Month: January 2019

By law, TV stations will be moving frequencies beginning in 2018 through at least the spring of 2020. To determine which stations in your area are moving and when, there is a service called TVAnswers.org. Check it out! You can see when you will need to “re-scan” your local stations as a Cord Cutter!

https://www.tvanswers.org/when.asp

There is a service called USATV247 (USA TV 24/7) that provides computer, tablet, and smartphone users the option to view certain channels free on the web. No account is required, and there is no charge. You simply go to the web site, and choose the channel that you want to see. Obviously, you can also Chromecast the computer screen to your HD TV as well, if you like.

https://ustv247.com/

There is service that provides free streaming of local stations to some areas of the country. It is called Locast.org and is free. They do accept donations, and claim to be expanding their service. so, if you are having trouble with your local antenna, and live in these areas, this might be an option for you!

https://Locast.org

“Locast is a public service to Americans, providing local broadcast signals over the Internet in select cities. All you have to do is sign up online, provide your name and email address, and certify that you live in, and are logging on from, one of the select US cities (‘Designated Market Area’). Then, you can select among local broadcasters and stream your favorite local station.

Locast.org is a ‘digital translator,’ meaning that Locast.org operates just like a traditional broadcast translator service, except instead of using an over-the-air signal to boost a broadcaster’s reach, we stream the signal over the Internet to consumers located within select US cities.

Ever since the dawn of TV broadcasting in the mid-20th Century, non-profit organizations have provided ‘translator’ TV stations as a public service. Where a primary broadcaster cannot reach a receiver with a strong enough signal, the translator amplifies that signal with another transmitter, allowing consumers who otherwise could not get the over-the-air signal to receive important programming, including local news, weather and of course, sports. Locast.org provides the same public service, except instead of an over-the-air signal transmitter, we provide the local broadcast signal via online streaming.

You need a broadband Internet connection for optimal performance. Using a laptop, smartphone, or computer connected to the Internet, point your browser to www.Locast.org to sign up. You then can choose which local broadcast station to watch from your Internet-enabled device.”

PBS is making noises that it might soon be open to putting their content on services like YouTubeTV and Hulu. This is a turnaround from the past, because they have said that so much of their content is owned by local PBS stations. The discussions with these local stations must be going well, because they have announced the potential of freer access in the future.

Today the Boston PBS station WGBH has confirmed that they will be launching on 1 to 2 live TV streaming providers this fall with more on the way. This comes from Jon Abbott, president and CEO of the WGBH Educational Foundation.