Aiming off-air antenna

[robertb-az]

I hope that someone is still able to help out us late comers with Voom. Here's the scoop.

1. Just purchased a Voom receiver online. The person was selling 20 of them and said that they all work, are active, and able to get local ota channels.
2. When I finally found the installation wizard, it shows a checkmark by all options except next to "Activate". When I try to click ok, it won't let me do anything. I'm not sure what that means exactly but I'm fearing the worst, that it's not activated.
3. When I scan for locals, I don't get anything. I am hooked up to an "hd antenna" with a coaxial plugged into the far right hookup. I removed the diplexor. Then antenna is turned on but nothing is found.
4. When I "aim off air antenna", it asks me for an rf #, "2-36 and 38-69". I'm not an installer, so I have no clue what to put in.
5. It was "apparently" working in the Ohio area and I'm in Phoenix Arizona. Do I need to change anything regarding location? I followed everything from the thread below on installation and all the other helpful advice, but I'm getting really frustrated right now.


If there is anyone that can help me or point me in the right direction. I would appreciate it very much.

 

[riffjim4069]

I haven't had my VOOM receiver hooked up in months, but I plugged it and this is what I came up with:
2. No big deal. There is no check mark next to "Activate" on my receiver and it works just fine. (see picture below)
3. I used to have two OTA antennas connected to my VOOM STB via an A/B switch: Washington DC (home DMA) and Richmond VA - see the pictures below. I used to pull program data for local channels (in my home DMA) from VOOM, so channels like 4-1 (NBC), 7-1 (ABC), and 9-1 (CBS) show up with no station identifier. However, the channels I picked up while scanning (mostly Richmond) still show up with their station information since I pulled this directly from the station.
4. In a nutshell, your local station has both an existing analog channel (old TV channel) and corresponding digital channel (new digital TV channel) - the RF is nothing more than a Radio Frequency assignment by the FCC. In my case, if you will refer to the photos, my local ABC has been assigned the following:
Analog TV: 7
Digital TV: 39
Remapped: 7-1
Channel 7-1 is nothing more than your digital tuner remapping channel (RF) 39 to what you know it as. In you case, I believe you have a local CBS channel 5 in Phoenix AZ. It's assigned digital channel is 17...and it will be remapped to 5-1 on your VOOM STB. Remember, the VOOM STB only has a digital tuner...it will not receive analog TV channels.
Also, check out the following sites and you will see a clear picture of DTV in your area:
http://www.antennaweb.org
http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/programming/broadcast-market.php?dma_name[]=Phoenix+%28Prescott%29
5. You will need to supply more information before we can begin troubleshooting you problem: type of antenna (make, model, UHF/VHF), indoor/outdoor, clear line of sight, distance from local broadcasters, etc.
Hope this gives you a good start and I hope this makes sense...busy doing a million and one things at once this morning. Also, I just noticed there is a 39k file attachment size placed on my account after yesterday's upgrade. I had to compress the pictures to the point they look horrible. I will check with the administrators and upload better pics if possible. Also, the last picture shows you where to plug in the OTA antenna.
Riff...

 

[riffjim4069]

Scott fixed the problem...I was able to upload some better pictures.

 

[Shawn95GT]

Go to that antennaweb site and just give them your zip code (or exact address if you don't know where South Mountain is).
It will give you an compass direction to the towers on South Mountain which is pretty much due south of central Phoenix.
I'm 24 miles from the towers accoring to Antennaweb and RF17 will peg the meter with the little crappy antenna what came with my HDTVWonder card (pic attached).
Before I had Voom installed, I had installed a $24.99 Radio shack antenna which gives me even better results than the HDTVWonder antenna.
My bet is that you 'HD Antenna' is powered and isn't getting the power it needs. This was a common problem with professional Voom installs - lol. My Winegaurd antenna Voom installed never once worked. Before leaving he gave up on the Winegard and used my cheap rat-shack antenna.

 

[robertb-az]

You guys are great, thanks for the quick response. I apologize if I sound ignorant, but let me give you some more specifics and then direct my questions a little clearer.

I have the cables set up as you showed in the pictures and I'm using a Phillips MANT310/MNT310F VHF/UHF/FM amplified signal, powered HD antenna. I just purchased it at Wal-Mart and it says that it's HD compatible. Here are the settings which I found:
--Off-Air Signal/SNR: 0/0.00
--Off-Air Signal Quality: 0
--Off-Air Map: 0033
--# of Off-Air Channels: It says 20, but doesn't show up anywhere else
IPG Region: 12
Unit Address: 000-03088-92104-169
0000002674224

When I scanned for local channels, it didn't find any. It then asks me in "Step 3" to aim the off-air antenna and wants me to put in an RF#. I tried to put in 39, which is shown in your picture attached, but it didn't do anything.

1. First questions: Specifically, what is the code that I put in here? In the attached picture, you have a green bar that goes past the arrows.
2. What else do I need to do, (step by step), considering all the above specs that I gave you?

Again, I apologize in advance for sounding so inexperienced, but I'm really stumped. I went to the antennaweb.org website and it told me that I live approximately 22 miles southeast from the stations, at 271 degrees. Help?!?

 

[dougruss]

So you do have the Antenna Pointed in the right direction?
and if it is............ then I would try to get a Better Antenna than what you have. Looking at the one you have ,just doesn't look like it would do the job and keep a Steady Signal for you ?

You would be better off trying something like this,maybe put it in the attic?

http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?main_cat=03&CAT=&PROD=SCM4221A

 

[robertb-az]

Thanks dougruss. That may be the case, but I just want to make sure I have everything else set correctly before re-investing in an antenna. If I'm doing everything else correctly and still not getting the channels, I'll try another antenna.

 

[Shawn95GT]

You guys are great, thanks for the quick response. I apologize if I sound ignorant, but let me give you some more specifics and then direct my questions a little clearer.
I have the cables set up as you showed in the pictures and I'm using a Phillips MANT310/MNT310F VHF/UHF/FM amplified signal, powered HD antenna. I just purchased it at Wal-Mart and it says that it's HD compatible. Here are the settings which I found:
--Off-Air Signal/SNR: 0/0.00
--Off-Air Signal Quality: 0
--Off-Air Map: 0033
--# of Off-Air Channels: It says 20, but doesn't show up anywhere else
IPG Region: 12
Unit Address: 000-03088-92104-169
0000002674224
When I scanned for local channels, it didn't find any. It then asks me in "Step 3" to aim the off-air antenna and wants me to put in an RF#. I tried to put in 39, which is shown in your picture attached, but it didn't do anything.
1. First questions: Specifically, what is the code that I put in here? In the attached picture, you have a green bar that goes past the arrows.
2. What else do I need to do, (step by step), considering all the above specs that I gave you?
Again, I apologize in advance for sounding so inexperienced, but I'm really stumped. I went to the antennaweb.org website and it told me that I live approximately 22 miles southeast from the stations, at 271 degrees. Help?!?

1. - Try '17'. This is for 5-1 (CBS) '36' is 12-1 (NBC).
I do get signal on '39' but it's weaker than the other channels (79-80 on the goofy antenna).

2. - That's it. That antenna is an omni so it's 'less than optimal'. Once you see you have signal, back up to the menu and 'scan local channels'.

Circuit city / Radio Shack have one similar to the one I'm having pretty good luck with as an indoor antenna. The big different is this one is amplified while mine is not.:

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Terk...91092/catOid/-15609/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...032187.2032189.2032204&pg=2&parentPage=family

I know WallMart carries (or has carried) an antenna similar to mine for $30ish. They may have stopped carrying it. I didn't see it on their online site.

Shawn

 

[luthan]

i just got one from ebay today and had the same problem
what i did was remove the module from the box that u plug the antenna in while the box was still on, then put it back in, then restarted the box, unplugged it and plugged it back in and started a scan
boom its all here
holy crap am i happy because i really wanted to catch the bowl game in HD

 

[Ilya]

i just got one from ebay today and had the same problem
what i did was remove the module from the box that u plug the antenna in while the box was still on, then put it back in, then restarted the box, unplugged it and plugged it back in and started a scan
boom its all here
holy crap am i happy because i really wanted to catch the bowl game in HD

Welcome to the forum, luthan!

 

[cafecubana]

re: Phillips mant310



I would like to ask you a very big favor.

I already own the Phillips mant310 . I have several devices that take AC Adapters—I do not know which AC Adapter goes with my Phillips mant310! So, if you would, would you please tell me the Output Voltage & "MA"(milliamp) Rating that’s located on the AC Adapter?

I would be greatly thankful if you would send me that information.

Thank you,

Peter Brown

 

[BDWF]

Are you talking about the diplexer box on the back? So is it off now(the little box)? I am having the same problem with no signal at all when I am in the aiming mode. How do you tell for sure if you have an activated box?

 

[pongt17]

I haven't had my VOOM receiver hooked up in months, but I plugged it and this is what I came up with:
2. No big deal. There is no check mark next to "Activate" on my receiver and it works just fine. (see picture below)
3. I used to have two OTA antennas connected to my VOOM STB via an A/B switch: Washington DC (home DMA) and Richmond VA - see the pictures below. I used to pull program data for local channels (in my home DMA) from VOOM, so channels like 4-1 (NBC), 7-1 (ABC), and 9-1 (CBS) show up with no station identifier. However, the channels I picked up while scanning (mostly Richmond) still show up with their station information since I pulled this directly from the station.
4. In a nutshell, your local station has both an existing analog channel (old TV channel) and corresponding digital channel (new digital TV channel) - the RF is nothing more than a Radio Frequency assignment by the FCC. In my case, if you will refer to the photos, my local ABC has been assigned the following:
Analog TV: 7
Digital TV: 39
Remapped: 7-1
Channel 7-1 is nothing more than your digital tuner remapping channel (RF) 39 to what you know it as. In you case, I believe you have a local CBS channel 5 in Phoenix AZ. It's assigned digital channel is 17...and it will be remapped to 5-1 on your VOOM STB. Remember, the VOOM STB only has a digital tuner...it will not receive analog TV channels.
Also, check out the following sites and you will see a clear picture of DTV in your area:
http://www.antennaweb.org
http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/programming/broadcast-market.php?dma_name[]=Phoenix+%28Prescott%29
5. You will need to supply more information before we can begin troubleshooting you problem: type of antenna (make, model, UHF/VHF), indoor/outdoor, clear line of sight, distance from local broadcasters, etc.
Hope this gives you a good start and I hope this makes sense...busy doing a million and one things at once this morning. Also, I just noticed there is a 39k file attachment size placed on my account after yesterday's upgrade. I had to compress the pictures to the point they look horrible. I will check with the administrators and upload better pics if possible. Also, the last picture shows you where to plug in the OTA antenna.
Riff...

Great info. I just got a VOOM and is having problem scaning for local channels. I got 99 in the RF 13 and when I go to scan for local channels, nothing is picking up. Any reason why? I am in Columbus, OH 43119. Thanks in advance
-Pong