#560 – Lint
Posted on July 28, 2008 at 12:00 am by Chris
Chapter: Comics
Having been away from watching TV over an antenna for more than 20 years, I was surprised at what was available. When I was a kid in this area there were only 7 stations. Now all of them are broadcasting a digital signal and using that technology to send out multiple streams. I now enjoy 30-40 crystal clear channels through a tiny 12″ long antenna. I think the old 20′ wide antenna in the attic is worth more now as scrap aluminum than it cost when I was installed all those years ago.
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Air broadcasting a growing thing over there? Here, it remains the same old boring big channels since anyone can remember…plus 2-3 small-ish ones. The rest, well, cable seems to be the hip place to be. So glad I don’t have it.
Hehe… I wonder…
I remember my grandma used to have one of those several years ago, we got about 2 1/2 channels and it was in constant need of repair
i think it might still be standing out there, but my grandma has already caught up with the newer technology, so i guess its just an evil figure in the sky now
i miss antennas…nothing like free entertainment. and i miss my missing socks. nothing like know the sock gnomes are stealing your socks…
I really dislike those Sock Gnomes, but thwy tend not to go to my house. I knew that repellent was a good investment.
Does it cut out on static cling, too?
So where DO they go?
I’m just wondering how you got installed?
Too bad in february of next year they won’t be broadcasting over the air anymore. which is bollocks because not everyone can afford to pay a monthly cable bill.
They go to my house, but I throw them away. I have no need for ill-fitting mismatched used socks.
MOnty B – In Feb 2009 (in the USA) they will stop broadcasting analog signals. The free crystal clear digital signals that I described above will continue.
I don’t really get this one…
Wow, 20 feet wide antenna? I think I’ve never seen or heard of a TV antenna that big. I know some radio amateurs have antennas that wide, but I don’t think they usually use them for TV signals.
I still have my old antenna somewhere and it’s some 3-5 feet long, and I considered that big 😀
Btw, around here analog TV broadcasting ended last year and still we only have 13 or so channels. And what about picture quality? Well, in shadow regions the digital may be better, but for many people it’s actually gone worse because of the compression artifacts. (They put too many channels in one mux and thus there’s not enough bandwidth to use high enough bitstream)
Heh, I don’t have satellite or cable. I don’t even watch TV any more. If there’s something good on, I can catch it online, or wait for the DVD. The turnaround has gotten so short….
As for your socks, they disappear long before they make it to the dryer. It’s actually the /washer/ that’s responsible.
I’m serious. If you fill your washer full enough, the socks can get agitated out of the drum and get washed down the drain.
^-.-^
@Grez – Yes, your mileage may vary… but living west of Chicago right now compared to back in 1980… the free TV has improved dramatically.
I knew there were microwave signals coming from my socks, and they told me I was crazy!
..where do they go?
i just kinda lost a sock not too long ago, they were my cute socks too!
Heh. I believe this phrase needs to be re-read:
I think the old 20′ wide antenna in the attic is worth more now as scrap aluminum than it cost when I was installed all those years ago.
OT: My grandma still uses one of those. She gets a couple good channels, most of them aren’t all that great though.
Man! Biff beat me too it! I was going to do that…
Yeah, we have a big 200 foot antenna in our yard (Its really a 200 foot pole with the antenna on top), we live out in the country so it doesn’t effect anyone. It works pretty good, we watch the normal TV stations using that, and we don’t have to pay for the extra packages on our satellite! We will have to upgrade it soon, though, so we can get the digital channels.
I remember when I was really little, my family had a small t.v. with rabbit ears. When I was about six, we traded up to cable and never looked back. Except to point and laugh, of course.
I remember the good ole days of antennas on the TV. I remember some places in the house you couldn’t sit, or sometimes you’d have to stand there and hold the antenna in a certain way to get decent reception.
Chris, you said “… a a tiny 12” long antenna.”
I can’t believe no one else noticed that. 😀
i read 1984
i believe there may be a camera staring me in the face, behind the glass. it may only be in newer tvs, and they’re cutting off antenna broadcasts because the little box has a camera on it, whereas the tv may or may not; they want to be safe.
im glad i dont have a tv in my bathroom…
or is there a camera in the mirror?or showerhead? or *gulp* the….. Toilet seat!?
I couldn’t afford cable for a few years, and I had to attach an antenna to my cable-ready tv. It looked stupid, and there was never anything good on.
If that is the right large antenna it can bring more than original installation cost. It would be the largest pre-digital channel master antenna.
Where I used to live, there was no such thing as cable TV, satellite was out because of mountains to the south. That meant we got two channels sort of, Fox late at night and really only fuzzy sound, hardly any picture, and Univision, TV Azteca, and Telemundo. The digital upgrade can’t be good for everyone still living there…