Free TV 101 WEEK 1 SUMMARY - Do it yourself

Summary of Week 1 for the Do-it-yourselfer

Will you be happy with what’s available for free?

We can still get TV free over an antenna. Now that stations are going digital, you’ll get even more channels and better reception.

Figure out which channels you absolutely need. Think about what you tape or DVR.

Go to www.antennaweb.org to see a list of channels available in your area. Any analog stations will become digital or go away on June 12. Some digital stations are not yet at full strength but will be after June 12.

Decide which antenna you need and where it will go

Cable/satellite service ads may make you believe it’s difficult to receive HD TV over an antenna. It isn’t. In fact, you can get channels with rabbit ears.

You can put an antenna on the roof, in the attic, or right on the TV stand. It doesn’t matter whether you place it inside or out, but the higher you can get it, the better the signal will be.

Are you subject to any Homeowner Association restrictions on an outdoor antenna? Legally, you can put up any antenna no bigger than a satellite dish regardless of what your HOA rules state. It’s an FDA regulation.

You can get an omnidirectional, tabletop antenna for about $60. It will pick up a signal from any direction, however, it doesn’t do that automatically, you have to use a remote to point it.

Other equipment you may need

You'll need a cable to attach the antenna to your TV. That’s not always included.

After June 12 you’ll need one of those digital converter boxes that the government was giving out coupons for to use the antenna on any old analog sets. You don’t need one on a digital set.

First Steps

The connector for the coax cable should be on the back of the set.

You’ll probably have to let your TV scan to find channels. Look for the scan setting on the TV menu. You can also try pulling the power plug out from the wall for a few seconds and putting it back. When you turn on the set the scan should start.

Don’t worry about how badly some analog stations come in, they’ll be going away soon.