EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU) — With inflation on the rise, many are choosing to save money by kicking cable to the curb and cutting the cord.
28/22 News caught up with Tyler Kleinle a Stroudsburg native who is better known to those on YouTube as the Antenna Man. Tyler showed us it’s easy to make the switch from cable to antenna.
Within a month the antenna paid for itself and based on where you live you could see those same results.
Tyler better known as the Antenna Man has experimented with antennas since he was five years old, but five years ago, he found a profession in the business.
The Antenna Man took some time to swing by 28/22 News earlier this month to walk us through cutting the cord, the first step?
“The first thing I did was connect the antenna to the back of the TV and the coaxial input,” said Kleinle.
It is important to note that the antenna does tend to work best if you place it by a wall or window that is where you will receive the best signal.
“Sometimes you have to adjust them when you first run a channel scan you want to have it near a window that way you can at least run a channel scan,” Kleinle added.
But what is a channel scan?
Well think of it like your TV is scrolling through channels to find something to watch the same way you would on cable. The TV runs through television frequencies and makes a list of each available channel along the way.
“People are really surprised when they use an antenna cause they think back to the analog days and there are only five or six stations,” Kleinle stated.
Those who have antennas in NEPA typically get around 25 to 40 channels so you can watch your favorite show with no problem. Nowadays households have multiple TVs, but don’t worry that doesn’t mean you can’t make the switch.
“If you have an indoor antenna, you have a few options to connect multiple TVs. You can either use a Coaxial splitter or there are wireless options you can use a wireless Turner Cut flash but as long as they have a streaming device like a Roku or Fire Stick,” Kleinle continued.
If you can’t watch your favorite program in real-time, don’t worry the Antenna Man has you covered.
“So with an antenna, there are plenty of DVR options. A Tablo, which is also a wireless tuner, is one that comes with a full channel guide where you can go through and schedule recordings in advance,” said Kleinle.
Your signal strength varies on how far your home is from the broadcast towers. For example, a home 20 to 25 miles away from the signal towers would only need an indoor or small outdoor antenna.
Kleinle says most of the time, homes in our area tend to need a medium-sized antenna and a small amp to ensure the best results.
“You wanna make sure that the antenna you purchase has a VHF element which is a long wide rabbit ear-style element. Sometimes a flat antenna will work for lower frequencies if the signal is strong enough but it is ideal to have a VHF cable antenna,” Kleinle said.
Perfection will not happen overnight, patience is key.
“It takes time to get used to obviously, It’s going to be a different inner face compared to cable satellite or even streaming service but be patient and give it some time and I think you’ll be happy with the results,” Kleinle stated.
If you’re interested in cutting the cord here is the link to the Antenna Man’s YouTube channel which has links to purchase antennas.
28/22 News will have more on the switch to antenna TV coming up in part two of Cutting the Cord which airs on Monday on WBRE.
