I think the only way to educate BB/FS shoppers is to write an online review of individual TV's. Shopping for anything at FS/BB I always check the user reviews online to see what people are saying about the particular product.
How great would it be for people to read about "This tv is great it has an ATSC tuner which I can pick up off air broadcasts for free with no cable box or sat rx."
I wrote a review for one TV, I guess I'm just have to wait the 4 business days to see if FS actually posts it!

I did the same thing about a week ago. Great minds think alike.

I haven't checked to see if they posted it.

They just built a new BB here and I noticed that they have a TV antenna on the roof. Not sure what they are using it for, but I thought that it was interesting.

My father recently purchased a brand new Sony 40" Bravia w/built-in ATSC tuner. He already had the Wade SquareShooter hooked up on his chimney going into his Samsung ATSC stb... won't be needing that anymore. After hooking it up, I asked my dad if the salesman at Futureshop tried to get him to buy anything else. He said yes, that he tried to sell a Shaw HD box. My dad quickly said no, and that he'll be getting free HD over-the-air. The salesman rebutted with "but you only get two channels". That's good enough for my dad, and as I've informed him, more will be coming.

This not only shows that FS employees know of OTA, but they choose not to mention it as a method of receiving HD programming unless the customer brings it up; and even after they've decided on OTA, the salesman still wants to sway the customer to a HD service provider.

Haha, you can try, but they censor each review.. it probably won't make it on. ;)

And this video sure was a test of my french, LOL!
I think I got most of it... its been a while. If a major toronto TV station were to do this... they'd have hundreds of thousands of people converting...

If a major toronto TV station were to do this... they'd have hundreds of thousands of people converting...I seriously doubt that as I don't think there are that many people that would be happy with receiving a dozen or fewer channels. Particularly when you consider that those able to afford an HDTV are wealthier than average and can afford to subscribe to a cable/sat package.

Don't get me wrong - I like OTA-HD and use it to feed my HTPC as it is the only way to get HD into a PC, but there is NO WAY that I am giving up all of the sports channels, TMN, etc. If I could get a CableCard I would ditch the OTA in a second.

If all you want to watch are broadcast network shows then you are fine, but that sure isn't most people that I know.

The situation would be even worse in Montreal - I don't believe there would be any hockey games available in French as all of the Canadiens games are on RDS which is only on cable/sat. The only OTA-HD hockey would therefore be the CBC (English only) broadcasts of hockey on HNIC.

My comments on the FS web site under Customer Reviews of a Samsung HDTV... I wonder if anyone is actually going to notice it though?ATSC tuner a must for over the air free broadcast, 11/20/2007
Reviewer: Jason, Port Coquitlam, BC

I love this TV. Probably the best feature is the ATSC digital tuner. The ATSC tuner is needed for over the air digital broadcasts. In my case in Vancouver CTV and CBC are broadcasting on channels 33 and 58 respectively in digital HD.All you need is a UHF antenna and to point it to Mt. Seymour. I'm watching all my fav shows in HD CSI, Hockey night in canada, NFL off air for free. No cable box or bell expressvu. As more and more broadcasters are switching from analog to digital over the air we can see global coming on line soon as well.The best part of over the air digital broadcast is that the signals are not compressed like sat and cable. Sat and cable are trying to fit as may channels in as they can therefor reducing the quality level. Over the air its a single pipe so the they wont compress the signal to get more channels in.

Haha, Jason that's awesome! I hope they post it. If it doesn't pass the FS censor nazis, it'll be due to the slagging of their partners in bed (Shaw, *C, and BEV) for something they can't make money on. However, my post for a Sony Bravia 32" XBR was allowed:great TV for HD, 11/19/2007
Reviewer: Blake W, Vancouver

I have this TV in my downtown apartment. To make use of it's ATSC tuner, I plugged in my small indoor antenna. Fantastic HD programming from CBC and CTV, all for free. I also have an Xbox360 and HD-DVD add-on. Simply jawdropping. I'll recommend to my father to pick up the 40 for his over-the-air setup.

Blakew
They did post it, which is great. I do hope other people read it and decide to go OTA as well.

FS posted mine as well for the Sharp Aquos LC37D62U! :DGreat TV, 12/12/2007
Reviewer: Mike V, Toronto

I've had this tv for 3 months now and the novelty of having such a great HDTV has not worn off. I was a little worried how fast action sports would lool like, but I've been really happy with the picture quality. There are ample inputs for all your other gear.I'm really impressed with the quality of the built-in ATSC tuner. With my simple antenna setup, I get 12 HDTV channels over the air for free.The only real disappointment is the lack of an on-screen program guide when using the built-in tuner.

I wrote a review of the new tv I got 2 weeks ago specifically making a statement about free ota but they have yet to post it. I don't really think they're going to so don't bother trying.

They posted mine too about LG 42LB5D:
Amazing FREE HDTV reception, 12/10/2007
Reviewer: Vlad, Mississauga

This is the fantastic LCD set You won't regret about this TV 1080p, 5 msec response time, powerful built-in OTA tuner with all ATSCNTSCQAM support. Just hook up an UHF antenna, and enjoy perfectly crisp picture for free. Got signals from both CN Tower and Buffalo Grand Island, 1080i broadcasts on CBC, CityTV, NBC, ABC, etc. No doubts - best full HD you can get for the money.

USA update: (from Broadcastermagazine)
Almost half of over-the-air households reject post-transition pay TV, instead preferring to receive free, over-the-air digital television by either purchasing a converter box or digital TV set, according to a recent Association of Public Television Stations study.

Roughly 43 percent of over-the-air households indicated they would buy a converter box or purchase a digital TV between now and when the transition takes effect February 17, 2009, compared to 12 percent who would sign up for a cable or satellite service, the survey found.

"This data indicates that free, over-the-air television may be set for a big comeback," said APTS President and CEO John Lawson. "Many people see broadcasting as a dinosaur technology, but we broadcasters have the opportunity to reposition it as 'wireless TV' and reach new audiences."

This just gave me an idea, why wouldn't we in future, when talking about OTA HD and promoting it to newbies and friends, refer to it as "WIRELESS HDTV". It sounds much more attractive and interesting, rather than 'off-air' giving most people picture of old analogue ugly reception and old times.

It would sound great, until you got to the part where you explain about the rg6 cable that runs from the antenna to the tv.

It is at that point where the consumer would wonder aloud, "What the heck are you talking about?"

Doesn't any form of wireless signal require an antenna?
Even your in-home internet router has an antenna on it. The fact that HDTV antenna may be 10-15 cm bigger than that (or even large outdoors antenna in some cases) does not change that fact.
I kept my 20 cm HDTV antenna on top of computer monitor or on the desk.
(Signal strength in Canada is though another issue).

It would sound great, until you got to the part where you explain about the rg6 cable that runs from the antenna to the tv.


Both cable and satalite require an RG6 cable to the TV, so it isn't any worse than either of those options. I think the point is that Wireless HDTV sounds trendy and gives the image of HQ, but Over the Air sounds old fashoned and brings back memories of poor reception.

I find when using "OTA" people also start to think you're stealing signals. There is still a woman we know that is convinced what I am doing is illegal no matter what I show her. I definitely think "wireless" sounds newer and trendier than "over the air". It is of course my goal in life now to spread the word of wireless HDTV. Move over Shaw and Bell here comes FREE wireless HDTV.

Also, my friends once ran into some local people here (neighbours) a few years back, who were convinced that a TV can't work if you don't subscribe to Shaw (something like that dishwasher can't work if you don't supply it with water source). I personally don't blame them, they are just victims of environment where 95% of population is on cable.

If Rogers can call their mobile telephony (just simple voice service) 'Wireless', than surely a highly advanced technology such as HDTV through air, can call itself 'Wireless'.
In last few years, while trying to approach HDTV salespeople in stores about OTA HD, some of them even almost started laughing at me at mention of HDTV over the air. I remember last year a sales guy at RadioShack looking at me strange and saying "digital signals can not travel through air, you are wrong, what you are getting at home must be analogue,...", not to mention the other situations I went through.

Hey fellows, I'm not trying to be argumentative about the "wireless" sounding great. I agree it sounds great!
However, it is just as wrong as was the salesman at RadioShack.

Rogers/Bell Expressvu and others try to keep the public misinformed as to the availability of high definition television.
Let's not lower ourselves to their level and also try to misinform others about OTA. Let's fight the good fight!

When you give me a ring on my cellphone from your cellphone, I call that wireless.

Of course, in pre-TV days, they used to call the radio a "wireless". My grandparents often called the radio this - which confused me at the time, because I could see the wire coming out, plugging it into the power.