It's been six days since News Corp. pulled Fox from the 3.1 million subscribers to New York-area TV provider Cablevision, and the dispute shows no signs of ending soon.

So if you're one of the afflicted, and want to watch any of Fox's programming--including the national League Championship Series' pivotal Game 5 tonight--here's a reminder that cable TV isn't your only option. Other avenues exist, and might not cost you any extra money.

Hook up an antenna: Chances are good you have an HDTV, and chances are even better that that HDTV has an antenna input on the back. Dust it off and put it to use. Connecting an antenna--whether it's an old one on your roof, a pair of rabbit ears you find in your closet, or a new one you buy today (indoor versions are pretty cheap)--could get you Fox for free right now.

After hookup you'll need to scan for channels on your TV to find the station, and you might have to play around with the antenna location, but for many subscribers in the Cablevision area, an antenna will work. Bonus: You'll get Fox in HD, complete with surround sound, and the picture will probably look better than cable.

If you have an old antenna we recommend trying it. If you need to buy a new one, antennaweb.org is a good place to start. In New York City we've also had good luck with "silver sensor"-based units like the Philips SDV2708 ($18 at Amazon). If you're having trouble getting reception, the FCC's DTV.gov has some tips on antenna placement and a coverage map.

New Dell XPS laptops ready to take on HP Envy

Amid a week featuring the debut of a fashionably small laptop, Dell has announced a line of products that move firmly in the opposite direction. The new XPS line of laptops are a high-end-targeted set of media-featured notebooks aimed squarely at the HP Envy and MacBook Pro crowds. The design, from a backlit keyboard to lots of anodized and brushed aluminum, feels like an upscale fusion of the Studio and Adamo lines. They aren't flashy, but they seem quite sleek, and Dell offers its arsenal of Design Studio tweaks for anyone looking to pop these XPS models up a … Read more

The 404 679: Where we delivereth thy podcast episodeth (podcast)

Summer is officially over and no one is happier with the sun's absence more than The 404 Podcast. Fall also happens to be the ideal season for Renaissance faires, and this weekend I checked out Medieval Festival at Fort Tryon Park up by the Cloisters.

Unfortunately, I didn't see anyone in a centaur costume, but I did witness a "real" jousting tournament, not to mention a falconer and Black Wolf the Dragon Master himself, from the Triumph the Insult Comic Dog segment at the Clone Wars premiere.

Tune in to the first half of today's episode to hear the rest and click the slideshow below for photographic evidence of my nerddom.

Switching gears to the only tech story in the rundown, Toshiba introduces the Regza 12GL1, the first line of 3DTVs that don't require a set of cheesy glasses. The 20-inch flat-panel display provides "nine different perspectives of each single 2D frame," which are then "superimposed...to create a three-dimension impression of the image."

Don't worry, we're totally confused by that quote as well, but we also think it's really funny that you have to sit 3 feet away to get the 3D effect. The Toshiba 20GL1 will be for sale in Japan later this year for $2,900, so now might be a good time to take out that second mortgage.

Enjoy the show!

Episode 679 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

DTV Shredder: Gnarly tank-inspired skateboard

Oh my god! Get a load of the DTV Shredder--a motorized skateboard that looks like a cross between a Segway, a skateboard, and Johnny 5 from the "Short Circuit" movies.

Instead of wheels, the device uses two continuous tracks of the sort you'd get on a tank, and is powered by a 15hp 200cc Honda engine. It looks pretty easy to use, too. Forward motion seems to be activated by twisting the handlebar grip and steering is taken care of by leaning left or right on the skateboard-type platform that sits above the tracks.

By using … Read more

DTVPal DVR is dead, but the identical Channel Master CM-7000PAL lives on

One of the perennial questions we get at CNET is this: "I get my TV via an over-the-air antenna. Is there a noncable, nonsatellite DVR I can buy that doesn't require a service fee?" The answers were few and far between. TiVo works great with over-the-air TV, but that unit does require a monthly/yearly/lifetime fee. You can set up a Windows Media Center PC (with a DTV tuner attachment), but that's a rather elaborate solution for most folks. DVD recorders are one possibility, but they generally don't have onscreen program guides, and they … Read more

Can cell phones cause tinnitus?

Links from Wednesday's episode of Loaded:

Panasonic announces new 3D plasma TVs with glasses that come in kid sizesRumor has it that two new Droid phones are on their way to Verizon within the next monthBorders launches Borders Textbook Marketplace to buy and sell used textbooks for all grades Playboy launches a site that actually is safe for workA new study shows a link between cell phone use and tinnitusThe Pileus umbrella lets you go surfing in the rain...surfing the Net that is

And on keys...

Links from Thursday morning's episode of Loaded:

Rock Band 3 will feature keyboards when it launches this holiday season so brush up on your 80s tunes! Logitech launches a new line of HD Webcams with Logitech Vid HD, the company's own video calling program.AT&T has suffered a security breach and 114,000 iPad 3G users' email addresses have been exposed.Panasonic shows off a 152-inch 3DTV.