Get ready now for the big game in February

I know, the NFL playoffs haven’t even begun. But it’s time to start thinking about your end-of-season parties now and making sure you’re prepared. Prepared, you say? How should I be prepared? Simple: get an over-the-air antenna.

“But… I’m going to stream the game”

I’m expecting more people than ever to stream the big game. And that means one thing: a lot of people are going to be disappointed. Big time. You’re talking about one of the most popular televised events of the year, and it happens on a Sunday when a lot of technicians are off with their families. If the internet goes out, you’re done. And even if it stays up, chances are everyone else in your neighborhood is going to be trying to stream it too. That means slowdowns and chances are you’ll miss something important.

“Don’t worry, I have pay TV”

Depending on which pay TV carrier you have, that can seem like a great way to assume that you’ll have a reliable TV signal. But hey, doesn’t the game take place in the dead of winter? Snow can get on satellite dishes. Cables can freeze and snap. It happens often enough that it’s a concern. I personally think you’re generally better off with satellite. If you’re worried about snow, you can get a dish heater now and avoid problems with snow and ice. If your cable goes out, well good luck. That’s all I’ll say.

The solution: an over-the-air antenna

About 95% of Americans live in areas served by free live TV. For most of them, it’s just a matter of putting up a fairly small antenna. Sometimes that antenna can even be indoors. Put up that antenna, and you’ll get clean, clear, crisp reception. There’s nothing more to buy, either. An antenna is a one-time purchase. And, it’s futureproof. You can’t say that about too many things these days.

Over the air antenna signals don’t have problems with rain or snow. Cloudy days don’t bother them. Even a loss of power isn’t a problem. If you can run your TV off a battery backup, the antenna will still work. It’s a simple, reliable way to get your TV fix. The hardware is already built into your TV… just hook up the cable!

Here’s a bonus

Think about this for a second. What if you could see the game 10 seconds before anyone else? Well, you can. Pay TV companies and streamers get their signals a lot of ways. In a lot of cases they just pull the signal in with their own antennas. Then they rebroadcast it. If you have a contract with the network, it’s perfectly legal. However, it means there’s a delay while everything is pushed back out. That delay can be up to 10 seconds. So think about it for a second. You could be ahead of everyone else in the neighborhood. You’ll know if the kick is good while they’re still watching the kicker limber up. What are those kind of bragging rights worth to you?

Here’s how you do it

If you shop at one of those big web sites, you’ll see hundreds of identical looking antennas. You may not know which one is right for you. Everyone wants a tiny antenna, I get that. But, you may need a bigger one to get a strong signal. But I’ll tell you something — you won’t find that kind of info at those large sites. Some of them don’t even publish their phone numbers!

On the other hand, you can work with a trusted company who will give you free advice from real antenna technicians. No apps, no script readers, just honest free advice. All you need to do is call Solid Signal. We’re here for you during East Coast business hours. The number is [email protected]. You can even fill out the form below if you’d rather communicate that way.

Of course if you know what you’re looking for, just shop the great selection of antennas and accessories at Solid Signal. You’ll find all the best stuff!