Thanks...moving the antenna slightly east seemed to do the trick...i now get all channels with out any pixelation or dropouts...i also moved the antenna about a foot higher in the attic after that.

Can I install a surge suppressor right onto the balun before the preamp? or should it be after the preamp?

You should never put anything between the balun and the preamp except the shortest length of good coax. ;) Also if you put the surge suppressor below the preamp you need to be sure that it allows DC Power Pass through it or else the preamp would go dead since it's power supply would be cut off.

so then it would go after the preamp powersupply and before the tv input?

If it does not allow DC Power Pass then that's correct - it would have to be installed below the preamp's power supply. Have you bought one yet? If so, you can test it first on the ground to see if it allows DC Power Pass.

the one i bought is from Saveandreplay: "High Quality Coax surge suppressor"

Can I install a surge suppressor right onto the balun before the preamp? or should it be after the preamp?

You bought a surge suppressor for an attic install? Not a bad idea, I suppose. Though a simple grounding block would have worked fine. As mentioned, install it after the pre-amp. Most surge suppressors pass DC.

You should never put anything between the balun and the preamp except the shortest length of good coax. ;)

Agreed in the context of a surge suppressor. However, if you're using a UVSJ or notch filter, you'll need to put these before the amp. In the case of the UVSJ, only if the amp doesn't have separate inputs for VHF & UHF.

Good clarification. :) If it is not part of the intended signal chain it should not go between the balun and the preamp. A surge suppressor is not part of the signal chain, it is for other purposes.

Ok...so the picture is great for the digital channels...other then TV0 and some other analog channel most of the analog channels have snow...is this something to worry about?

I would not devote much energy to improving the analogue stations as they will be going dark at the end of August in your area. :)

Good point. TVO is the only analog I watch anymore. And according to a thread elsewhere, TVO has indicated to CRTC that it would begin transitioning in May. Keeping my fingers crossed Toronto is the first! :)

freeair: Which analogs are snow? VHF ones?

i don't remember off hand right now but other then channel 19 (TVO)...most of the others have snow/ghosting...some you can watch but the rest are pretty bad.

Can anyone think of a reason why channel 9.1 and 66.1 would have no sound with perfect picture? Other Toronto channels work fine, OMNI 1/2, CBC, CBC french, etc... The other two TVs in the house get both channels with no sound problems. Taking out the two splitter and running the line direct has no effect. Could this be a tuner issue? (my next step is to bring one of the other two TVs into the basement and see if the problem is specific to the TV or the cable connection) Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Is it possible to get ION (51.1, 51.2, 51.3, 51.4 -RF 23) at all from Mississauga (Britannia/9th line)?

as mentioned before I have the Antennas Direct DB8/CM 7777 in my attic and get 23 channels but would like to know if it would be possible to get this extra channel if moved to the roof?

Anyone else in this area receiving this channel? I see some old posts by someone called RustHD who had his antennas pointed at 165' (not at batavia) and was getting ion consistantly.

I called Saveandreplay (Britannia/Kennedy) and they say they don't get ION with their DB8 above the store.

Would an SBGH be able to get these channels?

Freeair ION is 1 or 2 edge signal and thus will not always come in.For me it will come in almost always during warm months and only occassional in winter.Their is no guarantee that moving to your roof would bring this channel in all the time.Ion is from Batavia and is 160km away .

Freeair, I'm in the Britannia & 9th line area too with my highly directional DAT-75 yagi antenna up ontop a 45 foot tower and ION is still a hard catch.

http://wonderfulwifi.com/tower.jpg

Maybe if I go up just another 200 feet it'll work?

Freeair,

In my location ION comes in most of the time. This winter it has been mostly gone but is coming back with the warm weather. My aim is 165 degrees when I get it and signal strength is weak 40% on the Sharp Aquos. On this TV booming is 85% and drop out is 35%. Had a new LG here for a bit at Christmas and it did better receiving ION. If I aim at Batavia I don't get any signal, so I'm probably picking up a reflection south of Buffalo. Signal strength is very dependent on the weather. If there is an approaching front from the South West, signal booms in. A day like today where the front is over your location nothing. Used to get more consistently a year ago but reception hasn't been that good for the last 4 months. Signal strength doesn't seem to match tropo days when I get Rochester, Watertown or Erie.

Long time listener, first time caller. I'm looking for advice before my purchase, I have downloaded the antenna guide, I'm looking for only the major US and Canadian networks, I'd like FM radio as well but could be talked out of that if that means a bigger/more expensive antenna. Antenna would probably be attached to the chimney which is on the west side of the house, could be pointed south. On the roof isn't an option due to solar panels, in the attic is possible but I assume attached to the chimney would be better.There are some medium sized trees in the next yard south, no trees in my yard.

Here's the TV fool report:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d5979e128825d8c

I'm also looking for an installer (who will also need to take down an old satellite dish from the previous owner attached to the chimney).

Price is always a factor, but I'm not planning on moving anytime soon so spending a few extra $$$ for better results does make sense. Thanks.

I went to saveandreplay today to get a 4221HD and the guy working there mananged to talk me into getting a Antenna Direct DB8.

He told me to point towards Buffalo and I should get those stations and Toronto easily.

He had it hooked up in the store at the Mississauga location and the channels were close to 90%.
Just curious, how are people finding the VHF reception with the DB8? I've seen some negative comments on the web about it - just wondering if it's good enough for when CHCH and CFTO revert to VHF later this year?!? I guess you'd have to check the analog reception for 9 and 11 at this point.