Hi Kirk,

I'm at Bovaird and 410, yes, i get NBC, FOX and CHCH very consistantly, i posted my
results post in #1667 in this thread. My DB8 / CM7777 install is in the attic, so i was pretty
certain you would do better with an outside install.

I certainly would not run 4 tvs from a 8 way splitter unamplified. From the antenna out
of my CM7777, i feed that into a 15db distribution amp, which feeds into a a passive
4 way splitter, I'm running 3 tuners. I would try what GeorgeMx suggests. Just to
try, bypass the splitter and connect one TV directly into the antenna out of the CM7777,
rescan and see if there's any improvement.

Sorry, didn't notice in your other post your location.

So today I tried to connect directly (as George suggested) from the antenna after the CM7777 of course, and did a scan and the results were the same as with the 8-way splitter. I tried with two different tuners as well and got the same channels.

2-1, 2-2, 2-3
4-1
5-1
7-1
9-1
17-1
17-2
17-3
23-1
25-1
29-1
29-2
41-1
44-1
49-1
49-2
57-1
64-1
66-1

No 11, 36. That I can live with but 29-1 is unwatchable. Everytime, it is choppy, within 10 seconds, 5 of them will be a frozen screen.

What else can I try?

Thanks,
Kirk

Kirk, need more specifics about your location- how high is the antenna, is it outside, any obstructions? Also, it might be an aiming issue with WUTV. Before adding any splitters- amplified or not, you should try to see what your reception is like with one antenna, one pre-amp as close to the antenna as possible, then power injector and then one line to one TV- no splits.

Bovaird and Airport Rd. about 40' AGL TVFool (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d03d983d6e3555c)

Yeah, that's what I did today. I have a DB8 with the preamp right next to it. Cable down to the basement and I connected it directly to one tv without any splitters. Originally we tried aiming the antenna to get Hamilton Buffalo and Toronto, but couldn't get Hamilton, so we turned it towards Toronto and Buffalo. Tom was saying that there is a big building slightly in the way. I am thinking the Chrysler building.

So with what I tried today, I still did not get Hamilton and FOX is only in about 50% of the time. I know that there are no guarantees with OTA so just looking for other things to try. Multi-antennas that are more directional???

There are a number of things you could try, but it might be good to first get a base-line for your problem channel, i.e., WUTV. Keep a record of signal strength for this station (at least a week or two over different times of day), see how it fluctuates, and see what the most common/usual reading of strength is- this should give you the normal strength level. Keep in mind, this is the tropo season, and the drops-out you are seeing might be due to bad tropo. 99% of the time I get WUTV locked in, but sometimes it flakes and that's due to bad atmospheric conditions. I would hold off on any equipment changes until you get the regular strength level. If it's still whacked, there are a number of things to try.

Kirk, I am at Kennedy and Sandalwood Parkway. I think the 4228 might not give you the radius you need to pick up all the channels. I have no preamp and get everything. CHCH and NBC only die VERY-VERY rarely. ION always comes in during the morning and evening, during the Summer. Winter it's gone.

I just point the 4221, which is outside and about 35 feet up, straight at the ION transmitter and I'm done.

I would recommend returning the preamp and exchanging the 4228 for a 4221.
But that's just me.

I have a DB8 not a 4228.

I don't know what to do. Everyone around me seems to get more channels and signal strength.

Is anyone using a C4 in Brampton? How's that working for them? By specs, it shouldn't make a difference, but someone has said that they saw pretty good results with it.

Thanks,
Kirk

Hi Kirk,

Yes, it can be a tough situation and maybe one you don't have control over. I remember
talking with Grace at SaveAndReplay that the installer will do one house then one just
up the street with different results when you think it should be the same. We certainly
don't want you to spend money unnecessarily. Have you gone back to SaveAndReplay ?
I don't know their policy but maybe because you purchased and had them do the install,
maybe they can give you further advice and let you try other hardware with a refund if it
doesn't work ? Maybe you have to gang antennas to get everyting you want, ...ya, there
i go throwing in another thing to try. Hopefully, the experts here can give you better
advice.

I am just a little north of Sandalwood. I have my 8 bay directional antenna pointing towards buffalo and the other at Toronto. All I have is a amp to send the signals to my 4 tv's. It is working like a charm, I have my antenna on the roof about 40'. No pre-amp is needed. If you need further help, I can drive over and see how you have set it up.

Update

I received my HDHomerun Dual and first off...LOVE IT! I don't know how much television I will be watching via computer given that I have a flat screen in every room that I spend any length of time, but I wanted it for the DVR capabilities and for the mobility should I want to go out on the patio with a tv (laptop). Started to make my own WMC STB.

Now, what I found out was... For the past while I have been saying that I cannot get FOX in any form of watchability. While I was tuning the channels in the HDHomerun, I went to 29.1 and noticed that the signal and quality were very high and constant. After I setup WMC, I checked the actual video and it looked great! So I thought, that doesn't make sense. I turned the tv on in the office and FOX was not working well, freezing, stuttering in and out. I then realized that I probably have only tried to get FOX on one tv in particular...this one. So I tried on another one, and it worked like a charm. Tried on a third and that worked like a charm too.

So, it looks like it is the tuner in this one tv or the cable. For the record, none of my cables were supplied by the installer. These are three years old pre-existing RG-6 cables. The one going to this tv is different than the rest. Here's hoping that is the problem.

What I need to try next then is to find a 80' cable to run directly from the basement to this tv to see if it is the cable or the tuner.

With the other tv's including the HDHomerun, I am getting FOX, ION (sometimes), no CHCH (as I think we pointed away from it). That was close. Was discussing on stacking DB8's or switching out for a C4 to see if there is any difference.

I'll post my findings after the cable switch test.

Thanks all,
Kirk

Glad to hear. Even newer TVs can have finicky tuners. I have 3 TVs 2009 or newer and each one has different signal strengths for the same channels. E.g., Samusung locks in Global (RF 65) before the LG, or Toshiba.

I purchased my ClearStream 2 from Save and Replay in Mississauga about a year ago, but could not get the courage to cancel my Rogers Cable until very recently. I live on the 2nd floor of a condo facing west. However, my building is built on the ridge overlooking Huron Park, so it's probably akin to living on the 10th floor (give or take). I am able to get everything except ION and WNGS. Sometimes I may have some reception problems with some of the channels, mostly CITY, CFTO. However I have my antenna mounted on a screen facing southwest (towards Buffalo) and if I move the screen that usually corrects things. I'm hoping reception improves once the switch over to digital. (In case it's important, I have an AQUOS LC40E77UN).

Are there any antennas that I can purchase that will pull in ION or WNGS?

Do you have a balcony that you could put your CS2 antenna on outdoors, vap57?

No balcony. I have it facing out the window.

From your location I can guarantee that you will not get WNGS without an outdoor VHF-HI antenna, and even then it might be iffy. As for ION, unfortunately you are probably out of luck with that too given that your antenna is indoors.

Thanks for the answer. My antenna is about 8 inches from the window and I really do get everything else. There are some reception issues, mostly with CITY, CFTO and SUN. Very very rarely I'll have issues with 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 29.1, 29.2, 49.1 and 49.2. This weekend, I've been losing CBC. It'll be great, then bam, the signal goes for 5-10 then it's back for a bit and then it repeats.

I was reading some other posts...is there a possibility that I will no longer receive 9.1 & 11.1 after the switch-over?

My sister was over a couple of weeks ago. When I told her she was watching over the air TV, she was shocked!

I receive:
2.1 (very rare reception issues)
2.2 (very rare reception issues)
2.3 (very rare reception issues)
4.1
5.1 (reception issues lately)
7.1
9.1 (reception issues at times)
11.1
17.1
17.2
17.3
23.1
25.1
26.1
26.2
26.3 (Some entertaining wholesome shows at times...Classics like Bonanza and Petticote Junction)
26.4
29.1 (very rare reception issues)
29.2 (very rare reception issues)
36.1
44.1
49.1 (very rare reception issues)
49.2 (very rare reception issues)
57.1 (reception issues at times)
64.1
66.1 (reception issues at times)

So I put up a 4228HD over the week-end and am pulling in...quite a few channels but having issue with a few during the day like 2.1/2/3. 7.1, 29.1. In the evening I am can pull in those channels. My question is, will a preamp help?

Speederd, how long is your cable and what kind of cable is it? Hope you say RG-6.

Also speederd please follow the steps in the following thread so that we can get the best information needed to help you: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=125161