You don't need a "digital antenna"; It's all just radio waves.  You do need a digital tuner.  

I know it's not a solution for checkout by library patrons, but I built my own single-bay, "Gray-Hoverman" antenna without reflectors out of scrap wire and wood for about $5 in parts and no tools other than a screwdriver and wire-cutting pliers, and I pick up more than 35 channels and subchannels over the air.   It could be a nice community project to assist folks who want to build their own antennas though.

Dimensions diagram here  https://www.digitalhome.ca/d1/ota/superantenna/design.htm, and there are tons of examples online of various complexity and materials.

Erich


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Code for Libraries <[log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of charles
> meyer
> Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2022 10:14 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [CODE4LIB] Roku - TV - Over the Air
> 
> 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