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I'll chime in too as someone who lives in a state with NO air TV (Delaware). We have a Roku with Hulu Live. It is expensive, but still cheaper than cable. This is the only way I've found to watch local news / weather. Pluto, freevee, Roku TV, all have free national news / weather / movies etc. This of course requires a strong wifi connection though. ---- Kayla Abner (she/her) *Digital Scholarship Librarian* Digital Initiatives and Preservation Library, Museums and Press University of Delaware [log in to unmask] Visit https://library.udel.edu/continuity/ for information on library services during the COVID-19 pandemic. [image: University of Delaware] On Thu, Sep 22, 2022 at 11:35 AM Cindy Bowen <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > As an over-the-air antenna and Roku user, I'll chime in. > > Yes, over-the-air TV channel reception is highly variable based on > location. There are a number of sites that can help locate what > transmitters might be in your area, e.g. > https://www.antennasdirect.com/transmitter-locator.html I always have to > put my indoor antenna up against a window to get any reasonable reception, > and even then the channel selection and quality depends on where the > transmitters are and any intervening obstacles (e.g. buses passing by, > ha!). > > My Roku is a streaming device only, so an internet connection is required > for it to work. I do not believe any of the Roku devices are intended to > "download", as you mention. For folks without regular wifi access, a Roku > isn't going to do what you want. But yes, as Mark mentioned, there are free > Roku apps like Pluto TV that provide access to various shows; whether > that's sufficient depends on the person. > > If that helps, > ~Cindy > > On Thu, Sep 22, 2022 at 11:13 AM Mark Pernotto <[log in to unmask]> > wrote: > > > Hello Charles, > > > > This question is also valid in our community. Thank you for sharing your > > experiences. > > > > Is the purpose to enable patrons to stream local & PBS channels? I've had > > little luck with using a digital antenna for my television as well. I've > > not used a Roku device (Amazon makes a similar Fire stick) but the free > app > > Pluto TV provides a very healthy selection of free television programming > > on numerous topics, including movies, classic television, reality series, > > animation, even *regionally* local news. > > > > Would love to hear more about how the library is utilizing these > > technologies to benefit their communities. > > > > Mark > > > > On Thu, Sep 22, 2022 at 7:56 AM Tim McGeary <[log in to unmask]> > wrote: > > > > > Hi Charles, > > > > > > This is a really important issue for our communities, especially public > > > libraries that have higher populations of underserved and low-income > > > residents. I experimented myself with a hi-def antenna when I "cut the > > > cord" from cable, and even with my own technical experience and > financial > > > privilege, I found it confusing and difficult. And, yes, the changes in > > > signals from local stations even makes the effort I made obsolete or > less > > > functional. > > > > > > I think you are on the right track with considering how to use devices, > > > such as the Roku stick, for your patrons, as streaming access from > local > > > stations increases. I am encouraged to see various state governments > > using > > > federal and state funding to increase broadband access in rural areas, > > yet > > > I know the monthly cost remains out of reach for many. > > > > > > I wish I could offer you more substantive feedback, but at least I can > > > cheer you on and say that I believe you are on the right track. I hope > > that > > > as you work through potential solutions, you consider giving a > lightning > > > talk or submit an article to the Code4Lib journal to report on your > work. > > > It is vitally important that we do all we can to make information as > > fully > > > accessible as possible, especially in this era of misinformation and > > > disinformation. > > > > > > Cheers, > > > Tim > > > > > > > > > Tim McGeary > > > > > > Associate University Librarian for Digital Strategies and Technology > > > > > > Duke University Libraries > > > > > > [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> > > > > > > > > > Request a meeting: > > > https:[log in to unmask] > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > From: Code for Libraries <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of ander > > > kierig <[log in to unmask]> > > > Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2022 10:22 AM > > > To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> > > > Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Roku - TV - Over the Air > > > > > > Dear Charles: > > > > > > IMHO, this is not an appropriate use of this list. Roku support is > > > online at > > > > > > https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://support.roku.com__;!!OToaGQ!sCxKt9jtSQd49-LU545H7H6Rv-3PCticYppiH7za9auqkE8GBaz9ur_OtBxexbC7zbXGE_sjOWy7tv_0h20NbL1a0Zb6SmeZEw$ > > > . Please don't send questions like > > > this to a list with 4000 people on it. > > > > > > respectfully yours, > > > > > > ander kierig > > > > > > -- > > > ander kierig > > > Application Development > > > University of Minnesota Libraries > > > [lib.umn.edu]( > > > > > > https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.lib.umn.edu__;!!OToaGQ!sCxKt9jtSQd49-LU545H7H6Rv-3PCticYppiH7za9auqkE8GBaz9ur_OtBxexbC7zbXGE_sjOWy7tv_0h20NbL1a0ZbRM7us1w$ > > > ) > > > they/them > > > > > > On 2022-09-22 at 09:13 (-0500) charles meyer wrote: > > > > > > > Hi my esteemed listmates, > > > > > > > > We seem to generally broach more advanced tech questions than this > but > > > > we > > > > have some patrons visiting with simpler needs. > > > > > > > > I was trying to help patrons locate any outdoor TV antenna or tower > > > > climbers who could help with their outdoor antennas but it seems they > > > > have > > > > all retired aso trying to receive over the air TV (as programs assert > > > > can > > > > be done with a TV antenna) is not available for a lot of areas. > > > > > > > > Just to experiment, I bought the best indoor antenna for my house and > > > > placed it on almost every square inch of evereye all in every room > ang > > > > received about 4-5 TV stations, no local PBS just mostly 1960 TV > > > > shows. > > > > > > > > My thought was tey could buy a Roku ($50 Amazon, Walmart) and with a > > > > library hotspot connect that Roku to their digital TV (not analog > even > > > > with > > > > a digital converter box) and then use the Roku device to downloads > PBS > > > > and > > > > local TV stations via their hotspot. > > > > > > > > Some patrons need hand holding so once you plugin the Roku will it > > > > search > > > > for the hotspot and then you type in the hotspot name and password > > > > and the > > > > Roku connects to the net to download those TV stations? > > > > > > > > I hear the over the air signal are all going 4K soon so does that > mean > > > > you > > > > need a particular Roku, not just any Roku. > > > > > > > > Thanks so much, > > > > > > > > Charles. > > > > > > > > > > > > Charles Meyer > > > > Charlotte County Public Library > > > > Port Charlotte, FL > > > > > > > > -- > Cindy Bowen > Systems Librarian > Georgetown University > [log in to unmask] > she/her/hers >