Is this a SCAM ?

AlbertHall

Joined Jun 4, 2014
12,625
In the UK we have Freeview which transmits terrestrial TV channels for free and includes many HD channels and is including more channels and more HD channels all the time. I don't know the situation in the US but it is clearly possible. I can receive these broadcasts very well on a random length of wire connected to the aerial socket.
 

bertus

Joined Apr 5, 2008
22,924
Hello,

I just created a PDF from the given page.
I think it is illegal.
In europe they just banned the setup boxes for free TV.

Bertus
 

Attachments

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
It is called creative advertising. A similar commercial runs here. They make it sound like they are selling you something special. In reality it is just a simple TV antenna.
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
30,660
I get it all free over the internet with a Android specialty box.
World wide programs and news.
I pay for the internet anyway.
Max.
 

JohnInTX

Joined Jun 26, 2012
4,787
It is called creative advertising. A similar commercial runs here. They make it sound like they are selling you something special. In reality it is just a simple TV antenna.
+1. The Fox channel they refer to is Fox-owned local affiliates, not Fox News, Fox Business etc. ESPN is also not OTA. Those would be the 'few channels' that you couldn't get. But, if it is broadcast over the air within range, you can receive it. It's amazing to us old guys to see this kind of 'duh' advertising but lots of younger adults have never known anything but cable or some such so it is a novel idea.

There are lots of over the air channels that are also on cable and many of the big networks transmit in HD when cable charges more for HD but this is creative advertising at its extreme, borderline deceptive.
 

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
+1. The Fox channel they refer to is Fox-owned local affiliates, not Fox News, Fox Business etc. ESPN is also not OTA. Those would be the 'few channels' that you couldn't get. But, if it is broadcast over the air within range, you can receive it. It's amazing to us old guys to see this kind of 'duh' advertising but lots of younger adults have never known anything but cable or some such so it is a novel idea.

There are lots of over the air channels that are also on cable and many of the big networks transmit in HD when cable charges more for HD but this is creative advertising at its extreme, borderline deceptive.
I am an old guy from the days when there was no such thing as cable. I was intrigued by the add at first until I read the fine print and realized what they were selling snake oil.
 

JohnInTX

Joined Jun 26, 2012
4,787
I'm old, too. Enough to remember 300ohm twin lead to the B&W set AND to remember later when pay-for-cable TV meant no advertisements. Now, most channels are completely unwatchable due to the constant ads. I dropped it years ago, use a Weingard FlatWave OTA, Netflix and Amazon.
Sorry, off topic - @spinnaker made me do it!
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
30,660
Do you get your local channels free?
For the most part, the only thing that is missing is local news, but I have the radio on all day also the local TV stations show most of the news on their web site, also the local newspaper site.
The rest of the program content is broadcast on Canadian national TV and I get these.
For world news there is scads of worldwide stations.
All the first run movies and TV shows,AD free , also if you are a sports fan there is channels devoted to it.
Max.
 

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
I's. Now, most channels are completely unwatchable due to the constant ads. I dropped it years ago, use a Weingard FlatWave OTA, Netflix and Amazon.
Sorry, off topic - @spinnaker made me do it!
I dropped cable years ago. Mostly because of my favorite channels like Discovery and The History channel went to "reality" shows. I record using NPVR OTA. No commercials! :) NPVR will do the stripping for you but it simply produces a skip files that gets accessed when you watch. But I use MCE Buddy that actually strips the commercials and converts them to any format you want. I then use Kodi to watch the content. I have a HDHomeRun tuner which I highly recommend. It sits on your network and is addressable by any PC or tablet that has the software loaded. If my multi medis PC is down I can watch using my tablet.

The only downside of OTA is like what is happening now. Raining cats and dogs. Reception is horrible. I used to live in one of the highest points in the county and reception was always pretty good but I moved down the hill a bit and my LOS is not as nearly as good as it used to be.
 

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
For the most part, the only thing that is missing is local news, but I have the radio on all day also the local TV stations show most of the news on their web site, also the local newspaper site.
The rest of the program content is broadcast on Canadian national TV and I get these.
For world news there is scads of worldwide stations.
All the first run movies and TV shows,AD free , also if you are a sports fan there is channels devoted to it.
Max.

Wonder if we have something similar. I have Kodi and they have a plugin for all of the major networks. I can get any of the shows recorded from the big 3, commercial free.
But no live broadcast like football games.
 

#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
I get about 56 channels with a VHF/UHF antenna on a pole. There is nothing illegal about it. There is no magic box cracking proprietary codes. It's merely the local broadcasters broadcasting. This has been continuous since the 1950's. Most people can get at least a dozen channels with a coat hanger for an antenna. People who don't know this send money to buy a glorified coat hanger.
 
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