OTA HD no longer working with DISH TV

LloydRob

New Member
Original poster
Apr 2, 2005
4
0
We have had DISH for almost a year. We have a Sony 36" HDTV. Mid January we bought a Terk OTA HD antenna. We hooked it up to our DISH 811 receiver. Doing a digital scan, with the antenna pointed in the right direction, we immediately picked up the local HD channels. Superbowl was awesome and March madness started out great in HD. Then, two weeks ago, we totally lost local HD channels. DISH service suggested an amplifier from Radio Shack since (they said) signal strength is compromised at change of seasons. Bought that, no good. Bought a new antenna, still doesn't work. We have reset our box and spent hours on the phone with DISH. Any ideas???
 
Hi, welcome to the site!

There are reception changes with the seasons, and it's reffered to as multipath. You did take the right step by ditiching that TERK antenna because they are well known to be highly marketed, but overpriced junk. If you are getting a bouncing signal on your 811 this would be a cause of the multipath. The bigger, the stronger, and the more directional antenna is, the better it fights multipath. One basic antenna that's highly recommended for attic use and within 30 miles of your transmitting towers is a Zenith Silver Sensor (which can be found and returned locally at a Sears store)

if you haven't done so already re-check http://antennaweb.org to see what kind of antenna you should have and where it should be pointed

also check out this place and find your local thread for folks that may be able to help you out locally.

also mention where you live here and maybe others can help you as well.
 
Thanks for the quick reply.

Problem 1: the new antenna is the same Terk.

Problem 2: when we first set up the OTA HD, the channel guide showed the channels in yellow and they worked great as long as we had a good signal strength which was great most of the time. No problem at all locking it in. Then, all of a sudden, we got all white dots on screen and the next day the channels disappeared on the program guide. No ghosting at all.

After talking with DISH for hours, we bought the amp. Nothing. Then the new antenna thinking the first one was broken inside (the wire or whatever) and still nothing. We are in Rhode Island, just outside Providence and less than 30 miles from the signal. Really, it was beautiful when we had it.
 
If the problem is only one station, call the station and see if they have been having digital broadcast problems lately. Otherwise, clear your digital locals (menu 6-1-5) and rescan for digital channels. Nothing? Try the Silver Sensor antenna.
 

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