TV Antenna ??

[chopped]

Hi there. I live in what I would call a fringe area for tv channels some come from the south and some from the southeat,In the past (before digital) I used a seperater antenna for UHF and also VHF (largest radio Shack had to offer, ) and also had a rotor.The weather made a difference as we all know.
We have gone to cable for the last 12 years and now dont watch as much TV so I plan to go without of whatever I can receive with this antenna.
150MILES Outdoor TV Antenna Motorized Amplified HDTV High Gain 36nu llU HFV | eBay
I have a few questions maybe someone can elaborate on for me or personal opinions oxperiences.
1.Am I wrong with thinking in this case bigger is better? These are quite a bit smaller but Im wondering with digital signal if its not an issue.?
2. Am I right in thinking that it will no longer be able to be a weak signal and somewhat snowy?Like it has to lock onto the signal and would either be a signal or not.?
3. These dont say how they would work with a dist. amp to run more than one tv.Although I did find one that said for 2 tvs. It apperently has two outlets to it.Im not sure if its just slitter internally or not.
4. My plan is if it gets a signal then i would split the signal to 4 tvs if possible.
5. For 28 to 50 dollars it might be worth a shot just to see..
Thanks for looking ..:thumbsup:

 

[DKCDKC]

An unusual antenna. I have a big flat HD UHF antenna I got from Crutchfield. It cost about $75 and is supposed to be the best for long range reception. I am 20 to 50 hilly miles from the stations I want to receive. I have it on a rotor to fine tune, and it does work pretty well. Static or weak signals on HD is not like the old snow. It's a pattern of small squares or a freezing of the image altogether. However the signals carry pretty well. During the recent heavy snow, my HD antenna gave me a weaker signal, but continued to work. My satellite dish shut down completely.

I have a digital amp on the signal and do split it to two TVs. Splitting does weaken the signal no matter what you do. The only way to find out if your ideas work is to try them. Putting 4 TVs on the antenna may be too much - depending on the length of line from the antenna to your TVs.

I'd check out online comments on the antenna before investing, just in case it's a no-go or genned up to just look weird.

One thing I like about Crutchfield is that I ordered my equipment, found the first antenna didn't do enough and they easily exchanged it for something more powerful. They will take anything back if it doesn't do what you want. They also have a lot of advice to offer.

 

[KTurner]

1.Am I wrong with thinking in this case bigger is better? These are quite a bit smaller but Im wondering with digital signal if its not an issue.?
2. Am I right in thinking that it will no longer be able to be a weak signal and somewhat snowy?Like it has to lock onto the signal and would either be a signal or not.?
3. These dont say how they would work with a dist. amp to run more than one tv.Although I did find one that said for 2 tvs. It apperently has two outlets to it.Im not sure if its just slitter internally or not.
4. My plan is if it gets a signal then i would split the signal to 4 tvs if possible.
5. For 28 to 50 dollars it might be worth a shot just to see..

With antennas, bigger is generally better, as long as the bigger one is designed as well as the smaller one. With digital, you get no snow. You either get a lock, or no signal, with occasionally a few messed up frames that make the video look like a bad youtube video. The transmissions are UHF. Any tricks you used for improving UHF reception before will apply here as well. Just use your old UHF antenna if you still have it.

Keith

 

[dmccarty]

I just went through this last year when I canceled Directv.

What directions are your stations and how far away are they?

In my case, the channels we most watch is 10-15 miles away. Other channels are in different directions and much farther away. We ended up buying a power(amplified) MS Winegard 2002., Amazon.com: Winegard MS-2002 HDTV Antenna without Cable: Electronics which is unidirectional.

The signal we get can be spotty and I swear the wind has something to do with it. The antenna is in the attic which is not the best location. Even with the spotty signal it is better than paying $100 for Directv.

Later,
Dan

 

[Dr Dave]

Good luck, Digital sucks, I tried 3 outdoor antennas and a rotor, and 2 indoor, the one that worked the best was a RCA indoor, that is flat, like a book.I even tried the outdoor antennas inside. Every time the wind blew, signal would decrease, and signal was good at night and up to mid morning, even with no wind. I think the sun decreases the signal also. At work we have a large outdor antenna, 50' high, works ok, no trees in the area. But train tracks 2 blocks away, loose all signal when a train comes by. I fought this for 1 year and gave up and went with Dish Network.
If you have no wind, no trees, no sun and no trees it works good.

Dave

 

[buickanddeere]

New antennas no longer have to be as long or as wide since channels 52-83 are gone. Also eliminating the widest elements for channels 2-6 reduces antenna size to 1/2 to 2/3 . Elements for 2-6 are not required for 2-6 reception. Removing 2-6 elements also reduce broadcast FM radio overload.
Purchase the highest gain channel 7-51 antenna you can find. Antenna mounted amp. Low loss rg-6 cable and silicon connections to keep the water out. Use a rotor.
You will pickup more tv signals than what you can watch.

 

[KTurner]

Looks like we have stories from... both ends of the SPECTRUM! Hah! I crack me up.

Keith

 

[murphy1244]

Looks like we have stories from... both ends of the SPECTRUM! Hah! I crack me up.

Keith

Me too.:laughing:

 

[murphy1244]

New antennas no longer have to be as long or as wide since channels 52-83 are gone. Also eliminating the widest elements for channels 2-6 reduces antenna size to 1/2 to 2/3 . Elements for 2-6 are not required for 2-6 reception. Removing 2-6 elements also reduce broadcast FM radio overload.
Purchase the highest gain channel 7-51 antenna you can find. Antenna mounted amp. Low loss rg-6 cable and silicon connections to keep the water out. Use a rotor.
You will pickup more tv signals than what you can watch.

What one should we get?

 

[Alan L.]

I paid to have a TV/antenna service to install my tower, rotor, antenna, and amplifier with guaranteed results, and it works great. The buzzards destroyed the first one after 5 years and it cost > $300 to have them climb up there and install a $200 antenna. They install alot, and know which antennas they won't have to come back and change out. The antenna I have is a channel master, the elements are not long at all and my TV stations are about 60-70 miles away on the other side if Dallas and I get every local channel just fine. Rarely I need to tweak with the rotor.

 

[Fossil Farm]

Before digital, we were able to receive about 20 stations and they all came in quite clear using an antenna in the attic. Got stations from Youngstown to Toledo on some days. After the digital switch, the only stations that came in were a couple religious ones. Maybe somebody is trying to tell me something !! We tried at least 3 additional antennas, both inside and outside with no difference. Some stations have upgraded their digital equipment since the switch, so you may have better luck now than when digital first went into effect. If the place where you purchase the antenna will take it back if it does not work, give it a try. As said, use the best cable available and an amplifier and I hope it works for you. Let us know how you make out. Good luck.

 

[uglyboywith11fingers]

What one should we get?

I tried one similar to the one referenced in the original post... didn't work well at all.
Then I got one like this. It's on a tower about 40ft up.

I'm north-west of Toronto, almost due north of Buffalo, so I've one panel angled towards the south-east(Toronto), the other due south. We get all Buffalo stations, which are about 75-80 miles away.
a couple Buffalo stations go away in bad weather, but usually, we get great reception.

Pete

 

[murphy1244]

I tried one similar to the one referenced in the original post... didn't work well at all.
Then I got one like this. It's on a tower about 40ft up.
View attachment 307816
I'm north-west of Toronto, almost due north of Buffalo, so I've one panel angled towards the south-east(Toronto), the other due south. We get all Buffalo stations, which are about 75-80 miles away.
a couple Buffalo stations go away in bad weather, but usually, we get great reception.

Pete

Who makes it and how much?

 

[KTurner]

What one should we get?

That's like asking what tractor you should get (or anything else really). It depends on your situation. Is there a homeowners association which is going to flip out if you put an antenna up outside? Are you 1 mile or 100 miles from the station transmitters? Live on top of a mountain, in a valley or on a plain? Budget? Have a way to get it up in the air a bit? You can find a range on the antennas, but that will be impacted by your location. If you're on a mountaintop, you'll get better than rating. In a valley, you're worse. If you have to put it in your attic due to homeowners association, that'll decrease the range.

And, if you feel the urge, you can make your own. Plenty of books on the subject. Lots of well documented designs.

Keith

 

[murphy1244]

Was planning on putting up a 25 foot or so tower, 50 miles from trans. Am higher than trans. Now which tractor do I get?

 

[uglyboywith11fingers]

Who makes it and how much?

It's made by digi-wave... see http://www.digiwavetechnologies.com/

don't know if they sell them south of the border or not.

Pete

 

[sal64]

hello in my oppinion that antenna is a joke its not big enough this it the one i bought Winegard HD8200U Heavy Duty Platinum VHF/UHF/FM HDTV Antenna (HD-8200U) from Solid Signal we live about 65 miles from nyc im on a mountain and have a direct shot to nyc we get most stations if the wether is bad we start having problems also if there are trees in the way it will stop some of the signel if you go to that website you can email the tec and they will tell you the best antenna for your area.

 

[keegs]

Chopped I've had this setup in place in one form or another for about 10 years.

Yagi outdoor UHF antenna on the roof oriented toward the local TV transmitter (approx 50 miles away)
Comes into the attic into an amplifier.
From the amplifier into an HD Home Run receiver (converts the OTA signal into IP packet on my local area network)
I have a PC running Windows Media Center. When you launch Media Center it searches the LAN for a receiver and finds HD Home Run
Media Center provides a front end with channel manager, TV guide, TV monitor and sound configuration..etc. etc.
I figure I save about $50. a month on cable bills

 

[uglyboywith11fingers]

hello in my oppinion that antenna is a joke its not big enough this it the one i bought Winegard HD8200U Heavy Duty Platinum VHF/UHF/FM HDTV Antenna (HD-8200U) from Solid Signal we live about 65 miles from nyc im on a mountain and have a direct shot to nyc we get most stations if the wether is bad we start having problems also if there are trees in the way it will stop some of the signel if you go to that website you can email the tec and they will tell you the best antenna for your area.

don't know if the jokes on you or me... mine works good for me, yours works good for you.
my digiwave cost $45. maybe I'm lucky all the stations in this area are to the south and south-east.
don't need a rotor with the 2 panels individually adjustable.

Pete

 

[dmccarty]

Was planning on putting up a 25 foot or so tower, 50 miles from trans. Am higher than trans. Now which tractor do I get?

JD Green Tractor BABY! :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Check out this website, TV Fool, which will show you the direction and distances to TV broadcast towers near your house. This should help you decide on the type and size of antenna.

Later,
Dan