TV For Free!

We've been in the new house two weeks today and it is just yesterday that we started getting TV channels. Two weeks without any news, late night talk shows or even my guilty pleasure - Young and the Restless. Sure we've had our DVDs and streaming Netflix but I've really missed watching regular TV. I've always known that it's a big part of my morning and evening routines, for better or for worse, so being without it was difficult. Especially when I wasn't feeling well or couldn't sleep - two things that happen frequently. 

Initially we tried to get our TV for free through the antenna but since it was unsuccessful we started searching for alternative solutions. There are plenty of options available between the cable companies and satellite companies but none of them were reasonably priced. All we want are those basic channels that are offered for free to anyone whose antenna can pick up the signal - ABC, NBC CBS, FOX, and PBS. 

I tend to think that these big TV providers have a seriously outdated business model. Nobody is watching 300 channels but their packages are all set up so that you are forced to pay for a bunch of stuff you will never watch. At the same time you can go online and watch almost anything you want for free. And the handful of programming that isn't available for free will be available on one of the streaming services (Netflix, HULU Plus, etc.) for less than $10/month. 

I do believe that watching what you want, when you want and paying a la carte for it is the future of TV. I don't have a whole lot of faith that the big providers will be flexible enough to keep up. Hubby and I are already conditioned to the alternative viewing options - unable to return to cable or satellite, with their fees and overpriced packages. No thanks.

Unwilling to pay out the nose for these channels we decided to revisit the antenna. Long story short, we got a more powerful antenna, which was enough to pick up the signals. It took us a couple weeks but we are back in business and for that I am thankful.