# tvfox gadget **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 12, 2018, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvfox-gadget/808705 "2018-02-12T18:53:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![flaming\_yawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cab0a1/32.png) [@flaming\_yawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flaming_yawn)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2018, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvfox-gadget/808705/1 "2018-02-12T18:53:39Z")
anyone have one of these or know of them? Ad says “just plug it in and watch tv” over 80 channels yada yada… to good to be true? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2018, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvfox-gadget/808705/2 "2018-02-12T19:01:07Z")
[It’s a digital TV antenna.](https://www.amazon.com/TV-Amplified-Antenna-Digital-Television/dp/B073V614K7/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8) How many OTA channels are within 25-50 miles of you? Telling point > [@](#): > > Free for Your Life-Get the free HD Channels like ABC, CBS, NBC, PBC & Fox They’re free anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2018, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvfox-gadget/808705/3 "2018-02-12T19:02:20Z")
They should call it a tvrabbit because that’s all it is. Rabbit ears. Designed to connect to Over The Air television signals which, of course, are free. Check the reviews on Amazon. 86% rate it one star. It’s a piece of junk. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2018, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvfox-gadget/808705/4 "2018-02-12T19:30:54Z")
> [@Peanuthead](#): > > They should call it a tvrabbit because that’s all it is. Rabbit ears. Designed to connect to Over The Air television signals which, of course, are free. > Check the reviews on Amazon. 86% rate it one star. It’s a piece of junk. Except actual rabbit ears are cheaper and better. I have a $25 set of amplified rabbit ears. I can pick up 22 channels, the furthest away I can pick up clearly is about 45 miles away. Of course, all this is going to depend on how many channels are in your line of sight, and the larger the metro area you’re in, the more channels will be transmitting. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2018, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvfox-gadget/808705/5 "2018-02-12T22:41:19Z")
I have literally a bent up coat hanger as my antenna. I get all the major OTA channels just fine. Being in a major TV market probably helps too. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2018, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvfox-gadget/808705/6 "2018-02-12T22:54:36Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > I have literally a bent up coat hanger as my antenna. I get all the major OTA channels just fine. Being in a major TV market probably helps too. So you can do it cheaper and better at home? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2018, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvfox-gadget/808705/7 "2018-02-12T23:28:49Z")
I laughed like hell when I saw that ad, being of the age where antennas were the thing. Johnny Carson used to do a bit as a TV toy salesman, extolling the virtues of Dicky the Stick (a stick, only $29.95!) This reminded me of that. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2018, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvfox-gadget/808705/8 "2018-02-12T23:31:31Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > So you can do it cheaper and better at home? 😃 I don’t know about better. But good enough for the amount of OTA TV I watch. Now let me tell you about Olive Garden vs. my pasta…😉 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2018, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvfox-gadget/808705/9 "2018-02-12T23:41:49Z")
Since this is about the hardware, not the content of the shows, it’ll probably be a better fit for IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2018, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvfox-gadget/808705/10 "2018-02-13T21:25:39Z")
You gotta get one of those amazeballs gadgets you plug into a wall socket that “turns your house wiring into a giant antenna!” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SamuelA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@SamuelA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SamuelA)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvfox-gadget/808705/11 "2018-02-14T08:35:45Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > You gotta get one of those amazeballs gadgets you plug into a wall socket that “turns your house wiring into a giant antenna!” 😉 Does that work? ---
**Author:** ![flaming\_yawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cab0a1/32.png) [@flaming\_yawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flaming_yawn)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvfox-gadget/808705/12 "2018-02-14T13:53:21Z")
Thanks everyone . I too grew up with an antenna on my roof… the house we bought had a router! I live in the boonies so not a good market for local tv. I can remember PBS stations coming in best. I watched the infomercial at a homeshow once and my friend was about to buy it and I talked her down. whew. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvfox-gadget/808705/13 "2018-02-14T14:04:56Z")
I recommend everyone get an antenna and see what channels they can get over-the-air. I was surprised that there were a lot of oddball channels showing all kinds of reruns. Old game shows, classic TV shows, 80’s sitcoms, true-crime, etc. It’s like a lower-tier version of cable. If you’re wondering what channels you might get, there are several websites which try to predict your lineup based on your location (like [https://www.antennaweb.org/](https://www.antennaweb.org/)). One caveat is that the networks broadcast in HD, but many of the other channels are in a lower resolution. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvfox-gadget/808705/14 "2018-02-14T14:10:28Z")
When I cut the cable, I got a [Mohu](https://www.amazon.com/Mohu-Paper-thin-Reversible-Performance-MH-110598/dp/B00HSMK580)antenna. The only OTA channel I get with it is PBS. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvfox-gadget/808705/15 "2018-02-14T17:48:31Z")
> [@SamuelA](#): > > Does that work? It’s a very, very old scam. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvfox-gadget/808705/16 "2018-02-15T20:21:45Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > I recommend everyone get an antenna and see what channels they can get over-the-air. I was surprised that there were a lot of oddball channels showing all kinds of reruns. Old game shows, classic TV shows, 80’s sitcoms, true-crime, etc. It’s like a lower-tier version of cable. > > If you’re wondering what channels you might get, there are several websites which try to predict your lineup based on your location (like [https://www.antennaweb.org/](https://www.antennaweb.org/)). > > One caveat is that the networks broadcast in HD, but many of the other channels are in a lower resolution. Yeah, OTA TV these days is a really upgraded experience. The OTA HD broadcasts from the major networks are very high quality images, and a lot of the SD subchannels, while not HD, are in widescreen SD, similar to DVD quality. The old game shows and near-constant reruns of MASH are pretty darn watchable.