Can anyone reccomend a good indoor antenna for digital TV signals?

john262

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
May 22, 2005
255
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When I connect a passive rabbit ears antenna to my digital TV I get a lot of channels, but on most channels I get pixalization, and sometimes the channels cut in and out.

I think I need a better indoor antenna. I cannot use a rooftop antenna. Can anyone recommended a good indoor antenna?

Thanks.

John
 
Thanks. So that would be preferable to getting another antenna with a built in amplifier?
 
john262 Hi

I had the same problems as you with rabbit ears. If you would like to go on the cheap and are slightly crafty I have built 2 of the following antenna's and they work great from about 15 -30 miles from transmitter towers.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw]YouTube - Coat Hanger HDTV Antenna![/ame]

Plazz
 
Buy a small outdoor antenna and use it indoors, if you must, but the best solution is to put it outside where all the reflections and such that occur indoors are not a problem.

Amplifier indoors can make the signal problems worse, not better, because often the probelm is reflections of a strong signal, not a weak signal.
 
If you make the YouTube antenna keep in mind that where the coat hangers cross over each other - two places - you need to keep them from touching - maybe a small piece of wood between them. This will get you much better reception.
 
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I live in a high rise building and there just is no way that I can use a roof mounted antenna. Plus the association rules prohibit putting an antenna on my balcony. I have heard that it is actually illegal for them to prohibit satellite dishes on our balconies, but I am not sure if that would apply to an antenna designed to pick up over the air TV signals.

I'm not sure if I want to bother to try to make that home made antenna, although I appreciate getting the information about it.

I just wanted to go out and buy a good indoor antenna from an electronics store, but I get the impression from responses in this thread that there may not be such an animal.

I am a cheapskate. I don't want to break down and subscribe to cable or satellite, especially when there are so many free over the air channels available.

I think part of the problem is that my condo faces north, and all of the TV transmitters in my area are to the south.
 
I don't think they can legally prevent you from putting antenna on balcony.

But in the spirit of getting along- there are some small outdoor ones like the "square shooter" that don't look like regular antennas and may be all you need to get a great signal.
 
try the Zenith Silver Sensor, they work pretty good indoors for about a 25 or 30 mile range and they are very small and lightweight if you need to point it in a different direction
 
DIY Antenna for apartment use

I made a DB4 antenna using old coat hangers for my apartment. As I am on the third floor, facing west, and the building has metal rather than wood studs, it has to overcome a difficult environment for reception. However, I am able to pull in some over the air hd stations as well as analog signals. Now I have changed to a Gray-Hoverman antenna (just bent copper wires) which hang on my windows (inside). It pulls in a better signal. More experimentation is in the works!

Both of these homemade antennas beat any commercially available antennas without question!
 
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A balcony could be an advantage acting as a large feed horn (the screen door opening) you need to check the direction of your dma antenna farm!.
 
When I connect a passive rabbit ears antenna to my digital TV I get a lot of channels, but on most channels I get pixalization, and sometimes the channels cut in and out.

I think I need a better indoor antenna. I cannot use a rooftop antenna. Can anyone recommended a good indoor antenna?

Thanks.

John

I have a Winegard HD8200u in my living room and it works well indoors
 

Amplifier Mount

THIS TV is available OTA in Cincy

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