Is the HR 20 HD DVR OTA tuner input amplified (powered)?

[bookwalk]

I currently have DISH and the 622 with a powered/amplified OTA tuner input, which I need for the OTA antenna I use out here in a fringe area.

Will I be able to use this same OTA (it is designed to be powered) with the HR 20--and have it amplified?

 

[Ronnie-]

I currently have DISH and the 622 with a powered/amplified OTA tuner input, which I need for the OTA antenna I use out here in a fringe area.

Will I be able to use this same OTA (it is designed to be powered) with the HR 20--and have it amplified?

Never heard of an amplified input, but not saying there isnt one. Im pretty sure the HR-20 isnt

Edit: didnt you ask this already?

 

[bookwalk]

Didn't get an answer. Noone at Direct seems to know. Neither does Qwest, through which I am getting the service. If it is NOT amplified, I need to know as I won't get any OTA.

 

[jtn]

I currently have DISH and the 622 with a powered/amplified OTA tuner input, which I need for the OTA antenna I use out here in a fringe area.

Will I be able to use this same OTA (it is designed to be powered) with the HR 20--and have it amplified?

You don't need an amplifier for the HR20. The unit has built in amplifier. It's not suggested to add to amplifiers (i.e. HR20 and outside amplifier on outdoor/indoor antenna) as it may make things much worse for reception.

I have tried amplified and it has made reception poor in my own experience. I have been using a simple outdoor antenna unamplified, and I get 26 OTA stations from 2 market areas over 100 miles away. That includes High Def channels.

I find that in real bad inclement weather the OTA is better than the satellite locals, even though the satellite locals are spotbeam, and have the strongest signal via satellite when dish is properly aligned. So it's good to have OTA as a back up during severe storms.

Some will condemn my response, but keep it simple.

 

[Ronnie-]

Didn't get an answer. Noone at Direct seems to know. Neither does Qwest, through which I am getting the service. If it is NOT amplified, I need to know as I won't get any OTA.

you got a few, i was one of them, we gave you a few options. I have since checked and no the HR-2o doesnt have an amplified OTA input.

 

[Ronnie-]

You don't need an amplifier for the HR20. The unit has built in amplifier. It's not suggested to add to amplifiers (i.e. HR20 and outside amplifier on outdoor/indoor antenna) as it may make things much worse for reception.

I have tried amplified and it has made reception poor in my own experience. I have been using a simple outdoor antenna unamplified, and I get 26 OTA stations from 2 market areas over 100 miles away. That includes High Def channels.

I find that in real bad inclement weather the OTA is better than the satellite locals, even though the satellite locals are spotbeam, and have the strongest signal via satellite when dish is properly aligned. So it's good to have OTA as a back up during severe storms.

Some will condemn my response, but keep it simple.

It does? How did you come by this info

 

[bookwalk]

you got a few, i was one of them, we gave you a few options. I have since checked and no the HR-2o doesnt have an amplified OTA input.

Sorry--I did find I had a previous post and did get different answers--some say HR20 is and some say it isn't amplified.

I would think, if the DISH 622 is amplified, why wouldn't the HR20 be?

 

[texasbrit]

Sorry--I did find I had a previous post and did get different answers--some say HR20 is and some say it isn't amplified.

I would think, if the DISH 622 is amplified, why wouldn't the HR20 be?

Powered and amplified are two different things. An OTA tuner is designed to detect a signal with a certain minimum strength/signal-to-noise ratio. All tuners have some form of internal amplification, it's part of the tuner circuitry. That's not the same as using an external preamplifier or amplifier, whether it's built in to the OTA antenna or not. External preamps need some sort of power. Sometimes that comes from a satellite cable that is routed through the OTA antenna (won't work with DirecTVs new satellites). If there's no power from a satellite cable, then you need to send power up the cable connecting the OTA tuner to the OTA antenna/preamp. The HR20 does NOT have power on its OTA output so you have to use a power injector.
And according to the threads I just looked at, the Dish 622 does not have power on the OTA cable either but the Dish 942 does. See this thread http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-hd-discussions/69834-dish-dvr-622-ota-problems.html

 

[Ronnie-]

Powered and amplified are two different things. An OTA tuner is designed to detect a signal with a certain minimum strength/signal-to-noise ratio. All tuners have some form of internal amplification, it's part of the tuner circuitry. That's not the same as using an external preamplifier or amplifier, whether it's built in to the OTA antenna or not. External preamps need some sort of power. Sometimes that comes from a satellite cable that is routed through the OTA antenna (won't work with DirecTVs new satellites). If there's no power from a satellite cable, then you need to send power up the cable connecting the OTA tuner to the OTA antenna/preamp. The HR20 does NOT have power on its OTA output so you have to use a power injector.
And according to the threads I just looked at, the Dish 622 does not have power on the OTA cable either but the Dish 942 does. See this thread http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-hd-discussions/69834-dish-dvr-622-ota-problems.html

+1. Brit should know, he does tech advice on the D* webpage.(or there are two of ya)

 

[bookwalk]

Powered and amplified are two different things. An OTA tuner is designed to detect a signal with a certain minimum strength/signal-to-noise ratio. All tuners have some form of internal amplification, it's part of the tuner circuitry. That's not the same as using an external preamplifier or amplifier, whether it's built in to the OTA antenna or not. External preamps need some sort of power. Sometimes that comes from a satellite cable that is routed through the OTA antenna (won't work with DirecTVs new satellites). If there's no power from a satellite cable, then you need to send power up the cable connecting the OTA tuner to the OTA antenna/preamp. The HR20 does NOT have power on its OTA output so you have to use a power injector.
And according to the threads I just looked at, the Dish 622 does not have power on the OTA cable either but the Dish 942 does. See this thread http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-hd-discussions/69834-dish-dvr-622-ota-problems.html

This is very helpful to know--especially about the 942 and 622. I intially had the 942 and the external batwing antenna and I got my locals fine. I then upgraded to the 622 and still have had no problem, so I guess will see (tomorrow) if the HR 20 will also work as is, since the 622 was working ok, unamplified or unpowered.

 

[Ricknau]

I have been using a simple outdoor antenna unamplified, and I get 26 OTA stations from 2 market areas over 100 miles away.

Holy cow!! Those must be some incredibly powerful stations. I've done a bit of experimentation where I live and 60 miles is about my limit. And I'm in fairly open terrain with the highest gain UHF antenna I could find on the web.

I've pulled in a few stations beyond that but it only happens on magical nights when all the conditions (of which I'm totally ignorant) are just right. And it never lasts more that an hour or two.

And more on topic... I have heard that since the HR-20 has two OTA tuners that the signal must be split inside the box so that the signal stregnth to each tuner is 1/2 what it would be to a single tuner.

 

[Ronnie-]

Holy cow!! Those must be some incredibly powerful stations. I've done a bit of experimentation where I live and 60 miles is about my limit. And I'm in fairly open terrain with the highest gain UHF antenna I could find on the web.

I've pulled in a few stations beyond that but it only happens on magical nights when all the conditions (of which I'm totally ignorant) are just right. And it never lasts more that an hour or two.

And more on topic... I have heard that since the HR-20 has two OTA tuners that the signal must be split inside the box so that the signal stregnth to each tuner is 1/2 what it would be to a single tuner.

I have also pulled in stations from well over 100 miles. I live in southeast MS(right on the Bama line), and can sometimes get stuff from as far away as new orleans. However this generally happens when its cloudy(go figure). I use a Channel Master 4228 antenna with a simple radio shack amp. Great antenna!

 

[aramus8]

I live over one hundred miles from Salt Lake City and get all the locals except two at 100 percent, the other two are in the 80's, on my HR20-700 signal meter. Am using a Winegard Square Shooter SS1000 with a 28db distribution amp. The Salt Lake stations seemed to have planned very well for the digital transition by jointly putting in a new tower to broadcast the digital signals. Oh yeah, the SquareShooter is hanging inside on an upstairs bedroom wall. The right antenna, flat terrain, and good engineering by the stations makes 60 miles nothing.

 

[Ricknau]

Man you guys are making me jealous! I guess Salt Lake City doesn't baffle me too much, what with the flat terrain (please don't tell me there's a mountain in between!) and maybe the tower's up on a hill. But SE Mississippi? I'm in the Fla panhandle. We're practically neighbors. The terrain has to be similar. Maybe the stations have directed radiation patterns that point in your direction. I know that's done and there would be no point in coastal stations beaming their energy out over the Gulf of Mexico.

 

[Ronnie-]

Man you guys are making me jealous! I guess Salt Lake City doesn't baffle me too much, what with the flat terrain (please don't tell me there's a mountain in between!) and maybe the tower's up on a hill. But SE Mississippi? I'm in the Fla panhandle. We're practically neighbors. The terrain has to be similar. Maybe the stations have directed radiation patterns that point in your direction. I know that's done and there would be no point in coastal stations beaming their energy out over the Gulf of Mexico.

Im about 60 miles north of Mobile, i pick stuff up out of pensacola very easily also. Im not sure why mine comes in so great, i dont even have it that high. My pole is a max of 30 feet, and i usually have it at half that. I left it where i could go up and down so i wouldnt have to use wires.

 

[agregjones]

The comment about an amplifier making things worse is completely dependent on your location. If you amplify a strong signal, you may make it too strong. If, however, you are at some distance from the tower(s) an amplifier might provide significant advantages.

As with everything else, some are better than others. The ChannelMaster 7777 seems to be the one that most people find very helpful. But even a very good amplifier won't help a bad antenna (i.e., anything from Terk).

 

[raoul5788]

I have been using a simple outdoor antenna unamplified, and I get 26 OTA stations from 2 market areas over 100 miles away. That includes High Def channels.

That is very impressive! What stations are you talking about and what is your zip code?

 

[jtn]

That is very impressive! What stations are you talking about and what is your zip code?

I live in eastern Massachusetts, and get western Massachusetts locals/digital and Hartford Connecticut locals/digital,not all but 26 between the two markets.

Zip codes would be 01101, 06001 OTA
Boston Satellite locals.

 

[raoul5788]

I live in eastern Massachusetts, and get western Massachusetts locals/digital and Hartford Connecticut locals/digital,not all but 26 between the two markets.

Zip codes would be 01101, 06001 OTA
Boston Satellite locals.

Those are the zips for Hartford and Springfield. I was asking what your zip code is. Boston to Hartford is about 100 miles. Springfield is not quite that far. Are you in the greater Boston area?

 

[Bob Nielsen]

Good grief! I had trouble with a couple of stations within 10 miles with only some cedar trees blocking the path (using a Winegard PR-8800).