Q. We just lost our CBS station on DIRECTV because of some argument they are having. We’re afraid we won’t be able to watch the Super Bowl this Sunday. Do you think an antenna would let us watch the game in case they don’t fix this before then? — Mary, Redmond, Washington. 

Mary, DIRECTV on Tuesday morning lost roughly 25 Cox Media-managed local channels due to a carriage dispute, including your CBS affiliate in Seattle, KIRO-TV. I would like to tell you that the fee fight will be settled by Sunday when CBS will broadcast Super Bowl 55, but it’s uncertain at this point. Carriage disputes often last a few weeks (or more) before the two sides come to terms.

Update: AT&T & Cox Sign New Deal; Blackout Over

Although the Super Bowl on Sunday will likely add some urgency to the negotiations, the list of Cox Media stations affected here only includes four CBS affiliates so the damage to both DIRECTV and the network is not as extensive as it would be if more CBS affiliates were blacked out. In addition, Seattle is by far the largest CBS market affected so the total number of viewers who could miss the game is again relatively small. (Note: The blackout affects all AT&T TV services, including DIRECTV, U-verse and AT&T TV.)

So it might be time to consider some alternatives to watch your local channels, whether it’s CBS or not. Yesterday, I wrote about Locast, the streaming app that offers local channels for free in 28 markets. Today, let’s look at the pros and cons of getting an antenna.

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Pro: Free Local Channels
Yes,  your local channels (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, PBS, Univision, etc.) are available via a TV antenna, and they are free. Not only that, they can deliver a better HD picture over an antenna compared to cable or satellite. The latter tends to compress the signals of local (and all) channels, which tends to dilute the picture quality. The TV providers do this for several reasons, including creating more system room to deliver more channels. The signal your antenna receives directly from the local channel is purer (layman’s term, folks and therefore a better one.

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Con: No Basic Cable or Premium Channels
If you get an antenna, you won’t be able to watch ESPN, TBS, E!, CNN, Fox News, HBO, Showtime, or your favorite regional sports channel. The TV antenna will only pick up signals that are distributed locally, and that does not include the basic cable or premium channels that are on many viewers’ list of favorites. (If you do have a decent Internet connection, you can purchase some of these, such as HBO and Showtime, separately online.)

Pro: Antennas Are Not Expensive
The TV antenna, whether it’s indoor or outdoor, costs less than $100 with many indoor models well under $30. With local channels free, that’s a great deal for consumers looking to cut expenses. (Note: The outdoor antenna can normally pick up more channels than the indoor one. But indoor antennas are becoming more efficient every year with new models and new technology.)

Con: The Antenna May Not Work at Your Location
Before you run off to buy an antenna, you need to know that depending upon the location of your home, your antenna may not be able to pick up the signals of all your local channels. You may live too far away from the channel’s tower to get a decent signal, or you could have a major obstacle in the signal’s path, such as a high-rise office building or mountain. (This could be an issue in the mountainous Washington state, for instance.)

Also, since the nation’s transition to Digital TV in 2008, many antenna owners complain that it’s been more difficult to capture local signals. Unlike the old analog signal, you need a perfect connection to capture the digital signal or it will not display on your set. There is no middle ground. You either get a digital signal or you don’t.

So how can you tell if an antenna at your home will receive all your local channels?

AntennaWeb.org, a web site co-sponsored by the Consumer Technology Association and the National Broadcasting Association, offers an easy-to-use guide to determining what kind of antenna you would need — and how many channels that antenna will pick up. You type in your address, zip code and whether the antenna will be 30 feet or higher above ground level and then antennaweb.org will display a list of stations that you probably will be able to receive.

I say ‘probably’ because until you actually test it at home, you can’t be 100 percent sure. Antennaweb.org might say your address can pick up all four major broadcast networks, but the site isn’t aware of that group of large trees that surround your home, or that high-rise building that sits all too inconveniently across the way.

The good news here is that antennas are inexpensive so you could buy one to test without spending much.

Pro: You May Get Some Bonus Channels
In addition to the major networks (CBS, etc.), there are numerous independent channels that broadcast locally. Some feature old movies and TV shows while others specialize in niche categories such as religion. If your antenna signal is strong, you’ll get more programming than you might have expected.

Pro: The Technology Is Improving
As noted earlier, in the last few years, the antenna companies have done a great job of beefing up their products, offering indoor antennas that can pick up signals as far away as 75 miles. Yes, indoor antennas. If you had a bad experience with an antenna several years ago, you might be pleasantly surprised at how far they have come.

Mary, hope that helps. Happy viewing!

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— Phillip Swann