How to watch local tv channels without when cutting down.

Murrmurr said:
Antennas pick up local channels. The closer local TV stations are to your house, the better your reception will be.

We have 3 major TV broadcasting stations here in Sacramento, plus a broadcasting booster tower for PBS and one for NBC.

My antenna picked up the 3 major ones really well. Sometimes I had to move it around just a bit to get PBS clearly.

It helps to know where the towers are.
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Well, I can't get local channels, but will keep looking. I understand for $11.99 with Amazon Prime I can get Paramount+ and local channels. Is that right?
 

Lilac said:
I know some sellers will give you free shipping which I look for. Usually the smaller business that I like to support. But anything for Amazon prime purchases needs to be $25 minimum. I don't like they changed that rule. I put things on the wish list that I want but don't need immediately to get to the limit & then buy.
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Things might be different in Canada but I have Prime and don't pay anything for shipping, no matter how little I order!
 
fancicoffee13 said:
Well, I can't get local channels, but will keep looking. I understand for $11.99 with Amazon Prime I can get Paramount+ and local channels. Is that right?
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I'm pretty sure that Paramount+ and other stuff is an additional fee. I see nothing about local channel access though.

Locals via streaming services is a contentious areas. The local stations (or their corporate masters) have been asking such services for more and more in rebroadcasting fees.
 
I have an antenna on my home that has reception for 23 broadcast channels
I get all the major networks with the exception of PBS.

In addition to the link @dilettante provided, you can also check ... Signal Analysis Report from TV Fool
It will show direction and distance to broadcast towers. My antenna is good for 40-60miles from broadcast towers depending on signal strength.

Beyond that, I have two ROKU TV's and subscribe to Amazon Prime and get all the Prime commercial free movies.
During the college football season, I watch ESPN from an overseas website that doesn't cost me anything.

Outside of Amazon Prime membership, I pay nothing for TV entertainment.

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Lilac said:
They are like the old style antenna, but inside your house instead of being outside on the roof or up on a pole. I get all local channels like CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS, etc. with the shows on them.
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I have a Roku tv which has the local channel apps, so I downloaded them. I will have access to all the local channels no matter the streaming I get. Boy howdi! I am happy!!! And they are free!
 
Happyflowerlady said:
We have not had any kind of cable or satellite TV for several years now. We ordered a small antenna from amazon, and it picks up all of the local channels, which we mainly only use when there is a storm and we want to see the local radar and weather reporting in case of tornadoes.
We do have amazon prime , and that includes Prime reading and Prime video and also music, as well as the free shipping benefits.
Prime also has a low income option for anyone with medicaid or EBT, or similar; which cuts the monthly price in half, but you still have all of the benefits of prime.

Also, Walmart+ has free Paramount+ as one of its benefits, and walmart+ also has a low income option, which is about $40 a year, and you get free grocery delivery (if you are in a delivery area), plus discounts on gas, free shipping with online orders, and several other benefits.
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I have a Roku tv, downloaded the local channel apps and I will have local channels free. Done checked it out and it works. I also downloaded the Fox sports (black) and I will see if I can still watch the football games.
 
fancicoffee13 said:
I have a Roku tv which has the local channel apps, so I downloaded them. I will have access to all the local channels no matter the streaming I get. Boy howdi! I am happy!!! And they are free!
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I talked to a repairman a while back & we started to talk about bills. He mentioned he had Roku & said he's been happy for it & it's saved him money. I think I need to look into that.
 
Lilac said:
I talked to a repairman a while back & we started to talk about bills. He mentioned he had Roku & said he's been happy for it & it's saved him money. I think I need to look into that.
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I looked into it. I like watching the CBS that you see on local channels. The CBS that is on Sling isn't the same. I do have the NBC app and am happy with it. ABC I can't get it, got the app, but it isn't the same as the one on local channels. You will see what I mean when you check into it. I got Sling Blue only so I could save money and have the more channels.
 
Networks like ABC, CBS, NBC may have several "feeds" they offer to local broadcast affiliates. Those in turn might buy one of the feeds to relay or even multiples of them to relay via subchannels, interspersed with local and syndicated programming of their own. Two "CBS stations" even in the same market might be sending out different things.

The streaming services are another thing again. A "CBS app" probably has no local content at all. A "Local app" might be offering almost anything, like a small subset of the local station's own news programming mixed with all sorts of other stuff.
 
dilettante said:
Networks like ABC, CBS, NBC may have several "feeds" they offer to local broadcast affiliates. Those in turn might buy one of the feeds to relay or even multiples of them to relay via subchannels, interspersed with local and syndicated programming of their own. Two "CBS stations" even in the same market might be sending out different things.

The streaming services are another thing again. A "CBS app" probably has no local content at all. A "Local app" might be offering almost anything, like a small subset of the local station's own news programming mixed with all sorts of other stuff.
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Well, I found out that local channels are not the same as the local channels that you get when you stream on Hulu, YouTube, and the like. The content like the shows on a weekly basis that I like to watch are not there. So, I chose YouTube and I get the local channels and the weekly shows in the content that I like to watch. Like Jeapardy and the like. Even with an antenna, not happening in my area.
 
dilettante said:
Doesn't that cost something like $73 each month, until the next increase?
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A lot of the streaming channels are that high, the cheapest is Sling Blue ($40). Some are over $80! It is in my budget so I will pay it. I checked them all, or most of them. Streaming with all of the local channels is not going to be any cheaper. This one is $72.95 plus tax brings it to $79.01.
 
Well if you want it, you want it. I think you're right that all of the options are pricey.

It sort of staggers me, but I only pay for Amazon Prime ($140/year).
 
Here in the south San Francisco Bay Area, I've been OTA for 2+ decades and without any streaming services. Depending on where I place my indoor antenna, a scan will find between 80 and 120 channels. Though most are never of interest like foreign language ethnic channels, there are enough for the little I watch TV.
 

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