Help Getting Local Channels

[akitchen756]

This may not be the best place to ask this but I'm at a total loss!

We got DirecTV specifically for NFL Sunday ticket and now that the regular season is over we were told that it does not cover the post season which would not be a problem if they provided local channels in my area - which they don't! Which means no playoffs or superbowl for us!!

Obviously, we are stuck in a contract and DirecTv told me that I can get free over the air channels if we purchase a converter box but they could not give me more details. We have a newer 1080i HDTV and I cannot seem to find any information about how to use a converter with this type of television - everything out there is for analog TV sets. We also live on a military base where we cannot put an antenna on our roof and someone told me you need to use an antenna WITH a converter box. At this point I'm ready to pull my hair out because no one can give me a straight answer (not even Bestbuy or Radioshack). Can anyone out there tell me exactly what to do? We need a solution by January 15th lol.

Our "waivers" for local stations were all denied as well.

 

[mdram]

you can get the directv am21 that plugs into your current D* box, what kind do you have?

it would also need an antenna, but maybe in in attic would work?

 

[Mr Tony]

If its a newer TV you do not need a converter box. An indoor antenna would possibly work depending on how close you are to the towers. Just hook to the antenna input on the TV and scan

Where ya located? D* has locals in most markets

 

[cave1376]

You can get an indoor hdtv antenna from radio shack, best buy or wal mart and connect it to the tv, you don't need a converter box. Connect it to the antenna in on the tv. The box is only for older analog only tvs. The tv you have has digital and analog tuners. The antenna will get the local channels only.

 

[akitchen756]

I have no idea what tv box we have - its the new touch screen kind HDDVR. We are in Fort Drum, NY - which apparently is in the 4% area that they do not provide local channels! I'm a die hard Patriots fan and will not be able to suffer through watching the playoffs on my computer. My husband said we should just get a basic channel package on cable for the next two months to watch football but I don't think that will work!

 

[mdram]

its very possible the tv does not have a tuner built in. it was done for a while to save manufacturing costs on some 1080i tv's.

i know mine is this way, and its only 5 years old

 

[Mr Tony]

shoot you're right...Watertown NY is not on D*

But doing a tvfool report (which tells you which locals are near you with an antenna) the couple of locals there are only 10 miles or so away from you so a indoor antenna should work. Now the only drawback is there is no NBC in the market with an antenna which does affect Saturday's games (the rest are on CBS & Fox which are available in the area)

 

[akitchen756]

Thank you so much for the help! I'm heading out to Radioshack now to get this problem solved. Luckily, our waiver for NBC was the only one approved so we should be good for this weekend. Keeping my fingers crossed that my TV does have a built in tuner....

 

[mdram]

and they could always 'move' for a short time

 

[Mr Tony]

true. Syracuse would be the closest area. Since they mentioned they have HD they could do that. Syracuse is on 99W HD satellite

 

[Mr Tony]

Thank you so much for the help! I'm heading out to Radioshack now to get this problem solved. Luckily, our waiver for NBC was the only one approved so we should be good for this weekend. Keeping my fingers crossed that my TV does have a built in tuner....

If the TV was manufactured in the last 3 years or so it's required to have a digital tuner.
If you go to Rat Shack I would stay away from the simple rabbit ears and maybe get an amplified antenna just incase

Good that NBC was approved. CBS & Fox are owned by the same folks and they probably deny everyone. I noticed the folks that own those stations own 3 stations total...the 2 in Watertown and the CBS/Fox channel about 60 miles from me in Mankato, MN...huh small world

 

[akitchen756]

Okay you totally lost me on the whole "move" thing....but thought this was worth mentioning:

Someone gave me a link to a website that you can go on and plug in your address to see local channels directv has. I never would have found it on their website but after going on it I learned that they provide PBS, NBC in HD and ABC in HD to my location. No one ever told me this at Directv...they only said I could submit a waiver to all the stations and pay an additional $2.50 per station that was approved. I've been paying extra for PBS and NBC only to find out I never had to and that I could have been getting ABC the entire time. Apparently no one told me because it meant they would have to update our upstairs standard receiver to an HD and update our current satellite dish for FREE. They are coming next week to make these changes. I just thought it was extremely sketchy that no one ever told me about this. They are also crediting me back the extra money I paid over the last six months. I was furious. So if there is anyone else out there who thinks they cannot get local channels check it out here: DIRECTV: Local/Network Channel Availability

 

[bayoubrut]

Actually they probably want people to upgrade to HD receivers so they can renew the 2 yr lease/contract.

 

[akitchen756]

My contract did no change - I made sure of that. Not that it matters too much anyway because if we have to move they have a military clause.

One more thing - are you saying that I can tell DirecTv to change my service address to Syracuse and I'll get the local channels? How would I go about that?

 

[Mr Tony]

1. Find an address in the Syracuse market. Just has to be semi-legitimate.
2. Call up D* and say you moved. There is already a dish there and everything is working but the locals
3. Give them new "physical" address
4. Tell them to keep billing address the same. If they change it in error, no biggie you can change it back on line
5. Make sure the locals work

There ya go...easy as 1-2-3 (well 1-5)
Only issue right now is since they are coming out to upgrade the equipment you can't "move" yet...because they'd go to the new address.

As for the address, some folks have used addresses for gas stations, BK or McDonalds etc. Me...I took my buddy's address of 820 XXXth St W and made it 822 XXXth st W with DIrectv

 

[Mariah2014]

I'm surprised Directv isn't giving you Syracuse locals in the first place considering your not that far from there. Probably the reason your not is you can't naturally pull their signals. If you were to pull those singnels natraully from Syracuse an outdoor antennna would be required since their signel doesn't naturally reach you. I would be willing to bet you would pull Canadien stations at the same time.

 

[akitchen756]

They're coming Sunday for the upgrade so I'll call Monday morning with a new address. I officially love this website - thank you so much for the help, I never would have been able to find it elsewhere!

 

[raoul5788]

I'm surprised Directv isn't giving you Syracuse locals in the first place considering your not that far from there. Probably the reason your not is you can't naturally pull their signals. If you were to pull those singnels natraully from Syracuse an outdoor antennna would be required since their signel doesn't naturally reach you. I would be willing to bet you would pull Canadien stations at the same time.

It's whatever dma you are in. Even if you live inches outside of it, they won't give you the locals.

 

[mdram]

It's whatever dma you are in. Even if you live inches outside of it, they won't give you the locals.

not totally true. look at zipcode 21643, and zipcode 21801.
both are salisbury md dma
however 21643 could barely pickup baltimore locals prior to salisbury going live.
they got the baltimore locals.
they are still listed as having them on d* website
and they did/do get them.

 

[Mr Tony]

I'm surprised Directv isn't giving you Syracuse locals in the first place considering your not that far from there.

the county they are in is the Watertown NY DMA which is WWNY (CBS), Fox and ABC. They probably can get CKWS from Kingston, Ontario with a OTA antenna