We removed our TV antenna a few years ago during a renovation. We are now setting up the living room and I’m wondering whether it’s worth paying approx $300-400 to install and setup a new antenna connection. Most channels now have apps that you can stream live TV from. Is anyone aware of any other portable aerials that work well compared to a roof mounted traditional TV antenna?
Is a TV Antenna Necessary to Watch FTA TV?
LJW127 on 18/03/2025 - 18:27
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ABC doesn't do ads, it's nice to leave something on. And sometimes for a nostalgia hit I'll watch 90s sitcoms with ads on Nine Go or whatever it's called. SBS World Movies is nice too, I can't recall if it has ads but I definitely watched some interesting foreign films on that just because it was on.
ABC doesn't do ads
Yes they do, all the time…
Not in the middle of programming, and only information ads for other programming. I wouldn't call them "ads" at all.
All non roof size antennas suck. The amplified ones work better, but only at the FTA tower you point it at and only if there is not allot of objects between the antenna and the tower and then there is the rain and storms that cause issue.
In summary roof antenna is best if you cannot use the TV station apps on your TV.
Watch out as different roof antenna's are needed for different parts of the country as the frequencies vary and also the size of the antenna increases the further away from the tower you are.
You mean TV broadcast on VHF/UHF with lots of advertising they had when I was a kid? Channel 2, 7, 9 etc?
I have not heard anyone mention that in years. It must have gone the way of fax machines, newspapers, and 3G mobile.
Channel 2? That's retro. How about Channel 1 late on Friday nights?
We were lucky enough to have reception to Channel O.
You must not have done IT support for medical.
Fax machines are very much alive! (unfortunately). Not bad for something that started in the late 1800s :-0
damn teenagers!
back in my day a metal coat hanger is all we needed! sometimes i had to hold it to help, on rainy and windy days
Not worth it. Just stream them.
You don't always get the same content on the stream.
Just pirate it then.
How do you pirate live content?
Depends entirely on where you live. I can get all the channels using an amplified internal antenna in a fixed position; but I have line of sight to the transmission towers. Suggest you try one and return if it doesn't work.
If your TV is running Android you can install an IPTV app and follow this guide.
https://www.matthuisman.nz/2019/01/live-au-iptv-channels-on-…
I do this with my Nvidia Shield using the Sparkle TV iptv app, works just like free to air and no need for antenna.
Thanks a lot will see if I can get it working
We exclusively watch FTA TV via their apps, either on the TCL system or on a Firestick. Haven't really noticed any difference apart from the ads being a different set to what you might get on the actual channel.
Haven't watched free to air commercials with broken up bits of programming in years. You can get portable aerials which are hit or miss depending on your location.
https://www.jbhifi.com.au/collections/tvs/tv-antennas