Mighty Favog Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 A couple of years ago I bought this animal and a 6db amp just a couple days before I cancelled SAT TV. I ditched the SAT TV because I only found myself watching a only a couple of stations for a total of 1 1/2 hours each weekend. Cable wanted way too much and the reception on the upper channels wasn't nearly as good as the lower. Since the SAT TV people only wanted their receivers back I used the dish mount for the new antenna now mounted in the attic. OTA still picks up about 40-45 channels but most o them are PBS and the like, still doesn't bother me much though. The money we saved we put into a kick-*** (for around here) cable internet speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 I recently moved from a house 3 miles straight line to NYC to 20 miles straightline but hilly from NYC so I use this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DFTGR4/ref=oss_product I had a amplified antennae but it also amplified the static and distortions so I got a big old non amplified one and it works great, hid it in the attic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
space_cowboy Posted January 21, 2011 Author Share Posted January 21, 2011 Good thread. I decided to try that Terk that Cliff and justin use, we'll see. It is pretty weird looking though. I like a lot of these other ideas if the Terk doesn't work too well. I may have even found a way to the attic if I decide to go that route. Thanks, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 Good thread. I decided to try that Terk that Cliff and justin use, we'll see. It is pretty weird looking though. I like a lot of these other ideas if the Terk doesn't work too well. I may have even found a way to the attic if I decide to go that route. Thanks, Mark Good luck, wish you well. I do know that the attic install is not without risk as many shingle compositions can reduce signal strength. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 I've got a Radio Shack VU...something --about $100-- on the roof. We're 60-70 miles from Joplin, MO, and can get most HD signals good sometimes. Other times we can barely get anything. So I guess we're in a fringe area. Of course, being digital, it's either good, or unwatchable. My question is, would a few more feet of height get significantly better HD? As is, the antenna is not even higher than the peek of the roof, and there are many tall trees between the antenna and the transmitters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Maybe. You have to get one of those signal strenght meters and walk around your roof to see where the best signal is. But make sure when you do this there is no tropo effect going on. JJK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ironsave Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 We use a Philips antenna; was ~$25 at the store. It works pretty well; much better than the rabbit ears (analog broadcasts) of old...... I may give the DIY antenna for ~$7 a try though; so thanks for that link! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Maybe. You have to get one of those signal strenght meters and walk around your roof to see where the best signal is. But make sure when you do this there is no tropo effect going on. JJK "tropo effect"? [:^)] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Also known as "ducting", "signal bending", causing the signal to follow the curvature of the Earth sometimes for 500 miles. In my case I receive stations over 200 miles during special weather conditions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merkin Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 I had an old one in the attic it didn't work worrth a dang. I put a new HD on the roof and it works well. I'm in a ravine and my roof top is below the hill between me and the attenna farm. My CBS is the worst also. Channel 4 Their attenna is not in the same direction as all the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Maybe. You have to get one of those signal strenght meters and walk around your roof to see where the best signal is. But make sure when you do this there is no tropo effect going on. JJK "tropo effect"? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropospheric_propagation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
space_cowboy Posted February 5, 2011 Author Share Posted February 5, 2011 I decided to try that Terk that Cliff and justin use, we'll see. I can't receive 1 single station. I have it pointed SSE as suggested on antennaweb.org, have scanned with both A and B inputs on the TV.. Maybe I'm missing something as I would expect to get "something", even if a crappy signal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I decided to try that Terk that Cliff and justin use, we'll see. I can't receive 1 single station. I have it pointed SSE as suggested on antennaweb.org, have scanned with both A and B inputs on the TV.. Maybe I'm missing something as I would expect to get "something", even if a crappy signal. SC, how did you have the tuner set to scan; cable or antenna? Try the other way. If the signal is only digital then you get no 'poor signal', its either there or not. Perhaps you can add an extension coax and throw that puppy up high for a test. My own personal opinion of Terk is the same as I have for Monster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
space_cowboy Posted February 5, 2011 Author Share Posted February 5, 2011 I tried the scan in both cable and antenna modes, same result, I can faintly get a channel 6. After thinking about this and looking around, could it be my TV only has an analog tuner? It was purchased in March 2003. I'm thinking I might need a digital converter box that people had to buy back in maybe 2009 when stations switched to digital transmission. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 That may be a pretty solid bet. I gave a friend of mine an spare DirecTv receiver to use as a OTA tuner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigCliff Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I tried the scan in both cable and antenna modes, same result, I can faintly get a channel 6. After thinking about this and looking around, could it be my TV only has an analog tuner? It was purchased in March 2003. I'm thinking I might need a digital converter box that people had to buy back in maybe 2009 when stations switched to digital transmission. Thanks That is a possibility, if it is an analog tuner you will get jacks-it. If it is a digital tuner how far from the transmission towers are you? I am located about 25miles from the Sears Tower( or whatever they call it now WILLIS I GUESS) in Chicago and I get twice as many stations with the Terk then I can with my RCA rabbit ears. Good Luck hope it is just the converter you need or else you might have to go with an outside antenna even if you just hook it up in your attic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigCliff Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I tried the scan in both cable and antenna modes, same result, I can faintly get a channel 6. After thinking about this and looking around, could it be my TV only has an analog tuner? It was purchased in March 2003. I'm thinking I might need a digital converter box that people had to buy back in maybe 2009 when stations switched to digital transmission. Thanks That is a possibility, if it is an analog tuner you will get jacks-it. If it is a digital tuner how far from the transmission towers are you? I am located about 25miles from the Sears Tower( or whatever they call it now WILLIS I GUESS) in Chicago and I get twice as many stations with the Terk then I can with my RCA rabbit ears. Good Luck hope it is just the converter you need or else you might have to go with an outside antenna even if you just hook it up in your attic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
space_cowboy Posted February 5, 2011 Author Share Posted February 5, 2011 I found this but don't know the publication date:How old are your TVs?The key feature here is whether or not you TV has a built-in ATSC tuner. ATSC is the format the new digital signals are broadcast in. If you have a TV with this tuner, you DO NOT need a converter box, because your television is already prepared for the transition. Most TVs built within the last two or three years do have a built-in ATSC tuner. Check your owner’s manual if you’re unsure. All TVs purchased after March of 2007 are ready for digital and you DO NOT need a converter box for that TV.The TV manual lists this as tuner info and does not mention ATSC anywhere. I bet since it was purchased in 2003 the tuner is analog. Channel coverage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181ch.VHF-Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 ~ 13UHF-Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 ~ 69CATV Mid Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-5 ~ A-1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-ISuper Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .J-WHyper Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .W+1 - W+28Ultra Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .W+29 - W+84 The towers appear to be 14-22 miles from my location. Maybe I should just go ahead and get a converter, because as you said, I don't get jack.... right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Matthews Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 Usually, the TV's back then would say something on them to let you know, like "HD Ready" or"HD Compatible." The two did not mean the same thing, and it was a bit tricky unless you knew the standard. See if yours has a statement in this regard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 HD Ready means you plug the cable or coax and it will decode the hd signal without an external box. HD capatible meant you need a digital decoder to make it work. That in it of itself was shady as any tv will work when you have a digital decoder, just its not in proper hd ratio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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