Do you need cable to watch the local channels?

in my town i get my channels for free! best luck for you!

Local Channels are usually free. However, if you're not in a good place where the signal reaches it may not be able to come on your tv. if you have an antenna that may help. I have Direct TV, but I only have it in my living room. My TV in the bedroom can get the local channels, but I don't have an antenna so most of them don't come in very well. If you don't have an antenna, get one. They usually aren't too expensive. If you do have an antenna, then you're probably just not in a good signal area.

I live in the U.S. and I can't get local stations either without cable, unless I buy one of those "rabbit ear" antennas. You might be able to get them at a Radio Shack store, not sure.

In order to get the local channels you will probably need rabbit ears or something to get anything. I did not have cable at my old apartment and did not get any channels unless I had rabbit ears hooked up. Even then it was not that great.

In Malaysia, there are six free TV channel and two for paid. For free TV: rtm1, rtm2, TV3, ntv7, TV8 and tv9. For paid viewing but not cable: astro and mitv. In your case, yes, it look weird because you cannot enjoy free local channel TV. Thanks, terrych.

Terry, Before you buy an antenna, you can try this simple trick yourself, if you have a double core cable lying around. If you don't know what a double core cable is, have a look at the link below http://www.mylot.com/w/image/1790294.aspx the picture is that of a twisted pair of wires, it will be better if you have a flat two core cable. untwist them at one end and make a T like stricture with a length of about 1 M for the T top . join the other end of the two wires together (you must remove the sheath at the ends for about a cm and then twist those copper wires) and plug this end to the central pin of the RF antenna connector located at the back of the TV. Hang the T end on the wall some where and then turn on your TV. If you are lucky enough to be at a place where there is sufficient intensity of local TV transmission, you should be able to tune your TV and get a decent picture. An illustration of the T antenna goes here http://www.mylot.com/w/image/1790298.aspx NB : The TV set must be switched off and the power cord taken off from the wall socket when you are experimenting. Plug it in only when you finished setting everything up. Electricity is extremely hazardous.

It depends on the building you live in. Sometimes the local channels will come in and sometimes you need an additional antenna. If you can't afford cable or want cable, try to get an antenna just for the top of your tv. You can buy these at most electronics stores or Walmart.

For me its weird local channels should be free. Better try to ask your neighbors about it. ^^

You need to have an antennae of some sort at least to pick up local stations but it's no guarentee. Where I am, we are too far away from the "local" stations to get them in very well with an antennae. Most people get cable or satellite. You should probably just ask your neighbors what they do to get the local channels. I'm sure they would be willing to advise you.

yes,we have the cable and we watch the tv. we also can get the local channel free through air. the channels which are not free could be got through cable. so we are using cable and paying to cable operater for other than free channels. the channels provided by cable operator are news channels, entertainment channels, movie channels and informative and educative channels. I am wonder that, why do you not get the tv free. where are you living. If you can join mylot on enternet then you should also get tv channels there where are you living.

You don't need cable to watch the local channels. Just buy a TV antenna for local channels. Local channels are broad cast using air waves while cable uses a wire.

hi terry.. i used to watch alot of cable tv until 2005... since then, i mostly read news online... though, sometimes, i would watch it on my tv... do you like to read just online too?

Yes i do need cable to watch local channels.The only channel i can view without a cable is the national television the rest of them i cannot watch.But T.V channel have to "live" from something so they are paid by the cable admins.