Solano Wireless Internet

Free Television?:

Did you know you can get up to 50+ free, local over-the-air (OTA) TV channels in Solano and Yolo Counties? And most of them in high-definition! All you need is a TV antenna and a digital-ready TV (or an old school TV and a digital converter box). You can even purchase an OTA DVR so you can record shows and fast-forward through commercials. Old-timers will know this as "Bunny Ears" TV.

No monthly subscription fees or charges! If you are currently paying upwards of $100 per month for DirecTV or Dish Network satellite TV, keep reading to see if OTA TV is a better option for you!

NOTE: The indoor antenna option is inexpensive and easy to install yourself, but it isn't very reliable. You do not get as many channels and the channels you do get can be unavailable at different times of the day or in poor weather. A rooftop or attic-installed antenna will make you much happier!

What Channels Can I Get?:

We live in a great area for OTA TV. There are three TV towers in Walnut Grove, CA. Local broadcast networks include ABC, Bounce, CBS, Comet, CW, EstrelloTV, Fox, Grit, Ion, Justice, Laff, MeTV, NBC, PBS, RetroTV, Telemundo, and more! Local news, weather and sports, all in HD and FREE!

To see exactly what TV networks (Callsigns) you can get, simply visit the FCC website and enter your full address in the search bar. Then scroll down and hopefully see mostly green signal strengths (like the image below). The FCC link shows which Networks you receive (there are typically multiple channels within each network).

How Can I Get ESPN, HGTV, Food Network, etc?:

An OTA TV antenna will only get you local broadcast stations. If you want to get the national channels like ESPN, Food Network, TNT, History, etc., you will need to subscribe to a streaming TV service and use a streaming device or TV.

A streaming device is something like an Amazon Firestick, an AppleTV, a Roku, etc. that connects to your TV via an HDMI cable. If you have a smart TV, that means it already has a streaming device built in to it. The second thing you need is a streaming service. A streaming service is a company who makes those channels available to you via your streaming device and your Internet connection.

There are about a dozen streaming services out there, The Best Video Streaming Services for 2024 (PC Magazine). But my favorite is still SlingTV. Make a list of the channels you watch and then see which streaming service(s) provide those channels. Check for add-on packages for additional sports, news or International TV channels.

How Do I Record Shows?:

If you want to record shows or if you hate commercials and want to fast-forward through them, you may want to invest in a DVR. (NOTE: Some streaming services offer an online DVR option). There are many options out there, Best OTA DVR for Cord Cutters in 2024 (CNET). The one I like is the TiVo EDGE. In most cases, you will need one DVR per TV. But there is another option!

If you want to use just one recording device (DVR) and be able to share recordings between any TV in the house, consider the HDHomeRun FLEX from Silicon Dust. Not only can you share recordings on any TV, but you can also watch recordings on a computer, laptop, tablet, or smart phone! Start watching in one room and finish in another. If you want a TV Guide, they also offer an annual subscription for a small fee ($35/year).

How Much Am I Really Saving?:

If you currently have satellite TV (Dish Network or DirecTV), you are likely paying upwards of $80 per month for TV (~$1,000 per year). And if you are like most people, you only watch a few regular channels. Here are a few examples of savings:

You only watch live local channels anyway (e.g., sitcoms, news, sports). After your initial OTA TV investment (e.g., an antenna) you have no more costs. No more bills, fees or rate hikes!

You are the person above but you want to record your TV shows on a DVR and watch them when you have time. Then part of your initial OTA TV investment needs to include the purchase of a DVR (per TV). Plan on spending $200-$300 for the DVR, which is equal to 2-3 months of your former satellite TV bill. After that, no recurring charges! So for the cost of 3-4 months of your satellite TV bill, you now have lifetime free TV the way you want it. Plus no more bills, fees or rate hikes.

You are either of the people above but you also want to watch your ESPN, CNN, Discovery Channel, HGTV, etc. or you want to watch movies "on-demand" (the term for watching previously recorded movies stored on a server somewhere), you need a streaming device and streaming service (see section above called "How Can I Get ESPN, HGTV, Food Network, etc?"). This will add a monthly subscription cost to your initial OTA TV investment, but it's likely less than half of what you were paying before.

How Do I Get This?:

You have two options to get this setup. You can hire us to install it for you, OR, if you are a do-it-yourself'er AND you have an old satellite TV dish still on your roof, just follow the directions below. And if you do not have an old satellite dish, just buy the antenna, a pre-made quad-shielded coax cable (from Home Depot, Lowes, etc), and a pole to mount the antenna on.

Step 1: check what TV Networks you can get. Hopefully you already did this, but if not, simply visit the FCC website and enter your full address in the search bar. Then scroll down and hopefully see mostly green signal strengths.

Step 2: buy the TV antenna. We tested many antennas and found the Channel Master CM-5016 (aka Masterpiece 45) to be the most reliable for our area. Visit their website to purchase it, Channel Master, or buy it off Amazon.

The Channel Master FLATenna+ Amplified indoor TV antenna would be your best bet if you want to try an indoor option.

Step 3: (For Rooftop installs) If you have an old, unused satellite dish on your roof, just take the old reflector off (leave the mount and coax cable for re-use), hang the TV antenna in that spot, and connect the coaxial cable from the old satellite dish to the new TV antenna. Since the cabling and antenna arm are already installed from the satellite, most of the hard work is already done.

If you have an active satellite TV subscription and don't want to remove the dish until you have tested the OTA TV antenna, then just mount the OTA antenna to the satellite mount (below the dish) or on a pole, and temporarily use the coax cable from the dish for the antenna. Remember to disconnect the coax inside from the dish DVR. You can even just set the TV antenna on a table and point it in the direction of the TV towers.

NOTE: DO NOT cut the end off the coax cable. Unscrew the coax cable from the reflector dish. You will need it for the TV antenna.

Step 3: (For Attic installs) JUMP to Step 4 to download the TV antenna aligning app and identify the antenna direction to get the TV signals desired.

Secure a 2-4-foot length of 1.5-inch EMT conduit or metal fence pipe (available at Home Depot or Lowes) hanging down from a rafter board. Attached the antenna to the conduit/pipe and point it in the direction of the TV towers (from the app). Attach one end of a length of coax cable to the antenna and route the cable to the TV. NOTE: You can purchase 50 or 100-foot lengths of coax cable with the ends already installed (Home Depot, Lowes, Amazon). Be sure to buy the "quad-shielded" coax cable.

Follow your TV's or DVR's instructions for scanning for channels.

Step 3: (For Indoor installs) Attach the provided coax cable to the TV. Power-up the amplifier (if it has one) and temporarily mount the antenna as high up on the wall as the cable reaches. Using your TV, scan for channels. It may be a bit of trial-and-error and channel rescans to find the best height and spot on the wall for the antenna to get the most channels.

Step 4: Download the smart phone app to help you align the TV antenna to the TV towers. The hardest signal to get is FOX. If you align the antenna for the best FOX KTXL 40 signal, then all the channels will come in fine too.

Step 5: Time to setup your TV. Now that you have the antenna installed and aligned, it is time to take your TV through the channel scan. Look for something like MENU --> SETUP --> CHANNELS (or similar) on your TV/DVR remote control.

Configuration Options: Depending on the options you purchased, setup your equipment using one of the following configurations:

Option A: Antenna cabled directly to TV. Connect the coax cable from the antenna to the coax port on your TV. Use your TV's remote control to scan for antenna channels. Usually found under something like MENU-->CHANNELS. Use this option if you only want to watch live TV on one TV. Use the built-in TV guide on your TV.

One-Time DIY Costs:
-TV Antenna $200
-"Quad-shielded" Coax Cable (if a new install; can omit if repurposing an old satellite TV install) $50-100
-Grounding solution (costs vary by method)
-Monthly TV Cost/Subscription $0

Option B: Antenna cabled to DVR. Connect the coax cable from the antenna to the coax port on your DVR. Then connect an HDMI cable from the DVR to your TV. Use your DVR's remote control to scan for antenna channels. Usually found under something like MENU-->CHANNELS. Use this option if you only want to watch live TV on one TV, or want to record shows on one TV to watch later. Use the built-in TV guide on your DVR.

One-Time DIY Costs:
-TV Antenna $200
-"Quad-shielded" Coax Cable (if a new install; can omit if repurposing an old satellite TV install) $50-100
-Broadcast TV DVR $150-300
-Grounding solution (costs vary by method)
-Monthly TV Cost/Subscription $0

Option C: Antenna cabled to a splitter. This is just like Option A above but with the addition of more TVs. Connect the coax cable from the antenna to the coax splitter input. Connect coax cables from the output on the splitter to each TV. Use your TV's remote control to scan for antenna channels. Usually found under something like MENU-->CHANNELS. You will need to do this on each TV. Use this option if you only want to watch live TV on multiple TVs. Use the built-in TV guides on your TVs.

One-Time DIY Costs:
-TV Antenna $200
-"Quad-shielded" Coax Cable (if a new install; can omit if repurposing an old satellite TV install) $50-100
-TV Splitter (or Distribution Amplifier) $10-75 (may not be necessary if existing satellite TV splitter works)
-Assumes Additional Rooms/TVs are Already Cabled
-Grounding solution (costs vary by method)
-Monthly TV Cost/Subscription $0

NOTE: If you currently have a TV splitter (one TV antenna signal sent to multiple TVs), you "may" need to swap-out the splitter for a distribution amplifier. A distribution amplifier boosts the TV signal to your multiple TVs. Before you buy a distribution amplifier, check your reception on all TVs first. If all looks fine, do not add an amplifier. However, if the reception on one or more TVs is poor (channels not coming in, channels pixelating, etc.), then purchase a distribution amplifier and trade it out for the splitter.

Lastly, there are splitters for broadcast TV, for satellite TV and for both. Depending on what type of splitter the satellite installer installed at the time you ordered satellite TV, you may need to swap-out the splitter. If you hook the TV cables up and you get no channels on any TV, then you have a satellite splitter and need to swap it out for a TV splitter.

Option D: Antenna cabled to a splitter. Connect the coax cable from the antenna to the coax splitter input. Connect coax cables from the output to each TV. If you are using a DVR on one of the TVs, then connect the incoming coax cable to the DVR first and then run an HDMI cable from the DVR to the TV. Use your DVR's remote control to scan for antenna channels on the DVR-connected TV, and use the built-in TV guide on the other TVs. Usually found under something like MENU-->CHANNELS. You will only be able to record TV shows on the TV with a DVR, but you can watch TV on all TVs simultaneously.

One-Time DIY Costs:
-TV Antenna $200
-"Quad-shielded" Coax Cable (if a new install; can omit if repurposing an old satellite TV install) $50-100
-TV Splitter (or Distribution Amplifier) $10-75 (may not be necessary if existing satellite TV splitter works)
-Assumes Additional Rooms/TVs are Already Cabled
-Broadcast TV DVR $150-300 (per TV where recording is desired)
-Grounding solution (costs vary by method)
-Monthly TV Cost/Subscription $0

NOTE: If you currently have a TV splitter (one TV antenna signal sent to multiple TVs), you "may" need to swap-out the splitter for a distribution amplifier. A distribution amplifier boosts the TV signal to your multiple TVs. Before you buy a distribution amplifier, check your reception on all TVs first. If all looks fine, do not add an amplifier. However, if the reception on one or more TVs is poor (channels not coming in, channels pixelating, etc.), then purchase a distribution amplifier and trade it out for the splitter.

Lastly, there are splitters for broadcast TV, for satellite TV and for both. Depending on what type of splitter the satellite installer installed at the time you ordered satellite TV, you may need to swap-out the splitter. If you hook the TV cables up and you get no channels on any TV, then you have a satellite splitter and need to swap it out for a TV splitter.

Option E: Antenna cabled to an HDHomeRun TV tuner and your wireless router. Connect the coax cable from the antenna to the HDHomerun Tuner's input. Use a USB cable to connect and external hard drive to the HDHomeRun. Connect an ethernet cable from the HDHomeRun to your wireless router (any available LAN port). Follow the instructions on the HDHomeRun app to setup your shared DVR. Use this option if you want to watch and record live TV on any of your TVs, or start watching recorded programs on one TV and finish watching on another. The HDHomeRun uses your wireless router to connect ANY wifi-connected device to your TV antenna. This could be a smart TV, a TV with a Roku/AppleTV/Firestick, a computer, a laptop/tablet or even a smartphone. Everything gets the same DVR access and same TV Guide information.

One-Time DIY Costs:
-TV Antenna $200
-"Quad-shielded" Coax Cable (if a new install; can omit if repurposing an old satellite TV install) $50-100
-No TV Splitter or Distribution Amplifier Required
-No Additional Coax Cabling Necessary (Additional Rooms/TVs Connect To Wireless Router)
-Broadcast TV Tuner/DVR $200 (all devices share one tuner/DVR)
-Grounding solution (costs vary by method)
-Monthly TV Cost/Subscription $0

NOTE: In this configuration, BOTH your broadcast TV channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, Fox, etc.) and streaming services (Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube TV, Fubo, etc.) are delivered to your devices (smart TV, a Roku, an AppleTV, a Firestick, etc.) using your wireless router. It is important to note that your broadcast TV channels are delivered by the TV antenna while the streaming services are delivered via an Internet connection. Both services work independently to deliver contect to your devices. ONLY streaming service content uses your Internet, and ONLY broadcast TV content uses your TV antenna.

Your router is capable of connecting hundreds of simultaneous devices (computers, smart phones, streaming devices, cameras, printers, solar monitoring, weather stations, baby monitors, thermostats, Alexa/Google Home, etc.). Some of those devices access the Internet and some never do. But they all connect to your router which "routes" and manages traffic for all those devices.

In this scenario where BOTH the TV antenna and the Internet supply is connected to the router, both operate independent of each other. If the Internet goes down, you still have broadcast TV. If the broadcast TV towers are down (e.g., maintenance) then you still have streaming service and Internet. If you have a PG&E outage and no backup power (e.g., solar/battery, generator, etc.) then you will not have TV or Internet until PG&E comes back up.

How Does This Work With Streaming Services?:

Complementary! If you have one or more streaming subscriptions (Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube TV, Fubo, etc.) nothing changes with respect to how you watch TV/movies. Those streaming services work via an Internet connection (fixed-wireless, cellular, satellite) and NOT broadcast TV. Those services require an Internet connection, a wireless router, and a streaming device (smart TV, a Roku, an AppleTV, a Firestick, etc.). They do not require a TV antenna (or satellite TV) at all.

A broadcast TV antenna is a satellite TV replacement. Satellite companies like DirecTV and Dish Network provide the convenience of local broadcast TV channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, Fox, etc.) bundled with premium channels (HGTV, Food Network, Hallmark, ESPN, History, etc.) all delivered to a DVR via a satellite TV antenna for a monthly subscription fee ($100+ per month).

A broadcast TV antenna provides local broadcast TV channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, Fox, etc.) for free (no monthly subscription fee AFTER initial equipment investment), and you use your Internet-based streaming service to provide you with the premium channels (HGTV, Food Network, Hallmark, ESPN, History, etc.) for a reduced monthly subscription fee. The two together replace DirecTV/Dish Network at a significanly reduced cost. You can also purchase a broadcast TV DVR to record shows, pause live TV, skip commercials, etc. Again, a DVR is a one-time expense with an annual TV Guide option if desired ($35+ per year subscription).

Fast. Reliable. Friendly. Local.