| Author |
Message |
Guest
|
 Posted:
Wed Oct 19, 2005 3:57 am Post subject:
Over the air for HDTV newbie questions |
|
|
I am thinking of getting a HDTV tuner for my PC. Currently I use a set of rabbit ears to get analog TV with my
ATI Radeon 9800 AIW (128 MB) since I do not subscribe to cable and satellite services.
I read that I can get HDTV feeds with rabbit ears antennae that is designed for HDTV receiption. If this is
true, then what's the best ones to look for from local retail stores? I also looked at http://www.hdtvpub.com/
and couldn't find my city (91745) to see if all local channels would be available.
If I were to do this, would I get all the local channels even if they are not in HDTV? Will all feeds be
clearer than what I have now? Channels 2 (KCBS), 4 (KNBC4), and 5 (KTLA) are not clear. Others can be very
clear if I adjust the antennae.
Thank you in advance. :)
--
"Is this stuff any good for ants?" "No, it kills them." --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( )
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Jim
Guest
|
| Posted:
Wed Oct 19, 2005 4:13 am Post subject:
Re: Over the air for HDTV newbie questions |
|
|
The information below is taken from
http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx and shows Digital TV broadcasts to
your area.
DTV Antenna
Type Call Sign Channel Network City State Live
Date Compass
Orientation Miles
From Frequency
Assignment
* yellow - uhf KVEA-DT 39 TEL CORONA CA TBD 327° 15.7 39
* yellow - uhf KTBN-DT 23.1 TBN SANTA ANA CA 327° 16.4 23
* yellow - uhf KTLA-DT 5.1 WB LOS ANGELES CA 327° 16.7 31
* yellow - uhf KWHY-DT 22.1 IND LOS ANGELES CA 327° 16.7 42
* yellow - uhf KPXN-DT 30.1 i SAN BERNARDINO CA 327° 15.7 38
* yellow - uhf KRCA-DT 62.1 IND RIVERSIDE CA 327° 15.7 68
* yellow - uhf KSCI-DT 18.1 IND LONG BEACH CA 327° 15.7 61
* yellow - uhf KOCE-DT 50.1 PBS HUNTINGTON BEACH CA 327° 16.7 48
* yellow - uhf KDOC-DT 56.1 IND ANAHEIM CA 327° 16.7 32
* yellow - uhf KTTV-DT 11.1 FOX LOS ANGELES CA 327° 16.5 65
* yellow - uhf KMEX-DT 34.1 UNI LOS ANGELES CA 327° 16.7 35
* yellow - uhf KCAL-DT 9.1 IND LOS ANGELES CA 327° 16.7 43
* yellow - uhf KCBS-DT 2.1 CBS LOS ANGELES CA 326° 17.1 60
* yellow - uhf KNBC-DT 4.1 NBC LOS ANGELES CA 327° 16.5 36
* yellow - uhf KJLA-DT 57.1 IND VENTURA CA 327° 16.7 49
* yellow - uhf KLCS-DT 58.1 PBS LOS ANGELES CA 327° 16.4 41
* yellow - uhf KCET-DT 28.1 PBS LOS ANGELES CA 327° 16.4 59
* yellow - uhf KCOP-DT 13.1 UPN LOS ANGELES CA 327° 16.8 66
* yellow - uhf KFTR-DT 46.1 TFA ONTARIO CA 12-05 327° 16.7 29
* yellow - uhf KAZA-DT 54.1 AZA AVALON CA TBD 327° 16.7 47
* yellow - uhf KABC-DT 7.1 ABC LOS ANGELES CA 327° 16.7 53
* green - uhf KXLA-DT 44.1 IND RANCHO PALOS VERDES CA 327° 16.7 51
Note:
The above listing is a conservative prediction of stations received.
Depending on the specifics of your installation, you may be able to receive
stations that do not appear in this list.
Jim
<ANTant@zimage.com> wrote in message
news:MtmdnWCKvO1y4MjeRVn-vQ@mminternet.net...
| Quote: | I am thinking of getting a HDTV tuner for my PC. Currently I use a set of
rabbit ears to get analog TV with my
ATI Radeon 9800 AIW (128 MB) since I do not subscribe to cable and
satellite services.
I read that I can get HDTV feeds with rabbit ears antennae that is
designed for HDTV receiption. If this is
true, then what's the best ones to look for from local retail stores? I
also looked at http://www.hdtvpub.com/
and couldn't find my city (91745) to see if all local channels would be
available.
If I were to do this, would I get all the local channels even if they are
not in HDTV? Will all feeds be
clearer than what I have now? Channels 2 (KCBS), 4 (KNBC4), and 5 (KTLA)
are not clear. Others can be very
clear if I adjust the antennae.
Thank you in advance. :)
--
"Is this stuff any good for ants?" "No, it kills them." --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( ) |
|
|
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|
|
Elmo P. Shagnasty
Guest
|
| Posted:
Wed Oct 19, 2005 4:37 am Post subject:
Re: Over the air for HDTV newbie questions |
|
|
In article <MtmdnWCKvO1y4MjeRVn-vQ@mminternet.net>, ANTant@zimage.com
wrote:
| Quote: | I read that I can get HDTV feeds with rabbit ears antennae that is designed
for HDTV receiption.
|
Actually, there is no special HDTV antenna. You can get HDTV over the
air with your existing antenna and an ATSC tuner. |
|
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|
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Guest
|
| Posted:
Wed Oct 19, 2005 4:42 am Post subject:
Re: Over the air for HDTV newbie questions |
|
|
Thanks. It looks the same to the regular analog ones.
Jim <jwhite18816NOSPAM@earthlink.net> wrote:
| Quote: | The information below is taken from
http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx and shows Digital TV broadcasts to
your area.
DTV Antenna
Type Call Sign Channel Network City State Live
Date Compass
Orientation Miles
From Frequency
Assignment
* yellow - uhf KVEA-DT 39 TEL CORONA CA TBD 327? 15.7 39
* yellow - uhf KTBN-DT 23.1 TBN SANTA ANA CA 327? 16.4 23
* yellow - uhf KTLA-DT 5.1 WB LOS ANGELES CA 327? 16.7 31
* yellow - uhf KWHY-DT 22.1 IND LOS ANGELES CA 327? 16.7 42
* yellow - uhf KPXN-DT 30.1 i SAN BERNARDINO CA 327? 15.7 38
* yellow - uhf KRCA-DT 62.1 IND RIVERSIDE CA 327? 15.7 68
* yellow - uhf KSCI-DT 18.1 IND LONG BEACH CA 327? 15.7 61
* yellow - uhf KOCE-DT 50.1 PBS HUNTINGTON BEACH CA 327? 16.7 48
* yellow - uhf KDOC-DT 56.1 IND ANAHEIM CA 327? 16.7 32
* yellow - uhf KTTV-DT 11.1 FOX LOS ANGELES CA 327? 16.5 65
* yellow - uhf KMEX-DT 34.1 UNI LOS ANGELES CA 327? 16.7 35
* yellow - uhf KCAL-DT 9.1 IND LOS ANGELES CA 327? 16.7 43
* yellow - uhf KCBS-DT 2.1 CBS LOS ANGELES CA 326? 17.1 60
* yellow - uhf KNBC-DT 4.1 NBC LOS ANGELES CA 327? 16.5 36
* yellow - uhf KJLA-DT 57.1 IND VENTURA CA 327? 16.7 49
* yellow - uhf KLCS-DT 58.1 PBS LOS ANGELES CA 327? 16.4 41
* yellow - uhf KCET-DT 28.1 PBS LOS ANGELES CA 327? 16.4 59
* yellow - uhf KCOP-DT 13.1 UPN LOS ANGELES CA 327? 16.8 66
* yellow - uhf KFTR-DT 46.1 TFA ONTARIO CA 12-05 327? 16.7 29
* yellow - uhf KAZA-DT 54.1 AZA AVALON CA TBD 327? 16.7 47
* yellow - uhf KABC-DT 7.1 ABC LOS ANGELES CA 327? 16.7 53
* green - uhf KXLA-DT 44.1 IND RANCHO PALOS VERDES CA 327? 16.7 51
Note:
The above listing is a conservative prediction of stations received.
Depending on the specifics of your installation, you may be able to receive
stations that do not appear in this list.
|
| Quote: | ANTant@zimage.com> wrote in message
news:MtmdnWCKvO1y4MjeRVn-vQ@mminternet.net...
I am thinking of getting a HDTV tuner for my PC. Currently I use a set of
rabbit ears to get analog TV with my
ATI Radeon 9800 AIW (128 MB) since I do not subscribe to cable and
satellite services.
I read that I can get HDTV feeds with rabbit ears antennae that is
designed for HDTV receiption. If this is
true, then what's the best ones to look for from local retail stores? I
also looked at http://www.hdtvpub.com/
and couldn't find my city (91745) to see if all local channels would be
available.
If I were to do this, would I get all the local channels even if they are
not in HDTV? Will all feeds be
clearer than what I have now? Channels 2 (KCBS), 4 (KNBC4), and 5 (KTLA)
are not clear. Others can be very
clear if I adjust the antennae.
Thank you in advance. :)
--
"Is this stuff any good for ants?" "No, it kills them." --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( )
|
--
"Is this stuff any good for ants?" "No, it kills them." --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( ) |
|
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|
|
Guest
|
| Posted:
Wed Oct 19, 2005 4:42 am Post subject:
Re: Over the air for HDTV newbie questions |
|
|
Elmo P. Shagnasty <elmop@nastydesigns.com> wrote:
| Quote: | In article <MtmdnWCKvO1y4MjeRVn-vQ@mminternet.net>, ANTant@zimage.com
wrote:
I read that I can get HDTV feeds with rabbit ears antennae that is designed
for HDTV receiption.
Actually, there is no special HDTV antenna. You can get HDTV over the
air with your existing antenna and an ATSC tuner.
|
Oh wow, I did not know that. So ANY antennae would do. Do you know if
the picture reception is the same for all channels? Let's say, channels
2-5 are not clear. Would that be the same for HDTV channels for the same
stations? I assume channel numbers would be different.
--
"Is this stuff any good for ants?" "No, it kills them." --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( ) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bob
Guest
|
| Posted:
Wed Oct 19, 2005 2:19 pm Post subject:
Re: Over the air for HDTV newbie questions |
|
|
| Quote: |
Oh wow, I did not know that. So ANY antennae would do. Do you know if
the picture reception is the same for all channels? Let's say, channels
2-5 are not clear. Would that be the same for HDTV channels for the same
stations? I assume channel numbers would be different.
|
You either get the channel clearly or you don't get anything at all.
If you have a marginal signal strength or windy conditions you may get
some pixelazation and picture breakup but thats only if your signal is
marginal. And since most channels if not all will be in UHF band so
that type antenna is recomended. If you are
close to stations antenna you may get by with any antenna. I'm 14
miles out from where the Atlanta towers are and I use a Channel Master
4228 I have hanging under my deck. It works great but is very
directional so it does have to be placed correctly. I don't recieve 1
channel since their antenna is 90* off from the direction my antenna
is pointed. No great loss since it's 4 Pax channels. If I wanted to I
could add another antenna to my set up and point it in that direction
but it's not worth it i this case to me. Hope that helps some.
Bob |
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|
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Tam/WB2TT
Guest
|
| Posted:
Thu Oct 20, 2005 12:07 am Post subject:
Re: Over the air for HDTV newbie questions |
|
|
Note that all the channels in Jim's list are UHF. You need a UHF antenna,
not rabbit ears.
Tam
"Jim" <jwhite18816NOSPAM@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:Rkf5f.2536$fc7.363@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...
| Quote: | The information below is taken from
http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx and shows Digital TV broadcasts
to your area.
DTV Antenna
Type Call Sign Channel Network City State Live
Date Compass
Orientation Miles
From Frequency
Assignment
* yellow - uhf KVEA-DT 39 TEL CORONA CA TBD 327° 15.7 39
* yellow - uhf KTBN-DT 23.1 TBN SANTA ANA CA 327° 16.4 23
* yellow - uhf KTLA-DT 5.1 WB LOS ANGELES CA 327° 16.7 31
* yellow - uhf KWHY-DT 22.1 IND LOS ANGELES CA 327° 16.7 42
* yellow - uhf KPXN-DT 30.1 i SAN BERNARDINO CA 327° 15.7 38
* yellow - uhf KRCA-DT 62.1 IND RIVERSIDE CA 327° 15.7 68
* yellow - uhf KSCI-DT 18.1 IND LONG BEACH CA 327° 15.7 61
* yellow - uhf KOCE-DT 50.1 PBS HUNTINGTON BEACH CA 327° 16.7 48
* yellow - uhf KDOC-DT 56.1 IND ANAHEIM CA 327° 16.7 32
* yellow - uhf KTTV-DT 11.1 FOX LOS ANGELES CA 327° 16.5 65
* yellow - uhf KMEX-DT 34.1 UNI LOS ANGELES CA 327° 16.7 35
* yellow - uhf KCAL-DT 9.1 IND LOS ANGELES CA 327° 16.7 43
* yellow - uhf KCBS-DT 2.1 CBS LOS ANGELES CA 326° 17.1 60
* yellow - uhf KNBC-DT 4.1 NBC LOS ANGELES CA 327° 16.5 36
* yellow - uhf KJLA-DT 57.1 IND VENTURA CA 327° 16.7 49
* yellow - uhf KLCS-DT 58.1 PBS LOS ANGELES CA 327° 16.4 41
* yellow - uhf KCET-DT 28.1 PBS LOS ANGELES CA 327° 16.4 59
* yellow - uhf KCOP-DT 13.1 UPN LOS ANGELES CA 327° 16.8 66
* yellow - uhf KFTR-DT 46.1 TFA ONTARIO CA 12-05 327° 16.7 29
* yellow - uhf KAZA-DT 54.1 AZA AVALON CA TBD 327° 16.7 47
* yellow - uhf KABC-DT 7.1 ABC LOS ANGELES CA 327° 16.7 53
* green - uhf KXLA-DT 44.1 IND RANCHO PALOS VERDES CA 327° 16.7 51
Note:
The above listing is a conservative prediction of stations received.
Depending on the specifics of your installation, you may be able to
receive stations that do not appear in this list.
Jim
ANTant@zimage.com> wrote in message
news:MtmdnWCKvO1y4MjeRVn-vQ@mminternet.net...
I am thinking of getting a HDTV tuner for my PC. Currently I use a set of
rabbit ears to get analog TV with my
ATI Radeon 9800 AIW (128 MB) since I do not subscribe to cable and
satellite services.
I read that I can get HDTV feeds with rabbit ears antennae that is
designed for HDTV receiption. If this is
true, then what's the best ones to look for from local retail stores? I
also looked at http://www.hdtvpub.com/
and couldn't find my city (91745) to see if all local channels would be
available.
If I were to do this, would I get all the local channels even if they are
not in HDTV? Will all feeds be
clearer than what I have now? Channels 2 (KCBS), 4 (KNBC4), and 5 (KTLA)
are not clear. Others can be very
clear if I adjust the antennae.
Thank you in advance. :)
--
"Is this stuff any good for ants?" "No, it kills them." --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( )
|
|
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|
|
Guest
|
| Posted:
Thu Oct 20, 2005 12:54 am Post subject:
Re: Over the air for HDTV newbie questions |
|
|
Tam/WB2TT <t-tammaru@c0mca$t.net> wrote:
| Quote: | Note that all the channels in Jim's list are UHF. You need a UHF antenna,
not rabbit ears.
|
Oh, so I do need new antennae (outdoor type) from what you're saying. From what I saw on Google, these
are outdoor antennae. Do indoor antennae with UHF not exist? I am on the second floor in a two floors
small house though. I cannot put an outdoor antennae.
Just in case, do you have any recommendations that I can get from local retail stores like Best Buy,
Costco, Fry's Electronics, Radio Shack, etc.?
Maybe I won't get a HDTV at this time if this is going to be a problem for me. :(
| Quote: | "Jim" <jwhite18816NOSPAM@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:Rkf5f.2536$fc7.363@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...
The information below is taken from
http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx and shows Digital TV broadcasts
to your area.
DTV Antenna
Type Call Sign Channel Network City State Live
Date Compass
Orientation Miles
From Frequency
Assignment
* yellow - uhf KVEA-DT 39 TEL CORONA CA TBD 327? 15.7 39
* yellow - uhf KTBN-DT 23.1 TBN SANTA ANA CA 327? 16.4 23
* yellow - uhf KTLA-DT 5.1 WB LOS ANGELES CA 327? 16.7 31
* yellow - uhf KWHY-DT 22.1 IND LOS ANGELES CA 327? 16.7 42
* yellow - uhf KPXN-DT 30.1 i SAN BERNARDINO CA 327? 15.7 38
* yellow - uhf KRCA-DT 62.1 IND RIVERSIDE CA 327? 15.7 68
* yellow - uhf KSCI-DT 18.1 IND LONG BEACH CA 327? 15.7 61
* yellow - uhf KOCE-DT 50.1 PBS HUNTINGTON BEACH CA 327? 16.7 48
* yellow - uhf KDOC-DT 56.1 IND ANAHEIM CA 327? 16.7 32
* yellow - uhf KTTV-DT 11.1 FOX LOS ANGELES CA 327? 16.5 65
* yellow - uhf KMEX-DT 34.1 UNI LOS ANGELES CA 327? 16.7 35
* yellow - uhf KCAL-DT 9.1 IND LOS ANGELES CA 327? 16.7 43
* yellow - uhf KCBS-DT 2.1 CBS LOS ANGELES CA 326? 17.1 60
* yellow - uhf KNBC-DT 4.1 NBC LOS ANGELES CA 327? 16.5 36
* yellow - uhf KJLA-DT 57.1 IND VENTURA CA 327? 16.7 49
* yellow - uhf KLCS-DT 58.1 PBS LOS ANGELES CA 327? 16.4 41
* yellow - uhf KCET-DT 28.1 PBS LOS ANGELES CA 327? 16.4 59
* yellow - uhf KCOP-DT 13.1 UPN LOS ANGELES CA 327? 16.8 66
* yellow - uhf KFTR-DT 46.1 TFA ONTARIO CA 12-05 327? 16.7 29
* yellow - uhf KAZA-DT 54.1 AZA AVALON CA TBD 327? 16.7 47
* yellow - uhf KABC-DT 7.1 ABC LOS ANGELES CA 327? 16.7 53
* green - uhf KXLA-DT 44.1 IND RANCHO PALOS VERDES CA 327? 16.7 51
Note:
The above listing is a conservative prediction of stations received.
Depending on the specifics of your installation, you may be able to
receive stations that do not appear in this list.
Jim
ANTant@zimage.com> wrote in message
news:MtmdnWCKvO1y4MjeRVn-vQ@mminternet.net...
I am thinking of getting a HDTV tuner for my PC. Currently I use a set of
rabbit ears to get analog TV with my
ATI Radeon 9800 AIW (128 MB) since I do not subscribe to cable and
satellite services.
I read that I can get HDTV feeds with rabbit ears antennae that is
designed for HDTV receiption. If this is
true, then what's the best ones to look for from local retail stores? I
also looked at http://www.hdtvpub.com/
and couldn't find my city (91745) to see if all local channels would be
available.
If I were to do this, would I get all the local channels even if they are
not in HDTV? Will all feeds be
clearer than what I have now? Channels 2 (KCBS), 4 (KNBC4), and 5 (KTLA)
are not clear. Others can be very
clear if I adjust the antennae.
Thank you in advance. :)
--
"Is this stuff any good for ants?" "No, it kills them." --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( )
|
--
"Is this stuff any good for ants?" "No, it kills them." --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( ) |
|
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|
|
Guest
|
| Posted:
Thu Oct 20, 2005 1:00 am Post subject:
Re: Over the air for HDTV newbie questions |
|
|
Bob <blablabla!@bla.net> wrote:
| Quote: |
Oh wow, I did not know that. So ANY antennae would do. Do you know if
the picture reception is the same for all channels? Let's say, channels
2-5 are not clear. Would that be the same for HDTV channels for the same
stations? I assume channel numbers would be different.
You either get the channel clearly or you don't get anything at all.
If you have a marginal signal strength or windy conditions you may get
some pixelazation and picture breakup but thats only if your signal is
marginal. And since most channels if not all will be in UHF band so
that type antenna is recomended. If you are
close to stations antenna you may get by with any antenna. I'm 14
miles out from where the Atlanta towers are and I use a Channel Master
4228 I have hanging under my deck. It works great but is very
directional so it does have to be placed correctly. I don't recieve 1
channel since their antenna is 90* off from the direction my antenna
is pointed. No great loss since it's 4 Pax channels. If I wanted to I
could add another antenna to my set up and point it in that direction
but it's not worth it i this case to me. Hope that helps some.
|
Interesting. I was told that I need an outdoor antennae and not rabbit
ears type in the other reply in this thread. This might be a problem since
I cannot place one outside the house. :( I am upstair (second floor)
though.
--
"Is this stuff any good for ants?" "No, it kills them." --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( ) |
|
| Back to top |
|
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afiggatt
Guest
|
| Posted:
Thu Oct 20, 2005 2:32 am Post subject:
Re: Over the air for HDTV newbie questions |
|
|
ANTant@zimage.com wrote:
| Quote: | Tam/WB2TT <t-tammaru@c0mca$t.net> wrote:
Note that all the channels in Jim's list are UHF. You need a UHF antenna,
not rabbit ears.
Oh, so I do need new antennae (outdoor type) from what you're saying. From what I saw on Google, these
are outdoor antennae. Do indoor antennae with UHF not exist? I am on the second floor in a two floors
small house though. I cannot put an outdoor antennae.
Just in case, do you have any recommendations that I can get from local retail stores like Best Buy,
Costco, Fry's Electronics, Radio Shack, etc.?
Maybe I won't get a HDTV at this time if this is going to be a problem for me. :(
|
There are plenty of indoor UHF antennas and smaller outdoor UHF
antennas that you can use indoors. If I read the antenna web results
correct, you are only around 16 to 17 miles from numerous broadcast
towers. If you can get the signals from the analog broadcast towers, you
should be able to get the digital channels for the major network
stations as well.
The reason is that the top 4 stations in each of the top 100
cities/markets were required to start broadcasting their digital channel
at full power this past summer. Up to then, many had been broadcasting
digitally at lower power levels to save money on the electric bill. Many
of the smaller network stations - WB, UPN, PBS & the independents - may
still be broadcasting at lower power levels and hard to pick up. They
are supposed to all be at full power by June, 2006, but many stations
have waivers allowing them to delay going to full digital.
As an example, I live in Northern Virginia near Washington D.C. and
with my $25 Channel Master 4221 4 Bay Bowtie antenna with a $55
amplifier in my attic, I can get 6 digital stations in D.C. and another
6 network stations out of Baltimore for a total of 12 HD channels. The
Washington D.C. stations are around 18 miles away and I can get all 6
(with the weaker PBS station as marginal) without an amplifier. I got
the amp so I can get Baltimore and Maryland PBS stations as well. I have
digital HD cable, but I like not being dependent on my cable company for
everything. Also means I can switch to satellite without worrying about
how I will get my local stations.
Radio Shack was selling the Accurian HTS6000 ATSC receiver at a
close-out price of $89 a few weeks ago. They are probably sold out by
now. The Accurian also does not have a VGA port on it. The $250 (list)
Samsung SIR-T451 ATSC & QAM receiver does have a VGA port on it, so I
have tried it with my PC LCD monitor for kicks. Worked, but without a
scalar in the monitor, ran into stretching issues.
For technical info on HD & antennas, try http://www.hdtvprimer.com/.
Click on the TV antenna link for lots of useful info. The web site is
also not a bad site for explaining HD and all the new terms.
If you want to buy an antenna locally, I would avoid Best Buy. They
push too much Terk crap at too high prices. Radio Shack is a better bet.
Alan F |
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Guest
|
| Posted:
Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:42 am Post subject:
Re: Over the air for HDTV newbie questions |
|
|
afiggatt <afiggatt@adelphia.net> wrote:
| Quote: | ANTant@zimage.com wrote:
Tam/WB2TT <t-tammaru@c0mca$t.net> wrote:
Note that all the channels in Jim's list are UHF. You need a UHF antenna,
not rabbit ears.
Oh, so I do need new antennae (outdoor type) from what you're saying. From what I saw on Google, these
are outdoor antennae. Do indoor antennae with UHF not exist? I am on the second floor in a two floors
small house though. I cannot put an outdoor antennae.
Just in case, do you have any recommendations that I can get from local retail stores like Best Buy,
Costco, Fry's Electronics, Radio Shack, etc.?
Maybe I won't get a HDTV at this time if this is going to be a problem for me. :(
There are plenty of indoor UHF antennas and smaller outdoor UHF
antennas that you can use indoors. If I read the antenna web results
correct, you are only around 16 to 17 miles from numerous broadcast
towers. If you can get the signals from the analog broadcast towers, you
should be able to get the digital channels for the major network
stations as well.
|
Oh good. I thought I had to wait a few more years. ;) The only problematic
analog channels are: 2 (KCBS), 4 (KNBC), and 5 (WB/KTLA). Just a note: I am
east of Los Angeles so that should give you some ideas.
Does having HDTV still let me revert back to analog? If so, then how? Do I switch antennae or is there
something else? Do these UHF antennae let me switch between analog and digital over the air (OTA)? Just
remember, this is going to be connected to a HDTV tuner in a PC which I am currently researching.
| Quote: | The reason is that the top 4 stations in each of the top 100
cities/markets were required to start broadcasting their digital channel
at full power this past summer. Up to then, many had been broadcasting
digitally at lower power levels to save money on the electric bill. Many
of the smaller network stations - WB, UPN, PBS & the independents - may
still be broadcasting at lower power levels and hard to pick up. They
are supposed to all be at full power by June, 2006, but many stations
have waivers allowing them to delay going to full digital.
|
Interesting. I wonder if that is true in L.A. area where a lot of big TV stuff happen.
| Quote: | As an example, I live in Northern Virginia near Washington D.C. and
with my $25 Channel Master 4221 4 Bay Bowtie antenna with a $55
amplifier in my attic, I can get 6 digital stations in D.C. and another
6 network stations out of Baltimore for a total of 12 HD channels. The
Washington D.C. stations are around 18 miles away and I can get all 6
(with the weaker PBS station as marginal) without an amplifier. I got
the amp so I can get Baltimore and Maryland PBS stations as well. I have
digital HD cable, but I like not being dependent on my cable company for
everything. Also means I can switch to satellite without worrying about
how I will get my local stations.
|
Nice. I would like to do that switching between if needed. I have no idea how that will work with a
computer setup (HDTV tuner).
| Quote: | Radio Shack was selling the Accurian HTS6000 ATSC receiver at a
close-out price of $89 a few weeks ago. They are probably sold out by
now. The Accurian also does not have a VGA port on it. The $250 (list)
Samsung SIR-T451 ATSC & QAM receiver does have a VGA port on it, so I
have tried it with my PC LCD monitor for kicks. Worked, but without a
scalar in the monitor, ran into stretching issues.
|
Wait, do I need an ATSC receiver if I get a HDTV tuner?
| Quote: | For technical info on HD & antennas, try http://www.hdtvprimer.com/.
Click on the TV antenna link for lots of useful info. The web site is
also not a bad site for explaining HD and all the new terms.
|
Nice. I briefly read it. Interesting.
| Quote: | If you want to buy an antenna locally, I would avoid Best Buy. They
push too much Terk crap at too high prices. Radio Shack is a better bet.
|
OK. First, I need to figure how I am going to set this up. I will ask
again about which antenna to get. I don't know if my current 1-year old
antenna can be used for HDTV. I think it does UHF since I think I read that
some TV channels (analog) use UHF. Am I correct?
--
"Is this stuff any good for ants?" "No, it kills them." --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( ) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
afiggatt
Guest
|
| Posted:
Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:42 am Post subject:
Re: Over the air for HDTV newbie questions |
|
|
ANTant@zimage.com wrote:
| Quote: | afiggatt <afiggatt@adelphia.net> wrote:
There are plenty of indoor UHF antennas and smaller outdoor UHF
antennas that you can use indoors. If I read the antenna web results
correct, you are only around 16 to 17 miles from numerous broadcast
towers. If you can get the signals from the analog broadcast towers, you
should be able to get the digital channels for the major network
stations as well.
Oh good. I thought I had to wait a few more years. ;) The only problematic
analog channels are: 2 (KCBS), 4 (KNBC), and 5 (WB/KTLA). Just a note: I am
east of Los Angeles so that should give you some ideas.
Does having HDTV still let me revert back to analog? If so, then how? Do I switch antennae or is there
something else? Do these UHF antennae let me switch between analog and digital over the air (OTA)? Just
remember, this is going to be connected to a HDTV tuner in a PC which I am currently researching.
|
The antenna does not care if the signal is digital or analog. What
matters is whether the antenna is designed for VHF (lower frequency,
hence longer antenna poles) and/or UHF (higher frequency, smaller
antenna poles). At this point, almost all digital stations are in the
UHF band because of the lack of space in the VHF 2-13 band. What you see
as Channel 4 - which may be digitally broadcasting on UHF 35 - will show
up on your ATSC (digital) receiver as Channel 4 because the ATSC specs
provides for remapping of the actual channel number.
Sure you can switch back to analog if you have an NTSC tuner/receiver.
NTSC = National Television Standards Committee is the old analog
broadcast standard defined way back in the 1940s. ATSC = Advanced TV
Standards Committee is the new digital broadcast standard. Note: the FCC
does not require stations to broadcast HD, only that they convert to
digital so that someday in the future UHF channels 52 to 69 will go away
and the freq bands can be used for other purposes. So some stations in
the smaller markets have only upgraded to digital, not HD.
My guess once you get the digital channels, you won't care about
watching the analog channels anymore.
| Quote: | The reason is that the top 4 stations in each of the top 100
cities/markets were required to start broadcasting their digital channel
at full power this past summer. Up to then, many had been broadcasting
digitally at lower power levels to save money on the electric bill. Many
of the smaller network stations - WB, UPN, PBS & the independents - may
still be broadcasting at lower power levels and hard to pick up. They
are supposed to all be at full power by June, 2006, but many stations
have waivers allowing them to delay going to full digital.
Interesting. I wonder if that is true in L.A. area where a lot of big TV stuff happen.
|
For the in-depth scoop on local HDTV reception, try
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=45. I see that there
are multiple threads for LA for different cable companies, but there is
an LA OTA (Over The Air) thread with 1458 posts. The sticky for the AVS
List of DTV HD stations shows:
Los Angeles, CA - ABC(7) - CBS(2) - FOX(11) - NBC(4) - pbs(28) - WB(5)
The stations in capital letters are broadcasting 5.1 sound as well.
| Quote: | As an example, I live in Northern Virginia near Washington D.C. and
with my $25 Channel Master 4221 4 Bay Bowtie antenna with a $55
amplifier in my attic, I can get 6 digital stations in D.C. and another
6 network stations out of Baltimore for a total of 12 HD channels. The
Washington D.C. stations are around 18 miles away and I can get all 6
(with the weaker PBS station as marginal) without an amplifier. I got
the amp so I can get Baltimore and Maryland PBS stations as well. I have
digital HD cable, but I like not being dependent on my cable company for
everything. Also means I can switch to satellite without worrying about
how I will get my local stations.
Nice. I would like to do that switching between if needed. I have no idea how that will work with a
computer setup (HDTV tuner).
|
See my comment above.
| Quote: | Radio Shack was selling the Accurian HTS6000 ATSC receiver at a
close-out price of $89 a few weeks ago. They are probably sold out by
now. The Accurian also does not have a VGA port on it. The $250 (list)
Samsung SIR-T451 ATSC & QAM receiver does have a VGA port on it, so I
have tried it with my PC LCD monitor for kicks. Worked, but without a
scalar in the monitor, ran into stretching issues.
Wait, do I need an ATSC receiver if I get a HDTV tuner?
|
If the computer card is an HDTV tuner, it is an ATSC receiver. Same
thing, more or less.
| Quote: | For technical info on HD & antennas, try http://www.hdtvprimer.com/.
Click on the TV antenna link for lots of useful info. The web site is
also not a bad site for explaining HD and all the new terms.
Nice. I briefly read it. Interesting.
If you want to buy an antenna locally, I would avoid Best Buy. They
push too much Terk crap at too high prices. Radio Shack is a better bet.
OK. First, I need to figure how I am going to set this up. I will ask
again about which antenna to get. I don't know if my current 1-year old
antenna can be used for HDTV. I think it does UHF since I think I read that
some TV channels (analog) use UHF. Am I correct?
|
I would try a inexpensive basic UHF loop antenna first (that you can
return). With luck, you will get all or most of the stations with it.
VHF = channels 2 to 13, UHF = broadcast channels 13 to 69.
Alan F |
|
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|
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Tam/WB2TT
Guest
|
| Posted:
Fri Oct 21, 2005 4:26 am Post subject:
Re: Over the air for HDTV newbie questions |
|
|
<ANTant@zimage.com> wrote in message
news:g8udnWGZaIZmOMveRVn-jQ@mminternet.net...
| Quote: | Bob <blablabla!@bla.net> wrote:
Interesting. I was told that I need an outdoor antennae and not rabbit
ears type in the other reply in this thread. This might be a problem since
I cannot place one outside the house. :( I am upstair (second floor)
though.
|
Rabbit ears are VHF. They do make UHF indoor antennas. Some are meant to sit
on top of your TV.
Tam
| Quote: | --
"Is this stuff any good for ants?" "No, it kills them." --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( ) |
|
|
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|
|
cledus
Guest
|
| Posted:
Fri Oct 21, 2005 4:41 am Post subject:
Re: Over the air for HDTV newbie questions |
|
|
Tam/WB2TT wrote:
| Quote: | ANTant@zimage.com> wrote in message
news:g8udnWGZaIZmOMveRVn-jQ@mminternet.net...
Bob <blablabla!@bla.net> wrote:
Interesting. I was told that I need an outdoor antennae and not rabbit
ears type in the other reply in this thread. This might be a problem since
I cannot place one outside the house. :( I am upstair (second floor)
though.
Rabbit ears are VHF. They do make UHF indoor antennas. Some are meant to sit
on top of your TV.
Tam
--
"Is this stuff any good for ants?" "No, it kills them." --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( )
I live 18 miles from our towers. I bought the cheapest "rabbit ears" |
with loop indoor antenna I could find to see how well it will do. It
only cost a few bucks so it wasn't a great risk if it didn't work. I
can get all of our stations just fine. The antenna sits on top of the
TV in my first level den. I keep the rabbit ears portion collapsed
since those are meant for VHF signals and all of our DTV stations are
in the UHF band. I rotate the loop until the signal strength bars max
out (usually in the "medium" range). |
|
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|
|
Dennis Mayer
Guest
|
| Posted:
Fri Oct 21, 2005 4:41 am Post subject:
Re: Over the air for HDTV newbie questions |
|
|
ANTant@zimage.com wrote:
| Quote: |
I am thinking of getting a HDTV tuner for my PC. Currently I use a set of rabbit ears to get analog TV with my
ATI Radeon 9800 AIW (128 MB) since I do not subscribe to cable and satellite services.
I read that I can get HDTV feeds with rabbit ears antennae that is designed for HDTV receiption. If this is
true, then what's the best ones to look for from local retail stores? I also looked at http://www.hdtvpub.com/
and couldn't find my city (91745) to see if all local channels would be available.
If I were to do this, would I get all the local channels even if they are not in HDTV? Will all feeds be
clearer than what I have now? Channels 2 (KCBS), 4 (KNBC4), and 5 (KTLA) are not clear. Others can be very
clear if I adjust the antennae.
Thank you in advance. :)
--
"Is this stuff any good for ants?" "No, it kills them." --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( )
|
For HDTV OTA (over the air antenna) reception usually requires a UHF
antenna.
I tend to believe in 4 bay bow tie ($25) or twice as big 8 bay bow
tie ($50)
by Channel Master... The 4 bay outdoor unit can be put in a closet
or attic.
I've seen a 2 bay bow tie ($20 & gold in color & indoor) from Radio
Shack...
but have never tried it... |
|
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