(This thread is a few weeks old but worthy of a HDTV ping!)
Posted on 12/10/2008 10:04:32 AM PST by Kevin J waldroup
Choosing & Installing an Antenna for HDTV
TV antennas may seem like relics from the last century, but a growing number of viewers are finding them to be indispensable in getting the best picture from their HDTVs.
In this article, we'll discuss the advantages of over-the-air (OTA) reception and explain how to find digital TV signals in your local TV market and in nearby cities. We'll introduce the different types of TV antennas and tell you which ones perform best under various reception conditions. And we'll offer tips on how to install larger attic- and roof-mount antennas.
To learn about the government-mandated changes coming in February 2009, check out our article about the digital TV changeover.
(Excerpt) Read more at crutchfield.com ...
The DB4 looks nice in terms of capture area and I do see more of that type going up around here as more people get OTA DTV. I did investigate the local frequency assignments and the VHF stations on CH 9 & 13 are currently broadcasting DTV on temporary UHF assignments but after Feb. they will be going digital on their legacy channels - so some of what folks in this area see now will be changing in the near future, and depending on where they are they may need to change antennas again.
The stations that were already on UHF channels deployed DTV on channels near their legacy assignments and it looks as though they will be staying on the new channels after the transition. 16 will be on “real” channel 17, 28 on 29, 34 on 31, and so on. Interesting also (at least to me), a couple of those stations have analog broadcasts with 1.6 and 3 MW ERP and post transition will retain lower transmitted ERPs of 100 & 250 KW if the data I have is correct. The engineers at one of those stations are probably thankful for that - they have had a number of transmission line fires in the winter when the towers collect ice.
My HDTV is a 32” Westinghouse from Wal-Mart. That was what Santa Claus could afford last year and is closest in size to the 26” one eyed monster it replaced. It is only 720p and the refresh rate could be better, but it renders a 1080p football game or NASCAR race without any pixellation, and also renders split signal analog 480p from the DVD very nice - crisp edges and smooth motion, and when the source file has a proper 16:9 native aspect ratio it's a pleasure to watch. S-video is slightly less good and 480i from broadcast or single hose analog video isn't good at all - the graphics chipset probably doesn't have the power or codespace to do much with that, but that's not what I bought it for.
I have signed up for my converter box coupons. Should be something out there that’ll be fun to experiment with.
You are right, the channels are all moving around. Locally, most want the UHF channel assignments since it takes a smaller antenna and can be usually inside the house. Our local stations say they are going to stay on UHF, all but one VHF, that one the FCC has designated an emergency channel.
I doubt it will be all figured out by the switchover date, even the stations I talked to were unclear what was going to be finalized. It used to be VHF was the prized stations, now it seems they all want to be on UHF.
I am still somewhat active on 2M but my HF gear and tower are in mothballs. I like the keep the 2M running because of the hurricane problems around here.
I was told that some of our local channels will up their ERP after switchover, to boost their coverage area. That's good, because a couple channels could use a boost. I had helped a local station engineer out as he tried to determine the power required to reach our area -- He said he needed FCC approval to boost their signal.
The converter boxes are OK for what they are, but don't expect much. The features are government issue. I have the Digital Stream and it has Dolby sound, and a half decent program guide. It does picture scaling, but it is designed to drive a 4:3 set not HDTV.
And Santa won't ever do that again.
Santa did just order himself his own personal HDTV set at Wal-Mart dot com - like just an hour ago. All this TV talk gave him sort of a bug it seems. Hope Mrs. Claus doesn't get mad - but she has her own huge 480p flat screen in her private lair. He currently has in his den/shack/doghouse an ancient 19” tube TV without even A/V jacks. Plays like new but that's not saying much other than RCA put out good stuff back then. The new one is a 19” 720p flat panel with all the inputs including VGA. And of course ATSC. He'll soon be able to stream his Fox shows in HD anytime he wants without having to watch them on his little 10” netbook monitor. He doesn't know how they can do that over a 1.5 Mbps Clearwire connection but he's glad it works.
I talked with a few of the station engineers and they were saying — local broadcast HDTV channels are pushing their sub channels, better picture, and free program guide. In response the local Comcast added their HDTV signals in 1080i to thier cable offering free. So there is some competition going on, with the broadcasters seeing added value in the sub-channels ability to offer alternate programming.
The broadcasters, one to many, thought their way was a lot cheaper to the consumer. They essentially get the sub-channels for free. One station engineer said they could easily add some of the cable channels if allowed.
The local taxing authority has more to do with the regulations than anything else. The local cable company struck a sweetheart deal with our taxing authority, if they would prevent other sources of Internet and cable TV from being allowed. They forced bundled service on us as well. So we are stuck with $100 a month bills that includes a hefty right of way tax, if you want Internet and cable.
As you say, the whole thing is a mess and IMHO needs to be cut loose so nature could take it’s course.
bookmark
Before buying an antenna, check http://www.atnennaweb.org
It's a bit more generic than TV Fool, but lists which stations you should be able to receive with various sizes of antennas. It only considers outdoor antennas.
Especially not the column for channel numbers after the transition.
For example in the Lansing market...
analog channel 6 has digital on channel 59 but will move to 36 on 2/18
analog channel 23 has digital on channel 55, but will move to 40 on 2/18
and most important for viewers to know...
analog channel 10 has digital on channel 57, but will move to 10 on 2/18.
So, an antenna with a VHF element will still be important.
Being able to tell a stations frequency by channel number has ended thanks to the use of the ATSC/FCC required virtual channel numbering scheme.
Was it supposed to be Antennaweb ?
later
Thanks LVD.
Cable providers used to have a good product — coax signal splitters or a multicoupler were all that was needed to put cable in every room and device — but the price has gone up continually. Years ago I took that “save by paying for the year in advance” plan, and the dirty [characterization deleted]s waited a couple of months then told me my balance would run out before the end of the entire year, because they’d raised their monthly rates.
Crooks.
They are crooks.
They are thieving crooks.
I dumped cable (partly for financial reasons) in 1999 or so, and haven’t looked back. Or at least, not fondly. I’m pretty sure the proliferation of full-season TV show DVD titles is an indication that I’m not the only one. Having a lot of channels hasn’t translated into having more to watch, and — despite having to pay every month — there are more ads (and they are more stupid than ever) on the feed. It’s insulting as well as ludicrous.
The old satellite TV (big dish) was like having glorified rabbit ears to me, always saw subscribers fiddling with dials and switches, scruit. Small dish required additional receiver units (and $) to hook up to multiple sets; taping while watching something else meant more money; taping while away from home required programming an infrafred emitter to turn on the record function on the VCR, a sort of stand-in for the remote control. None of the user interfaces were anything but crap. Weather here in Michigan tended to interfere with reception on every setup I’ve seen. Scruit. Friends who had it for years dumped it this past summer to save money and get the kids off their keisters.
The digital signal adapter boxes I’ve set up and used don’t have very good interfaces, and I don’t like having to fiddle with a lot of extra garbage and adding a pretty limited remote (it doesn’t have anything but TV on-off programmability) to the pile thereof. Clearly that will drive new TV sales, and was perhaps in mind when the boxes were designed.
> Is there any truth to the rumor that when the tv broadcasters totally drop the analog side that they will be boosting the signal on the digital side? <
Most definitely.
>> TV antennas may seem like relics from the last century <<
Not for us TV-DXers. We’ve always loved antennas, the bigger/higher the better!
And now that most analog stations will be vacating channels 2 thru 6, the opportunities for long-haul DX down into the Caribbean will be even better. I can hardly wait to get a big channel 2 yagi. Maybe I’ll even install a stacked array!
If you’re interested in TV DX, see:
Thanks for posting Kevin. OTA HD is very good if the signal at the set is strong. I still need to find the problem causing the occasional fade in mine. It causes chopping and even signal loss sometimes.
The other fix I need is recording capability. I am awaiting some soak time on the new DTV Pal DVR (aka EchoStar TR-50.
WOW! Great forum you posted. I’ve been looking for a DTVPal DVR discussion for a while and this has it.
My best antenna I have is a set of Rembrandt rabbit ears from 1959. B-)
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