Even with hundreds of channels on cable or satellite, a lot of people say they would be happy with just a few local channels. A new service aims to make this normally free over the air (OTA) TV a lot easier to get, but is it legal?

Bamboom think they have found a legal crack that they can sliver through, by having a separate antenna for each subscriber at their central head end. Your own personal rig there will pick up free over the air TV, and a DVR in the same location can record shows. Then, when you want to watch something, you simply send commands from whatever device you want to use, and your programming is streamed online directly to you.

If you think this sounds kind of like prior attempts at this from ivi and FilmOn, both shut down by lawsuits, you're right, but Bamboom still believes they're in the clear.

Beta tests are starting now here in New York City, so perhaps I'll sign up and check it out. No word on what they plan to charge for the service.

Bamboom Labs, via Ars Technica