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Digital antenna recommendation?
Posted on 9/16/20 at 4:26 pm
Posted on 9/16/20 at 4:26 pm
Cut the cord last week and trying to get an antenna to pick up the local channels. I have my living room TV wall mounted and want to be able to just mount the antenna hidden behind the TV. I'm about 37-38 miles as the crow flies from downtown NOLA and tried out a 50 mile and 65 mile range antenna from Best Buy that both have been returned. The 50 mile one had decent signal until I move the antenna closer to the TV then picture drops out. The 65 mile one just sucked whether the antenna was close to the TV or not. When the internet install service tech was out here the other day, he said I needed one with a better range so it would still get good signal with the interference from being mounted on the wall behind the TV.
Anybody got a recommendation on one that would allow me to mount behind TV instead of having to put the antenna in the attic and cut a hole in the wall behind the TV to drop coax cable through.
Anybody got a recommendation on one that would allow me to mount behind TV instead of having to put the antenna in the attic and cut a hole in the wall behind the TV to drop coax cable through.
5
Posted on 9/16/20 at 5:37 pm to Tiger Prawn
Digital antennas are a misnomer, TV signals are analog. Best are the old fashion outdoor type. Depending on the frequency of the stations you may need a wide antenna.
Posted on 9/16/20 at 6:16 pm to r3lay3r
quote:
Digital antennas are a misnomer, TV signals are analog. Best are the old fashion outdoor type. Depending on the frequency of the stations you may need a wide antenna.
uhh, no they haven't been analog in several years.
I use the Clearstream 4max which works quite well for me.
This post was edited on 9/16/20 at 6:19 pm
Posted on 9/16/20 at 8:03 pm to Tiger Prawn
Was either antenna you tried amplified? It makes a huge difference.
Posted on 9/16/20 at 10:51 pm to BallsEleven
Yes, both were amplified
Posted on 9/17/20 at 1:09 pm to Tiger Prawn
All signals are digital now. Antennas are not, just pieces of metal tuned and bent to amplify smaller, weaker digital signals. And there's no in-between, signals are there or they are not. Different power levels at station transmitters can also cause some stations to come in clearly and some lower powered stations not at all.
Digital is also not as penetrating as the old analog. So spend the money on a good outdoor antenna system - it will repay itself over cable bills.
You will likely need a VHF AND a UHF antenna. Look up the station on Wikipedia. It will give you a 'virtual channel," (the channel it says it is) and a ("digital channel," the one that it broadcasts on.) More than likely, your market will have a combination of both.
For best results.. Get a LARGE Yagi (fishbone) antenna for VHF and UHF. You can buy separate ones and combine them into one download. Buy a standalone amp for that signal, then a distribution box to feed your TVs.
The antennas need to be aimed to where the transmitters are in your area. Wikipedia will also give you the GPS coordinates. Most TV markets cluster their transmitters in one zip code.
Outside antennas work best. I have mine in my attic. All told, I spent about $350 for all the gear four years ago. From my house near Watson, BTR is rock solid, New Orleans is avail when the air is clear and dry. The PBS channel from Mississippi comes in sometimes on the backside of the antenna (??!?). It happens.
Given the temps outside, this would be a great Fall project.
If you are limited to the foil type amplified antennas, try to mount them in a window facing the transmitters. Personally, I've never found them to be worth a dern.
Digital is also not as penetrating as the old analog. So spend the money on a good outdoor antenna system - it will repay itself over cable bills.
You will likely need a VHF AND a UHF antenna. Look up the station on Wikipedia. It will give you a 'virtual channel," (the channel it says it is) and a ("digital channel," the one that it broadcasts on.) More than likely, your market will have a combination of both.
For best results.. Get a LARGE Yagi (fishbone) antenna for VHF and UHF. You can buy separate ones and combine them into one download. Buy a standalone amp for that signal, then a distribution box to feed your TVs.
The antennas need to be aimed to where the transmitters are in your area. Wikipedia will also give you the GPS coordinates. Most TV markets cluster their transmitters in one zip code.
Outside antennas work best. I have mine in my attic. All told, I spent about $350 for all the gear four years ago. From my house near Watson, BTR is rock solid, New Orleans is avail when the air is clear and dry. The PBS channel from Mississippi comes in sometimes on the backside of the antenna (??!?). It happens.
Given the temps outside, this would be a great Fall project.
If you are limited to the foil type amplified antennas, try to mount them in a window facing the transmitters. Personally, I've never found them to be worth a dern.
This post was edited on 9/17/20 at 1:13 pm
Posted on 9/17/20 at 1:41 pm to Tiger Prawn
I live in Prairievile. I bought this antenna and get 33 channels crystal clear
I also installed the DTV Antennas app on my phone which helped me point the antenna towards the local tower(s)
I placed the antenna inside my attic (very tall 2 storey) at the highest point. Luckily I have an attic window that was directly lined up to the tv towers
Amazon
I also installed the DTV Antennas app on my phone which helped me point the antenna towards the local tower(s)
I placed the antenna inside my attic (very tall 2 storey) at the highest point. Luckily I have an attic window that was directly lined up to the tv towers
Amazon
Posted on 9/17/20 at 2:47 pm to gobuxgo5
quote:
uhh, no they haven't been analog in several years.
He is right. The TV data is digital but it is transported on a traditional analog frequency that hasn't changed since OTA signals were created.
a 50 year old antenna works just as good with digital OTA channels as it did on the old ones.
Posted on 9/19/20 at 10:07 pm to notsince98
Yes I know that any antenna will work. You do need a digital tuner for an older TV As it’s no longer an analog picture. I didn’t mean to state it was necessary to buy a newer style antenna.
Posted on 9/20/20 at 1:26 am to notsince98
quote:
He is right. The TV data is digital but it is transported on a traditional analog frequency that hasn't changed since OTA signals were created.
Winner winner chicken dinner!!..Congrats!
I was wondering how many bad answers it would take before the right one came out.
Info may be digital, but it is still piggybacked on the back of an analog wave—the same ones used for the last 100 years.
Posted on 9/20/20 at 1:37 am to gobuxgo5
quote:
As it’s no longer an analog picture
Of course it is an analog picture...you don’t see in digital. You see light waves—analog.
Just as with digital audio, the video signal (that rides the back of the analog wave from the transmitter to the antenna connected to your tv tuner) is converted inside your TV from digital to analog Light waves (light from a diode, or light from a plasma, or light from a cathode ray)—so our human senses can understand the info.
Posted on 9/20/20 at 1:46 pm to Marco Esquandolas
haha. That's what I get for using technical terms. If you go to a yard sale today, and find a 1995 Tv and antenna. It will not work. If you put the old antenna in a newer tv, it will work. If you buy a digital tuner for the 1995 tv, it will then work as well.
Posted on 9/21/20 at 12:02 am to Tiger Prawn
quote:
Anybody got a recommendation on one that would allow me to mount behind TV instead of having to put the antenna in the attic and cut a hole in the wall behind the TV to drop coax cable through.
You'll never get all the signals with an antenna that mounts behind a tv. Bit the bullet and get a Clearstream 2Max and run coaxial or use existing coaxial.
Posted on 9/21/20 at 4:31 am to Tiger Prawn
Xtreme Signal HDB8X-NI 8-Bay VHF/UHF HDTV Bowtie Antenna LINK
I have one like this in my attic it is the tits.
I have one like this in my attic it is the tits.
This post was edited on 9/21/20 at 4:32 am
Posted on 9/21/20 at 11:31 am to tokenasian37
quote:
You'll never get all the signals with an antenna that mounts behind a tv
Why do you say this? It's possible to get some but not all?
Posted on 9/22/20 at 10:52 am to seawolf06
quote:
Why do you say this? It's possible to get some but not all?
You can get all if you live close enough to the towers.
Posted on 9/22/20 at 6:12 pm to gobuxgo5
quote:
uhh, no they haven't been analog in several years.
It’s a digital signal placed on an analog channel carrier.
Posted on 9/23/20 at 1:32 am to robchand58
quote:
All signals are digital now.
True...the SIGNAL is digital, but it’s carrier wave is analog—and this is what you are trying to “catch” with an antenna. The signal is later converted by the device.
quote:
Antennas are not, just pieces of metal tuned and bent to amplify smaller, weaker digital signals.
Well they really ARE pieces of bent metal...but they attract ANALOG waves. They don’t attract or amplify digital signals...and not all antennas amplify.
quote:
And there's no in-between, signals are there or they are not.
I
Posted on 9/24/20 at 8:59 am to Marco Esquandolas
Some things I recently found out about setting up antennas.
I had an indoor "50 mile" antenna that I used from time to time before I cut the cord.
When I had it rigged up near my TV I was picking up a few channels.
I moved it up into my attic (about 16' above ground) and started picking up about 24 channels. Some of the channels would go in and out and I might have to move the antenna slightly.
I ordered a new more powerful "150 mile" Attic/Outdoor antenna. When I hooked it up in my attic I was getting about the same channels as the smaller one.
I decided to mount it outside on one of the peaks of my roof... 53 channels and there are a lot of duplicate channels but still a much better range of signals and all of them are much clearer.
1. Metal roofs affect signals
2. Outside is always better
3. Get it as high as you can
4. Use www.tvfool.com to get an idea on channels
Hope this helps someone
I had an indoor "50 mile" antenna that I used from time to time before I cut the cord.
When I had it rigged up near my TV I was picking up a few channels.
I moved it up into my attic (about 16' above ground) and started picking up about 24 channels. Some of the channels would go in and out and I might have to move the antenna slightly.
I ordered a new more powerful "150 mile" Attic/Outdoor antenna. When I hooked it up in my attic I was getting about the same channels as the smaller one.
I decided to mount it outside on one of the peaks of my roof... 53 channels and there are a lot of duplicate channels but still a much better range of signals and all of them are much clearer.
1. Metal roofs affect signals
2. Outside is always better
3. Get it as high as you can
4. Use www.tvfool.com to get an idea on channels
Hope this helps someone
Posted on 9/24/20 at 9:12 am to Marco Esquandolas
quote:
...but they attract ANALOG waves
Do they truly attract or simply programmed to receive?
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