A Simple Observation

[Stereocraig]

From time to time, people will ask for advice about cutting the cable.
Not just here, but also in my normal day to day interaction w/ friends and acquaintances.
They will then proceed to state their requirements,
including some, or all, but not limited to the following:

My wife wouldn't approve of that.
My HOA doesn't allow that.
I want something that can't be seen from the street.
My neighbors, wouldn't like that.
I don't want anything that big.
I don't want a rotor.
I don't want two antennas.
I don't want to spend that much money.

I'm sure there are more, but you get the idea.
This is not necessarily aimed at apartment, or rental people, because I realize their situations are controlled by the landlord.

I just feel that if somebody has a chance to save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, they could make an attempt to be a bit more flexible.

Of course, admin may feel free to delete my post, should they deem it inappropriate.

[mtownsend]

Yes, it's a common misunderstanding. Most people are completely unaware of the FCC's over-the-air reception devices rule (OTARD), FCC link (http://www.fcc.gov/guides/over-air-reception-devices-rule).

People just don't know that there's a federal rule that takes precedence over most state, county, city, HOA, or landlord rules, and it gives most people the right to put up a reasonable antenna, at a reasonable cost, within a reasonable amount of time. Local laws, HOA rules, or landlord contracts cannot preempt this federal rule except under very specific circumstances.

The more people know about and understand these rules, the more empowered they are likely to feel.

People also don't realize that the major network broadcasters are actually some of the biggest producers of content that people like to watch. The video quality you get over the air is often noticeably better than the same content you get over the re-compressed cable and satellite feeds. OTA quality is coming directly from the source in many cases.