The Feds made all the companies like Time Warner, Dish, AT&T, etc. that they must broad cast the digital waves over the air. I have a Samsung Smart TV and when I was setting up it scanned my server and then it scanned all the others, like Dish, etc. and because of the digital airwaves, I now have channels I never had before with just my service provider. I now get CreateTV and watch different craft type shows; beading, painting, gardening, cooking, etc. It was great while recouping from surgery.
I probably didn't explain all that correctly but you can look it up for your self. The Smart TV goes online to Google and I can watch MSQC, YouTube, etc. videos in my sewing room for how-to things to help with what I am doing. Maybe a better computer guru on the QB and explain better than me…I just know it works...