Are TV Antennas Still Needed?
Back in 2013, Australia’s last remaining analogue TV transmitters were turned off, leading to households across the nation making the switch to digital transmission. With the ability to stream shows and movies on Smart TVs now the norm, it is indeed possible to watch television without an antenna (using Wi-Fi).
This begs the question, in this day and age are TV antennas really necessary?
In short, the answer is yes.
If you are a sports fan, antennas are a must. Australia’s unique anti-siphoning legislation ensures that all members of the public are able to watch significant sporting events in real time, such as the AFL Premiership, the Australian Open or Olympics, regardless of their ability to pay for streaming services.
While some may argue that the same programs are available on free streaming services such as Freeview, there are several disadvantages when it comes streaming FTA TV. For instance, the picture quality of Free-to-air programs when streamed is often lower, compared to live TV, and may even be glitchy. The same principal applies to popular streaming services such as Netflix, which don’t include High Definition (HD) in their basic plans – the current standard for most programs shown on Free-to-Air channels. Not to mention, streaming shows can easily rack up your data bills and may slow down internet speeds on your other devices.
Watching free-to-air programs live or recording them on your TV will give you not only give you a better viewing experience but is generally more cost effective than solely relying on free streaming services available on Smart TVs.
At Jim’s Antennas we can help you achieve optimal TV reception, by finding the best position for your new TV antenna and installing it properly. Our experienced and licensed team has specialised equipment to determine the best spot for the strongest signal and years of local expert knowledge to overcome tricky reception issues. If installing a new TV, we will know which brackets and mounts to use and ensure that all cabling run is concealed to provide a neat finish.
