Ezekiel Sung, Author at Sail Internet

While you might think that canceling your traditional cable plan will keep you from watching local news or regional sports channels, today’s cable alternatives offer numerous options for accessing local TV. If you’re making moves to cut ties with your cable TV provider, you might be wondering how to watch local TV without cable.

In this guide, we’re exploring everything you need to know about keeping your local channel access when cutting the cord. We’ll help you assess your needs and teach you how to watch local channels without cable.

If you’re ready to save on your TV bills without missing out on local programming, read on.

Assess your needs

Before we dive into traditional cable alternatives (and how to watch local TV channels without cable), let’s assess the kinds of channels you’re looking to keep when you cut the cord.

First, make a list of the channels, programs or formats you regularly watch, like:

Daytime television – Daytime talk shows, soap operas, shopping channels
News programs – Local and national news, news specials
Primetime network shows – Comedies and dramas that air weekly
Sports – Professional sports, college sports, special sports events (like the Olympics)
Movies – On-demand movies, classic movies, new releases

Once you have a list of the types of content you’re looking for, you can evaluate which cable alternative will best match your needs. Luckily, many of the needs above are relatively easy to achieve with alternatives like streaming services, especially:

Movies
Primetime network shows
News specials

But for local-leaning programs like sports, news and daytime television, you might need to look closely at alternative options to make sure they offer access. It’s important to note that, to completely replace your traditional cable, you might need a combination of solutions, like:

Bundled streaming services
Streaming subscriptions that offer live TV options
Streaming services and apps from local broadcasters

We’ll break down these options in more detail below.

How to watch local channels without cable

Once you have a definitive list of the channels, formats and programs you’ll need from a cable alternative, you can start assessing your options. Luckily, the market is full of competitive programming offers for every set of viewing preferences.

Let’s explore three popular options for watching local TV without a traditional cable subscription.

Digital antenna

Digital antennas aren’t unlike the analog antennas of the recent past. They’re connected to your TV, and they provide access to channels broadcasting locally. Digital antennas can be placed inside or outside your home.

Let’s break down how digital antennas compare to:

Traditional cable – Depending on your subscription, a digital antenna may offer fewer channels than your traditional cable connection. But one major point of comparison is cost: using a digital antenna to receive local channels is free. While you’ll need to purchase the antenna, these are typically low-cost.
Streaming services – A digital antenna won’t offer as many programming options as most streaming services. But a digital antenna will provide access to local channels that streaming services may not offer.

So, why would you choose a digital antenna to replace traditional cable? A digital antenna is an excellent choice for viewers who:

Only need or want access to local programs like local news, weather and sports
Want to supplement their streaming services (or streaming bundle) with local channels

But, if you’re looking for a wide variety of channels, formats and programs, a digital antenna might not meet all of your needs. Since you’ll only be able to receive channels broadcast in your area, there are no guarantees that you’ll receive extensive sports broadcasting, news specials, movies or network television shows.

Streaming services

If you’re looking for the same variety of programming you’re currently getting from your traditional cable subscription, consider subscribing to one or more streaming services.

Streaming services most commonly offer a combination of:

Television shows – Network television and programming produced by the streaming service
Movies – New releases, classic movies and streaming service original productions
Specials – Documentaries, mini-series, news specials, stand-up comedy productions and game shows

Some of the most popular streaming services include:

Netflix
Amazon Prime Video
Max (formerly HBO Max)

While streaming services didn’t offer live TV in the past, the tides are changing: as more consumers look for alternatives to traditional cable, streaming services have begun to introduce live TV options. If you’re looking for a combination of streaming content (TV, movies and specials) and live TV, consider packages from:

Hulu + Live TV
YouTube TV
Sling TV
Fubo

While digital antennas are free, nearly all streaming services require paid subscriptions. But there are two important things to note about the cost of streaming services:

You’ll likely still save compared to traditional cable – If you have a full-service traditional cable subscription (complete with hundreds of channels, DVR, on-demand access and premium cable channels), signing up for multiple streaming services might still be less expensive than your cable bill.
You can bundle and save – Some providers offer bundling discounts for streaming services. Instead of paying for each service a la carte, you can combine multiple services to take advantage of deals and expand your programming options.

Local channel apps

If you choose to combine a digital antenna with a streaming service that offers live TV, you’ll likely cover most of your bases. But in circumstances where these two solutions don’t offer a highly specific local program you’re looking for, there’s yet another option: local channel apps.

For example, if your favorite local news channel doesn’t broadcast locally or partner with a live TV streaming service, they might offer a digital app you can use to watch their programs. If your favorite channel or show has an app, you have a few options to access these on your TV:

TV download – If you can download apps on your TV, you might be able to download your local app right to your TV for easy viewing.
Casting – If you can only download a local app on your smartphone or tablet, you could cast from this device to your TV.
HDMI connection – If you can access a channel app on your laptop, you can connect your laptop to your TV via an HDMI cable.
Game console connection – Some game consoles (like the PlayStation 4) offer app download capabilities. You may be able to download your favorite local app on your game console to watch their programming on your TV.

While they’re not the easiest option for watching local channels, local apps can give you access to programming that isn’t available via digital antenna or streaming services with live TV.

Save with Sail

Figuring out how to watch local TV without cable is relatively simple. But you might need a combination of solutions to keep access to your favorite programming after you cut ties with your traditional cable provider.

Luckily, many internet service providers offer streaming bundles that can help you save and curate your custom viewing experience. And if you’re tired of traditional cable’s hidden fees and complicated contracts, you’ll love Sail Internet and our streaming bundle offers.

Sail Internet is an internet service provider serving Northern California’s Bay Area. In addition to fast, reliable internet connections, we offer flat-rate prices without fees for rollup or equipment.

If you’re ready to say goodbye to long-term contracts and unexpected costs, start surfing with Sail.

If you’re considering cutting the cable cord, one thing may be standing in your way: sports. In years past, maintaining the same sports viewing experience was nearly impossible with standard streaming TV services … but no longer!

Now we have more options – all without requiring loyalty to the standard cable experience. Are there specific teams or leagues you want to follow? Or do you want a wide variety of choices when you’re ready to relax and unwind? These are some questions worth asking as you begin your cable-free journey.

Today we’ll look at ways to watch sports without cable so you can kiss your sky-high cable bill goodbye.

Can you watch sports without a TV provider?

Yes! There are vastly more options today for fans to watch sports without a traditional TV provider than ever before, including:

Sports streaming services
Social media platforms

Let’s go over these in more detail.

Sports streaming services

Streaming services are popular for sports fans who want to break free of their cable handcuffs. These services offer a variety of sports channels and packages, so it’s essential to do your research and choose the service that best fits your needs. Some services may be more expensive than others, but they may offer more sports content or better streaming quality.

Streaming services often require a subscription but can be less expensive than a traditional cable or satellite TV package. There are many services available that offer sports content, including the following:

Streaming Service	Access to:	Plans starting at:
ESPN+	A wide variety of live sports events, including exclusive coverage of UFC, MLB, NHL, MLS, and more.	$9.99 per month Save over 15% with an ESPN+ Annual Plan for $99.99 per year
Peacock	Live sports events, including English Premier League matches and other sports programming.	$4.99 per month Save 17% with Premium plans from $49.99 per year
fuboTV	Live sports events from a variety of leagues, including NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, and more.	$74.99 per month
Sling TV	Live sports events including NFL, college football, NBA, MLB, soccer and more.	$40 per month
Hulu + Live TV	Live and On-Demand TV from over 85 channels, including ESPN, FOX, NBC, Hulu Originals and more.	$6.99 per month; $69.99 per month for Hulu + Live TV bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+.
DAZN	Live and on-demand sports content, including boxing, MMA, soccer, women’s football, darts, pool and more.	$19.99 per month
DirecTV Stream	A variety of live sports programming, including NHL, NASCAR, golf, tennis, boxing, MMA, UFC, college sports and more. Specializes in local MLB games and international sports.	$74.99 per month

Not all sports events may be available on social media platforms, and some may require a subscription or additional fees. However, several enable you to stream live sports events, though availability may vary depending on your location and the specific event. Examples include:

Twitter: Twitter’s Live Sports on TV has partnered with several major sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL, to stream live games and events. These streams are often free and can be accessed through the platform’s Moments feature or individual accounts.
Facebook: Facebook SportsLive has partnered with sports leagues to stream live games and events, including MLB and La Liga soccer. These streams are usually available on the league’s official Facebook page.
YouTube: Some sports events may be streamed live on YouTube, though this is less common than on other platforms. However, YouTube TV, the platform’s live TV streaming service, does offer access to many sports channels and events.
Twitch: While primarily known as a platform for gaming content, Twitch has also begun streaming live sports events, including NFL and NBA games.

Best ways to watch sports without cable

Besides streaming services, let’s look at other ways to watch your favorite sports without the cable commitment.

Budget-friendly options
Sports-only options
Sports league subscriptions

Budget-friendly options

What’s the cheapest way to watch live sports without cable? Two of the least expensive ways to watch sports without cable include free streaming services and over-the-air antennas (OTAs). Let’s look at what each has to offer.

Free streaming services

Free streaming services like Pluto TV and Xumo offer sports channels and live events. However, the selection may be limited and the quality of the streams may not be as good as paid options.

Pluto TV: Pluto TV is a leading free streaming television service, delivering hundreds of live TV channels and thousands of titles on demand. By partnering with hundreds of international media companies, PlutoTV offers a diverse selection of genres, languages, and categories.
Xumo: Xumo offers free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) on demand, offering more than 180 channels of live streaming programming licensed directly from local channels and various content distributors.

Over-the-air antennas (OTAs)

Many local broadcast channels, such as NBC, CBS, and FOX, offer sports programming you can access with a simple over-the-air antenna, or OTA. In addition, OTAs are a good option for watching local games and events.

OTA antennas allow you to access free, over-the-air broadcast channels, including NBC, CBS, ABC, and FOX. While not all sports are available on OTA channels, you can watch many local games and major sporting events with an OTA antenna. However, it’s important to note that the quality of your OTA signal may depend on your location and proximity to broadcast towers.

Sports-only options

Want to cut to the chase and watch only sports all the time? Services like Roku and Sling have sports-only areas and packages that let you choose what you want to enjoy. For a full sports viewing experience, check out ESPN+ as a standalone option or access it through streaming services such as Disney+ (which owns ESPN).

Sports league subscriptions

Digital options are also available for sports fans. Many sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, and MLB, offer digital options that allow you to watch their games online for a monthly or annual fee. Sports league subscriptions can be a good choice for fans who only want to watch games from a specific league or team.

Sports league subscriptions can give you more flexibility in choosing which sports you want to watch rather than paying for a bundle you may only be partially interested in. However, it can also make accessing certain sports or events not included in the subscription services more difficult to watch.

Evaluate your interests and options before committing to a subscription service for maximum satisfaction.

Get crisp internet from Sail and watch your favorite sports without cable

Now that you know you have many options for satisfying your March Madness cravings beyond cable, one thing remains constant: Internet speed matters.

Streaming TV services rely on strong internet connections and speeds so you can watch a game without constant buffering or suspenseful frozen-screen scenarios. Therefore, choosing the right internet service provider (ISP) is the best place to start when you’re considering busting out of cable jail.

Sail Internet is the Bay Area’s best ISP, offering flat rates, fiber-fast speeds and 99.99% reliability. And with home plans starting from just $55 a month, you can’t afford not to. Questions? Call or email us anytime – we’d love to hear from you.

Are you ready to drop your home phone bill once and for all? If you’re like most Americans, you’ve already ditched your landline altogether. A recent survey showed that less than 30% of U.S. households still use landlines exclusively.

However, if you’ve been holding onto your landline because you think cell phone service is your only alternative, think again. VoIP technology offers you the convenience of a landline phone without the cable handcuff. Seriously.

Let’s dive in and learn more about home phone alternatives without the landline costs.

Do you still need a landline?

Landlines aren’t as necessary as they once were. So whether or not you need a landline may depend on your circumstances and preferences.

There are several reasons you may feel that keeping your landline is important. Let’s review a few frequently asked questions about switching to a cable-free alternative.

Emergency preparedness: What happens if there’s a power outage or natural disaster? I thought landlines still work when other communication methods fail.
Fact check: Landlines may still work if the phone line is intact and the telephone company has backup power. However, landlines aren’t foolproof – if there is damage to the phone line or central office, landline service may also be disrupted.

Sound quality: Don’t landlines have the best sound quality?
Fact check: While it’s true that landline connections can offer slightly better sound quality than other communication connections, the difference is often minimal.

Cost savings: Will canceling my landline be more expensive? I’m worried I’ll have to pay more.
Fact check: Making calls via the internet allows you to make mobile calls without relying on your cellular plan. It’s a great way to take advantage of the internet you’re already paying for each month and eliminate your phone bill for good.

Phone number retention: I’ve had my home phone number for over 20 years and don’t want to change it. Won’t I lose my number if I cut my cable service?
Fact check: No! You don’t have to change the home number that all your friends and family know by heart. Instead, you can “port” your existing phone number over to a VoIP provider and no one will ever know the difference.

Wait, what? What is VoIP?

What should you use instead of a landline?

While many people think relying on their cell phones is the only way to escape their phone company, there is another home phone alternative: VoIP.

VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, is a communication technology that allows you to make phone calls over the internet instead of using traditional phone lines. As a result, VoIP allows for lower costs, greater flexibility, and more features than conventional phone calls. Examples of apps using VoIP technology include Skype, WhatsApp, and Viber.

VoIP is a versatile and convenient communication solution for people and businesses requiring various communication tools to stay connected with their friends, family, clients and colleagues.

Landline vs. VoIP

Overall, VoIP is a powerful technology that has revolutionized communication and offers many benefits over traditional phone services.

Let’s take a look at how VoIP compares to traditional landline phones.

Landline	VoIP
Landlines are tied to a physical location and can’t be easily moved or transported.	VoIP is much more mobile than traditional landlines. You can make and receive VoIP calls worldwide if you have an internet connection.
Landline phones are designed solely for voice communication and cannot be integrated with other communication tools.	You can integrate VoIP services with other communication tools like instant messaging, video conferencing, voicemail-to-email, and call forwarding.
Landline installation can be time-consuming and costly, requiring running physical phone lines to your home or business.	You can set up VoIP quickly and easily with an internet connection and a compatible device.
Landline providers may charge extra fees for long-distance calls.	Because VoIP uses the internet, it can be much cheaper than traditional phone services, especially for long-distance or international calls.
Because landlines have a dedicated physical connection, call quality is often better.	Many VoIP services use advanced technology to improve sound quality and reduce delay, making the difference between landline and VoIP sound quality less noticeable.

What are the best landline alternatives?

So what VoIP provider should you choose if you live in the Bay Area? While many services are available, you might need help figuring out where to start. Here are a few worth considering.

Ooma – best in the Bay Area

Ooma is a VoIP phone service that’s accessible with any standard touch-tone phone. You can also use the Ooma mobile app to make and receive calls from your smartphone.

Cost-effective: Ooma has no monthly fees; you only pay for the equipment upfront.
Transfer your existing phone number for a one-time $39.99 fee.
Features: Ooma offers a range of features typically offered by landline phone services, such as voicemail, caller ID, call waiting, and 911 service. Ooma’s advanced features include call blocking, multi-ring, and Alexa dialing assistance. In addition, Ooma uses advanced voice compression technology to ensure high-quality sound on all calls.

Ooma Office is an excellent choice for business use, with three available service plans to choose from.

Google Voice – the cheapest landline alternative

Google Voice is a popular VoIP option that enables you to make and receive calls from smartphones, desk phones and the web using a dedicated phone number provided by Google.

Cost-effective: Google Voice is free to anyone with a Google account, making it the most affordable personal option for phone service. Google Voice charges a one-time $20 fee to transfer your existing phone number to their service.
Features: Google Voice offers a range of features, including searchable voicemail transcripts, call screening, call blocking and spam protection.

Google Voice business plans start at $10 per person, per month.

Vonage

Vonage offers a range of residential phone services, including home phone service plans that allow unlimited calls to the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico and international calling plans that allow calls to other countries at competitive rates.

Cost: Vonage has a $9.99 per user monthly fee with no annual contract, which includes their Vonage Box™ to connect you to the internet.
Features: Vonage offers a range of advanced features, including voicemail, call filtering, and call forwarding. In addition, Vonage boomerang™ connects select callers automatically to your Vonage number at no charge. Vonage SimulRing® rings up to five other phones simultaneously, so you’ll never miss a call.

Voiply

Voiply allows you to transfer your existing number and get a Voiply adapter free. Voiply also features a mobile calling app that enables you to answer calls from your cell or home number.

Cost: Voiply has an $8.95 per user monthly fee but gives you two months free when you pay annually, with no contracts.
Features: Voiply offers a range of advanced features, including call waiting, voicemail to email, caller ID, 24/7 support and enhanced 911 service.

RingCentral – the most comprehensive VoIP for business

RingCentral offers a VoIP phone system with a wide range of features, making it an ideal solution for companies of all sizes. They also offer integrations with popular business tools like Salesforce, G Suite, and Microsoft Office 365, allowing businesses to streamline their communications and workflow.

Cost: RingCentral has four business plans starting from $19.99 per user, per month.
Features: RingCentral includes features like voicemail, call forwarding, and call recording, and advanced features like video conferencing, team messaging, and screen sharing.

Nextiva – the most value for business

Nextiva offers a software solution that combines a VoIP phone system with customer experience and productivity tools.

Cost: Nextiva has three business plans starting from $21.95 per user, per month.
Features: Nextiva features include unlimited calling within the US, team collaboration tools, video and audio meetings, and a top-rated mobile app.

Getting rid of your landline is easy with Sail

Selecting the right internet service provider (ISP) is the first step in achieving reliable, high-quality VoIP performance. The ISP you choose will directly impact the speed and stability of your home internet connection, which are vital factors for clear voice calls and smooth communication.

Sail ends your internet headaches once and for all by providing lightning-fast connections. So whether you’re a gamer, a streamer, or just need reliable high-speed internet for work or leisure, Sail Internet’s got you covered. With 99.99% reliability, Sail also meets your VoIP needs, minimizing disruptions and call drops to deliver seamless conversations.

Our commitment to customer service and satisfaction, combined with our affordable pricing without any binding contracts for homes or businesses, makes Sail Internet an excellent option for anyone looking to upgrade their internet service in the Bay Area.

After years of resistance, the big content owners have finally started allowing streaming of live Bay Area sports.

Sling TV

I’ve been a Sling TV subscriber via my Apple TV for more than a year, and was thrilled to see NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California networks (formerly known as CSN Bay Area and CSN California) show up on my Sling TV program guide last week. The fraction of games not covered by the regional NBC Sports networks could already be streamed live (or were broadcast) from existing channels.

I can now watch SF Giants games live through my Apple TV with the Sling “Blue” package. It’s a great deal at $25/month, as compared to the $110/month I was previously spending for a Pay TV package with hundreds of channels I never watched. The streaming video quality is not quite as good as it is through MLB.tv or broadcast HD, but adequate. The fraction of games not covered by the regional NBC Sports networks are mostly available on broadcast channels (NBC Bay Area or Fox 2) and some of the Warriors games are shown on the TNT cable channel. And all of these channels are also included in the Sling Blue package.

MLB.tv

I also subscribe to MLB.tv on my Apple TV to see out-of-market games such as the Chicago Cubs. Local A’s and Giants games are available with higher HD quality after a 90-minute delay (available for streaming 90-minutes after the last pitch). Eventually MLB.tv may offer live streaming, but not yet.

DIRECTV NOW, PlayStation Vue and fuboTV

The regional NBC Sports Bay Area networks are also available through streaming video packages from DIRECTV NOW, PlayStation Vue and upstart fuboTV and expect more to come. DirecTV NOW has excellent HD Video quality (better than Sling), but the package that includes live local sports is a hefty $50/month. The PlayStation Vue package that offers live local sports networks is $45/month, and also requires that you have a Playstation streaming device. fuboTV has decent HD video quality and offers a virtual DVR feature for later viewing of games from within the app, however fuboTV currently does not offer any packages that include the popular ESPN sports network.

None of these streaming services require a cable TV subscription or a long-term contract — so you can cancel at any time. Except for Playstation Vue, these services stream using apps on popular streaming media players such as Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire or straight to your laptop computer.

With more and more consumers dropping their expensive cable bundles, it was just a matter of time until local live sports would be available for streaming! With this shift, there is no remaining reason to subscribe to an expensive Pay TV bundle. Read more about streaming video services and devices at our updated Streaming Guide.

Most of the prime time shows are available through inexpensive streaming services, such as Hulu, but I still sometimes want to watch my local broadcast stations for things like news and live local sports. In most cases, the local feeds are currently unavailable from streaming services.

First, I had to educate (really re-educate) myself about over-the-air (OTA) broadcast TV. I had almost forgotten that my local channels are still available for free over-the-air in crystal clear HD quality, often better quality than cable! And the local over-the-air broadcast signal includes secondary channels that are not even part of the Pay TV package.

Step 1: Buy a Decent Over-the-air HDTV Antenna

I decided to buy my antenna from a local store so I could easily return it if I was not satisfied with the picture quality. I initially tried an indoor antenna as I knew this would be the easiest to install. With the indoor antenna, I was able to get some of the local channels, but I wanted to get all of the major networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, PBS). If the indoor antenna works at your home, you can skip to Step 3.

Given the indoor antenna didn’t meet my needs, I needed to look into my situation more carefully. Most of the TV signals in the SF Bay Area are broadcast from Sutro Tower in San Francisco (or from nearby San Bruno Mountain), about 30 miles away from my home in Palo Alto, CA. Given my distance from the transmission tower and the local terrain with lots of trees and hills, an outdoor amplified antenna was recommended by the salesperson at my local shop. This choice was confirmed by a website that offers antenna advice by zip code. And given that all of my channels are broadcast from roughly the same location, a directional antenna would provide an extra boost. The directional antenna has the advantage of focusing the antenna gain only in one direction. If you are looking for more technical information about setting up your antenna, this website is helpful.

I liked the looks of the TERK LOGTVO antenna, which costs between $100 and $140, but there are other suitable models in a similar price range.

Step 2: Connecting the HDTV Antenna

Before I could watch over-the-air HDTV, I needed to solve a few logistical problems. Where would I mount the antenna? How would I pull a cable into the house? What about my 2nd TV? Fortunately, in my case I was able to reuse hardware and cabling that was already in place, and easily solve all of these problems. If you’ve previously had satellite TV at your house or an old analog TV antenna, you may have similar luck. This realization saved me a significant amount of time.

My new over-the-air HDTV antenna came with a mast, but in my case I was able to reuse the mast that was already in place from the old satellite dish. In my case, the old satellite dish was on the edge of my roof and less than 10 feet above ground level, but it still provided a fairly unobstructed path in the direction of Sutro Tower. The satellite dish mast was a somewhat larger diameter than the mast for my HDTV antenna, but the mounting bracket worked fine. It took a few minutes to remove the old dish, but otherwise not difficult.

Next, I realized that I could reuse the pre-existing coax line from the old satellite dish to connect my TV to the new HDTV antenna without laying any new cable. This was a key breakthrough – no need to pull cable and drill a hole. Even if you have to install a new mast, you may still be able to use a pre-existing coax line from either legacy satellite or cable service, or from an old analog TV antenna.

I then connected the coax line from my roof to the antenna’s power injector module next to my TV, and connected the other side of power injector module to my TV’s over-the-air input.

Step 3: Fine Tuning the HDTV Antenna Direction

I went online to find the compass heading from my home to Sutro Tower, the main Broadcast TV Tower in San Francisco. Remember that magnetic north is a little bit different than true north. For the Bay Area, the magnetic north heading is -14 degrees relative to true north. A GPS normally displays true north, while many smartphone compasses and a traditional magnetic compass point to magnetic north.

Most stations in the Bay Area transmit from Sutro Tower, but a few such as KNTV 11 (NBC) transmit from nearby San Bruno Mountain. From Fremont/Warm Springs, Sutro Tower is 290 degrees relative to magnetic north and San Bruno Mountain is 284 degrees. Due to various effects (terrain, buildings, vegetation), your optimum signal may be slightly different from the ideal compass setting. You might want to start around 287 degrees. If you have good signal with this compass heading, you are done. If you can’t find all of the major channels (or have image quality problems), you can search in a range around 287 degrees, say from 270 to 310 degrees.

I went back and forth a couple of times between my TV and the antenna to fine-tune the antenna direction and optimize signal strength for the major channels. Ideally, you can find someone to help you with the tuning process (talking to each other over a cellphone). Each time I adjusted the antenna direction, my partner did a channel scan from the TV menu then wrote down the number of channels found (around 100 in the best case) and checked TV signal strength from the Samsung TV’s diagnostic menu for a few of the weaker channels. In a two-person team, this process might take 15 to 20 minutes. Note that the primary feed for KNTV 11 is available on both channels 11-1 and 11-3. There may be some difference in the signal strength between these two channels, but you really only need one of these two. And KGO 7 (ABC) is also available on Channel 35. Depending on your location, you may receive a stronger signal from Channel 35 than Channel 7.

Step 4: Connecting the 2nd TV

Next, I realized that I already had a second coax line running through the house going to a 2nd TV. To use this 2nd coax line, I purchased and installed a coax splitter with “passive power pass-through” on one of the jacks. With an amplified antenna, the coax from the TV near the power injector should be connected to the “passive power” input of the splitter. I purchased my splitter for $5.88 on Amazon.

Summary

Over-the-air HDTV now looks great at my house on two TV’s! And in my case, this was relatively easy to accomplish. The entire process cost less than $150 and took a few hours of my time on a Saturday afternoon