I still use an over-the-air antenna on a daily basis (and record from it using MythTV with ATSC tuners in a computer). The changeover from analog has been a bit of a give and take.
With analog broadcast, if you were a bit too far away you would still get a fuzzy image and sounds that had some interference with it. Now if you're a bit too far away the picture breaks up and the audio sounds like auto-tune. It doesn't take much of that to make it unwatchable.
On the other hand, when you get a solid signal the picture is amazing versus the standard-def of analog broadcasts. Add to this the benefit of multiple sub-channels on each broadcast channel and you get a lot more watching options.
I've installed an attic antenna and a pre-amplifier that supplies great signal to all coax (CATV) outlets in the house. That hardware cost what 1-2 months of cable TV subscription would have and that was years and years ago.
On balance the digital changeover has been much better in my experience.
With analog broadcast, if you were a bit too far away you would still get a fuzzy image and sounds that had some interference with it. Now if you're a bit too far away the picture breaks up and the audio sounds like auto-tune. It doesn't take much of that to make it unwatchable.
On the other hand, when you get a solid signal the picture is amazing versus the standard-def of analog broadcasts. Add to this the benefit of multiple sub-channels on each broadcast channel and you get a lot more watching options.
I've installed an attic antenna and a pre-amplifier that supplies great signal to all coax (CATV) outlets in the house. That hardware cost what 1-2 months of cable TV subscription would have and that was years and years ago.
On balance the digital changeover has been much better in my experience.