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Tuner Free TV's
Old 12-29-2016, 04:02 PM   #1
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Tuner Free TV's

Was browsing my local Costco. Noticed Visio TV's were all advertising Tuner
Free TV's. Asked the Costco employee, he said all Visio's are Tuner free, and
most of the other brands also.

If you use OTA (over the air antenna) for TV, you are in trouble.
Comments. Easy work arounds. I know some of us have cable, but have spare TV using the OTA.
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Old 12-29-2016, 04:09 PM   #2
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Not a big deal. You can buy a digital TV tuner box for well under $100 that simply goes between the TV and the antenna. Some even have a built in DVR.
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Old 12-29-2016, 04:13 PM   #3
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I have not seen these. will need to look at is. Even basic cable systems for the low grade service still needed a similar tuner.

In reality even a cable modem has a tuner, just not a TV compatible tuner. Different frequency and modulation schemes. I'm still using OTA + streaming.

I've got to look at this...
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Old 12-29-2016, 04:19 PM   #4
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our cable provider switched to this all digital thingy and we had to go to boxes

I kinda liked having the cable plug into the TV without the extra remote

I made darn sure every TV I ever bought had a tuner, qam or whatever
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Old 12-29-2016, 04:22 PM   #5
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Good to know. I'm not anxious to pay another $100 to get OTA channels, though I mostly go through my Dish receiver, which also has a tuner. I don't always go through it though.
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Old 12-29-2016, 04:30 PM   #6
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It looks like vizio is leading this tunerless tv thing and using google cast as the interface. They are betting that (or based on research) that most owners won't need a tuner based on most don't receive OTA. If cable/satellite providers move to a digital data stream, then most will not need a TV receiver. It may be a while before all TVs become tunerless monitors (that is mostly like what you are buying).

The tuner hardware is not really that expensive. However, if everything moves to data streams, they move the broadcast bands to data in the future.
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Old 12-29-2016, 05:06 PM   #7
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I think most people receive OTA, but choose not to use it, or aren't even aware of the option.
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Old 12-29-2016, 05:12 PM   #8
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What would be the difference between tunerless TV and an equal sized video monitor?
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Old 12-29-2016, 05:14 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by RunningBum View Post
I think most people receive OTA, but choose not to use it, or aren't even aware of the option.
I think a majority pay for a service like cable or dish and may watch the OTA content through this service. I bet many never even hook up an antenna to their TV... thus do not receive OTA. I agree that most could receive it, but don't think most do receive it. Being able to receive it (the signal is there) does not count as receiving it. You must attach an antenna an tune the TV to receive it.
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Old 12-29-2016, 05:27 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bingybear View Post
I think a majority pay for a service like cable or dish and may watch the OTA content through this service. I bet many never even hook up an antenna to their TV... thus do not receive OTA. I agree that most could receive it, but don't think most do receive it. Being able to receive it (the signal is there) does not count as receiving it. You must attach an antenna an tune the TV to receive it.
Yeah, I blanked out on that fact. I agree with you.
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Old 12-29-2016, 05:53 PM   #11
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Tunerless means they're monitors--like an old style computer monitor. That means they also don't have any sound system built into them--I assume. You might have to have a surround sound system attached to the monitor.

Give me a old style television that I can hear when I punch the remote control. Price is not everything.
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Old 12-29-2016, 06:14 PM   #12
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I watch local channels thru Dish satellite, but can also receive OTA. The services usually only send tha main channel. With an OTA tuner you can get the sub-channels. I sometimes am recording 2 premium channels and 2 local channels (OTA) thru the Dish receiver at one time. I can watch OTA thru the TV at the same time if necessary . I had to upgrade the dish receiver to record the OTA channels. My 2nd (and 3rd) TV uses a modulated analog signal to them, fed by the main Dish box. I would have to rebuild my entire system if the 2nd and 3rd TV's didn't have a real tuner capable of receiving analog or digital signals. more importantly, I can receive the OTA terrestrial signal when the satellite dish is covered in snow. This happens about 2x per year.

I know I'll have to cave in sooner or later. But I'll hang on as long as I can screaming and scratching along the way.
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Old 12-29-2016, 06:15 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bamaman View Post
Tunerless means they're monitors--like an old style computer monitor. That means they also don't have any sound system built into them--I assume. You might have to have a surround sound system attached to the monitor.

Give me a old style television that I can hear when I punch the remote control. Price is not everything.
Never thought of that. Will check next time. Hm...No tuner. And No
Sound.....
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Old 12-29-2016, 06:27 PM   #14
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Not sure if the tunerless TV's have audio capability. Audio is capable of being delivered thru an HDMI cable so maybe there is an embedded audio system?
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Old 12-29-2016, 06:28 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bingybear View Post
I think a majority pay for a service like cable or dish and may watch the OTA content through this service. I bet many never even hook up an antenna to their TV... thus do not receive OTA. I agree that most could receive it, but don't think most do receive it. Being able to receive it (the signal is there) does not count as receiving it. You must attach an antenna an tune the TV to receive it.
I've been watching OTA ONLY for the last 8 years!!! Well, with a Roku for streaming stuff, too, though.
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Old 12-29-2016, 06:41 PM   #16
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Not sure if the tunerless TV's have audio capability. Audio is capable of being delivered thru an HDMI cable so maybe there is an embedded audio system?
I looked up a tunerless TV specs and they did have stereo speakers, but they push the sound bar/surround sound systems. the one I looked at was a 75" TV. In the day, some monitors did come with sound... not good sound. Maybe these are different. But anyone getting a 75" TV likely would want the full experience.
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Old 12-29-2016, 07:34 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by bingybear View Post
It looks like vizio is leading this tunerless tv thing and using google cast as the interface. They are betting that (or based on research) that most owners won't need a tuner based on most don't receive OTA. If cable/satellite providers move to a digital data stream, then most will not need a TV receiver. It may be a while before all TVs become tunerless monitors (that is mostly like what you are buying).

The tuner hardware is not really that expensive. However, if everything moves to data streams, they move the broadcast bands to data in the future.
As it turns out, I was at Costco last evening for about an hour before an eye exam.

Costco only seems to carry Vizio and Samsung now. Some of the Vizios come with a little tablet which streams video to the big screen.

If you subscribe to cable, you will have a DVR or a cable box of some kind so you'd be watching through that. I can't get OTA, behind a high-rise, so I've never used tuners with the TV's I've had for well over a decade.

OTA isn't dead but I don't think local stations are as profitable as they used to be. So I don't know for instance whether they will invest in new equipment to broadcast in 4K with HDR.

Right now, all the 4K TVs being sold don't have a tuner which will get reception on the new 4K broadcasting standard (ATSC 3.0) which should be finalized next year.


Anyways, to my eyes, the Vizio TVs at Costco, including the $3000 top of the line 70-inch with 64 local-dimming zones, looked soft. The Samsungs looked much better but they were all running a loop of some still shots and videos shot with high-end cameras.
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Old 12-29-2016, 07:41 PM   #18
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I never use a tuner, the signal to the TV is HDMI from the AV receiver or the uverse box. Just a big monitor
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Old 12-29-2016, 08:54 PM   #19
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I find OTA to be a bit higher quality picture than getting a local over Dish. I'm not sure if it's compression or something else. It's not significant but OTA does seem to jump out a bit more.
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Old 12-29-2016, 09:11 PM   #20
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I wish they decided to offer an optional, integrated tuner.

We use OTA, we get lots of channels, and the picture is higher quality than cable. And we've been buying Vizio's for a long time. But I won't if it means a separate box and separate remote, and taking up an HDMI slot.

I understand why Vizio is doing it, they say < 10% of buyers use OTA. But 'cable cutters' are growing, and they won't be Vizio customers, or they may be PO'd to find out when they try ditching cable later, that their Vizio is going to cost them extra to switch, and be clumsier. A cheap, optional tuner would solve most of that. But I see they just refer you to a third party.

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