How To Hook Up Basic Cable For Free

6/9/2022

I’m not a fan of the current state of cable television.

It’s not because I’m some anti-television nut, not at all.

It’s not because I read a money-saving tip telling people to do so.

It’s not because I cut out all spending as a method of building wealth.

It’s actually a much simpler answer:

With your Easy Connect kit, we provide everything needed to complete your install, including a coax cable, power cord, Ethernet cable, and your gateway device. In the Cox app, use your Cox user ID and password to sign-in. At the top of the Home tab, click the Start Easy Connect message to begin the onscreen instructions. All you need to get started with RTP-MIDI are a couple of standard CAT5 or CAT6 Ethernet cables and a basic Ethernet switch, available from any electronics store. You plug your iConnectivity interfaces into the Ethernet switch, then you plug your DIN-MIDI and USB-MIDI controllers and instruments into your iConnectivity interfaces.

I don’t care for the programming.

Too many “reality” and competition shows.

Too many shows with the same premise.

And then the remakes–talk about unoriginal!

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Most of it’s fake or interchangeable in my mind.

That’s why I cut the cord on cable many years ago.

And I’m not alone!

With cable and satellite television programming costing more than some car payments these days, people are looking for ways to watch their favorite shows without blowing a majority of their discretionary funds.

I can completely understand.

I laugh when I hear what some people pay for something I, for the most part, find absolutely dreadful.

Heck, I hear what my parents say they pay and even then they occasionally complain about “nothing be on”.

But I’m going to let you in on a little secret:

You MAY Get Free Cable Television

Yes, I said it.

It’s completely possible to get free cable television.

I know this because I am able to.

It’s not guaranteed to work in all cases, but this is what worked (and still does) for me.

That’s why I starred AND underlined the word “may” in the heading!

There are no strings attached.

You don’t need to buy one of those black box cable television descramblers or whatever they may be called these days (if those are still a thing–I’m probably dating myself a bit here too).

You don’t need to buy any equipment to connect to your computer.

You don’t need to tap into your neighbor’s cable television service (which is illegal by the way and I would never suggest you do that).

You don’t even have to go to any of those life hacking or cheap living sites to learn how to build your own antenna.

You have all you need right at home already–assuming you have a fairly modern television.

I will warn you that you do need a little free time and some patience, but that’s all.

Sometimes it takes up to an hour to process, but in the end, it could be worth it!

How I Get Free Cable Television

Again, this isn’t a trick.

I’m not using a black box cable television descrambler.

There’s no hacking or illegal tech either.

All I have is my television which had a built-in HD tuner and a cable connected to the wall jack:

This is the best part!

I’m using nothing at all.

As you can see above, there isn’t a cable box.

And I swear that I didn’t conveniently remove or photoshop an HD antenna or anything just for this article.

So how did I get this to work?

Oh, you’re going to love this:

It’s so simple it’s disgusting.

I scanned for it!

Yes, that’s all I did to get cable television beyond what my Limited Basic plan calls for.

All I had to do was go to my television’s setup, and tell it to scan for available stations.

When it finished after an hour, it had found all of the standard stations which are included with the Limited Basic cable package my HOA dues cover, plus about 32 or so “digital stations”.

The best part was the tv’s built-in tuner also pulled in the in-between HD versions!

After the scanning was done, all I had to do was go through the channels one at a time and when I came across one that was in standard definition, I simply removed it from my available channels.

Now, I know what you are thinking…this must be some sort of fluke, like when you were a kid and set the tv to channel 2 and the cable box to the porn channel and you could see it semi-clearly.

I’ll be honest, I was skeptical too.

So I went to my parents’ house and conducted a little experiment.

You see, they have a completely different cable television provider than I have, and they have newer tv sets.

The results were the same as mine, except better.

On their television, the digital music stations came in with the sound and picture, where I didn’t get anything.

So that told me all I needed to know–this wasn’t something relegated to only my television or my cable television provider.

You can try it for yourself one evening or weekend when you have a little spare time.

Who knows, maybe you will even have better results.

The TV Channels I Get

Ok, so we talked about the equipment I use to get my cable television programming.

We talked about the process, too.

Now, let’s talk about the TV channels I get using this little trick.

Local TV Stations

With my Limited Basic cable television subscription I get the normal local tv stations:

PBS
CBS
Univision
NBC
FOX
CW
Something Called My33
ABC

Using my TV’s scanning feature, I also get the same ones, but the HD versions on the in-between identifiers.

For example, if PBS in SD is channel 2, I get the PBSHD designation on channel 2-2 as well.

The same goes for each of the other local TV stations, all on the “-2” channel numbers.

Cable Channels

Similarly to the local TV stations, my specific plan comes with a few SD cable channels:

QVC
Mundo Fox
Ion
WGN Chicago
PBS/WXEL
PBS/WLRN
C-SPAN
Beacon
City Info
Jewelry TV

Telemundo
Univision
Weather Channel
Coral Springs TV
Mega TV
HSN
Cozi TV
METV
Justice Network
TeleXitos TV

Qubo
ION Life
Antenna TV
ThisTV
H&I (Heroes/Icons)
Bounce
get TV
Grit
Escape
Decades

That’s it, that’s the extent of the cable channels I am supposed to get with my Limited Basic plan.

Just like the local tv stations above, I also get the first column of these cable channels in HD on the “-2” intervals, too!

Plus, living in South Florida, it’s good to get The Weather Channel during hurricane season, even with the local tv stations since it gives wider coverage.

When I used the scanner on the TV, I started getting the following cable channels:

FXM (Fox Movie Network)
BET
USA
TBS
TNT
FX
HGTV
Comedy Central
ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN U
And a ton more of the “real” cable channels

I’m pretty sure I get at least 75% of the most popular stations out there.

It’s probably mostly all of the sub-100 numbered stations which are all of the most common ones.

Not Cooking, any of the FoxSports college stations, regionals like MSG or YES, HBO, Starz, etc. mind you.

There are some other obscure Spanish, shopping & local stations too but those are pretty irrelevant to me.

What If You Get No Cable TV

The great thing about technology is that we do have so many options available to us besides traditional cable television subscriptions.

One of the things that I hear people doing is using an HD tv antenna.

Sure, it sounds old-school, but there is a big benefit to it:

All over-the-air television signals are uncompressed and therefore are true high-definition signals.

That means even if you can’t get free cable television the way I am able to, you may be able to at least get the next best option.

There are a few caveats, however:

The further you are from a tower, the weaker the signal will be and the fewer channels you will receive
The makeup of your home will also impede the signal
Line-of-sight to a tower is important in terms of trees, mountains, hills, other buildings and structures
Naturally, the weather will also play a part

The FCC even has a DTV Coverage Map showing you which DTV signals you should be able to access and how strong of a signal you should get.

It’s not exact, but can be used as a reasonable guide.

But, if you get lucky and buy an HD tv antenna like one of the ones below, you may be able to keep your entertainment budget lower than if you paid for cable television.

Wrapping Up

I get it, this trick won’t work for everyone or you may want/need more variety than what you can get.
If you prefer something else, try out Hulu which has a large selection of broadcast-type television shows, as well as originals.
If that doesn’t work for you, then maybe Amazon Prime will be more to your liking. Not only do you get the free 2-day delivery on eligible purchases, but you get the Prime Video included which I’ve actually been loving lately (more for the movies than tv shows).
Or, if you want cable television networks without the high cost, you can get 7 days of Sling for Free to try. Then if you like it pay as little as $20/mo with other plans available to add even more channels.

Your Turn

Have you tried this simple technique? What have been your results? Let us know and please include your city/state too. Even though this will vary based on televisions and cable television providers, maybe someone from your area can get it to work narrowing the problem down to your TV or provider!

Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.

With the rising cost of cable and satellite TV, many people are consider getting rid of the service altogether. But if you’re worried you won’t be able to watch your favorite shows if you cancel your cable service, don’t be!

There are a variety of ways you can keep up with your favorite TV shows without that expensive cable bill. Here are my favorite ways to watch TV without cable.

Hulu

For less than $8 a month, you can stream a ton of amazing TV shows on Hulu. In addition to great original programming from the streaming service, you can also watch shows from major networks, like Fox and ABC, the day after they air on live TV.

And if you can’t live without watching your favorite shows right when they air, you can pay more for Hulu with Live TV. This streaming service gives you access to more than 50 live TV channels, in addition to all the shows and movies available on the traditional Hulu plan.

Hulu is available on a variety of devices, including a large selection of smart TVs and several streaming devices, like Amazon Fire TV and Google Chromecast.

Sling TV

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly live TV option, consider Sling TV. This streaming service is nearly half the cost of Hulu with Live TV. But the best part about this streaming service is that you get to pick the channels you want.

The service’s basic plan, which starts at $20 per month, includes 40 channels of premium cable. Upgrade to the next level for just $5 more and get 45 channels. Or combine both plans for a complete selection of cable channels for a fraction of the cost of a cable plan. For a complete list of channel offerings on Sling TV, check out this list.

On top of streaming channels, Sling TV also offers a variety of other amazing services, like cloud DVR, the option to add premium channels (like Showtime), and even access to local channels in some markets.

CBS All Access

If you’re a fan of Big Brother or enjoy watching NCIS, you probably know that one drawback of cutting the cable cord is that you can’t watch your favorite CBS shows on most streaming services. Luckily, signing up for CBS All Access is cheap and easy. For less than $6 per month, you can watch all your favorite CBS offerings on demand or stream CBS live on your favorite device.

One thing I love about CBS All Access is that you can watch more than just the traditional CBS shows that air on the cable channel. The streaming service also offers amazing exclusive content only available on the app.

YouTube TV

For live streaming access to all your cable channels, in addition to local channels, YouTube TV is a great option. It’s slightly less than traditional cable or satellite packages, but offers much more than a basic cable package could. On top of access to more than 70 streaming channels, YouTube TV allows you to share your package with up to six other people. And there’s no need to sign a contract, which means you can cancel at any time. The streaming service also offers unlimited DVR storage and no limit on the number of shows you can record at the same time.

Amazon Prime Video

Amazon Prime members have access to Prime Video with their subscription, but you can also access the streaming service for a monthly fee if you aren’t a member of Prime. The service gives members access to tons of amazing TV shows and movies on demand.

Cable Tv Hook Up Diagrams

You can even watch your favorite shows a la carte by purchasing episodes or entire seasons for an additional charge. And if you love watching shows from premium channels, like HBO or Showtime, it’s easy to add those channels on to your existing package for an additional monthly fee.

Broadcast TV

Illegal Cable

Do you want to replace your basic cable for free? You can! All you need to watch basic broadcast television is an antenna. Simply hook up the antenna to your cable to watch a variety of live broadcast channels available for free. The number of channels available depends on your area, but most locations have access to their local ABC, CBS, Fox, and PBS stations through an antenna.

Get All Cable Channels Free

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