Flexo, where about in Milton are you? I am by the A&P.
I want to get a preamp when i am in the US on Wed. I hope to get your results. I have a 4 bay in the attic, no preamp, and am getting some fair results. Yesterday I had 7.1 in at 9/10 bars while CBC was at 4. I can only get Fox if I aim towards Hamilton.

I wil lpost my results when I get my preamp Wednesday. I hope I can just pick one up somewhere. I may have to order online and pick it up at my work but time is ticking....

Matt

Matt,

We live at Derry Road + Tremaine. I've been having a consistently strong signal on all channels with the exception of Saturday night. I lost 29.1 completley and all other Buffalo stations dropped in signal strength. Last night was the complete opposite.

If you are in the Mattamy's you are near my parents. They are on Potts Terrace off of Savoline.

I can't wait to get my cm7777, just need to find it first.
Matt

Any of you Milton guys have issues w/ reception on CityTV while Chuck was on?
It got some serious macro blocking and signal loss through the whole show but Heroes and The Border seem to be recording fine at 9 so I'm guessing maybe it's just CityTV?

For a number of years now I have had two CM4221s erected in my 'office' in one of the bedrooms on the north side of my house, one for Buffalo and the other for Toronto channels. I'd be lucky if I managed to get reception on more than 5 channels, none of which were Toronto channels. I wondered whether this Elgato TV Mini HD set up on my 24" iMac was worth the trouble. Before the weather precluded any ideas of erecting an outside antenna, yesterday I dismantled the antennae but took one CM4221 to a bedroom window on the south side of the house just to see whether it would make any difference. I was astounded to receive eleven TV channels, two of which are 5-1 CBC and 9-1 CTV, and the rest are all Buffalo channels that cover all of the Networks.

Now I am pondering whether to just go the attic route and bring the antenna cable in through the ceiling near my iMac, or to go the route of erecting a 10ft mast on a chimney that is adjacent (< 5ft ) to the 'office' and route the cable directly to the bedroom window. I am quite pleased with the rock solid reception results as they are now, so I am now wondering whether the attic alternative will just about nail the best reception down, or while there is still time, to try for any improvement by opting for the outside mast route. I should mention that my ground level is only 10-20 feet above the lake level, and therefore was not expecting to receive such good reception results from just inside a south facing 2nd story window, especially in few of the fact that neighbours' tall trees across the road could present a problem. What say you, Stampeder?

Well, off the top I must remind you that I would rather bite off a knuckle than do an attic install, but that's just me... :D

I exaggerate... Your area seems to have the very best OTA reception possibilities in all of Canada so if you want to try the attic first I wouldn't blame you. I'm pretty sure you'd get all the stations you want from your attic. :)

Thought I would update my results.

3rd Line and Uppermiddle Rd. Area.

CM4221 sitting on my 2nd floor window sill connected to CM7777 preamp and about 75-100' of cable with diplexors in between as well. I still want to test without diplexors to see if there is improvement.

Without the amp I lose omni and citytv. If I turn the antenna towards the CNtower the toronto stations increase dramatically with minimal loss to buffalo stations however the only way to keep this setup is to move the antenna outside. I have not been able to get global and suntv yet.

2.1 @ 77%
4.1 @100%
5.1 @80%
7.1 @95%
9.1 @75%
11.1 @70%
17.1 @100%
23.1 @95%
25.1 @60-65%
29.1 @90%
36.1 @70-75%
43.1 @100%
44.1 @65-75%
49.1 @90-95%
57.1 @50-65%
64.1 @0-60%

Q,

How do you install the preamp? I looked at one on line and it has a connection for the RG cables and then a power source. Do all of these connect at the antenna? Don't know if I like power up there on my roof.

Tower, here's the thread that deals specifically with preamps and will provide you with all your answers about them:

Signal Amplifiers, Preamplifiers, Distribution Amplifiers (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=42426)

After that, come back to this thread to discuss your specific local reception info. :)

From my recent experience, I wouldn't rely on the results you are getting from the CM4221 indoors. When I had mine indoors to test it, the results were brutal. Once I got it outdoors and even just 12 feet off the ground, things improved significantly. When I mounted it about 3 feet over my roofline (about 30 ft up) I was able to easily lock 23 channels (all Buffalo and Toronto available) - 21 without my distribution amp.

If you have some help, pole mount it, bring a TV outside and see what you get. I have a digital converter box and a small TV to help which made it easy for me.

I am in Burlington, Walkers and Dundas area and have had great results. Only lost WUTV for one day a week or so ago, but then a couple of days later was picking up most of Rochester as well as Buffalo and Toronto.

I'm now convinced outdoor mounting is the only way to go. Good luck!

Hi all,

(yet) another new member checking in...

I recently acquired a Samsung DTB-H260F and then built one of those antennas from from coat hangars based on that YouTube video.

I live in the west end of Oakville (Bronte) about 750m from Lake Ontario.

The antenna is standing in the corner of the living room behind a lamp, and we get the following stations:

2-1 WGRZ-HD
2-2 WGRZ-W+
4-1 WIVB HDTV
5-1 CBC Toronto HD
7-1 WKBW-HD
7-2 WNGS
9-1 CFTO HD
11-1 CHCH-DT
17-1 WNED-HD
17-2 WNED-SD
17-3 WNED-Th
23-1 WNLO
36-1 CTS HDTV
41-1 CIII-DT Global (weak, reception varies)
44-1 OMNI 2 HD Toronto
57-1 CityTV HD Toronto
64-1 OMNI 1 HD Toronto
66-1 CKXT-DT (weak, reception varies)

The most useful thing I found for improving reception was the tvfool site. Once I had a compass bearing on the stations it was easy to tune them in.

This OTA digital stuff is awesome.

Darrell

Nice to see, galoot. You've proved with that home built coat hanger antenna what I've been saying for a couple of years here, that Oakville, Brampton, and Mississauga have the very best OTA channel opportunities in Canada!

Even so, I'd highly advise you to build a Gray-Hoverman (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=81982) instead. :)

Just wondering what antenna would be best for the Oakville area a DB4 or DB8?

As well, anyone have experience with the Antennas Direct Lacrosse?

Finally anyone have any recommendations on where to buy in the Oakville area or online?

Hi jumbojones,

Check through this thread to find people who are near your location. You'll see what type of antenna they're using and that is what you want to get. :)

Download the Antenna Chart (see links to lower right) and when you're ready to buy just look in this thread:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=23984

The Antennas Direct Lacrosse is extremely expensive for what you get, so I always caution people about that.

cheers

I kind of figured the Lacrosse was overpriced being most are buying for the form factor. I don't so much care about that, it has a max of 40 miles, not sure if I'm in the centre enough for that to hit Buffalo and TO. And of course I need it to work, from what I've read most have had success with it.

jumbojones,

copy from previous post by me.

3rd Line and Uppermiddle Rd. Area.

CM4221 sitting on my 2nd floor window sill connected to CM7777 preamp and about 75-100' of cable with diplexors in between as well and a 4 way splitter.
Without the amp I lose omni and citytv. If I turn the antenna towards the CNtower the toronto stations increase dramatically with minimal loss to buffalo stations however the only way to keep this setup is to move the antenna outside. I have not been able to get global and suntv yet.

2.1 @ 77%
4.1 @100%
5.1 @80%
7.1 @95%
9.1 @75%
11.1 @70%
17.1 @100%
23.1 @95%
25.1 @60-65%
29.1 @90%
36.1 @70-75%
43.1 @100%
44.1 @65-75%
49.1 @90-95%
57.1 @50-65%
64.1 @0-60%

I purchased the Lacrosse A over a year ago. I bought mainly because of looks. It was approved by the boss. This version had an amplifier built in which is fair superior to the version they ship now with an external amplifier. Reception is excellent with any 5th or 6th gen tuner. I'm in Erin Mills, Erin Mills Prky and the Collegeway. Because it has a wide reception angle, you can receive Hamilton, Buffalo, Batavia, Grand Island, and CN Tower channels with no rotator. You do get weaker signal on the extreme sides but signals are strong enough. With a 6th gen tuner, all signals 100%. Also note that I have an outside installation with no obstacles. For VHF-Hi this antenna has poor reception, but UHF 14 ok. I have distributed through low noise broadband amp to 4 rooms, all RG6 coax. I like the one a have, but would buy a non amplified version if getting now and use a different amp.

Former lurker just joined the Forum. From the vast pools of information contained in these threads, this technically challenged septuagerian managed to assemble a decent OTA set-up in our Burlington, On. home that allows me to recieve all local and 14 Buffalo channels. I used the CM 4228 with rotor and the antenna is mounted 20' off the ground. I am hoping my wife will relent and let me roof mount it, I need a few neighbours to go the OTA route!!!:p

The only consistant problem I have had is my innability to pick up channel 9 in HD. I get great analog reception on 9 but cannot get my Olevia 47 to pick up 9-1 on scans. Same goes for 40-1

Can anyone offer a suggestion to correct this situation? :confused:

Thanks :rolleyes:

Hi Bob and welcome here - which major street corner are you nearest? Apart from the 2 channels you mention, all the others come in fine?

Stampeder:

Thanks for the good wishes. I'm near Walker's Line and Mainway and yes, all the major networks and PBS from Buffalo come in great as do all stations of the CN Tower and those in Hamilton.

Bob