Best off air HDTV antenna

[mrand]

I just hooked up to DTV yesterday and now I need an off air HD antenna to get my local channels. Can somebody recommed one? People have mentioned the Terk 55, but then I hear some people that say Terk is crap. I assume when I get an antenna I just hook it up and the antenna will benefit all 3 boxes one of which is HD? Thanks for any input.

 

[asousa]

I have personally had great luck with the Zenith Silver Sensor, BUT it all depends on location and distance from your house to the antennas.

take a look at antennaweb.org. As a reference I am about 30 miles away from most antennas and I can pick up everything over the air.

Hope this helps

 

[mrand]

I'm about 17 miles from the farthest station I want to receive. I'll give the SS a try as I just read that others have had great luck with it. Thanks.

 

[billbillw]

I'm about 17 miles from the farthest station I want to receive. I'll give the SS a try as I just read that others have had great luck with it. Thanks.

If you use antennaweb.org, make sure you select "show only digital channels".
That way, you are only looking at the HD/DT broadcasts. Using that info, look at the color code that antennaweb recommends. The colors correspond to the size and type of antenna needed. That will give you a better idea.

Also, look over at avsforums for the local HD broacast thread for your area. Its likely that there are many others users in your area who can advise you on their experience in your area.

In my area (Atlanta) the king of antennas is the Channelmaster 4228 8-bay bowtie. It can be mounted in an attic and still get channels from 20+ miles away over hilly terrain.

 

[Hogarth]

I live about 17 miles from most of my broadcasters and I get excellent signal quality from the Radio Shack HDTV Antenna.

If you're looking for something you can run out and buy, it's not a bad choice at all.
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name=CTLG&product_id=15-1880

I wouldn't try it if you're in a area with lots of obstructions, but it met my needs very well.

 

[kaputnik]

.

I use the Megawave and get all the stations, but i'm only about 5-8 miles from all of them in MA (I'm in Cambridge, MA). www.megawave.com

 

[Tonedeaf]

I think the monicker HDTV antenna is a misnomer. There is really no such thing as an HDTV antenna. Any regular antenna(a set of rabbit ears) will work in most cases.

 

[Hogarth]

True, but it is a UHF / VHF antenna with preamp...
and it works quite nicely.

 

[Cobra5wood]

I'm 50 miles west of Chicago, Il. and pick up ABC, NBC, & Fox with a $40 antenna from Radio Shack(#1880 - looks like a fan). It points east from my dining room window.

 

[dturturro]

I assume when I get an antenna I just hook it up and the antenna will benefit all 3 boxes one of which is HD?

It could.

If the switch you are using has an antenna input then you just need to connect the antenna to it AND put a diplexer on the end of each line. Unscrew the existing line from the receiver and screw it onto the diplexers in/out port. Then put a jumper from the diplexers sat/cable output to the receiver and another from the VHF/UHF output of the diplexer to the antenna input on each TV/receiver.

If you don't have a switch or your switch doesn't have an antenna port you'll need a 3 way splitter to get the signals to each set.

If you don't want to bother with all of that just go with a direct line to the HD.

 

[Paradox-SJ]

For UHF stations the ChannelMaster 4228 is the KING for none set top antenas.

If you live close to the tower the Silver Sensor is the best set top antena

 

[mrand]

OK, today I tried a Terk 42,44 and 55 along with a crappy RCA antenna and the best I could get 45 on the signal strength. Does this mean my local channel reception is now going to suck!!! What options do I have? I live within 20 miles of the towers, but I can't get a good signal at all. I have a tech guy coming tomorrow to help make sure I'm set-up right, but I'm worried he won't be able to help me get this antenna thing working. I'm going to try to get the Terk55 up on the roof and see if that helps, but I live in a pretty wide open area. Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[twodutys]

Check out this article http://hdtvexpert.com/pages/squareshot.htm
This antenna with a channel master amp works great. The thing I like about Winegards square shooter is the size. I love it.

 

[gsxrscott]

I put up a Channelmaster 4228 with a rotator last year that I use to pull the New York channels from South Jersey. I find that I don't pick up some of the obscure philly locals unless I dial them in specifically because the towers are not in the same place as all of the major networks. If you are close to your towers, I suggest putting up a good Channelmaster or Wineguard omnidirectional antenna so you don't have to worry about aiming it.

 

[fkostyn]

Has anyone out there setup two antenna's (for two different DMA's)

I am approx 3 miles from the Phoenix transmission towers (I get all stations fine.. .WHEN the station is actually broadcasting), but, I would also like to pull the Tucson stations (102 miles from me) I have the $25 radio shack UHF antenna, and I am able to pull a good viewable signal if I position the antenna properly. (For CBS / ABC / PBS / FOX / NBC) I would like to combine the antenna's signal - so that both would be viewable at once for me. Any suggestions

 

[dturturro]

Check out this article http://hdtvexpert.com/pages/squareshot.htm
This antenna with a channel master amp works great. The thing I like about Winegards square shooter is the size. I love it.

A preamp makes a BIG difference. I have a crappy RCA antenna with the CM7777 and I have no problems 28 miles from the ESB.

 

[colofan]

I have a 7775 that I purchased from Solid signal and honestly it was worst with it than without. The antenna I have is a 4248 Channel Master and I still don't get any more signal with the preamp than without. The receiver is a sony hd-300. I live in colorado north of denver.

 

[twodutys]

I have a 7775 that I purchased from Solid signal and honestly it was worst with it than without. The antenna I have is a 4248 Channel Master and I still don't get any more signal with the preamp than without. The receiver is a sony hd-300. I live in colorado north of denver.

I wasn't able to pull in the Red stations on Antennaweb.org without the 7775. I'm wondering if you got a bad unit?

 

[colofan]

Maybe with the weather here it hasn't jumped up as something I want to deal with but I suppose I should contact solid signal and see about a replacement....hmm

 

[Paradox-SJ]

OK, today I tried a Terk 42,44 and 55 along with a crappy RCA antenna and the best I could get 45 on the signal strength. Does this mean my local channel reception is now going to suck!!! What options do I have? I live within 20 miles of the towers, but I can't get a good signal at all. I have a tech guy coming tomorrow to help make sure I'm set-up right, but I'm worried he won't be able to help me get this antenna thing working. I'm going to try to get the Terk55 up on the roof and see if that helps, but I live in a pretty wide open area. Any ideas? Thanks.

Terk's are CRAP! Dont waste your time.