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Over-the-air television (OTA) is a category of television broadcasting which makes use of television signals transferred by radio waves from television stations. Over-the-air television receives the radio waves with the help of a TV receiver which has an antenna. Over-the-air television was the only way to receive television signals until the 1950s. With the advent of cable and satellite television, the viewing of over-the-air television broadcasting has significantly declined.
Over-the-air television is also known as broadcast television or terrestrial television.
Techopedia Explains Over-The-Air Television
Over-the-air television is the first technology used for television broadcasting, with the first broadcast occurring in Washington D.C. in 1927. In order to view the over-the-air television broadcasts, an antenna is required. In the early days of broadcasting, consumers often needed to adjust the antenna for each channel in order to get good reception. However, the quality of reception greatly varied and some broadcasts suffered from fuzzy pictures.
Over-the-air signals can also be obstructed by mountains, tall trees or buildings. Climatic conditions can also hinder the over-the-air signals. Over-the-air television has one significant advantage compared to other forms of broadcasting (such as cable or satellite): it is free. The only expense involved in this type of viewing is the television and related equipment. With inexpensive equipment and low television prices, many consumers across the world still find it the easiest way to access television.
As of 2009, all broadcasts in the United States were required to be digital, and analog broadcasting ceased. The high quality of the digital broadcast signals has helped over-the-air television regain some popularity.
