Jase88.I thought about it but what am I going to do with the preamp now?Planning on getting a Bandstop or simply an attenuator at 10-20db.Will check Sayal or The Source tomorrow.

Hi dormice & fameangle

Read your postings regarding the results you are getting with your CM4228HD very happy you guys are doing so good.:p I check your relative locations with Google maps relative to channel 2 ABC & 7 NBC and dormice your about 154KM - 96 miles away. I checkout the relative signal strength at your locations, using TV Fool looks like you shouldn’t be able to pick it up some of those signals, but that could be due to the inaccuracies in the program. I am just trying to get a handle (collect info) on just how good the new CM4228HD is. Several members have posted excellent results with the new CM4221HD as well.

Thanks for sharing your results

Biggy,I couldn't believe the results I got from yesterday with clear weather overlooking southeast entirely here in Brampton.Just amazing this CM4228 HD is,perhaps even without the CM7777 w/c I should have done in the first place here in my location.Just curious as to what the dealer explain to me with comparison to an 8 bay Winegard and CM 4228 HD's capability as listed on the box with the picture having all the colors for CM 4228 HD but not for the Winegard.Was told that the people who set that standard wouldn't give the rating to such product like the CM 4228 HD if they aren't up to it.Comparing the 2,Channel Master appears to be the best for Fringe to Deep Fringe and with CM 7777 on board,capable of Deepest Fringe.My next test is that I'll try to unhook the CM 7777 and see what the meter says but have to wait for the weather to be nice here in Brampton.I'll keep you all posted for the results.;)

As always I'm delighted when users get reception that satisfies or exceeds their expectations, but to clear up some misconceptions:

The CM4228HD has already been tested thoroughly (see several threads in the Antenna Research & Development Forum) and it has some specific design-related reception problems that are now well known. The good thing is that a set of modifications by the owner can be made to a CM4228HD to raise its performance greatly above other similar commercial antennas.

Let's get back to the topic of this thread now, and if there are any questions about the CM4228HD modifications just head on over to the Antenna Research & Development Forum threads.

cheers

Biggy, I'm getting ABC/NBC as well in Brampton, yep its 96 miles away and thats really surprising. I'm getting between 2-4 bars (out of possible 10) with my ClearStream4 antenna. My antenna is facing out the window in the 2nd floor master bedroom, not even mounted on the roof. Only thing is the cable run is inside the walls so I dont know what the home builders used, must be RG59 because I have to use a PCT-amp to get the better signals. Getting 2-1, 4-1, 7-1, 23-1, 29-1, 49-1 (poorest signal of them all -- 1 bar) all US channels. Located in Castlemore area in Brampton.

Very good results considering that antenna is rated for a range up to 65 miles.

Here are some basic tips that may help you improve your reception.

• Mount your antenna out doors UHF signals are line-of-sight. Get as
much elevation as practical.
• If your cable run is greater than 75’,
a pre-amplifier may be required. Use RG-6 cable.
• Attic & indoor installations will cut 40% - 50%
of your signal strength.

Since you are using a good distribution amp already you most likely have the best result you can get indoors. If you decide to mount it outdoors try to keep the run from the antenna to your distribution amp short as possible. If require long lengths 75’ you might consider a preamp especially if you intend to distribute the signal to several receivers different place in your home. If you are able to keep the distance short, your present amp should the do job.

Get your antenna mount outdoors “should help a lot” try that first. After you adjusted it for max signal strength for all the stations, you might consider a rotor if you find the antenna is too directional, but I think that antenna has pretty wide path.

I haven’t seen or know of many home owners in my area that actually have this of this antenna, but I am happy you’re doing so well :cool:

Those mileage ratings should not be used. They are almost always misleading.

Those mileage ratings should not be used. They are almost always misleading
That's true, as the antennas performance is basic on so many other factors. Installation, surroundings, weather etc., but I was just quoting measured specification the manufacture published. It's just away the manufactures can compare different models they produce and gives the consumer a ruff idea how they will perform.

Something like what the auto manufactures publish their mileage ratings, comparing it to "real life conditions" the can be way off. Same with antennas! I am just happy radeonBoy is doing so good :p

Biggy, you're missing the point - those numbers need to be completely ignored. They are marketing numbers. A wise consumer need only come here to this site where we test antennas for their real performance. The difference between supposed and real world performance is often quite large.

Hi guys,
I just started to experiment a bit with the recently purchased 4221HD. I've got a temporary setup on a mast sticking just past the roof line with about 30' of cable going to my TV. The back of my house is facing Buffalo (clear view), and in fact, I'm picking up basically all the Buffalo channels (Fox is the weakest). I'm also getting the TO stations on the side (haven't checked the signal strength though). One channel I haven't been able to get so far is MyTV from Rochester (I believe 49-1). I played with this set-up only for about an hour but am wondering if there's something I can do to pull-in the missing channel... Would a pre-amp help in this situation (if so, which model would be recomemnded so that I don't overload the tuner). The cable run is not that long, I think. Eventually, I may actually install the antenna on the side of the house with the mast sticking out about 6' above the roof line. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

49.1 is MyTV Buffalo. Pre-amp should help. Check this thread to see what others have done and their results.

In this forum, what would most people choose: 1) or 2) ?

1)a CM4221 with an amp or pre-amp

2) a CM4228 without a pre-amp

From what I have at least both would give you a handful of channels in VHF 2-13.

In this forum, what would most people choose: 1) or 2) ?

1)a CM4221 with an amp or pre-amp

2) a CM4228 without a pre-amp

From what I have at least both would give you a handful of channels in VHF 2-13.
4228 is more directional, Much better for longer distance UHF and way, way better for Hi VHF. Neither works for low VHF. All is covered in the antenna chart.
I threw my preamp in the garbage. Although it was good during good weather, it made things much worse in bad weather because it did a really good job of amplifying noise.

TomF1,

Since these antennas are directional, if someone is located at the Mississauga/Oakville border and pointed the antenna towards lake Ontario (in the direction between Toronto and Buffalo), how effective would either of those antennas be in pulling channels in from Toronto and Buffalo from either side?

TomF1,

Since these antennas are directional, if someone is located at the Mississauga/Oakville border and pointed the antenna towards lake Ontario (in the direction between Toronto and Buffalo), how effective would either of those antennas be in pulling channels in from Toronto and Buffalo from either side?
Those antennas have a large main lobe and smaller side lobes. What you want under ideal circumstances, is the the main lobe pointed at buffalo and the side lobe at toronto. This is ONLY going to happen if you live in the right place. You'd have to look at the antenna pickup pattern to understand.
http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/cm4228.html
You can see from the picture that the ideal location would have the side lobe pointed at cn tower and the main pointed at the Buffalo transmitters. If you don't live in an ideal location, you can compromise by aiming between the 2 locations. The farther off you are from ideal, the worse your results will be.
I live too far south, the compromise didn't work well. So, I combined a 4221 and a 4228. That was better, but still not perfect.
A single 4228 and a rotor is the ideal solution for a single TV. But i have more and a PVR to record unattended.
So, I went to the extreme and now have a 4228 pointed at toronto and two 4228's pointed at buffalo. I rarely loose signal. Thick fog is when i loose buffalo stations.
All this has already been covered in these forums.

Dieselgg, I am in a similar situation and my 4221 works great for my approx. 60 degree separation between the CN Tower and the Buffalo transmitters (which are essentially colinear from my location). I have a rotor but I almost never use it since I've found the spot to get all of Toronto, Buffalo, and Hamilton solidly (BTW, the rotor was a very useful tool to find this spot :cool:). I find my pre-amp (CM 7778) helps. I've only have a few hours outage (that is, less than 10) per year, all for REALLY bad weather.

I read that the CM4228HD was redesigned poorly and so the CM4228 is far better. But there are none in stock anywhere. I am better of getting the CM4221HD and build around that.

What do most people use for combining two ant or UHF inputs to one output. The only items that I see being sold are diplexers, but one input is for sat (950-2300MHz) and the other is ant(5-862MHz)? Unless both inputs can handle the 5-2300Mhz range.

a splitter backwards IS a combiner. Do not use a diplexer.
Read the signal gear thread and the combining antenna thread.
then you can read about the 4228HD mod.

Yeah, I know its a lot to read, and to learn.

Thanks for mentioning the threads. I read them briefly over and things are a lot more clear now.

My closest intersection is Britannia and Erin Mills Parkway. My 4221 is aimed roughly ESE (105 degrees) and I can get pretty much everything from Toronto and Buffalo.

I have since installed a 9521 rotor and I'm able to find the sweet spot for Buffalo (around 130 degrees) when atmospheric conditions become marginal. The rotor also allows me to fine tune to receive IonTV out of Batavia, NY and CH out of The Hammer.