The Tech Loft

Perfect Gift Ideas for the Cord-Cutter in Your Life Searching for the perfect gift for a cord-cutter in your life? Whether it's for Christmas, a birthday, or any occasion, here are some fantastic gift ideas that cater to those who’ve ditched traditional cable and embraced streaming and free broadcast TV. Gifts Under $50 1. Over-the-Air TV Antenna Every cord-cutter should have an Over-the-Air (OTA) antenna to enjoy free, live local broadcasts. For those living in urban areas, a compact indoor antenna is a great choice. If your recipient is in a suburban or rural area, consider a larger outdoor antenna for better reception. Not sure if the antenna will work at their address? Use an online tool to check for available broadcast signals in their location. 2. Streaming Service Gift Cards Almost every major streaming service offers gift cards that can be used for new subscriptions or to extend existing ones...

My over the air setup is very basic and anyone can get involved and start receiving FREE HDTV in their homes. What I have done is write this ota buyers guide based on my ota setup which is currently up and running. When I first began receiving over the air TV, my setup was the following (October 2006): Channel Master 4 Bay Antenna –  http://amzn.to/1XWD4if  *I no longer use Channel Master 2 Way Splitter/Amplifier –  http://amzn.to/1WIAzgT I had my antenna hanging in the attic and had it fed into a amplified splitter. Not sure if my setup was correct but it worked. I placed the amplifier near the antenna so the signal was strong as if traveled to my TV. Think back, I should have added a pre-amplifier…which are supposed to be installed at the antenna. Oh well…live and learn, but it worked. In 2012 we moved into our new house which was a 5 minute drive SOUTH of where we lived. After living in the new place for 3 years, I’ve finally got off my ass and installed...

Readers, I started looking into OTA broadcasts in 2004. At the time, I was living in a small town house in Oak Ridges…actually, more accurately, Temperance Ontario. Which is a km West of downtown Oak Ridges. At the townhouse, I was using a Channel Master 4 Bay antenna and 2 way amplifier. From what I recall, the most channels I was able to receive at the time was 22 channels. A mix of Toronto and U.S. broadcasts from Grand Island NY. The U.S. stations were hit and miss. Some U.S. stations broadcast at high power while others, low power. FOX (29-1) was a tricky little channel to receive but WNLO (23-1) was an easy one to pick up. We had our ups and downs but 20-22 channels is not a bad deal. Fast forward to 2015 and we’re back with over the air hdtv! We moved in 2012 and been antennaless since then. I was fortunate enough at the town house to pass a cable from the attic, down an air return vent into the basement. I the new house, I wasn’t so fortunate. I knew, for an at...

Another friend of mine has erected an antenna in front of his house. Pulling 30 channels, he too will pull the plug on his cable and move off the ‘cable grid’. I also found the following ‘OTA Manifesto’ in my Inbox a few days ago. Please read: “Comrades, One home at a time, one neighbourhood at a time, we will slay the Rogers dragon, and lift the citizens of this great nation from the slumber of monopolistic tyranny!  The corporate CEOs will swing by their necks from the antennae that will rise from every homestead!  The myriad Indians employed at abroad call centres will return to their slums with their heads held high! Onwards and Upwards! Death to Monopoly, Freedom to the Viewers!”

This post may be the most helpful post I’ve ever written for residence of Toronto and for many Canadian cities along the US/Canadian boarder. I know for a fact that when someone walks into a BestBuy of Futureshop here in Canada looking for an HDTV they are told that to take advantage of the crip clear picture you have to either subscribe to Bell ExpressVue or Rogers Digital Cable. To all my Canadian friends out there, that is a load of shit (for most of the nation)! Forget the big cable and satellite companies, ‘rabbit ears’ will get you even better HDTV reception. Since I live near Toronto, this topic will discuss receiving FREE TV in and around Toronto. So let’s get on with it shall we? In the US, the deadline has been given to all broadcasters that they must now broadcast digitally and turn off their analogue signal. So what signal are we talking about? Good old UHF and VHF. Yes, the technology our grandparents used when they came to this country is coming bac...