Watch TV for Free with a Digital Antenna


According to the Leichtman Research Group, the average cable bill was $107 in 2018. Anecdotally, I have heard coworkers and family members cite bills much higher than that, up to about $300 for homes with multiples televisions with their own cable boxes and DVR service. That is a substantial bill for just a single form of entertainment! There are several frugal alternatives, including streaming services, but I have most enjoyed using a digital antenna since buying my house in 2017.

This isn't your grandma's antenna - all television broadcasting in the United States (as well as numerous other countries) is all digital, so there is no risk of a fuzzy signal. The signal also comes in at full HD (1080p) resolution so the quality of the picture is excellent.

A digital antenna is one of the cheapest alternatives to traditional cable TV service. They are available from a number of retailers, including Amazon and big box stores. This up-front investment is the only cost associated with an antenna, as there is no monthly subscription fee, unlike cable. Antennas vary in price from about $15 for a small indoor antenna with a shorter range to over $150 for an attic- or roof-mounted antenna with a much larger range. The range of an antenna indicates how far away it can scan for broadcast towers to pick up channels. A larger range will allow you to cast a wider net so you will likely be able to pick up more channels, unless your local geography prevents you from being in range of more towers. Before deciding which antenna to buy, I recommend that you visit a free website such as Antenna Finder that allows you to explore what channels would be available for you at your current location. Antenna Finder also suggests options for which antenna to purchase, although I did not personally buy the suggested products.

My husband and I decided on an indoor antenna from BJ's with a 60-mile range. It has an adhesive backing in order to stick to a window, but it fell after about a year of use so we mounted it on the wall. BJ's has since stopped selling this antenna but Amazon is now carrying a very similar one (if not the same). We get about 35 channels using this antenna, but my relative who has the same antenna only gets 18 channels. More channels are available if you live closer to broadcast towers. We are able to pick up major networks and local channels due to our proximity to broadcast towers.


The sassiest of antennae


If your DVR is important to you, buying a DVR unit and hooking an antenna up to it is an option. Some of these antenna-compatible DVR units do have a monthly subscription fee. My spouse and I have not opted to do this yet but I did want to share it as an option.

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