+1. I see too many recommendations for Fry's for us Easterners. First thing I think of when I hear Fry's is Futurama.
Can you recommend an OTA antenna? Say from Circuit City or Best Buy?
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+1. I see too many recommendations for Fry's for us Easterners. First thing I think of when I hear Fry's is Futurama.
Here's the link for those in Houston ! Op said he was 50 miles from there
"I live in the country 50 miles from Houston"
http://shop1.frys.com/isp/houston.html
and the one in south houston
http://shop1.frys.com/isp/southhouston.html
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Well, I've had this good size antenna outside on a mast standing around 12 foot tall or so and I hooked it up to my Dish 722 receiver. It doesn't get ABC channel 13, it does get a few others though like the CW channel 39 and Channel 2 NBC. Only my best signal strength is between 68-71. Would I still benefit from buying a new HD Antenna?
Like everyone has said, there is no such thing as an HD antenna. ABC might be in a different on a different angle to your house. So there might not be enough for a signal. If your TV has a tuner try hooking it up to it directly. It's probably case by case but my TV seems to handle OTA better than my 622 does.
I just bought a Channelmaster 4221, and it is great. Got my 20 mile shot through the forest of 20 digital channels, none less than 72% (ViP211) and some over 85%.
I hear OTA locals are better HD quality than Charlie's, but never had Charlie's so can't compare.
I hear OTA locals are better HD quality than Charlie's, but never had Charlie's so can't compare.
No. An antenna is an antenna. Only difference between antennas is what frequencies they receive. In street terms, the lower channels (2-13) require long antenna arms. Upper channels require short arms. The FCC is recapturing the lower channels for some purpose or another. I believe the target date is 2011. What are marketed as HDTV antennas often receive the upper channels only. Digital channels can display false assignments. That is to say your TV tuner might display 8.1 and 8.2 for a channel that is transmitting on frequency assignment 54. Or it might transmit on 7. No matter which frequency, if you have a large outdoor antenna it will receive both lower and upper channels.
Technical terms are VHF and UHF. FM falls in between UHF and VHF. Sometimes adding an FM trap will improve UHF and VHF reception. But, many beleive the FM trap to be hype.
Digital transmissions are all or nothing transmissions. Either you get it or you don't. They are generally low wattage transmissions. One of my local PBS stations transmits 3000KW, CW 1000KW and CBS 2KW digitally. That same CBS station dedicates 22,000KW to analog. All of the big 4 stations transmit at less than 1000KW, save one FOX station that puts out 5000KW.
If all that confuses you, you are not alone. I understand it, but not well enough to write a book.
Go to antennaweb.org. Enter your coordinates and see what height they suggest you place your antenna at. It will most likely be higher than 12'. They usually recommend 30'.
A couple of things to try. Go to TVFool and get the compass directions of the stations that you are trying to get. Check that the antenna is pointed in the correct direction. Also, check the cable and make sure it is RG6 and that the connections are good. If you are 40 miles or more from the towers, get a pre-amp for the antenna. You could also consider raising the antenna 5 - 10 feet. Hope this helps.
For indoor antennas, I would say go to Radio Shack and get the UFO/Starship Enterprise antenna. It's $50, but it works very well.
RadioShack.com - Home Entertainment: Accessories: Antennas: Indoor: Indoor VHF/UHF/HDTV Antenna with RF Remote Control
For outdoor antennas, if I didn't need VHF or amplification, I would totally make my own!
RadioShack.com - Home Entertainment: Accessories: Antennas: Indoor: Indoor VHF/UHF/HDTV Antenna with RF Remote Control
For outdoor antennas, if I didn't need VHF or amplification, I would totally make my own!
I agree with the previous post regarding the antenna from Radio Shack. I am ~40 miles from two of my stations and this antenna works very well. I have the antenna under a table near the TV and the remote allows me to change the antenna position to pull in other stations from the comfort of my chair!!
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I bought a Terk TV50 bar antenna which comes with an amp and it sits across the curtain bars on top of the windows. It works great now, but will work that much better when the HD channels move down to VHF.
As for the others who have problems finding antennas locally, I agree, it's a pain in the butt. You'd think they'd be readily available, but best I've seen is some crappy powered indoor set-top antennas from Philips. I've yet to see a really good solid outdoor antenna or even a very strong indoor one in the retail channel.
As for the others who have problems finding antennas locally, I agree, it's a pain in the butt. You'd think they'd be readily available, but best I've seen is some crappy powered indoor set-top antennas from Philips. I've yet to see a really good solid outdoor antenna or even a very strong indoor one in the retail channel.
I made one of the make-it-yourself antennas. It worked great. Unfortunately it would never stand up to the weather around here. So I basically used its magnificent ugliness to get my wife to agree to letting me BUY an antenna for outdoors. 
She: "What's that?"
Me: "It's an antenna so I can receive the local HD channels."
She: "Where will it end up?"
Me: "Well.... I seem to get the best reception up high on this wall so I was thinking about putting in a couple of hooks and..."
She: "Oh I don't THINK so! Can't you put it outside?"
Me: "It wouldn't hold up to the weather. I could make one out of better materials but time and materials.... probably better off just buying one for about $85"
She: "I think you should buy one and put it outside."
Me: "Was kinda fun building my own.... but if you think I should buy one..."
*does the antenna happy dance*
done deal
She: "What's that?"
Me: "It's an antenna so I can receive the local HD channels."
She: "Where will it end up?"
Me: "Well.... I seem to get the best reception up high on this wall so I was thinking about putting in a couple of hooks and..."
She: "Oh I don't THINK so! Can't you put it outside?"
Me: "It wouldn't hold up to the weather. I could make one out of better materials but time and materials.... probably better off just buying one for about $85"
She: "I think you should buy one and put it outside."
Me: "Was kinda fun building my own.... but if you think I should buy one..."
*does the antenna happy dance*
done deal
Changed to a C4 and like it!
I replaced a REALLY big Channel Master 3671 antenna with a Clearstream C4 antenna a couple of weeks ago and I can highly recommend the Clearstream - about 10% of the size with much better preformance. Being 60 miles from the LA transmitters with sizeable hills in the way I also need a good pre-amp and signal booster and I used a Channel Master 7777 pre-amp on both units with good results.
The C4 is specially designed to pick up the channel 7 thru 69 range of digital signals which will be the survivors this coming February. Be forwarned that it does a poor job of picking up any of the old analog channels. With the new C4 I pick up all the major channels with the exception of KCOP13 - which we seldom watch anyway. The Channel master did not pick up 3 of the 7 major channels and the reception came and went with the weather conditions.
A word of caution - when you use the antenna web sites be forwarned that they sometimes give misleading information. Accoding to tvfool I would need a 300 foot antenna to get most LA stations but I do just fine with a little under 30 feet from ground level. Start experimenting with what your ideal setup would be then work your way up from there - like better antenna, better signal boster, higher mast, etc.
Concerning choosing and buying an antenna - use the web to research and choose the make and model you want, then google it. All I get when I talk to Radio Shack, Circuit City or Best Buy salesmen are wrinkled eyebrows and reference to the Direct TV display - so don't depend on them for expertise. Do your research, look for writeups and references, then find a good online vendor with a good return policy to buy it from. If you can find it on Amazon check out the recommendations that most items carry to find complaints and recommendations and if you buy it through them their listed vendors usually have a good policy of accepting returns. If you are looking for RG6 coax, splitters, any type of audio/video equipment - check out Monoprice dot com. You might wait a couple of days to get your parts, but you can not beat the prices. When I bought my C4 through Amazon on Wednesday I ordered some supplies from Monoprice on Friday and had everything delivered by Monday.
Good luck on whatever you decide on - can't beat free HD TV!
I replaced a REALLY big Channel Master 3671 antenna with a Clearstream C4 antenna a couple of weeks ago and I can highly recommend the Clearstream - about 10% of the size with much better preformance. Being 60 miles from the LA transmitters with sizeable hills in the way I also need a good pre-amp and signal booster and I used a Channel Master 7777 pre-amp on both units with good results.
The C4 is specially designed to pick up the channel 7 thru 69 range of digital signals which will be the survivors this coming February. Be forwarned that it does a poor job of picking up any of the old analog channels. With the new C4 I pick up all the major channels with the exception of KCOP13 - which we seldom watch anyway. The Channel master did not pick up 3 of the 7 major channels and the reception came and went with the weather conditions.
A word of caution - when you use the antenna web sites be forwarned that they sometimes give misleading information. Accoding to tvfool I would need a 300 foot antenna to get most LA stations but I do just fine with a little under 30 feet from ground level. Start experimenting with what your ideal setup would be then work your way up from there - like better antenna, better signal boster, higher mast, etc.
Concerning choosing and buying an antenna - use the web to research and choose the make and model you want, then google it. All I get when I talk to Radio Shack, Circuit City or Best Buy salesmen are wrinkled eyebrows and reference to the Direct TV display - so don't depend on them for expertise. Do your research, look for writeups and references, then find a good online vendor with a good return policy to buy it from. If you can find it on Amazon check out the recommendations that most items carry to find complaints and recommendations and if you buy it through them their listed vendors usually have a good policy of accepting returns. If you are looking for RG6 coax, splitters, any type of audio/video equipment - check out Monoprice dot com. You might wait a couple of days to get your parts, but you can not beat the prices. When I bought my C4 through Amazon on Wednesday I ordered some supplies from Monoprice on Friday and had everything delivered by Monday.
Good luck on whatever you decide on - can't beat free HD TV!
I can only speak from my personal experience. I'm sure there are a number of good antennas you could use but I selected the DB8. The antenna farm is 24.5 miles from me and I located the antenna in the attice of my ranch. My signal strength for HD reception is pegged at 100 so I can't ask for more than that. I would guess the antenna height at about 19-20 feet and the topography between my house and the antenna farm is fairly level. Lots of trees, some rolling hills but no mountains.
Two reasons:
#1) That make your own bowtie is UHF only. Many of us have VHF stations that we want to watch.
#2) That make your own bowtie is UGLY!
I just got to test the C4 tonight at the new house. My son moved his Samsung 42" LCD over there. The C4 is sitting on the floor, leaned against an outside wall of the house (pointing due south and generally in the right direction). this is a brick house and there's heavy brush and trees starting about 8 feet away from the house. No amp. Main antenna farm is 42 miles and there's another at 7 miles within about a 10 degree spread. Scanned channels. It picked up every single station for the locals and some from TORONTO off the back side! hehehe... I think I'm going to like this antenna.
Dont kid yourself. She knew you were trying to B.S. her. You didnt get away with it. She allowed you to get away with it.
Yeah, you're right... I got an antenna.... she got another house. There's a bit of disparity in there somewhere.
