Where are you watching the Michigan Game? Not on ABC if you have Dish

Submitted by sierragold on

A bit early I know.  I had to peak ahead do to a busy week. I do know the one place that Michigan fans will not be watching the game and that is all Dish Network Subscribers, they have elected to choose Jan 1, 2016 to drop ABC from the schedule of programming. Talk about a bargaining chip when you are trying to settle a contract, take away the Michigan Bowl Game.

Prior commitments are keeping me home. I do have time to purchase some accessories to stream the game from my smartphone to the tv just don't have any idea if this has good reception or not. Any good advice would be helpful. I am stuck at home.

Go Blue!

 

MGoBoard
Football

ABOUBENADHEM

December 26th, 2015 at 7:20 AM ^

at how many local channels, like ABC, you get in high quality HD. When my Directv feed goes out due to weather, which isn't very often, I switch my source over to my HD antenna feed. Works great and no charge!

Joined: 11/17/2015

MGoPoints: 2768

icactus

December 26th, 2015 at 10:14 AM ^

Just fyi, there is no special thing called an "HD antenna" any old antenna will pick up the local hd channel so long as you follow the same old rules of vhf and uhf we did before the cable craze. Often rabbit ears are superior to this stupid design crap and unnecessary amplifiers that do more harm than good. tvfool.com can help you figure out what you need to do to pick up specific channels like abc if you don't get it right away when doing a channel scan. /rant

Joined: 06/30/2010

MGoPoints: 2062

Stevedez

December 26th, 2015 at 7:27 AM ^

I just checked on the Dish Anywhere App and it is showing ABC on the guide along with the game time of 1PM on the 1st.  My sister lives in Ohio and I use the app here in Switzerland.  I am a little confused now...

Joined: 08/24/2011

MGoPoints: 1603

Rasmus

December 26th, 2015 at 9:00 AM ^

These are "local" disputes between Dish and media companies that own groups of local TV stations -- if your sister's ABC station is not owned by whichever one of these conglomerates is currently negotiating with Dish then you won't be affected.

I couldn't find anything about a current dispute -- two big ones last year, in August (link) and October (link). Usually these make the news before the blackout actually occurs, partly because the FCC takes a serious interest when this happens -- a forthcoming New Year's blackout would be pretty big news.

And OP, a good outdoor digital HD antenna should cost about $100. IIRC, you need to be within about 50 miles of a tower.

Joined: 07/02/2009

MGoPoints: 2412

Maize in Cincy

December 26th, 2015 at 7:30 AM ^

Unless you live in the middle of nowhere you can get ABC for free with an antenna.   The dispute will be resolved this week though.  A provider is not going to stop carrying a major network.

Joined: 06/14/2015

MGoPoints: 18741

sierragold

December 26th, 2015 at 7:42 AM ^

In Michigan, I have pulled up the TV  Schedule and went to the Dish schedule and neither shows ABC with programming on the 1st of January. I could hook up a Antenna, forgot that I had one and haven't even tried it to see if it works for local programming.

Will do that this week and have also followed the other advice it is much appreciated. Dish has had an ongoing dispute regarding the negotiations. I couldn't imagine them not showing the Michigan Bowl Game, but it is a very good bargaining chip.

I do appreciate the advice.

Go Blue!

Joined: 10/03/2009

MGoPoints: 722

icactus

December 26th, 2015 at 10:47 AM ^

amplifiers are only to boost the signal between the antenna and the tv of you have a long run of coax (like from a roof) in between and a particularly weak signal. If you have too weak of a signal coming in the amplifier can't magically make the signal received stronger. in this case the antenna with the amplifier was probably just better suited than the one without.

Joined: 06/30/2010

MGoPoints: 2062

BlueMan80

December 26th, 2015 at 4:21 PM ^

I don't have a really long run to my antenna. Digital receivers are more sensitive to signal strength. The digital signal is much more robust than analog, so if you can get the S/N up, the digital receiver can lock on the signal. I went from 0 digital TV stations to all of them with the amplifier. Yes, it won't overcome the physics of too far from the transmitter in the first place.

Joined: 01/21/2011

MGoPoints: 13094

LSAClassOf2000

December 26th, 2015 at 8:21 AM ^

All I know is that years ago I made this conscious decision to avoid satellite services because I didn't want to go through the ups and downs of these very public negotiations over which channels I would have after a certain date potentially. I opted instead for Comcast, because first at foremost the city I live in had a franchise agreement with them at the time and I do enjoy being told how to fix things by people who probably know less about the equipment than I do....but at least are accommodating enough to give me a lower rate on the same service even when they should know that for years here I had no other choice.

Is there a hole I crawl in that has free cable? That would be ideal.

Joined: 01/07/2011

MGoPoints: 130561

mgobleu

December 26th, 2015 at 8:22 AM ^

Those greedy bastards...and during the holidays and all? I got dish after a year and a half with no tv service and all it's done is reinforce the fact that I'm booting this bitch the first chance I get. ONLYEST damn thing I need it for is sports. Nothing but garbage on the rest of it.

Joined: 07/02/2008

MGoPoints: 38416