Guess I need OTA setup

[priester68]

Not sure if my Fox local (WDBD Jackson, MS) will make the cut or not. Can anyone recommend a good antenna for me to get. My nearest Fox affiliate is 1 hr away in Alexandria, LA. Can I get a table top setup from Radio Shack or the Mart, or do I need a Nasa on a pole setup?

 

[cparker]

1 hour = howmany miles?
I'm pulling all my OTA with a ClearStream 4 from about 42 miles with no problem. It's on a mast outside. A tabletop probably won't do it for you unless you have enough height and good line of sight to the tower from where you are.

 

[120inna55]

According to TVFool.com, WDBD is ~75 mi from you. That will most likely require a rooftop/outdoor UHF setup.

However, WNTZ (48.1), a Fox affiliate, is only ~19 miles away, can probably be had with an indoor/desktop UHF antenna.

Here's your plot: TV Fool

 

[vdog16]

Can anybody help a complete idiot set up an indoor antenna? How do I get the OTA locals in the guide once I connect the antenna to the antenna IN port? Also, I'm about 25 miles south of DC where all the local stations are located. Do you think I'll be able to receive the stations with an indoor antenna?

 

[bobvick]

Not sure if my Fox local (WDBD Jackson, MS) will make the cut or not. Can anyone recommend a good antenna for me to get. My nearest Fox affiliate is 1 hr away in Alexandria, LA. Can I get a table top setup from Radio Shack or the Mart, or do I need a Nasa on a pole setup?

If you are worried about loosing WDBD because of the Dish/Fox dispute, it will not effect you. WDBD is only a FOX affiliate it is not an O&O. It is owned by Jackson Television LLC. with a sale pending to Roundtable Broadcasting. So if that is your only concern you should be fine.

 

[lsilvest]

Can anybody help a complete idiot set up an indoor antenna? How do I get the OTA locals in the guide once I connect the antenna to the antenna IN port? Also, I'm about 25 miles south of DC where all the local stations are located. Do you think I'll be able to receive the stations with an indoor antenna?

To set up your locals, just go to the menu, select 6 (System Setup), then 9 (Local Channels) and scan for your locals and see what it picks up. You will get guide data if you have locals with Dish, otherwise no guide.

As for an antenna, you might try TV Fool or Antennaweb.org to find out what kind of antenna you'll need. You could try an indoor antenna first. My daughter is about 40 miles away from her towers and got a Philips for about $10 at Walmart and it works great. Don't know the model number, but it works like rabbit ears, but also spreads out into a web that you can hang on the wall if you're not concerned about aesthetics but it actually doesn't look that bad. I was amazed that it actually worked that well.

At the same time, I'm 32 miles from my towers and use a 10' radio shack rooftof antenna that works great for both UHF and VHF stations and rabbit ears won't work for me.

 

[vdog16]

lsilvest - thanks for the info. I do have locals with Dish so it sounds like it will be a pretty easy setup. That website is helpful as well. It indicates that I should be able to pick up the major networks with an indoor antenna. I'm going to buy one this weekend and see how it works out.

 

[Bill_KY]

I have Direct TV, I have never paid for my locals. Why should I pay an extra $6 a month for 'locals' when I could get them for free?

I have an outdoor antenna with a mast mounted preamp. Not only do I get the Cincinnati locals, I get most of the Dayton Ohio stations as well as stations that are are not carried on either Dish or Direct. It is a small investment, but once it is paid off, there is no monthly fee.

If I need to time shift something, I'll use that ancient technology called the VCR or a DVD recorder if it is something I want to keep. I been with Direct for nine years . At six bucks a month or $72 for locals...I saved $648 by going to a Outdoor antenna.


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[lsilvest]

lsilvest - thanks for the info. I do have locals with Dish so it sounds like it will be a pretty easy setup. That website is helpful as well. It indicates that I should be able to pick up the major networks with an indoor antenna. I'm going to buy one this weekend and see how it works out.

Good luck. Let us know how it works out.

 

[priester68]

Thanks for the info. Hopefully this mess with Fox will all be resolved soon.