Antenna Setup
First, go here and check your address to see what channels you should be able to recieve on an antenna from your home -
TV Fool Signal Locator
Then get an antenna, I recommend an outdoor model for use around Evergreen. Walmart offers free two day shipping to store and takes returns if the one you picked doesn't work or is not what you like. Amazon is another great source and has lots of reviews on all models. You'll notice some really cheap ones, skip those and stick to name brands like RCA, Clearstream, Channel Master, etc.
Following the compass headings on your TV Fool report, install your antenna, point the small end toward the towers
and then do a channel scan on your tv. Simple, right? If you're missing a few channels, try mounting the antenna higher or trim a few trees. That's all there is too getting free tv! For the cost of the antenna you now have free entertainment in true High Definition.
Internet Streaming
Ok, so you want even more? If you have internet at your house, then you can stream more content! Go here and
check your connection speed and quality Speedtest - you'll want about 10 mbps for the best results. You might also check for different providers for your location, Comcast and Centurylink are the biggies, but I've been very happy with Mountain Broadband for my internet service. Give them a call to see if you can get service to your home from them, tell them I sent you so I get a referral credit. A good way to test and try streaming is give a movie site a trial run, like Crackle is a nice one with tv shows or movies, pick one and watch it, it's free!
Now you have fast internet, you need a device to connect the internet to your tv. My favorite is the Roku. There are others, Google Chromecast, Amazon Firetv, but you can also use your Xbox One or Playstation 4 - but I find the best results with the Roku Ultra or Premiere. These boxes use wifi to connect, which should be fine, just plugin the hdmi cable and turn on, follow the onscreen menu on the tv to setup the network connection and start watching!
Our favorite free apps on the Roku are the Smithsonian Channel, TubiTv, Crackle and Youtube. All the main tv networks have apps with free content, CW, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, so you'll want those too. The Roku Channel store can be overwhelming, but click around and see what you can find, that's part of the fun! A big list of the thousands of channel apps is Roku Guide - broken down in different catagories and they offer a weekly email update with new apps.
Streaming Services $$
Now you have lots of free entertainment, but miss ESPN, HGtv, Food Network, AMC, History and others? That's where the new streaming services come in. Not free, but no where near the cost of cable or satellite! All of these providers offer a 7 day trial, so give them a try and pick the one that fits you best. None have the long term contracts like cable, so you can switch them up month to month with no pentaly or add extras just for one month. We prefer Sling.
Sling TV - base $25 Blue pack has ESPNs, Disney, AMC, HGTV, Food, see link for full list. $25 Orange pack drops ESPN but adds FS1, FS2 and NBCsports, so it's the one for the NASCAR fan like me. $40 gets both packs. Lots of extras available like Sports or Kids packs.
Playstation VUE - starts at $44.99 and up to $79.99 for 90 channels with HBO and Showtime
Those are the two we've tried, but there are many others now, some offer Local channels, depends on your location and
zip code. A great website to decide which service is suppose.tv ! You enter your location (upper left) then you can
go down the left side picking with networks/channels you need and it will show you which services carry those and
for what price. Upper right corner you can specify which device you have to narrow down the choices, like a Roku or
Xbox, Chromecast, etc. Or even just pc and ipad if that's what you already have. Takes a bit, but take some time and
try different things to find your best deal! Example, you get the local networks on antenna, but want ESPN for College
sports - no need to pay for all the other stuff you'll never watch. None of these services have a "contract" so you can
change things every month if you like - add NFL Redzone during football season, then cancel it when the season is over
saving you money.
Others:
CBS All-access - $5.99 a month, offers live tv from CBS Denver channel 4, and on demand shows, same day in most cases, but the cool part is all the classic shows like Perry Mason, Fraiser, Cheers, and ALL the Star Treks. Offers a 1-week trial free
Hulu - $7.99 a month, good way to catch up on tvshows and movies. Offers a 30-day trial
Netflix - $7.99 and up, movies and a 30-day trial