wife happy). ABC , NBC, FOX etc come in as our local broadcast, probably because we are in DFW marketplace. We use Apple TV boxes because we are an Apple family. Broadcast quality can very based on signal strength of Internet connection but generally is fine.
Only downside so far is that DirectNow and Sling TV have no DVR access, but I am sure that will change in the future. Generally we are pleased with how this is working and are using this as a trial run for what we would like to do at our house in Springdale. May need to add terrestrial antenna to pick up local channels in NWA if that is even important.
I think there are Web sites that you put in your zip code and they give you directions to where the transition towers are located for your local signal. From this you can Guage what obstacles may block you signal and the antenna manufacturers can help you determine which of their products will best meet your needs.
When it become possible where I live I’ll cut the cord too but until better internet service is available I will just pay the money to see my hogs. It is my choice to live in the country and avoid grippy neighbors. I grow my garden and my pecan trees and fruit trees and my dog can run loose.
Hunting is nice out here too!
Oh course they have added a SEC Network Plus Channel.
TV and Phone service has gotten crazy expensive. About like medical services
As you said there are different variables between where you live and where I live, but my digital antenna is well inside the house and away from windows, and it works fine. We have a brick home.
I finally cut the cord this year.
I have Play Station Vue, but mostly use the ESPN app tied to that account
Amazon Video, Netflix, HBO Now
Antenna for local live TV
am paying for CBS All Access to watch shows on demand.
Not sure how much I will miss DVR.
Vue has some of their programming with streaming DVR, but not all.
Evan with all that I still pay way less than I did for cable or DIRECTV
If you want to get really into it, download the Kodi add-on for Amazon FireStick or FireTV and use Phoenix or Exodus programs. Can watch pretty much anything for free. Reddit Streams combined with a Chromecast is another option.
Any updates on this? I am intrigued.
A few things questions.
I have a room dedicated so I can watch 3 games at once. It appears that Hulu only allows two streaming devices going at once, however my third TV could be hooked up via over the air antenna, right? So I have the CBS game of the week on that TV, then espn and sec network, through Hulu on the other two?
The wife (and me I suppose) likes This Is Us (get your Kleenex ready). Are shows such as this available the same night it airs?
Also, I am assuming MLB Extra Innings is available through this as well?
We have been using Hulu the last few months and I like it a lot. We’ll go to my in-law’s house and using their satellite is almost foreign to me. Funny how that works.
I’ll answer your questions as best as I can:
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I do not know how many devices you use at once with Hulu. I thought it was three, but maybe it’s two. Your solution works. I have an OTA antenna plugged into my TV and it is clear.
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Network shows typically are available after midnight on-demand. All of the networks have their own OTT app that you can download to Roku, Firestick, etc. Hulu has a DVR function that I haven’t tried. I have noticed that the local CBS and FOX affiliates are being streamed through Hulu now.
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I don’t know whether Hulu carries Extra Innings as an add-on, but I would be willing to bet you can access that through an MLB OTT app.
I bounce back and forth between several apps - Hulu, Netflix, Amazon, CBS, etc.
Thanks Matt. This could be a game changer. My directv bill is outrageous right now.
And I think you are right. I could purchase MLB Online or whatever and stream the games on my TV through their app.
I am currently watching the Hornets v Knicks on Hulu Live through an Amazon Firestick. I signed up and have the week to try it free. If I can catch all the football at once this weekend I am dropping Directv like a prom dress.
Great thread and article. Glad you are digging it.
You should try YouTube’s new live service. They promoted the heck out of it during the World Series. It wasn’t available yet when I was doing reviews the last time.
Looking into it now.
Not available in my Zipcode.
Matt, can this be pinned up to and updated periodically as services get better? Only reason I haven’t cut the cord is not being able to get the local LR stations for news. I assume I’m too far for digital antennas here in Mountain Home.
Thanks
Sure, I’ll pin it.
Like I posted earlier, the CBS affiliate, KFSM, is now being carried on my Hulu Live service, including the newscasts. I don’t know if that is because KFSM is affiliated with CBS or Sinclair, its parent company, but there are CBS (KTHV) and Sinclair (KATV) stations in Little Rock, so I would assume you probably could access at least one through that stream.
When we moved this summer we decided to cut the cord from DirecTV (which was around $300 a/mo) and went to Sling. I also bought three new TCL Roku TVs that have the Roku interface built in to the TV. I also have a clearstream HD antenna on my roof to pick up all of the locals.
https://www.antennasdirect.com/store/Cl … tenna.html
Had the AV guy split three coax lines off of it that go to the new TVs. They integrate the antenna/locals seamlessly. Sling also offers a DVR add on for, I think, $10 a month. Unfortunately, ABC/ESPN won’t allow the streaming companies to use DVR for their channels but you can see replays on the watchESPN app. Also have the foxsports go app along with a HULU, Netflix, and Amazon Prime subscriptions. All in I’m at about 1/3 of my DTV cost.
I just tried the 7 day free trial of HULU Live and wasn’t impressed. I didn’t like the interface and the buffering times were frustrating.
I came close to cutting the cord recently but I still can’t figure out how to get my nightly Cardinal games without cable. MLB TV blacks out all of the Cardinal games in this area. Until that is fixed I will stick with Cox.
I’ve been a test case for this for the last three years after getting fed up with Dish Network and cutting the chord. Before this year I would have urged caution before making the jump. The difference maker has been Hulu’s new service. Before you couldn’t get the major network feeds (i.e. for CBS games) and there was no DVR. Now I have all of that with Hulu. They’ve done a good job with their app. And it is wonderful for watching anywhere (from your phone). I like Amazon’s fire stick a lot. All the apps you expect (including Hulu) plus really good original content and great library for ‘renting’ / ‘buying’ movies, plus a good percentage of the time it is free with our Prime membership. And the remote has Alexa, which is voice activated, which is really nice for just telling it what you want to watch instead of pushing buttons navigating / searching