Adding an OTA antenna to a 722k

[ig888ack]

My antenna is a Terk HDTVo. I think it came with an amplifier ( the coax plugs into a little black box that plugs into an outlet and then continues down to the 722k)



Does this mean I would only need a preamp? If so, any recommendations? I'd like to go as cheap as possible as long as it is helpful. Thanks!

[whatchel1]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I ended up mounting the OTA in the attic so I didn't have to worry about running a new line through the house after all. I did run a dedicated line down to my 722k but that wasn't too bad. I just didn't want to have to go through an outer wall if I could help it. The picture is decent for ABC and NBC but FOX goes out every once in a while and CBS doesn't come in at all. I don't particularly care about CBS but I'd like to get FOX to come in more consistently if possible. I am getting an average of high sixty to low seventy on my signal strength for the local FOX station - do you think if I mounted the antenna outside on the roof it would be worth it? I don't want to put it up there if it is only going to raise the strength a point or two but if it will make it as reliable as ABC and NBC then it would be worth the hassle. Does anyone have any data on how much greater strength you get out of moving the antenna from inside an attic to just about 5 feet higher an putting it on the roof?

Thanks again for all the help!

By running a zip of 36803 for your general area the strongest stations are really CBS, & FOX. Your towers for all your local OTA w/ the exception of PBS are pretty close to each other. Here's a link to the TV fool station read out for that zip:
TV Fool

. All but ABC are UHF. I'm begining to wonder if maybe you are over driving the input of the OTA module. You may need to pad the input (reduce signal level). I don't know if the Terk will run w/o the preamp. I'm not abig fan of Terks but that's a personal feeling.

[fz5j2r]

What make and model antenna ?

One possibility that may help is to install a preamp and amplifier...

This antenna is already amplified. Advertisements give the range at 30 miles UHF and 40 miles VHF. You are at these extremes. You will need to get the antenna as high as possible on the outside of your house.

CBS and ABC are at compass heading 126 degrees. NBC is at 118 and Fox at 117. You probably are not going to pickup PBS because of the distances and direction from your location without a different or multiple antennas.

IF you can get all these channels I suspect you will be on the edge of the antenna's capabilities which will probably give you signal dropouts and a larger antenna will most likely be required to avoid the dropouts.

Try the Terk on the roof and please keep us posted on your progress.

Be careful when putting the antenna on the roof! Electrical lines and falls can kill you! Get a friend to help you!

If money is not an issue, I would hire someone to install a much larger UHF/VHF antenna than the Terk which will solve all your problems.

[fz5j2r]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I ended up mounting the OTA in the attic so I didn't have to worry about running a new line through the house after all. I did run a dedicated line down to my 722k but that wasn't too bad. I just didn't want to have to go through an outer wall if I could help it. The picture is decent for ABC and NBC but FOX goes out every once in a while and CBS doesn't come in at all. I don't particularly care about CBS but I'd like to get FOX to come in more consistently if possible. I am getting an average of high sixty to low seventy on my signal strength for the local FOX station - do you think if I mounted the antenna outside on the roof it would be worth it? I don't want to put it up there if it is only going to raise the strength a point or two but if it will make it as reliable as ABC and NBC then it would be worth the hassle. Does anyone have any data on how much greater strength you get out of moving the antenna from inside an attic to just about 5 feet higher an putting it on the roof?

Thanks again for all the help!

Here is some good information on attic installation versus roof mounting. I bought my antennas from Denny and had them installed by him. He really knows his stuff. He is extremely knowledgeable and has worked closely with Winegard on antenna design. He is very trustworthy. He is a little hard to contact at times because he is so busy. Here is a link;


TV Antenna Attic Installation/Mounting

[ig888ack]

Well I was planning on mounting my Terk HDTVo on the roof to hopefully improve my signal strength. Before I got around to it however, christmas happened and I got some gift certificates to Best Buy. I know I could get it much cheaper elsewhere but I really didn't need anything else from Best Buy so I used my certificates to order an Antennas Direct DB4 antenna. It claims to have a 55 mile range vs the 30 mile range of the Terk HDTVo. I am hoping that I might be able to get away with leaving it in the attic but improving my situation.

My question about this now though, is that the Terk came with an amplifier but the DB4 does not. Can I use the amplifier that came with the Terk on the DB4? If not, I assume that I will need some sort of amplifier but I don't know anything about them really - even what the difference is in an amplifier and a pre-amp. Does anyone have a recommendation if I can't use the amplifier that came with the Terk?

The DB4 should arrive in about a week so I will certainly post results when it comes in. Thanks!

[ig888ack]

Well I was planning on mounting my Terk HDTVo on the roof to hopefully improve my signal strength. Before I got around to it however, christmas happened and I got some gift certificates to Best Buy. I know I could get it much cheaper elsewhere but I really didn't need anything else from Best Buy so I used my certificates to order an Antennas Direct DB4 antenna. It claims to have a 55 mile range vs the 30 mile range of the Terk HDTVo. I am hoping that I might be able to get away with leaving it in the attic but improving my situation.

My question about this now though, is that the Terk came with an amplifier but the DB4 does not. Can I use the amplifier that came with the Terk on the DB4? If not, I assume that I will need some sort of amplifier but I don't know anything about them really - even what the difference is in an amplifier and a pre-amp. Does anyone have a recommendation if I can't use the amplifier that came with the Terk?

The DB4 should arrive in about a week so I will certainly post results when it comes in. Thanks!

Ok, so the DB4 came in and now I'm really confused. As I mentioned before, the DB4 was supposed to have a 55 mile range vs the 30 mile range of the HDTVo I had up before. I mounted the DB4 in the attic on the exact same mast in the same spot pointed in the same direction with the same cable and everything. Without the amplifier that came with the Terk I got 5 channels whereas I was getting 13 with the Terk. I then plugged in the amplifier that came with the Terk to the DB4 and I lost channels! With it plugged up I got only 2 channels! I assumed that an amplifier would be pretty straightforward and should have worked with the DB4.

So I guess I'm now back to square one - mounting one of the antennas on the roof. I'm going to start with the Terk because I am getting more channels with it in the attic than I am with the DB4. Plus I think I might can still return the DB4 but I've had the Terk way too long to return it. I'll post again once I get it up there and let everyone know the results.

[whatchel1]

Ok, so the DB4 came in and now I'm really confused. As I mentioned before, the DB4 was supposed to have a 55 mile range vs the 30 mile range of the HDTVo I had up before. I mounted the DB4 in the attic on the exact same mast in the same spot pointed in the same direction with the same cable and everything. Without the amplifier that came with the Terk I got 5 channels whereas I was getting 13 with the Terk. I then plugged in the amplifier that came with the Terk to the DB4 and I lost channels! With it plugged up I got only 2 channels! I assumed that an amplifier would be pretty straightforward and should have worked with the DB4.

So I guess I'm now back to square one - mounting one of the antennas on the roof. I'm going to start with the Terk because I am getting more channels with it in the attic than I am with the DB4. Plus I think I might can still return the DB4 but I've had the Terk way too long to return it. I'll post again once I get it up there and let everyone know the results.

Pretty sure the Terk amp is really in the antenna and the part you think is the amp is just the power for the amp.

[MR2NR]

This antenna is already amplified. Advertisements give the range at 30 miles UHF and 40 miles VHF. You are at these extremes. You will need to get the antenna as high as possible on the outside of your house.

If money is not an issue, I would hire someone to install a much larger UHF/VHF antenna than the Terk which will solve all your problems.

I thought this as well but be aware that you will have a signal drop the more coax you run which escalates with higher frequency channels so you will have to run a amp. But I'm talking 50+ feet of coax.

I agree that you should sell the Terk for something with some street cred like the Wineguard brand as them Terks you get at BestBuy I have found not to increase signal very much and are mainly about name that BestBuy has touted up along with the price.

On the issue of how to hook it up to your 722K I would use the OTA module as it will let you record OTA transmissions. Running a Diplexer reduces signal along with splitters but sometimes are necessary if you have a complicated install. If you have to spend 25$ for diplexers and splitters just get the 30$ module.