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About this blog

Tech Loop will keep you on the cutting edge by reviewing the latest gadgets, roadtesting new techie services around Chicago and checking in on local startups you should know more about. Have a gizmo you'd like to send for a review? Know of a gizmo that I should review? Contact me at windytech@gmail.com

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Feedback on ditching Comcast for free digital TV

Yesterday Tech Loop posted a how-to guide on replacing Comcast with clear, free, over-the-air digital TV.

We've been getting tons of great comments from around the Web offering more ideas as well as criticisms regarding the over-the-air solution. Here are the best ones:

jrockway on Hacker News says:

In this era of Hulu, Amazon Video, Netflix Instant, iTunes, and Bittorrent, there is absolutely no reason to pay $100/month for television.

Pinaki "Generic Indian Guy" S. on Yelp says:

I stuck a coaxial cable, left it hanging  towards downtown, and I get 25 channels, 6 in HD, most in digital.

Matt "L.O." L. on Yelp says:

I was living in a 9th story apartment on Oak St. and was watching 24 in crystal clear 720p. The key, imo, is a powered antenna. The newer ones seem to derive power from the coax itself, but my old one actually has to be plugged into a wall outlet.

Criticisms:

Lori "with the faulty tastebuds" L .on Yelp says:

When my antenna doesn't pick up a station, there is no 'in between.'  It's just a blank screen.

Anna Tarkov on Windy Citizen says:

Fascinating. But definitely too DIY for me. Also, I don't love the idea of having only myself to call if something goes awry.

Miguel "The second rat gets the cheese" R. on Yelp says:

I like my HBO, Skinimax, On demand movies, and tons of other "cable" channels.....  Sorry mr. antenna you're just too 70's for me...

By far the best comment is from falsestprophet on Hacker News, who says:

I found the best way to hack television is to ignore it altogether.

As the "Skinimax" dude points out above, you won't get premium channels or programming using an antenna. That's where Hulu, Boxee, Netflix and a handful of other streaming video apps come in.

Next week, Tech Loop will show you how to begin pulling in all that great on-demand content from the Internet, and combine it with over-the-air digital TV for a Comcast-free TV viewing experience.

Update: Yelp pulled the thread last week claiming it violated their terms.

4 Discussions What do you think?. Click here to start a discussion! ↓


Comments

! 1 points by E 29 weeks 6 days ago

What happened to the Yelp thread?

Yelp pulled the thread last week claiming it violated their terms.

Yelp is corrupt. Period.

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About this blog

Tech Loop will keep you on the cutting edge by reviewing the latest gadgets, roadtesting new techie services around Chicago and checking in on local startups you should know more about. Have a gizmo you'd like to send for a review? Know of a gizmo that I should review? Contact me at windytech@gmail.com

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