Terk TV44 - Wing Dish Installation

[jdmacor]

I have searched and found that the TV44 will work fine with a 722 and the process seems easy enough. However, this will be my first self-install of *anything* so I am worried I will kill my satellite. That will be followed by my girl friend killing me.

At any rate, I was wondering if the fact that I have a wing dish alters the way I should install the antenna. Do I put it on the sat with 3 LNBs or the one with 1? Is there anything else I need to know about the install? I only have one receiver feeding two tvs (tv2 is through composite cables), but I eventually want a second. Will that complicate things? I also live in an apartment, which is why I wanted a clip on antenna; I already have two dishes, so who want a third thing-a-majig on the balcony?! I also can't run any cables through any walls.

 

[jdmacor]

Or maybe I shouldn't bother with this Terk after all the reviews I have seen... I just really want a third tuner without adding another thing to my increasingly smaller balcony or adding another gadget to my increasingly crowded entertainment center...

 

[MikeD-C05]

I have searched and found that the TV44 will work fine with a 722 and the process seems easy enough. However, this will be my first self-install of *anything* so I am worried I will kill my satellite. That will be followed by my girl friend killing me.

At any rate, I was wondering if the fact that I have a wing dish alters the way I should install the antenna. Do I put it on the sat with 3 LNBs or the one with 1? Is there anything else I need to know about the install? I only have one receiver feeding two tvs (tv2 is through composite cables), but I eventually want a second. Will that complicate things? I also live in an apartment, which is why I wanted a clip on antenna; I already have two dishes, so who want a third thing-a-majig on the balcony?! I also can't run any cables through any walls.

Here is my setup :

Terk 44 clipon antenna on the back of my 1000.2 sat dish( I have also had it on the 1000.4 sat dish for eastern arc)
I also have the side sat dish for 61.5 plugged into the lnb of the 1000.2 sat dish.

The Terk antenna has 4 inputs/outputs for both sat and ota. I use diplexors inside the house to split the one coax into tv side and sat side. From the sat side I split with the dishpro plus seperator to run two of my sat tuners on my 722. From the ota side I use it to run to a splitter to run various coaxes to my ota tuner on my 722,tv , a/v receiver for fm radio etc. I also have the second coax plugged into my master bedroom for the same setup there and another coax plugged into my son's room for his 211k.

So a total of three single coaxes run to my three rooms , and they are the same three runs before I added the clip on antenna. When you add the terk 44 all you do is take the precut black coaxes that come with the terk and run them from the lnbs to the IN port on the back of the antenna . From the OUT port on the same side as the IN , you run the coax that was already run before to the receivers. Do this same thing up to 4 in /out ports for up to 4 rooms. Then add diplexors that come with the terk to the tvs in each room and you can do as I have already outlined above and you will get both ota and satellite.


It is very easy and logical. It works great if you are only 25 miles from the broadcast towers. I get the following strengths on my ota channels and no drop outs:

ABC-76
CBS-95
CW -95
FOX-76
NBC-76

 

[jdmacor]

Here is my setup :

Terk 44 clipon antenna on the back of my 1000.2 sat dish( I have also had it on the 1000.4 sat dish for eastern arc)
I also have the side sat dish for 61.5 plugged into the lnb of the 1000.2 sat dish.

The Terk antenna has 4 inputs/outputs for both sat and ota. I use diplexors inside the house to split the one coax into tv side and sat side. From the sat side I split with the dishpro plus seperator to run two of my sat tuners on my 722. From the ota side I use it to run to a splitter to run various coaxes to my ota tuner on my 722,tv , a/v receiver for fm radio etc. I also have the second coax plugged into my master bedroom for the same setup there and another coax plugged into my son's room for his 211k.

So a total of three single coaxes run to my three rooms , and they are the same three runs before I added the clip on antenna. When you add the terk 44 all you do is take the precut black coaxes that come with the terk and run them from the lnbs to the IN port on the back of the antenna . From the OUT port on the same side as the IN , you run the coax that was already run before to the receivers. Do this same thing up to 4 in /out ports for up to 4 rooms. Then add diplexors that come with the terk to the tvs in each room and you can do as I have already outlined above and you will get both ota and satellite.


It is very easy and logical. It works great if you are only 25 miles from the broadcast towers. I get the following strengths on my ota channels and no drop outs:

ABC-76
CBS-95
CW -95
FOX-76
NBC-76

Excellent! Thanks for the info! I live in uptown Dallas and know that at least two of my local stations come from towers that are no more than 5 minutes away, so I should be good for reception (although I am worried about buildings, because I am only on the second story of my apt.).

 

[MikeD-C05]

GOOD LUCK

 

[jdmacor]

Alright, I have the thing installed, but it is giving me massive problems. I am literally less than 20 miles from every single station (checked using Antenna Web), yet I can't get the thing to hold a signal. First of all, none of my signals get above 75. But then, they fluctuate constantly, going down to 30, then 0, then 65, then 74, then 73, then 0.... I think you get the point.

Having a weak signal is one thing, but fluctuating from no signal to mediocre signal and everything in between just seems strange to me. Any thoughts?

 

[jdmacor]

I have heard that the 722 don't make the best power sources. What alternative can I use with the TV 44?

 

[jdmacor]

I realized I am just having a conversation with myself, but should I try something like this? Would it even work?

 

[MikeD-C05]

Try it and see , but I doubt it will work with the satellite as well. If all else fails you can set up a seperate antenna for just ota. You did try to adjust the clip on antenna for the best reception for your channels right? I had to move my clip on a certain way to hit the sweet spot for all 5 of my ota channels.

 

[navychop]

Diplexers are certainly the way to limit the # of coax cables. MOST important of all, is the direction of the stations' transmitting antennas. You want to aim for them. That will drive which dish, if any, you use. Very important. Hopefully you live where there is an antenna farm and most or all stations are at about the same bearing.

I wish I'd seen this earlier. Terk works for some. But by and large, they are viewed as good looking, over priced, under performing, junk. You may need to get a better, cheaper antenna.

 

[jdmacor]

@Mike: Yeah, I have adjusted the antenna to ridiculous looking angles on the dish. Basically, I can slide it to the left side and pick up decent strength for a few stations, and slide it to the right side to pick different ones at the expense of the other. I even stuck it on the other dish on my balcony (the one pointed at 61.5) and moved it around on that thing with no luck. When I scan for locals, it is picking up 33 stations every time. I just can't get a signal strength greater than 76 and most of the channels hover between 0-68-72 and drop out constantly. Even the strongest signals don't seem reliable to me. I wouldn't want to set a recording for any of these channels, because I doubt I would get to see more than 75% of the show...

@navychop: I wish everything was located in the same direction, but I basically live practically in downtown Dallas. As you can see from the map below, I receive signals from every possible direction. Where they all converge is where my balcony is located. One big problem I think is that I live in a four story building, but I am on the second floor. That puts a building in the way of signals coming from E, F, G and A's directions. However, I am still damn close to the towers (I can see the tower represented as "D" if I look off my balcony, to the right; yet even with line of sight, I am only picking up about 76 for signal strength, and that is a max; all of the channels fluctuate in a range). I have also posted my distance to the towers I care about (the last number is the distance in mile according to antennaweb.org). Also, everything has that red rating, and the signals are a mix of UHF and VHF.

KDAF | 33 | CW | DALLAS, TX | 203°| 20.6
KDFW |4 | FOX | DALLAS, TX | 210° | 18.7
KERA | 13 | PBS | DALLAS, TX | 205° | 18.3
WFAA-DT | 8.1 | ABC | DALLAS, TX | 210° | 18.7
KTVT-DT | 11.1 | CBS | FORT WORTH, TX | 205° | 18.3
KXAS | 5 | NBC | FORT WORTH, TX | 208° | 18.15

So is the consensus basically that I should try a standard indoor antenna? I really don't want to have an extra thing mounted to my balcony; I already lost 50% of my view... So what brand should I get? Should it be powered by the receiver or have its own power source? I am looking to buy one locally and not have to order one; I really want to record two things while watching another. My girlfriend has tons recording on Thursdays, but that is also a big NBA night. Anyways, thanks for all of the help.

 

[digiblur]

Alright, I have the thing installed, but it is giving me massive problems. I am literally less than 20 miles from every single station (checked using Antenna Web), yet I can't get the thing to hold a signal. First of all, none of my signals get above 75. But then, they fluctuate constantly, going down to 30, then 0, then 65, then 74, then 73, then 0.... I think you get the point.

Having a weak signal is one thing, but fluctuating from no signal to mediocre signal and everything in between just seems strange to me. Any thoughts?

I've never seen any good results with the Terk...or as I call them, the Terds. But as you say, all stations are relatively close to you. You might try to experiment with an indoor antenna. Get one from Wal-Mart, if it doesn't work out for you then bring it back.

 

[Jim5506]

Sounds like the TERK is getting multi-path (signals reflecting off buildings and objects hitting the antenna at different times).

This confuses the tuner and it tries to pick the correct reflection to read.

Get you a small directional outdoor antenna and it should reduce the multi-path.

 

[jdmacor]

Alright, I am first going to try an indoor antenna. I guess I will try the Silver Sensor that everyone seems to like around here, if I can find it. I am going to stop by a circuit city during my lunch and see what they have for cheap; if I don't find anything, I will take Digi's suggestion and try the local WalMart. I will see how that works tonight hopefully.

If that fails, I guess I should try a small directional outdoor, like Jim is suggesting. The other thing I just found out is that sometimes airports can cause problems. I live 5 miles from Dallas, Lovefield Airport. Also, I went to my radioshack yesterday and see if they had any suggestions. They did not... This old hippie lady (not just a random hippie; an employee that was a hippie) went off on this rant about wi-fi networks screwing with her reception of tv. Does that make any sense?

 

[digiblur]

No...wifi is a long ways away from TV broadcast spectrum.

 

[jdmacor]

No...wifi is a long ways away from TV broadcast spectrum.

I knew she was crazy... and kinda smelly...

J/K. She was only crazy.

 

[navychop]

Yep, Silver Sensor. Zenith. Try Sears.

It made perfect sense to her.

 

[jdmacor]

So, no joy with the Silver Sensor. In fact, reception was noticeably worse. I tried it first directly hooked up to the receiver, but that was no good; just the yellow screen of death. So, I then tried directly to the tv. I was getting a very fuzzy and choppy black/white picture. I moved that thing everywhere, and the only benefit I got was that when I was physically holding the antenna, the picture would go from black/white to color... but still horrible looking (I am not being picky here; it was unwatchable).

So my next move in this horrible saga is to try another outdoor antenna. Although, I am starting to believe that the Terk could have worked fine, but my conditions for some god forsaken reason, are horrible for OTA. Now, I am probably going to shoot myself in the foot again, but I don't want a huge monstrosity sitting on my balcony. I read one article where it describes the best antennas as looking like the bones of a dead fish... seriously, I don't want that on my balcony. Now, I have been advised by a radio shack person who is not a crazy hippie, to try this antenna (see pic below). He assures me that he lives near me (the radioshack is like 5 blocks from my house) and he uses it. But will it be any better than the terk?

Now, common sense says I should have given up by now. I have my locals in hd, which is more than many other people. But just last night, there was a recording conflict that had to be resolved by priority... that means, I lost a recording. So I will beat this reception problem. My antennas are going to get bigger and uglier until I get reception! I will knock down buildings if I have to!

Ok, I need to go away and calm down for a minute.

 

[digiblur]

If you didn't get anything with the silver sensor I doubt you will get anything with that thing...never really liked any antennas from RatShack except for the large outdoor ones. It's also probably just a UHF antenna, some of your stations might be VHF. Have you posted your TVFool.com listing from your address yet?

You might laugh but I have seen these indoors at apartments behind some furniture....
Channel Master 4221HD 4-bay HDTV/UHF Antenna | 4221HD [Channel Master] | CM 4221hd CM-hd4221 CM-4221 4221 HD4221 HD-4221 4221-HD 4221HD 4221

 

[jdmacor]

Alrighty, I posted that foolish info below. It seems to paint a rosy picture, with a whole bunch of green things. This was the initial thing I looked at when I wanted to get an antenna. However, I then went to that antennaweb.org place, and all of the channels were listed in "red" which it said required a medium sized directional antenna. I scoffed at that, and now find myself in the current predicament... PS, my balcony faces south east; you know, the direction where no signals are coming from...