The upsurge in TV antenna popularity is persuading Sioux Fall residents to consider purchasing a rooftop antenna in order to gain independence from pay-television companies. As simple as a TV antenna appears to be, the thought of purchasing the perfect one to get the most out your money can be overwhelming for an antenna virgin.

Here are the top factors to consider when purchasing and installing an antenna.

Signal Quality. HDTV antennas broadcast digital signals on one of two frequencies, VHF (very high frequency) and UHF (ultra high frequency). In beer terms, ultra is better than very and the same can be said for TV antennas. The majority of broadcasts use UHF, however to increase your chances of locating every possible signal choosing an antenna that receives both signals is ideal.

Range of Signal. The type of rooftop antenna you buy will ultimately decide your ability to reach out and grab signals. Most directional and multi-directional antennas will catch signals up to 30 or more miles away. Premium, high-quality antennas can locate signals up to 65 miles in distance. As always, terrain, construction and the availability of a broadcast tower will affect the signal range available.

Set-up and Install. Some antennas emerge out of their boxes a jumbled mess. Others will be divided and labeled with clear, concise directions. If you are putting your own antenna together, you will want to go with a model that is easy to set-up.

At TV Antenna Installers, we don’t want you to deal with the hassle of the set-up. Hiring professional antenna installers to erect your rooftop antenna will provide you with a hands-free, easy set-up to get you on your couch faster, remote control in hand. Skip the DIY install.

Professional Install. While the above tips are accurate and will help any Sioux Falls resident find the right antenna for their situation, hiring a professional to set-up your antenna is the quickest way to ensure you are picking the right model for your location. Why second-guess yourself?

If you have been researching rooftop antennas, you have probably been immersed in a bath of technical terms that may make you feel like you need to learn a whole new language to simply set-up an antenna to watch free TV. We are here to help! Listed below are some of the common usage terms associated with antennas. We hope these help you translate the antenna descriptions with a bit more ease.

OTA – These three little words are the essence of free TV. They simply stand for over-the-air which is how free local broadcasting signals are distributed. This is the difference between cable and antenna TV reception.

VHF – This is one type of frequency that OTA signals are transmitted. VHF stands for very high frequency.

UHF – Another OTA frequency, these letters signify the ultra high frequency means of transmitting OTA signals. This frequency is the way the majority of the OTA signals are transmitted from local broadcast towers.

Broadcast Tower – Towers are structures where TV and radio signals are produced for the free, general use of the public. To access the signals transmitted equipment, such as a rooftop antenna, are required.

Rooftop Antenna – This antenna received the broadcast tower signals and is generally located on a structures roof. However, these types of antennas can also be mounted in attics.

Indoor Antenna – These are rabbit ears. Although, today’s rabbit ears look nothing like their 1960 predecessors, they are sleek and modern.

Directional Antenna – This rooftop antenna is installed to face one direction to pick up digital frequencies.

Multi-Directional Antenna – This type of antenna is designed to pick up signals from multiple directions (north, south, east and west). This can increase your antenna’s ability to pick up more stations without the owner needing to manually climb on top the roof and adjust the antenna.

The definitions listed above are a quick overview of the most widely used terms. For specific questions, it is always advised to call an antenna professional who services the Madison, Wisconsin area. A professional will always be able to answer your questions.

Have you decided to hire a professional installer to set-up your rooftop antenna? Are you unsure about the process? Well, every company and service is different, but we would like to share with you what Detroit customers can expect when they call TV Antenna Installers to help them find a local professional to install their new rooftop antenna.

The process is broken down into two steps. Yes, you read that correctly. Two steps are all it takes to have your new rooftop antenna become a reality. We want to make the process easy and what is easier than counting to two?

First, when you call us we will ask you some questions. These are easy to answer. No need to study. If fact we will tell you the questions now so you are prepared. Ready?

• Is this an install, repair or an adjustment of a TV antenna you already own?
• What is the terrain of the land where you reside (hills, valley, heavily wooded, tall surrounding buildings...etc.)
• Typical weather conditions
• Time line of when you want job completed

We ask you these questions in order to find the ideal antenna professionals in the Detroit vicinity to best assist you with your antenna installation.

The second, and final step, is that we will then match you with up to 4 professional installers in your area whose qualifications match your needs. You will be emailed their profile, website information, contact information and reviews from past customer experience.

We do all of this for you for a total cost of NOTHING! Yep, we want your quest to enjoy free TV to be a painless and cost-effective as possible. What can be more cost-effective than free? You can call around looking for an impeccable installer or let someone else do the work. We think you will choose the last option.

Residents of New Haven, Milford and Bridgeport are catching on to the exciting perks of installing and owning a rooftop antenna. But searching for a licensed professional installer can be an intimidating task. At TV Antenna Installers, we offer a free service to help you find the right installer for your situation. However, it is important for homeowners to feel empowered and informed when making a decision about who to hire to install their antenna.

When hiring a professional it is imperative to ask these fundamental questions:

• Are all your employees subjected to thorough criminal & sex offender background checks on a yearly basis?
• Is your company insured? What is the amount of your policy and what does it cover? (This is not a nosy question. Homeowners must know what could happen if a professional is injured on the job.)
• Is the professional installer registered with the proper state licensing authorities? What other names has the company operated under, if applicable?
• Personal references. Ask for them and follow up by calling at least three references. Ask those that were referred by the professional specific questions regarding the service and installation.
• Check the county courthouse for a record of bankruptcy, liens, judgments, etc.
• Check with the BBB (Better Business Bureau) for complaints and resolutions. Be wary. Even if complaints have been resolved, an overwhelming about of complaints should be cause for further investigation or the decision not to hire that professional.

Being knowledgeable of the professionals that you are choosing to hire is essential to preparing for a smooth rooftop antenna installation. Asking the above questions, does not make you intrusive. It tells the professional from the very beginning that you know what you want and that you expect the installer/customer relationship to be truthful and forthright. This will safeguard you, the consumer, from any potential pitfalls of hiring a professional who is far from professional.

What type of TV do I need to receive free over-the-air HDTV signals? This is a question we are asked over and over again. Since the digital conversion occurred in 2009, many homeowners who want to take advantage of free local programming ask this question often. Truthfully, it is not the type of TV that you have, but the equipment to go along with your TV.

Unless you have a very old TV, you most likely are already in a good position to receive free OTA broadcast signal. An antenna professional can access your situation and decide if your TV needs a converter box, but chances are it doesn’t. Televisions sold these days and over the past few years, are already up to the digital standards.

The proper equipment you need to receive free HDTV signals is an antenna. This antenna can be a rooftop antenna or an indoor antenna. In areas where there is little signal interference from terrain, dense construction materials or tall buildings, an indoor antenna that sits on top or near your TV may give you the access you desire.  An indoor antenna may also be a desirable option for renters who do not want to go through the hassle of installing a rooftop antenna.

However, the majority of homeowners choose to erect a rooftop antenna. This is the ideal antenna choice because it can be mounted at the highest point possible on a structure. The higher an antenna is able to be installed, the easier the antenna will be able to reach out and grab the digital signals without interference from natural and man-made barriers.

Other equipment/accessories needed to access free digital signals include cables, the proper installation tools and general know-how. That is why is it highly discouraged that homeowners try to make an antenna installation a DIY weekend project. Call a professional to install your antenna and you will be enjoying free TV safely and quickly.

Kerri, from Boston, MA, recently ventured out on her own and is on a tight budget. She wants to have access to television programming, but isn’t sure she wants the hassle of a monthly cable bill. Here is the question she emailed to us.

“I am a recent college graduate and a first-time renter. My complex is able to receive service from our local cable company, but when I called to inquire about subscription pricing I was astounded to discover that I would have to choose between paying my car insurance each month and having TV. A friend suggested that I ask my complex to install a rooftop antenna, but I don’t know how to approach my landlord. Can I really ask them to install an antenna just so I can get free TV?” Kerri, Boston

This question brings to mind the saying, “You won’t know if you don’t ask.” That is exactly true in this situation. It is true that your landlord does not have to comply with your request to erect an antenna on his or her property, but here are some points you can make to strengthen your request.

• Installing an antenna on the apartment grounds will allow more tenants the choice of free TV.
• With less money spent on cable subscription, renters will be less likely to default or be late with rent.
• Free TV service provided by an antenna will bring more potential renters to the complex. A potential renter may be more likely to sign a lease with a complex that has free TV as an added perk.

If your landlord still doesn’t seem sold on the idea, you could consider installing an antenna yourself at your own cost. For more information on renters installing their own rooftop antennas, click here.

The District of Columbia may be the center of our government, but it is also known for free entertainment. While Americans may complain about the amount of taxes paid each year, the District of Columbia has an abundance of free museums, memorials and attractions designed to entertain and educate. In addition to these free establishments, residents if the District can also get free HDTV without a monthly cable bill.

How? It is no secret that the cost of living in our nation’s capital is expensive.  Housing, transportation and food prices are sky-high, but severing ties with your cable company is one way to cut expenses. Cable companies taunt you with their HDTV programming, but anyone can receive free HDTV by purchasing and installing a rooftop antenna or, in some cases, an indoor antenna.

HDTV is digital TV. In 2009, the old analog signals that were broadcasted from the nation’s local towers were converted to digital signals. All stations were required to switch. This means that all signals transmitted freely over the air from broadcast towers are digital and high-def.  As long as you have a means to receive these signals from an antenna, you will receive multiple stations of local programming absolutely free.

No, you will not receive cable networks free with a rooftop antenna, but many of today’s most popular cable stations make their episodes available online which can be streamed directly to your TV as long as it is connected to the Internet. This can be done with Internet ready TVs.

Finding a professional installer in your area is easy and inexpensive. Households in the D.C. area can expect to purchase and install a rooftop antenna for about $150 dollars. This is a one-time cost, not a monthly subscription fee. Give us a call and we will set you up with an installer in your area quicker than you can say free TV.

Did you know that HDTV is free? Really, it is! Cable and satellite companies send out promotional material urging customers to upgrade to get the best picture possible, but usually these promotional postcards have a lot of fine print designed to lure Honolulu residents into extending contracts and renting, for an additional fee, HD receivers.

So, if HDTV is free to the general public, why are cable and satellite companies charging customers hundreds of dollars each month? Simply stated, the reason that these companies have gotten away with charging high prices for TV service is because we forgot that once upon a time TV was free. Cable didn’t exist and customers received local programming from rooftop antennas.

What changed? Well, time changed and alternative programming like MTV, HBO and CNN became hot commodities. Honolulu customers jumped on the opportunity to have more variety in their television programming. Analog TV signals did not provide the luxurious shows residents wanted. Soon, rooftop antennas became endangered, nearly forgotten.

As the years passed, more and more cable networks were formed and more choices were offered to consumers – at a price. No longer was cable a cheap alternative to over-the-air broadcasting. With each new channel added, a new package was needed therefore increasing cable service. In 2009, when the digital conversion occurred cable companies held onto customers by assuring them that their television signal was safe and sound as long as they kept their current cable subscription. No matter the age of their TV, customers would be certain to never miss a single program.

Well, three years have passed since the digital conversion and while customers may still have their cable, their HDTV packages and a picture quality that is decent what they do not have is free HDTV. If you want to know how to get free HDTV, click here and we will tell you how.

Maybe, maybe not. By now most people have seamlessly made the switch from analog to digital without noticing an interruption in their service. However, if you are a Manchester resident who has an older, analog TV and has relied on cable, but now want to switch to a rooftop antenna to receive HDTV signals you may need a convertor box.

If you have an old analog TV set you will need to connect it to a digital-to-analog converter box to begin the process of receiving a digital signal. This converter box will need to be connected between the antenna used for receiving the digital signal and the convertor box. If you already have a rooftop antenna installed, you may consider upgrading your TV instead of purchasing a convertor box.

Yes, a convertor box will be cheaper than a new television, but with technology continuously upgrading it may make better financial sense to purchase a digital ready TV.

Digital ready TV’s have many feature besides being able to receive digital signals. These TVs are often equipped to allow you to run an Ethernet cord between your TV and wireless Internet connection so that you can watch Internet TV. If you are cancelling your cable subscription, you may still want to watch some of your favorite shows that will not be available on local programming. Upgrading your TV will allow you to stream these shows free from the Internet, when applicable, straight to your TV.

Newer TVs also boast a sleeker style that is adaptable to a living space. They can be mounted on walls, above fireplaces and moved easier than older TVs. Another reason to consider upgrading instead of simply adding a converter box is that technology makes it possible to play home movies, share photos and music by connecting other electronic devices to the TV with a universal USB cord.

So, I suppose the question posed to Manchester residents with older TVs is this: Is a convertor box the best choice for enjoying the free technology upgrades to consumers? Only you can answer that question.

Have you recently made the switch from satellite to a rooftop antenna? If so, you may have that circular dish still hanging out on your roof or sitting unceremoniously in your garage. Sure, you can throw it away, but what is the fun in that? Instead, here are some creative tips for reusing your old satellite dish in the spirit of the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle movement.

In all fairness, before we go any further, I have to admit my own lack of creativity. The suggestions here were found on The National Geographic website. I picked some of my favorites to share with you.

Small Satellite Dishes

These dishes can be sturdy sleds for the kids in the winter time. Why bother buying a piece of plastic that is susceptible to breakage. A sturdy satellite dish will do the trick!

These types of satellites can also be used as water features or birdbaths for the songbirds that flitter and fly in your backyard. You will need to plug up any holes, but after that you can sit the satellite in your backyard, fill with a little water and enjoy.

Large Satellite Dishes

With these contraptions you can invert the dish and use it to cover a sandbox or fire pit. If you are ambitious, you can even use these types of dishes to create a bog garden (don’t worry I had to look the definition up, too. A bog garden is a piece of land laid out and irrigated to grow plants which prefer a damp habitat). You would need to sink the dish into the land to create the illusion of a shallow pond. Creating a bog garden could actually be a great experiment to do with your kids who are bored by their summer break.

In summary, there are many ways for Salt Lake City residents to use a satellite dish aside from receiving TV shows. If you decide installing a rooftop antenna is more in line with your needs and budget, you will be sure to continue to have hours of fun with your satellite dish in different, unique ways.