Streaming Cutting the Cord 127 127 people found this article helpful The Benefits of Using a TV Antenna by Matthew Torres Writer Former Lifewire writer Matthew Torres is a journalist who writes about television technology, consumer support articles, and TV-related news. our editorial process Matthew Torres Updated on May 09, 2019 pagadesign / Getty Images Cutting the Cord Streaming Devices Streaming TV, Movies, & More Music, Podcasts, & Audio Cutting the Cord Tweet Share Email You may have thought TV antennas were yesterday's news, but they are still on the market and they offer benefits to users that cable and satellite television can't match. They aren't for everyone, but for users who have a good supply of broadcast stations in their locality, antennas can save money and improve signal quality. You don't have to get rid of your cable or satellite service to install an antenna. Antennas Save Money Antennas are, by default, money savers because their job is to receive free TV. If you use cable or satellite service and pay a monthly local service fee to receive local channels, you can save on that fee each month by canceling local service and using an antenna. Broadcast stations are free. Why pay for them? Receive Channels That Cable and Satellite Providers Don't Give You In terms of the number of channels offered, there is no comparison between pay TV and free TV. Pay TV wins in a landslide. What cable and satellite providers don’t tell their subscribers is that many broadcast stations offer at least one sub-channel. These subchannels aren’t offered with your cable or satellite service. To get them you need an antenna. Sub-channels vary depending on locality but may include an all-weather station, Retro Television Network and several public television channels. Receive Out-of-Market Channels This benefit only applies to you if you live near two or more TV markets and can receive signals from both. If you can, then you have access to the free stations in both markets. Usually, this amounts to getting access to additional sub-channels and different news and sports programming. Get Peace of Mind Satellite subscribers know that their satellite signal can disappear during bad weather, which is a concern in areas that experience tornado warnings or wintry weather. When keeping a signal is critically important, an antenna is a way to go. View Uncompressed High Definition Signals It’s no secret that broadcast networks deliver an uncompressed signal and cable and satellite providers compress theirs. Which is better? The answer depends on who you ask. Fans of antennas declare they can tell a quality difference when receiving uncompressed high-definition signals.