A really basic question ... what is OTA?

[rapper450]

I consider this a "dumb" question, but I really do not know the answer and haven't been able to discern it from the postings I've read. In several discussions about the Hopper 3, I see comments about its poor handling of OTA recording. What is meant by OTA??? I know it stands for "over the air" but what kind of show comes over the air ... is this a reference to local channels? NETFLIX, etc? what????? I am baffled and will probably feel real sheepish after reading your answers. Thanks all!

 

[KE4EST]

OTA as you said is Over The Air programming. This is what you pickup on your TV antenna. Normally you feed this straight to the back of your TV set. With Hopper you feed it into an adapter that plugs into your Hopper. This way you can have your locals over antenna and satellite both on one box.

 

[rapper450]

Ahhh! Thanks. I have no antenna, everything on my TV comes via the satellite/DISH which might be why I couldn't relate to the comments. .

 

[navychop]

Many/most locals are also provided by Dish via satellite. Those would be channels 4-0, 9-0 etc in the guide. OTA channels appear in the guide as 4-1, 4-2 etc.

 

[bmetelsky]

Many/most locals are also provided by Dish via satellite. Those would be channels 4-0, 9-0 etc in the guide. OTA channels appear in the guide as 4-1, 4-2 etc.

Depending on the DISH receiver you are using, correct?

 

[comfortably_numb]

Sometimes you can get many additional locals with an outdoor antenna and an OTA adapter. Or, in my case, an outdoor antenna and a 211k receiver, which has OTA support built-in. I have an RCA ANT51 on the roof, a preamp on the mast, and I'm pulling in over 50 local stations.

 

[navychop]

Depending on the DISH receiver you are using, correct?

That's how the most current receivers work. IIRC, even the VIPs work this way.

 

[Tampa8]

Sometimes you can get many additional locals with an outdoor antenna and an OTA adapter. Or, in my case, an outdoor antenna and a 211k receiver, which has OTA support built-in. I have an RCA ANT51 on the roof, a preamp on the mast, and I'm pulling in over 50 local stations.

Yes, in Tampa I get a ton of programming besides the Networks, Metv, Buzzer, Antenna TV, Movie Channel, Hero,Laff, Grit TV, This TV, Cozi, Decades, Bounce, Get TV, My TV, Justice TV. Many sub PBS channels from two PBS stations, and more.. Total of 63 channels including Networks.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Yes, in Tampa I get a ton of programming besides the Networks, Metv, Buzzer, Antenna TV, Movie Channel, Hero,Laff, Grit TV, This TV, Cozi, Decades, Bounce, Get TV, My TV, Justice TV. Many sub PBS channels from two PBS stations, and more.. Total of 63 channels including Networks.

My newest favorite is COMET TV. A science fiction channel. They air old episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000!

 

[jerryez]

I Get 35 OTA locals in Pensacola, Fl. of which, 23 have watchable programs for me. I get the networks including two CWs, several independent channels, and many sub channels. Even the two PBS channels have different programming on the sub channels at various times. Others include, Metv, Grit, ThisTV, Cozi, Bounce, Get, Justice, My TV, Weather Nation, Comet, and Country Music Video channels. The other 12 have religious programming. I use an OTA TiVo , so that I get guide info on all my locals, including the sub channels. With all that programming, why do I even keep Dish?