Does OTA TV have a Program Guide Like Cable? ( YES, it does! )

DTVpal converter box program guide. A number of former pay TV users have lamented the lack of a program guide when they switched to free OTA TV. The problem doesn't lie so much with OTA Digital TV as much as it does with the manufacturers of televisions and converter boxes. You see, the Digital TV standards provide for a rich set of features, including an EPG - an electronic program guide. Most TV stations broadcast their EPG info, which is embedded in the DTV signal. The information they provide includes the time, program name and a description. Some stations are very good at providing EPG info, while others fail miserably. Some stations will provide several days of EPG with detailed descriptions, while others provide only a few hours of program names or nothing at all. The worst offenders are LPT - Low Power Television - and independent TV stations. PBS stations generally do the best job with their EPGs.

Make Your Own TV Antenna

If you want to try free OTA digital TV, but don't want to spend a lot of money, here's a project that will only cost you a few dollars and about a half hour of your time. Keep in mind that this antenna is NOT for outdoor use, but it is great for mounting in a closet, in your attic, or it could even be hidden in a picture frame with a little modification. It's also a great way to see how many TV channels you can get for free before investing in a commercial antenna.

You could easily re-design this antenna using durable materials to make it suitable for outdoor use.

Watch the video here: