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Old 01-12-2009, 02:57 PM   #1
kaisersouse
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Default Believe it or not...I still view over-the-air TV. Anyone else working on DTV stuff?

So even though I have Directv...I like having over-the-air capability in case the dish gets covered, sat outage, falls from space, etc.

As I get ready for DTV...I'm finding the "if you can get the analog signal with no interference, you can get the digital one just fine" theory they are dispensing to be absolute bull****.

Spent half the day screwing around with ancient twinlead cable and I've decided I've had enough.

So...anyone havea rooftop antenna with plans to replace it? If so...what are you looking at? I'm either going to keep mine and rip out ALL the wiring and redo it with coax...or replace the whole goddamn thing. Just looking to see if anyone else is having fun with this DTV conversion.
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Old 01-12-2009, 02:58 PM   #2
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I do not have cable.
I've had HDTV's since about 2002
52 stations total. Digital switchover reduces the redundancy reduces the redundacy an I'll get 45 stations.
rooftop antenna and the rotor is busted, so it points east
Big deal

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Old 01-12-2009, 03:01 PM   #3
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It really depends on yore location. Close to a major city is yore best bet.
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Old 01-12-2009, 03:02 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack ffr1846 View Post
I do not have cable.
I've had HDTV's since about 2002
52 stations total. Digital switchover reduces the redundancy reduces the redundacy an I'll get 45 stations.
rooftop antenna and the rotor is busted, so it points east
Big deal

jack
how far out from the transmitters are you (on average)?

I'm jsut trying to figure out why I can get almost all analog stations with no snow or glitching....but only 1 digital channel with a horrid signal strength.
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Old 01-12-2009, 03:04 PM   #5
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reduces the redundancy reduces the redundacy
reduces the redundancy reduces the redundacy
reduces the redundancy reduces the redundacy
reduces the redundancy reduces the redundacy
reduces the redundancy reduces the redundacy
reduces the redundancy reduces the redundacy
reduces the redundancy reduces the redundacy
reduces the redundancy reduces the redundacy
reduces the redundancy reduces the redundacy
reduces the redundancy reduces the redundacy
reduces the redundancy reduces the redundacy
reduces the redundancy reduces the redundacy
reduces the redundancy reduces the redundacy
reduces the redundancy reduces the redundacy
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Old 01-12-2009, 03:21 PM   #6
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www.antennaweb.org/

Address based search gives distance and direction to nearby broadcast stations ( analog and HDTV) and advice about what antenna is needed.
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Old 01-12-2009, 03:22 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kaisersouse View Post
how far out from the transmitters are you (on average)?

I'm jsut trying to figure out why I can get almost all analog stations with no snow or glitching....but only 1 digital channel with a horrid signal strength.
DTV has to reach 75 miles
Analog tv only had to reach 50 miles

Boston is 23.2 miles from my house

I put up the cheapest radio shack regular old uhf/vhf combo antenna that they had almost 10 years ago. DTV antennas are snake oil.

jack
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Old 01-12-2009, 03:23 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kaisersouse View Post
how far out from the transmitters are you (on average)?

I'm jsut trying to figure out why I can get almost all analog stations with no snow or glitching....but only 1 digital channel with a horrid signal strength.
The digital antennae aren't always located where teh analog ones are, so, it's a crapshoot.
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Old 01-12-2009, 03:28 PM   #9
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My HD locals come in OTA... up until a few months ago I only had that, but I splurdged for DishNetwork when they announced that whole TurboHD thing. Works out great. Woot Phoenix-area topography!
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Old 01-12-2009, 03:31 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by boxered View Post
The digital antennae aren't always located where teh analog ones are, so, it's a crapshoot.
Your reply made me look it up...and yeah all the locations are different.

Grrrrrr. They used to be in one direction, now they are not.

I hate antenna rotators
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Old 01-12-2009, 03:42 PM   #11
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I have DTV and I still watch all local channels using OTA.

I use a generic antenna to get those OTA channels so the theory of "if you get analogue you'll get digital" seems to be 100% true for me. (I am only miles away from all towers, though).

The local stations supposedly broadcast in mpeg4. I have read that DTV gets all local feeds and has to recompress them to it's output format (mpeg2, I think). I don't know if its placebo, but I do believe the OTA versions look better.

EDIT: I believe I have been confusing DTV to be DirectTV, I meant I have DirectTV
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Old 01-12-2009, 03:45 PM   #12
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The more I look at things the more I realize I'm being nuked by bad wiring. On top of that the antenna has always been pointed in the exact opposite direction it needs to...otherwise it doesn't work. Still trying to figure out whats up with that.
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Old 01-12-2009, 03:47 PM   #13
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Same here using a Phillips HD ant. to watch HD.
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Old 01-12-2009, 06:38 PM   #14
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I live 20 miles from Boston, and I just bought a new 32" Samsung LCD for the bedroom. It has a digital tuner, so I said what the heck, and bought a $29 small flat indoor digital antenna because I will only watch this TV when in bed.

To my surprise, I'm receiving 4 major channels at 1080i and others at 480i...WAYbetter resolution than my Direct TV non-HD set up.



Can't wait until Feb 17th when more stations start transmitting in digital.
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Old 01-12-2009, 06:50 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WRXLTD View Post
I live 20 miles from Boston, and I just bought a new 32" Samsung LCD for the bedroom. It has a digital tuner, so I said what the heck, and bought a $29 small flat indoor digital antenna because I will only watch this TV when in bed.

To my surprise, I'm receiving 4 major channels at 1080i and others at 480i...WAYbetter resolution than my Direct TV non-HD set up.



Can't wait until Feb 17th when more stations start transmitting in digital.
You can't be far from me.....do a channel scan. I'd bet you're going to find a bunch of channels. Lotsa PBS variations, weather channel, used to be a music video channel....haven't watched it for a while. My 8 year old watches Qubo....24 hour kids channel....

I don't think you'll see more feb 17th.....the analog ones just go away. The major stations have been on digital for at least 7-8 years.

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Old 01-12-2009, 06:59 PM   #16
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I still use rabbit ears to tune into my locals with directv. The OTA picture quality is better than the DTV feed. My rabbit ears fit conveniently behind my tower speakers without being seen.
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Old 01-12-2009, 08:42 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack ffr1846 View Post

You can't be far from me.....do a channel scan. I'd bet you're going to find a bunch of channels. Lotsa PBS variations, weather channel, used to be a music video channel....haven't watched it for a while. My 8 year old watches Qubo....24 hour kids channel....

I don't think you'll see more feb 17th.....the analog ones just go away. The major stations have been on digital for at least 7-8 years.

jack
You're right, I'm receiving those channels as well. What sucks is WBZ (channel 4) is still transmitting in analog. I still can't believe how clear the channels come in. With reception this good (and FREE), I bet some will re-think paying for cable or satellite if all the major channels can be had this way.
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Old 01-12-2009, 09:24 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by WRXLTD View Post
You're right, I'm receiving those channels as well. What sucks is WBZ (channel 4) is still transmitting in analog. I still can't believe how clear the channels come in. With reception this good (and FREE), I bet some will re-think paying for cable or satellite if all the major channels can be had this way.
I'm definetly reconsidering my cable plan. I get a lot of major channels (Disc, TLC, ESPNs, etc.) I may miss a DVR and movie channels but the picture is much better over the air. I'm going to wait until the switch to digital to make a decision.
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Old 01-12-2009, 09:59 PM   #19
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I get about 15 channels with an indoor antenna.

Works great for sports. HD love
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Old 01-12-2009, 09:59 PM   #20
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I get about 15 channels with an indoor antenna.

Works great for sports. HD love
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Old 01-16-2009, 06:55 PM   #21
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hmmm... me thinks me needs to go get an antenna from the shack to try out... since i'm paying $15/mo for basically the same damn thing.
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Old 01-16-2009, 07:28 PM   #22
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Quote:
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You're right, I'm receiving those channels as well. What sucks is WBZ (channel 4) is still transmitting in analog. I still can't believe how clear the channels come in. With reception this good (and FREE), I bet some will re-think paying for cable or satellite if all the major channels can be had this way.
Channel 4 also transmits in digital. Have your tv do an automatic channel search and it'll pick all kinds of channels. It goes HD when the original one is HD.

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Old 01-16-2009, 07:31 PM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kaisersouse View Post
The more I look at things the more I realize I'm being nuked by bad wiring. On top of that the antenna has always been pointed in the exact opposite direction it needs to...otherwise it doesn't work. Still trying to figure out whats up with that.
Sensitivity pattern for the antenna usually has a lobe pointing out the back too. So 180 degrees off will work, but not as well as pointing the proper direction.

Twinlead is teh debbil and is probably most of your problem. RG5x coax isn't that expensive and can make a huge difference.

Our local PBS station got special permission to stay on a VHF frequency assignment, and that's the station I watch most, so I need to keep the giant VHF antenna up there. I was hoping to get down to just a small UHF Yagi. (All DTV is supposed to be on UHF channels (channels 13-69) so most people won't need the big VHF antenna any more.)
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Old 01-16-2009, 07:37 PM   #24
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Believe it or not, I'm walking on air.
I never thought I could feel so free.
Flying away on a wing and a prayer.
Who could it be?
Believe it or not it's just me.

It's like a light of a new day,
It came from out of the blue.
Breaking me out of the spell I was in,
Making all of my wishes come true.

Believe it or not, I'm walking on air.
I never thought I could feel so free.
Flying away on a wing and a prayer.
Who could it be? Believe it or not it's just me.
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Old 01-16-2009, 08:46 PM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kaisersouse View Post
So...anyone havea rooftop antenna with plans to replace it? If so...what are you looking at? I'm either going to keep mine and rip out ALL the wiring and redo it with coax...or replace the whole goddamn thing. Just looking to see if anyone else is having fun with this DTV conversion.
Radio Shack standard uhf/vhf rooftop antenna works fine for me... I got horrible reception at first, until I realized that what I thought was the front of the antenna was actually the back.

Flipped it 180 degrees and all was well.
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