Digital TV Antenna

[Bob]

Who here is using a digital conversion box with an outside or inside power digital antenna?
I have rabbit ears that have a limited power amp to my conversion box. I used to get 6 channels before the conversion now only one. Rescanning does not work.
Ebay has some nice ones listed at a reasonable price but I need some recomendations.
You may say I'm behind the times but that's ok. That being said, hold the comments to relevant responses please.

[73chgrSE]

I heard the rabbit ear ones are only good within 20 miles of the transmitter. If you live further away you'll need to more expensive antenna.

[Troy]

I had purchased an amplified digital antenna since I basically live in a hole and couldn't get any stations at all. After I plugged it in and my TV stored all the stations I didn't even need the antenna any more (same quality picture with or without). I returned the antenna so I really have no idea what the brand was. I remember it cost about $30. Rabbit ears had no effect at all.

Troy

[ODZKing]

There is no difference between regular UHF antennas and "digital" antennas unless it is cut for a specific channel.
This may help www.antennaweb.org

[Bob]

There is no difference between regular UHF antennas and "digital" antennas unless it is cut for a specific channel.
This may help www.antennaweb.org

Interesting site. According to my address I should be able to get approx 6 stations. The station I get now is not listed. I guess I need to find a outdoor antenna and increase my range. It did read the bigger the better.Thanks for the info.
The rabitt ears with the tin foil is on it's way out.
Thanks all.
Bob

[Todd Wilson]

There is no difference between regular UHF antennas and "digital" antennas unless it is cut for a specific channel.
This may help www.antennaweb.org

Yup!   What Bob is seeing now though is less then perfect signals. Before with analog the tv's receiver could go ahead and bring the signal in and show a picture and sound. With an occasional fuzz out of the picture.   With the digital transmission it has to receive the signal in full or you wont get a thing or get some pixels here and there. Bottom line Bob you need a better antenna. Maybe moving yours or getting it higher up. This digital stuff is a joke. With less then perfect conditions and signals it just will not work. We ever get into another serious world war theres a good chance any digital communications will no longer work!  I could see FM radio going 100% this direction in the coming years as well.


Todd

[Bob]

There is no difference between regular UHF antennas and "digital" antennas unless it is cut for a specific channel.
This may help www.antennaweb.org

Yup!   What Bob is seeing now though is less then perfect signals. Before with analog the tv's receiver could go ahead and bring the signal in and show a picture and sound. With an occasional fuzz out of the picture.   With the digital transmission it has to receive the signal in full or you wont get a thing or get some pixels here and there. Bottom line Bob you need a better antenna. Maybe moving yours or getting it higher up. This digital stuff is a joke. With less then perfect conditions and signals it just will not work. We ever get into another serious world war theres a good chance any digital communications will no longer work!  I could see FM radio going 100% this direction in the coming years as well.


Todd

EMP, we are screwed anyway.

[Ghoste]

If there's another world war and they are setting off nukes I don't plan to be watching television anyway.

[Bob]

If there's another world war and they are setting off nukes I don't plan to be watching television anyway.

Above ground burst and all communications of any type are gone.

[Ghoste]

So is your ass (which was kind of my point). 

[Todd Wilson]

If there's another world war and they are setting off nukes I don't plan to be watching television anyway.

Above ground burst and all communications of any type are gone.

Not completely true. There will be short term disruption in the atmosphere when radio waves just wont work. Its possible to protect radio gear if you had something tucked away in the basement or down in the ground.  Perhaps wrapped in foil and in a metal box of somekind. There are people with supplies stored away that do have radios in some form of protection that they dont use every day. The military radios are supposed to be able to survive but any modern consumer grade equipment is done for.

Old skool tube type radios will work as well as old old tv's.


If some thing bad were to happen the only people talking would be military and ham radio operators with old skool equipment.


I would assume a points igntion vehicle would still run afterwards. Thats why I keep tube radios and Frankie around! Road Warrior time!




Todd

[b5blue]

OK I've got an antenna on a pole outside my mobile home, 90.00 Radio Shack for everything-antenna,poles,cable. Works like a charm, I've got about 30 channels. 5 are Latino so who knows what all the beautiful Latino lady's are saying. I would say so far 96% of the time the picture is there for all channels and the picture is 100% as good as any I've ever seen. Fla. is flat that helps allot, I'm not trying to pick up a signal from the far side of any major obstructions. The length of your cable in will reduce signal strength as will splitters in the runs to the converters. The best free with coupon box has been the RCA one over the Magnavox as the Magnavox's remote is counter intuitive (the function and button layout sucks). If you set it up correct and give it what it needs it is an upgrade over UHF/VHF. I hated the switch and having to throw out all the portable TV's I use during hurricane season to watch radar when there's no power. Having been trained in the USAF in antenna theory I've had an edge over Joe Q. Public in this, the fact that my Dad designed TV's didn't hurt ether. If I can help anyone let me know, I'm old school, I hate cable and dish bills.  

[Bob]

OK I've got an antenna on a pole outside my mobile home, 90.00 Radio Shack for everything-antenna,poles,cable. Works like a charm, I've got about 30 channels. 5 are Latino so who knows what all the beautiful Latino lady's are saying. I would say so far 96% of the time the picture is there for all channels and the picture is 100% as good as any I've ever seen. Fla. is flat that helps allot, I'm not trying to pick up a signal from the far side of any major obstructions. The length of your cable in will reduce signal strength as will splitters in the runs to the converters. The best free with coupon box has been the RCA one over the Magnavox as the Magnavox's remote is counter intuitive (the function and button layout sucks). If you set it up correct and give it what it needs it is an upgrade over UHF/VHF. I hated the switch and having to throw out all the portable TV's I use during hurricane season to watch radar when there's no power. Having been trained in the USAF in antenna theory I've had an edge over Joe Q. Public in this, the fact that my Dad designed TV's didn't hurt ether. If I can help anyone let me know, I'm old school, I hate cable and dish bills.  

Thanks B5,
We are going to check out radio shack this weekend.
I'm old school, I hate cable and dish bills. We have something in common.

[b5blue]

  Compare them with regular TV antennas, both are the same really so just think larger size = farther reception once it's up high enough. Shortest runs of wire and least amount of splitters = strongest signal input to box.

[ODZKing]

Yes, remember you loose 3db of signal for every connector or splice in the line.
Digital TV is not like analog.  It sucks frankly as far as reception unless you have an outside antenna.  I work for a TV station and we were required to do seminars on reception before the "changover".  There are plenty of options.
Here are a few links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw
http://uhfhdtvantenna.blogspot.com/
http://fightercontrol.forumotion.com/scanners-f9/home-made-uhf-antenna-cheap-effective-diy-guide-t1942.htm
http://homemadeantennas.blogspot.com/2008/12/my-first-home-made-uhf-antenna.html
or better yet, Google "Home Made UHF Antenna".

[73chgrSE]

If there's another world war and they are setting off nukes I don't plan to be watching television anyway.

Then how will you know who's winning?




kidding ofcourse. everyone loses.

[Todd Wilson]

If there's another world war and they are setting off nukes I don't plan to be watching television anyway.

Then how will you know who's winning?




kidding ofcourse. everyone loses.

HAHA!   They can pop a nuke up in the sky and never hit the ground and kill communications/electricity. May or may not hurt/kill any people doing it the way I understand it. Tube radios,points ignition and your AR-15 is all you will have left that will work! 


Todd

[Charger_Fan]

My Charger still has points...

I could see FM radio going 100% this direction in the coming years as well.

I'm expecting that, too. As long as they don't mess with AM, I'm ok.

[Todd Wilson]

My Charger still has points...

I could see FM radio going 100% this direction in the coming years as well.

I'm expecting that, too. As long as they don't mess with AM, I'm ok.

I would think they wont mess with AM or actually it should be referred to as BC (broadcast band) as theres not much demand for its bandwidth like there is in the  VHF/UHF portions of the band.  AM radio stations and FM radio/ TV are way far away from each other in the spectrum. There simply isnt enough band left to use and sell to business's and other uses in the VHF/UHF world.


Todd

[ODZKing]

AM will be going all digital eventually as many already are.  FM's too.
Check this to see your city now
http://www.hdradio.com/find_an_hd_digital_radio_station.php

[b5blue]

Well the system I run IS the one I set up for analog and all I did was add converters....that's what I meant by the same. I've seen Digital ready antennas for sale like they are "special" some how and would hate to see someone rip down there old set up and buy new. What is ticking me off is that digital isn't worth beans in a moving vehicle.....as in me watching radar in my Charger as I flee my mobile home in a hurricane, I go to be with my Mom and Bro. as they are not in very good health. Last time I went there they had no power for 4 hours prior to me getting there and the poor things didn't know the storm had turned away. My Bro had his face glued to my tiny 3 inch TV for 2 hours getting updates, now the new portables are over priced and under powered crap.  Ahhhh life in Florida!! 

[ODZKing]

Welcome to " the Digital World" my friends!