Future of OTA?

[Lue]

Just downloaded Syncbak and although the programming is limited it is jitter free and good resolution. Is this going to be the future? Will we no longer have to labor over antenna installs?
see links below.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/syncbak-to-carry-gray-television-stations-207529941.html

[URL]http://www.syncbak.com/[/URL]

 

[Blindowl1234]

Sounds interesting...maybe one day we won't have OTA we'll get even the locals via internet. Times are changing.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Networks don't seem to want affiliates anymore, they would rather sell their programming directly. Yes indeed times are changing.

 

[osu1991]

I think the OTA affiliates will drop the Big 4 networks eventually and make their subchannels their main offerings along with more local interest programming shows. The Big 4 will take their programming to their cable affiliates, where they already rerun most of their programming now.

 

[mike123abc]

It will be a sad day when the big 4 all go pay TV only...

 

[Lue]

Big 4 investing

According to the Link CBS is an investor in Syncbak. Anybody else out there using Syncbak or a similar program to access their OTA channels?
More channels in the link below.

http://dev.dwidio.com/dwidio-stations/

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-22/cbs-invests-in-startup-that-lets-local-tv-stations-stream-online.html


http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/syncbak-to-carry-gray-television-stations-207529941.html

 

[CK SatGuy]

It will be a sad day when the big 4 all go pay TV only...

I agree. And that day will be coming soon as the FCC prepares to auction off the 600 Mhz spectrum to the wireless phone companies next year. The 600 MHz contains channels 35-51 so depending on the DMA stations will either have to move to lower frequencies or shut down and merge network programming through subchannels.

 

[navychop]

I thought that space had already been vacated.

 

[Blindowl1234]

So is Syncbak free? or will we have to pay for that? I'm assuming we will. So one day free Tv as we know it will pretty much be gone. If the Tv spectrum gets even smaller I think it might cause some smaller affiliates to throw in the towel anyway. I'm not sure they could sell their station...who would want to buy it? My background many moons ago was Radio and Tv and I'm not sure I'd want a job in that field today or in the near future...might not be a bright future locally

 

[osu1991]

Its getting expensive, for the smaller operators, they've already had to pay for an upgrade from analog to digital and some of them had foot the cost to move from temp channel locations to permanent digital allocations and now they may be on the hook again if their channel is relocated again.

 

[mike123abc]

Its getting expensive, for the smaller operators, they've already had to pay for an upgrade from analog to digital and some of them had foot the cost to move from temp channel locations to permanent digital allocations and now they may be on the hook again if their channel is relocated again.

The current thought is that stations that move will get a split of the auction monies to cover their expenses. The thought is that stations could band together and share a channel.

 

[navychop]

...... The thought is that stations could band together and share a channel.

Which will mean the death of OTA HD. Not the MARKETING of HD, just the death of genuine OTA HD, the best available today after Blu-ray.

 

[osu1991]

The current thought is that stations that move will get a split of the auction monies to cover their expenses. The thought is that stations could band together and share a channel.

Too much greed for all that to happen