WatchAir Smart OTA Antenna and DVR
Installing an over the air antenna is an excellent way to get free television. It’s an effective way to get rid of cable or satellite TV. It can save you a lot of money in the long run. There are many OTA antennas on the market, but none that can record shows and broadcast the signal throughout your house wirelessly. Introducing, the WatchAir Smart OTA antenna. It can record, playback, and stream HDTV back to any smartphone, tablet, streaming box and stick, or smart TV. There are no wires to run, everything is done wirelessly. It’s pretty cool technology. Let’s see how it works.
WatchAir Smart OTA Antenna
The WatchAir antenna was designed by Hang & Watch Technology. The product was developed and funded using KickStarter. The WatchAir antenna is a sleek and stylish-looking antenna. It can be mounted on a wall or window. It weighs just over a pound and a half and measures 7 x 2 x 5.2 inches. The antenna has a 60-mile range, offering triple-band coverage (high-band VHF, low-band VHF, and UHF), which is good for most city-limit areas. If you need more coverage it has an external antenna input to plug in a larger antenna. That can be a great addition for people living farther away from the broadcast towers.
GPS Installation
Installation of the WatchAir OTA antenna is fairly simple using its GPS app for IOS and Android. Just simply launch the app and create an account and profile. Then the GPS app will guide you to the optimal position and placement for the antenna. Just use the handy compass feature on the app and it will point you to the best placement.
WiFi Setup
After you have your antenna in the right position it’s time to connect it to your wireless network. This will allow you to stream the OTA signal and recordings to all of your devices. Again just use the app to connect to your wireless network. It will scan for available wireless networks. Just select your network, enter your WiFi passcode and you’re connected.
Scanning for Channels
The next step is to enter your zip code and scan for available channels. This step may take several attempts. I have found that with most antennas it will take a few positions and re-scans to get the most channels. If you need help setting up your antenna check out our article on how to install and adjust your HD antenna. Once your done scanning your antenna is ready to use.
Desktop Mode
The WatchAir antenna comes in two modes, antenna mode, and desktop mode. Antenna mode allows you to use the whole unit as an OTA antenna and DVR. The desktop mode gives you the option to use it’s DVR capabilities and remove the included antenna and add your own, using its external antenna port and a special adapter included in the package. This is a great option for those that live further away from the broadcast towers and require a larger antenna.
Recording
The WatchAir antenna has 7GB of internal storage that gives you about 5 hours of recordings. More storage can be added using a USB hard drive or SD card (up to 2TB) for an additional 1,400 hours of recording time. Since there is only one tuner, you can only record one show at a time. This antenna allows for concurrent viewing, up to two devices at a time, which includes live TV and recorded shows.
Recording App
They WatchAir app lets you watch live and recorded TV, as well as schedule your recordings. It works on almost any device. It has a free subscription to a TV guide service that gives you current and upcoming content to watch. The interface is easy to use and offers nice clickable images.
Supported Devices
The WatchAir antenna supports playback and live OTA TV and just about every major streaming device, smart TV, phone, and tablet. See the specification chart below or visit their support page.
Specifications
Where to Buy:
The WatchAir Smart Antenna is available at these retailers:
eBay:
Amazon:
Conclusion
The WatchAir OTA antenna is a great piece of engineering. It is sleek and functional. This OTA antenna takes a lot of the guesswork out of positioning your antenna. The ability to go wireless can eliminate the frustration of running cables throughout the house. Having the capability to watch and record OTA content to devices within your home is a great alternative to subscription TV. This antenna is well worth the investment for an all-in-one OTA antenna and DVR.
I was interested in the WatchAir product until I found out that it is no longer available. Please point me in the correct direction. I have an antenna that works fine. I want a device that will record OTA broadcasts that I can view later on my iPad. Thanks
You can try the Tablo TV or the Amazon Fire TV Recast. They both allow for recording and streaming to many devices like an iPad. Here are articles I wrote about both devices. Tablo TV Over The Air DVR for HDTV Antennas Review and Amazon Fire TV Recast Over The Air DVR Examined