David j
Active Member
Anyone have any suggestions as to the best HDTV off air antennas available? I live about 20-30 miles from the stations.
Thanks
Thanks
HDTV Antenna
- Thread starter David j
- Start date
Help Support Ford SportTrac Forum:
A1cntrler
Well-Known Member
Check this link out. It will tell you what color coded antenna you need to get, as well as the direction you will need to point it for the best reception. I am 17-20 miles from the antennas here in my area, and all of them were within 4 degrees of each other, so I get really good reception. I went with a Channel Master 8 bay antenna and was able to put it in my attic. I get full signal, even during storms. (the Terk ones you see at tthe stores in my experience and many others experience are gimmiks)
A1cntrler
Well-Known Member
Also, here is a great forum chock full of HDTV info. The people there are real helpful with questions you have, and can help you choose an antenna as well based on your location. Check out the Local HDTV Info and Reception forum for answers, and as always, the search function is your friend....
David j
Active Member
Thanks guys for the info.
walter clark
Active Member
I have the channel master 4228 as well it is an excelent antenna for UHF reception with some decent properties in the 6 - 13 range as well. HDTV is a marketing scheme to make consumers think they need to pay extra for this antenna vs. a regular one. Check antenna web to see the frequency channel asighnments. If your market area is typical then most digital brodcast will be in the uhf spectrum, hence buying a uhf antenna like the 8 bay 4228 bow tie grid antenna. Also height is just as important as quality and type of antenna. Height will help you with traffic,trees,and terrain problems causeing lack uf signal as well as multipath issues. It is a trial and error type of project best taken in steps. Go to wally world and buy a cheap set of amplified rabbit ears and try them first it may be all that you need if not return them for a refund. Next try a outdoor antenna if the stations are all in the same direction you may not evn need a rotor. Last if you start getting the stations but have signal sternth issues you might want to add a amp. (dont buy radio shack amps there junk) Good luck and read alot on the web.
David j
Active Member
Thought I'd throw this in to. Anyone tried using 2 uhf antennas coupled together? Will it work or give a stronger signal?
John Mastrocco
Active Member
Check your area. In OKC the digital channels are mostly on UHF, but one is a VHF signal. You will need an antenna that can receive all the signals broadcast in your area for the new digitally encoded channels.
The difference is in the encoding, NOT the signal itself.
And there is NO SUCH THING as an HDTV antenna. ANY good quality antenna will work fine. All you need is an antenna that will receive the frequencies on which the local stations are broadcasting. I am using an RCA set-top antenna that recieves both UHF and VHS signals and it works just fine. the antenna you need depends more on your distance from the towers and what is between you and them. The better (bigger) the antenna, the better the reception. The biggest difference between analog and digital is with analog you can get lousy reception. With digital it's either great reception or none at all.
And remember - it isn't HDTV - it's DIGITAL. The new standard requires DIGITAL encoding of the signal, not analog. HDTV is only an "afterthought" since it is only possible with a digitally encoded signal.
The difference is in the encoding, NOT the signal itself.
And there is NO SUCH THING as an HDTV antenna. ANY good quality antenna will work fine. All you need is an antenna that will receive the frequencies on which the local stations are broadcasting. I am using an RCA set-top antenna that recieves both UHF and VHS signals and it works just fine. the antenna you need depends more on your distance from the towers and what is between you and them. The better (bigger) the antenna, the better the reception. The biggest difference between analog and digital is with analog you can get lousy reception. With digital it's either great reception or none at all.
And remember - it isn't HDTV - it's DIGITAL. The new standard requires DIGITAL encoding of the signal, not analog. HDTV is only an "afterthought" since it is only possible with a digitally encoded signal.
walter clark
Active Member
Chanel master 4228 is the shiznit. soft on the wallet and good gain. There are better out the but be prepaired to pay alot more.
David j
Active Member
I have the Channel Master 4228 eight bay. But I was wondering if I could add, say a 4 bay to this and increase signal strength from a more distant station.
walter clark
Active Member
If you add another for the pourpose of increeseing gain then mount them over under. if you are wanting to widen your angle of recption then mount side by side. Ther is some issues with multipath when useing a dual set up and the gain increeses are verry small. You dont doubble your gain by simply adding another. Have you tried a preamp? or perhaps an upgrade in the quality of your cableing. Also highr is allways better, I had some issues with solid recption on some frienge stations and moved my antenna up another 16' and added 2 baluns to connect either side insted of the unshielded wire conectors and inproved my recption quite a bit. Go to this site for some good technical reading and info on HD and its related devices.
