HDTV Indoor Antennas

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Now getting great 80's and 90s movies on VHS from Goodwill for 99 cents. (Video store bankruptcy donations?)
I hope they are paying you to take them off their hands! I have a nice working 32 inch glass tube TV which you might be interested in :) I will let it go for low low price of 99 cents just for you!
 
Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
Oh, sorry for the confusion -- I thought you were just talking about the channels I listed earlier.

Have you looked at the 91XG?

http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?mc=03&p=91XG&d=Antennas-Direct-91XG-UHF-TV-Antenna-(91XG)&c=TV%20Antennas&sku=853748001910

No problem i did look at that also thanks for the link,but I'm up in the air witch one to consider,the DB8e is also a good looking unit.

http://www.antennasdirect.com/store/DB8e-Ultra-Long-Range-Outdoor-DTV-Antenna.html
 
I'd love to go back to the antenna, but I'd have to hire someone to erect a tall mast, & even with a good antenna there's no guarantee it would work. Closest broadcasters are about 41-42 miles, with some others at about 51 miles. I'd need to cover at least 2 directions(~95* & ~220*, iirc), the terrain is hilly & thickly wooded, & there are local structures that might cause big problems with "ghosting"- the towns steel tank water tower & an honest to goodness steel mill. Only 1 station is still on VHF & their BC power is only rated at 15KW. All others are UHF with various BC power ratings.

I've checked several of the websites over the past year or so, one says there's little chance of anything working here. Rats. An inline-amplifier would certainly be needed, as would a rotator(or 2 antennas!).

Sure would like to get METV- & there's mighty little on cable I care to watch these days. Would lose any decent home internet service along with cable, but I could live without it.

Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated.
 
Originally Posted By: UncleS2
Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated.


http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=db8e

Trying to receive signals from disparate headings, set it up like this:

DB8E_1_small80.jpg


Just get some good elevation on the mount and I think you'll be very pleased.
 
Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
Originally Posted By: UncleS2
Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated.


http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=db8e

Trying to receive signals from disparate headings, set it up like this:

DB8E_1_small80.jpg


Just get some good elevation on the mount and I think you'll be very pleased.

Thats the best price yet ive seen on the DB8e
 
So if I got something like this for an antenna to put in my attic, and also put a pre-amp in the system, you guys think I could probably boost the un-amplifed signal from a 40 mile range to maybe 60+ miles with it installed inside the attic space?

These items seemed to get pretty good performance reviews.

VHF\UHF\HD Antenna:
http://www.amazon.com/RCA-ANT751-Quality-Durable-Compact/dp/B0024R4B5C/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t

Pre-Amp:
http://www.amazon.com/RCA-TVPRAMP1R-Outdoor-Antenna-Preamplifier/dp/B003P92D9Y/ref=pd_sim_e_1
 
Forty miles is OUTDOOR range. Putting it in the attic, as I have read, cuts signal strength by about 50%. You may need to experiment. My old, large outdoor antenna, mounted in my attic, with an RCA brand "distribution amp" (Sorry, can't find a DB rating on it.) gives me adequate strength to get all the local digital channels from the towers that are at least forty miles from here. If you mount it inside you might be OK without the amp. Try it first.

It's actually uncanny how much this antenna looks like a scaled down version of what I have in my attic. The UHF portion is still the same size, though, and in my area most of the digital broadcasts are in the UHF spectrum.
 
Originally Posted By: DBMaster
Forty miles is OUTDOOR range. Putting it in the attic, as I have read, cuts signal strength by about 50%. You may need to experiment. My old, large outdoor antenna, mounted in my attic, with an RCA brand "distribution amp" (Sorry, can't find a DB rating on it.) gives me adequate strength to get all the local digital channels from the towers that are at least forty miles from here. If you mount it inside you might be OK without the amp. Try it first.

It's actually uncanny how much this antenna looks like a scaled down version of what I have in my attic. The UHF portion is still the same size, though, and in my area most of the digital broadcasts are in the UHF spectrum.


Yes, I'm thinking I'd probably need a pre-amp if I put an antenna in the attic area above my garage due to the signal reduction of it being inside. Plus I want to feed the antenna signal into a cable splitter (where the Comcast cable comes in), so I'm thinking my signal will be pretty weak by the time it hits the TVs in the house if no pre-amp is used.

I was looking for a pre-amp that had an adjustable gain, but could only find this one on Amazon. IMO, it would be nice to be able to adjust the gain of the pre-amp in case it was putting too much signal out to the TVs.

15 to 30 dB adjustable gain. Has mixed reviews on performance and reliability.
http://www.amazon.com/Antra-AT-PAA28-Pre-Amplifier-Adjustable-Excellent/dp/B008NC8IB0/ref=pd_sim_e_3
 
Originally Posted By: UncleS2

Sure would like to get METV- & there's mighty little on cable I care to watch these days. Would lose any decent home internet service along with cable, but I could live without it.

Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated.


Get a c-band satellite dish. MeTV from the network to the OTA station affiliates is in the clear. Dish should be free if you cut it down. Receiver is $100. Modest technical expertise will be required.
wink.gif


lyngsat.com FMI.
 
This is exactly what I have connected to my antenna. You could probably just snag this one, or one like it. I have my output connected to a signal combiner that runs the antenna signal and dish (Dish Network) signal down the same cable to the TV. At that point I split the signal back out to the satellite receiving and to the antenna input on the TV. I'm sure the signal loses some strength going through combining/diplexing.

For $4.99 it's a good deal...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RCA-TV-VCR-DISTR...=item20ddace4f9
 
Yes, with a combiner/diplexer setup you can combine antenna and cable/satellite to one coax wire and then split it out at the destination. Just key "diplexer" on eBay.
 
Originally Posted By: DBMaster
Forty miles is OUTDOOR range. Putting it in the attic, as I have read, cuts signal strength by about 50%. You may need to experiment. My old, large outdoor antenna, mounted in my attic, with an RCA brand "distribution amp" (Sorry, can't find a DB rating on it.) gives me adequate strength to get all the local digital channels from the towers that are at least forty miles from here. If you mount it inside you might be OK without the amp. Try it first.

It's actually uncanny how much this antenna looks like a scaled down version of what I have in my attic. The UHF portion is still the same size, though, and in my area most of the digital broadcasts are in the UHF spectrum.

I currently has Solid Signal HDB4X 4-bay antenna in the attic without any amplifier, I get all stations 43 miles away with strong signal, up to high 80's low 90's. Probably because all station towers are on Mt Wilson more than 500-600 ft high.
http://www.amazon.com/Solid-Signal-HDB4X...=bowtie+antenna

The above antenna is $40 at Amazon, the 8-bay HDB8X is $60 and can get signal up to 50+ miles away if install in the attic.
http://www.amazon.com/Solid-Signal-HDB8X...=bowtie+antenna

You want to buy from Amazon, if it didn't work as planned you can return without much hassle, be sure to keep the packaging for return.
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas
Can you combine OTA with cable too? I don't think so but would be great if I am wrong.


When I researched ota antenna last year you couldn't combine ota signal and cable Tv signal due to frequency problems. A diplexer can be used with satellite and ota antenna since they broadcast at different frequencies. Fyi
 
There are some TV stations that broadcast on VHF-high frequencies (7-13). If those stations are near to you you will be able to get them on a UHF antenna.
If they are in the fringe areas of your reception then you may want a VHF-HI/UHF antenna.
I live ~40 miles from Detroit/Cleveland and this antenna has done a very good job getting the whole range of available signals http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=hbu22

They make a 33 & 44 also if required.
 
I made a 4 bay antenna by watching a youtube video.I previously had 14 channels,then got 38 after the antenna. That video ,last time I checked, had 1,700,xxx hits.
 
me too. I just ran a new scan last week and got 3 more channels and some radio (?) stations that I can listen to through the tv now. weird.
 
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