There’s so much to talk about with antennas! The more you learn, the more you realize there is to learn! Today we continue our series with a few more entertaining nibbles of knowledge.
Gain is a fairly technical concept but it boils down to the amount of signal that you get when you use an antenna compared to using nothing. Some signals are strong enough that they will come in with nothing more than a coat hanger, but others need a lot more gain to give you a good picture.
“High Definition” refers to any TV broadcast with a vertical resolution of between 720 and 1080 pixels. It’s the standard for TV broadcasting today. There is no such thing as a “high definition” antenna. All antennas can pick up HD signals. Even that 50-year-old monstrosity left on your roof from the previous homeowner will pick up HD.
A fairly difficult term to understand, it measures how hard electricity has to “push” to get through a particular wire. What you need to know is that antennas themselves are 300 Ohm impedance and generally use a matching transformer to change the signal to 75 Ohm to go through a coaxial cable.
An antenna can be mounted to almost anything or strapped to an existing chimney. Some people prefer to use a mount that is bolted to the side of the house or to a fascia board. These mounts have a small bend in them that makes them look sort of like the letter “J.”
A kilowatt, or 1000 watts, is enough to power 5 computers or 120 CFL light bulbs. Broadcast towers usually broadcast signals using hundreds of kilowatts of power. It takes a lot to cover an area of 60-70 miles with a broadcast signal.
If you’re interested in TV antennas, you’ll want to call the experts at Solid Signal! We have all the best brands at the best prices. Our team of antenna techs is ready to take your calls at 888-233-7563 during East Coast business hours. If it’s after hours, no problem! Fill out the form below. We’ll get back to you quickly!
The post The ABC’s of Antennas, part 2 appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
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GAIN
Gain is a fairly technical concept but it boils down to the amount of signal that you get when you use an antenna compared to using nothing. Some signals are strong enough that they will come in with nothing more than a coat hanger, but others need a lot more gain to give you a good picture.
HIGH DEFINITION
“High Definition” refers to any TV broadcast with a vertical resolution of between 720 and 1080 pixels. It’s the standard for TV broadcasting today. There is no such thing as a “high definition” antenna. All antennas can pick up HD signals. Even that 50-year-old monstrosity left on your roof from the previous homeowner will pick up HD.
IMPEDANCE
A fairly difficult term to understand, it measures how hard electricity has to “push” to get through a particular wire. What you need to know is that antennas themselves are 300 Ohm impedance and generally use a matching transformer to change the signal to 75 Ohm to go through a coaxial cable.
J-MOUNT
An antenna can be mounted to almost anything or strapped to an existing chimney. Some people prefer to use a mount that is bolted to the side of the house or to a fascia board. These mounts have a small bend in them that makes them look sort of like the letter “J.”
KILOWATT
A kilowatt, or 1000 watts, is enough to power 5 computers or 120 CFL light bulbs. Broadcast towers usually broadcast signals using hundreds of kilowatts of power. It takes a lot to cover an area of 60-70 miles with a broadcast signal.
Want to know more?
If you’re interested in TV antennas, you’ll want to call the experts at Solid Signal! We have all the best brands at the best prices. Our team of antenna techs is ready to take your calls at 888-233-7563 during East Coast business hours. If it’s after hours, no problem! Fill out the form below. We’ll get back to you quickly!
The post The ABC’s of Antennas, part 2 appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
Continue reading...
