Free To Air HD VS Foxtel

I've been noticing lately that there's a television airing war going on between free-to-air HD channels and Foxtel.  While it all seems harmless, it's really brainwashing and getting a little too much when they air the adverts during family viewing time.  Foxtel really do have some great deals; ad-free movies and a sports channel or two with free installation.  However, I've found the free-to-air channels are just as good and all I did was go out to WOW Sight'n'Sound down the road and fork out $100 for a HD box, plug it in - according to the instructions in the front of the book - and scan in my channels.  

Easy-peasey... no monthly charges... no extra charges for me wanting to watch a movie... and most of all, if I didn't like the adverts, well, that's what the mute button is for.  

But you see, this free-to-air HD service is all very new to Australians; whereas it's been around for a long time in America.  One of my Canadian friends told me recently that they have 41 free-to-air channels and he complained that there weren't enough channels... um, pardon me?  We were stuck with only 5 or 6 until around three years ago and once you plugged in a HD box, well, you got another 9!  Yay!  And I only plugged a HD box into my television to improve my reception because it really sucked on all 5 channels... I ended up with ABC2, ABC3 and another 3 channels I didn't know existed; not including channel 31 (which I never received anyway because the signal isn't strong enough to be received here).  

Now, HD is absolutely everywhere; not only on the television... it's also on the radio.  If you've got a stereo system that's less than a decade old, you can get HD stereo.  And it can be picked up on your television too if you want to catch a show that's being broadcast in a different band from your radio... that's pretty swish!

So, who needs Foxtel when you can get all this for just a little over $100 and no hoock-up fee, no monthly charges and not extras for extra channels?  I don't... do you?  Of course this only my personal opinion of this.  If you enjoy cable television, leave a comment and let us know why.  Until my next post, keep safe and I'll still be here.