CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

tri_joel · Joined: 03 Jul 2007 Posts: 646 Location: Northern Virginia

I've been paying an arm and leg for FiOs for six years now, only so my Bride can watch HGTV. Everything else we watch is broadcast. I've been researching OTA antennas for some time now and have yet to find one without a list of reception quality complaints. Does anyone here have a good recommendation?

My next problem will be a receiver for my Marquee. I see old receivers on eBay, some with VGA out. That in itself presents a problem, I removed my RGBHV cables and installed HDMI when I bought an HDFury. I could go back, but I'm not too excited about that idea. I am actually thinking about adding an HTPC just for this reason, then I could also use it as a DVR. I know zero about HTPC, I tried to read Craig's thread but it is written in a language I do not understand.

All advice and ideas welcome.

Thank you,
Joel

jeffslife · Joined: 17 Apr 2010 Posts: 4181 Location: ohio usa

If an OTA is having reception problems it is more than likely due to installation or location. Look around and see what kind of antennae people around you are (or were ) using. A pre amp ant. is a plus. There is NO DIFFERENCE between a digital and an analog antennae. Just like back in the day when they would advertise a COLOR antennae.

wallace123456 · Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 2236 Location: Northwest VA area

Check out this site. They have some cool looking stuff, but I have not purchased yet.

http://www.solidsignal.com/

Like you, I would like to get a local OTA signal for local HD channels.

wallace

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

What stations are you trying to pull in (UHF, high VHF or low VHF)? It makes a difference. How far are you away from the towers? Is the antenna inside or out? Start by going to antennaweb and plugging in your address. That will give the channels and distance/direction. From there you can start to get an idea of what you need to do.
http://www.antennaweb.org/Address.aspx

For a good review of a lot of antennas, go to hdtvexpert.
http://www.hdtvexpert.com/

If you have UHF, then the Gray-Hoverman DIY antenna might be suitable.
http://www.digitalhome.ca/ota/superantenna/index.htm

Nashou66 · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 16171 Location: West Seneca NY

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 4:32 am Post subject:

This is the one I'm using. I have it up in my window:

http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?mc=03&p=4221-HD&d=Channel-Master-4221HD-4bay-HDTVUHF-TV-Antenna-&c=TV%20Antennas&sku=

jeffslife · Joined: 17 Apr 2010 Posts: 4181 Location: ohio usa

If you want to make your own, Check out the AUSSIES them boys know how to make an antennae.

ecrabb · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 4:44 am Post subject:

ecrabb · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 5:11 am Post subject: Re: Digital antenna

garyfritz · Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 12026 Location: Fort Collins, CO

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

jeffslife · Joined: 17 Apr 2010 Posts: 4181 Location: ohio usa

The Aussies make antennaes that are built into the rafters of your house that pick up stations from over a hundred miles away, It is amazing. Imagine an antennae that is as big as your roof made from a spool of copper wire and stand offs.

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10273

Also keep in mind that digital reception is nothing like analog. I mean this in that the signal will be received, and perfectly so, or not at all. There will not be a gradation of signal as seen in the form of something on the screen.

jeffslife · Joined: 17 Apr 2010 Posts: 4181 Location: ohio usa

That is not exactly accurate. There are still different degrees of signal strength. There is a threshold where the picture degrades but a strong signal is still preferable.

tri_joel · Joined: 03 Jul 2007 Posts: 646 Location: Northern Virginia

Thanks everyone. Lots of good info to sort through, as a matte of fact I was up half of the night last night and have been searching most of the day.

As of now, I'm leaning toward something like this http://www.amazon.com/1080p-Digital-Recorder-Receiver-Center/dp/B008RHTXLA/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1359576136&sr=1-4&keywords=ota+tuner
Though the reviews are not very good.

According to antennaweb.org, I need a green, red, and blue to get the channels I usually watch. If I go up to a purple, I can get French TV, which I wouldn't mind. I think this one will do the trick, and potentially work in my attic: http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp??mc=03&p=MS2002&d=Winegard-MS2002-Metrostar-VHFUHF-Amplified-Omnidirectional-TV-Antenna-(MS2002)&c=TV%20Antennas&sku=

Any opinion/experience with the UFO type antenna?

Is there any truth to AppleTV providing TV service (like a cable provider) this year?

jeffslife · Joined: 17 Apr 2010 Posts: 4181 Location: ohio usa

I never liked the omnidirectional myself but depending on your location relevant to the towers you are trying to access it could be fine for you.

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

tri_joel · Joined: 03 Jul 2007 Posts: 646 Location: Northern Virginia

Thanks Jeff. I don't really feel like experimenting, but I think it will receive the channels I want. I didn't want to share my home address otherwise I would have posted a screen shot from antenna web.org. My zip is 22101, McLean VA if you have any interest in looking it and letting me know what you think.

Steve- I'm with you on the live TV vs. DVR. The only live TV we watch anymore are the Nationals and Yankee baseball games, Redskin football (someday they will be worth watching the entire season), and I watch a lot of college football. We will stream MLB through Apple TV, Redskins will come over antenna, and college football will unfortunately suffer. Most TV programs we watch we can get through Hulu or Netflix. So in a nutshell, a DVR would be convenient to record football games, so I have been searching eBay for oldish Direct TV DVRs with OTA tuners. I have not discounted the DVR I linked to above, I'm just concerned about the negative reviews.

Another option I have, but have put little thought into, is I have a laptop with HDMI and Windows Media Center. I could just install one of those USB tuner thingies and use it as a tuner and DVR.

jeffslife · Joined: 17 Apr 2010 Posts: 4181 Location: ohio usa

I would need to see your house, Do you live near a lake? Up on a hill ? Down in a valley. Are you surrounded by tall buildings ? There are a lot of factors to consider. Proximity to the towers not being the least. If you dont live by a lake and have a reasonably clear line of sight within 25 miles of the towers you should have no problems at all. Attic installs work well in most cases and the install is easy,also you have less of a chance of lightning strikes. There are many things to consider but it aint rocket science.