<div dir="ltr">first hook up a temporary antenna, put it near your window, scan your TV and see how many channels you can get.</div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, 29 Nov 2023 at 15:20, Karen Lewellen <<a href="mailto:klewellen@shellworld.net">klewellen@shellworld.net</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">I still have the box, but have not been a rogers customer since 2017 or <br>
so.<br>
you are suggesting that I can use the box for the digitization process?<br>
plugging things into the rogers box?<br>
or use the port for cox to plug in this antenna?<br>
if so that will be magical, as I have both cable, and know where that port <br>
is!<br>
and the antenna, if I want to buy one is in the <a href="http://walmart.ca" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">walmart.ca</a> link?<br>
that referenced HDMI, will check that..this is becoming quite <br>
sensational!<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On Wed, 29 Nov 2023, Don Tai wrote:<br>
<br>
> There should be a specific port just for "antenna" or "ANT", a coax cable<br>
> port, or the port that you plug in your Rogers cable. Unplug your Rogers<br>
> cable and plug in your antenna. It should not affect your other ports. You<br>
> should not need to change anything else.<br>
><br>
> On Wed, 29 Nov 2023 at 13:13, Karen Lewellen <<a href="mailto:klewellen@shellworld.net" target="_blank">klewellen@shellworld.net</a>><br>
> wrote:<br>
><br>
>> Don,<br>
>> Can you be more specific about the digital TV side?<br>
>> My Toshiba is quite fancy, however I have a number of converter units<br>
>> that may bridge the gap.<br>
>> have wondered if I connected an antenna to a spot for one on the set if<br>
>> that<br>
>> would do the trick.<br>
>> or if I reconnected one of the existing digital converter units I have,<br>
>> got them from both radio shack and the source years back, if that might<br>
>> do the trick..<br>
>> Going to check my TV manual, as well.<br>
>><br>
>> Thanks!<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> On Wed, 29 Nov 2023, Don Tai via talk wrote:<br>
>><br>
>>> I've been using Over the Air OTA TV for 10 years now, and have been happy<br>
>>> with the free service. The digital signals are uncompressed, providing<br>
>>> visibly higher quality images than Rogers (My Mum's service). I receive<br>
>> 17<br>
>>> digital channels, Southern Ontario and Buffalo, despite my neighbour's<br>
>>> large evergreen. OTA works well during clear, rain and snow storms, but<br>
>> may<br>
>>> go out during foggy weather.<br>
>>><br>
>>> You will need a digital TV (slim width one), and an antenna. The antenna<br>
>>> can be as simple as a coat hanger, but a better one will get you more<br>
>>> stations. Simply attach the antenna to your TV, place the antenna near a<br>
>>> window and rescan your TV with the antenna option and presto, free<br>
>>> digital uncompressed TV stations will magically appear. There is no cost.<br>
>>> If you dislike it you just rescan your TV to cable.<br>
>>><br>
>>> <a href="http://tvfool.com" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">tvfool.com</a> will generally tell you in which direction to point your<br>
>>> antenna, though downtown there may be signal bouncing off nearby<br>
>> buildings,<br>
>>> so you might need to experiment. A free TV guide is available at<br>
>>> <a href="https://tvlistings.zap2it.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://tvlistings.zap2it.com/</a> just put in your postal code, antenna,<br>
>>> "Local Over the Air Broadcast" and a schedule appears.<br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>> On Wed, 29 Nov 2023 at 04:07, Evan Leibovitch via talk <<a href="mailto:talk@gtalug.org" target="_blank">talk@gtalug.org</a>><br>
>>> wrote:<br>
>>><br>
>>>> One option available to some cord cutters is going back to the antenna.<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> I have one on my rooftop and it does quite a good job of picking up<br>
>>>> Toronto and Buffalo channels, which I find preferable to the Robellus<br>
>>>> options for two reasons:<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> - The off-air signal is not compressed so it can be noticeably<br>
>> sharper<br>
>>>> than cable or satellite<br>
>>>> - The cable/dish options usually get their US feeds from Detroit or<br>
>>>> Boston or some such; Buffalo local news and weather will be more<br>
>> relevant<br>
>>>> to me<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> This isn't just limited to people with their own houses. A good small<br>
>> UHF<br>
>>>> antenna can also work well from an apartment building, especially if<br>
>> you're<br>
>>>> south-facing. I once lived on an upper floor in a St. Jamestown tower<br>
>>>> (Wellesley/Parliament) and my reception was outstanding with just a<br>
>> simple<br>
>>>> loop. A really good website for determining what you can get at your<br>
>>>> location is <a href="http://tvfool.com" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">tvfool.com</a>.<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> I use these channels mainly for local news, sports and weather. Most<br>
>>>> actual programming can be found on the web, either through a<br>
>> subscription<br>
>>>> to a service like Crave or ... there are other paths<br>
>>>> <<br>
>> <a href="https://www.howtogeek.com/71315/the-how-to-geek-guide-to-getting-started-with-usenet/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.howtogeek.com/71315/the-how-to-geek-guide-to-getting-started-with-usenet/</a><br>
>>> .<br>
>>>> I also have a tuner called an HDHomerun that takes antenna input and<br>
>>>> provides it through your home network (ie, accessible to your PCs and<br>
>>>> phones) so you don't even need a coax-input TV.<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> Of course you can in theory receive over the air channels using an<br>
>> antenna<br>
>>>>> and an ATSC tuner, but if you are in a basement that seems unlikely to<br>
>> work.<br>
>>>>><br>
>>>><br>
>>>> For the expense of a simple loop<br>
>>>> <<br>
>> <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Antenna-Indoor-Amplified-Digital-Miles-Support/dp/B0BWDSXVLG/ref=sr_1_20" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.ca/Antenna-Indoor-Amplified-Digital-Miles-Support/dp/B0BWDSXVLG/ref=sr_1_20</a><br>
>>><br>
>>>> -- some are available for under $25, and you can return it if it doesn't<br>
>>>> work -- if you're close enough to the CN Tower you might be surprised.<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> - Evan<br>
>>>><br>
>>>><br>
>>>> On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 12:23 AM Karen Lewellen via talk <<br>
>> <a href="mailto:talk@gtalug.org" target="_blank">talk@gtalug.org</a>><br>
>>>> wrote:<br>
>>>><br>
>>>>> Hi,<br>
>>>>> If I could get the digital box, without having to use a modem, I would<br>
>>>>> likely be fine, because the digital box would tap into the existing<br>
>>>>> blanket internet wireless wise would it not?<br>
>>>>> In fact that was my landlord's idea adding an extra receiver to his<br>
>>>>> account, for which I would pay the rental, as it is just on another<br>
>> floor.<br>
>>>>> I am curious how the antenna idea works, I am above ground for the area<br>
>>>>> where my television sits, so perhaps? what do I need?<br>
>>>>> Oh boy does my television have optical outs..in spades<br>
>>>>> The DVD player has an HDMI port, I imagined connecting the cable box<br>
>> to<br>
>>>>> this, and since the set is connected to the player it would be enough.<br>
>>>>> I still have my old Roger's digital cable box, the one they provided<br>
>> for<br>
>>>>> older televisions as well.<br>
>>>>> wish I had fewer trees, not only is satellite less complex, from bell<br>
>>>>> there<br>
>>>>> are channels automatically provided with audio description for the<br>
>>>>> blind<br>
>>>>> enabled..they do not provide this for Fibe.<br>
>>>>> Kare<br>
>>>>><br>
>>>>><br>
>>>>><br>
>>>>> On Wed, 29 Nov 2023, Lennart Sorensen wrote:<br>
>>>>><br>
>>>>>> On Tue, Nov 28, 2023 at 08:09:47PM -0500, Karen Lewellen via talk<br>
>> wrote:<br>
>>>>>>> Hi folks,<br>
>>>>>>> before simply saying you avoid television, Part of what I do<br>
>>>>> professionally<br>
>>>>>>> means accessing a great deal, news channels and other things for<br>
>>>>> example.<br>
>>>>>>> And for me, the, I will just watch it on my computer is a nailed shut<br>
>>>>> door.<br>
>>>>>>> This entire property is Bell fibe saturated which while it might<br>
>>>>> translate<br>
>>>>>>> to one of their fibe TV boxes working for me, its almost December and<br>
>>>>> I am<br>
>>>>>>> no closer to my land line solution..even with photographs of the<br>
>>>>> existing<br>
>>>>>>> jacks.<br>
>>>>>>> So,I am wondering if at all, it is still possible from anyone to<br>
>>>>> simply find<br>
>>>>>>> old fashioned cable box cable.<br>
>>>>>>> I have all the rest of the equipment, and it all works..even my VCR.<br>
>>>>>>> I am even wondering if, since the place is so saturated for wireless,<br>
>>>>> if I<br>
>>>>>>> got an older apple TV, third gen still had optical connectors, or a<br>
>>>>> rocku, I<br>
>>>>>>> could come up with something. not as good as regular cable, but I am<br>
>>>>>>> grasping for ideas.<br>
>>>>>>> thoughts?<br>
>>>>>><br>
>>>>>> Bell's Fibe service has only ever worked with their boxes. Rogers<br>
>> cable<br>
>>>>>> has been moving to all digital over the last quite a few years, and<br>
>>>>>> analog cable (that a VCR could directly tune) has been gone for a<br>
>> while,<br>
>>>>>> with everything going digital. They even gave people free little<br>
>> boxes<br>
>>>>>> for a while to connect to older TVs that could tune the basic digital<br>
>>>>>> channels but I don't think they even do that anymore. I think<br>
>>>>> everything<br>
>>>>>> now involves a digital cable box. On top of that they have been<br>
>> moving<br>
>>>>>> to IP based systems (Rogers Ignite) for a number of years and I doubt<br>
>>>>>> they would install the legacy digital cable anymore for new accounts.<br>
>>>>>> Definitely no analog cable left anymore.<br>
>>>>>><br>
>>>>>> Of course you can in theory receive over the air channels using an<br>
>>>>>> attenna and an ATSC tuner, but if you are in a basement that seems<br>
>>>>>> unlikely to work.<br>
>>>>>><br>
>>>>>> So unfortunately as far as I can see, the only things you can get<br>
>> these<br>
>>>>>> days is Bell Fibe or Rogers Ignite, both of which require using a box<br>
>>>>>> from the respective company and only outputs HDMI. VCRs won't do<br>
>>>>> anything<br>
>>>>>> with that, and older TVs won't either.<br>
>>>>>><br>
>>>>>> The streaming method might work, although if you were looking to get<br>
>>>>>> access to local TV stations, I have no idea if any of the streaming<br>
>>>>>> services offer that.<br>
>>>>>><br>
>>>>>> As far as I can find, some of the Bell Fibe boxes have optical audio<br>
>>>>> out.<br>
>>>>>> The Rogers Ignite boxes do not appear to have it. Of course some TVs<br>
>>>>>> also have optical audio out, so it might not have to be optical out on<br>
>>>>>> the box you are receiving with, if the TV has that.<br>
>>>>>><br>
>>>>>> --<br>
>>>>>> Len Sorensen<br>
>>>>>><br>
>>>>> ---<br>
>>>>> Post to this mailing list <a href="mailto:talk@gtalug.org" target="_blank">talk@gtalug.org</a><br>
>>>>> Unsubscribe from this mailing list<br>
>>>>> <a href="https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk</a><br>
>>>>><br>
>>>><br>
>>>><br>
>>>> --<br>
>>>> Evan Leibovitch, Toronto Canada<br>
>>>> @evanleibovitch / @el56<br>
>>>> ---<br>
>>>> Post to this mailing list <a href="mailto:talk@gtalug.org" target="_blank">talk@gtalug.org</a><br>
>>>> Unsubscribe from this mailing list<br>
>>>> <a href="https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk</a><br>
>>>><br>
>>><br>
></blockquote></div>