Tom, how did you arrive at the cable length? Trying to get a good ladder to get on my roof. My 24' is just not cutting it.

Tom, how did you arrive at the cable length? Trying to get a good ladder to get on my roof. My 24' is just not cutting it.
The cable from the 4221 has to be about 1 ft longer than the cable from the 4228, to make up for the wire combining feed that connects the 2 sides of the 4228 together.
Also, your Bal-Uns have to be in phase. Use the side that has Made in China as positive for both antennas.

Even with optimal tuning, when you combine antennas pointed in different directions you will get more than a 3dB (50%) reduction in signal strength due to signals from one antenna being reflected to the other antenna and back to itself (for a technical explanation see Merging feedlines (http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/merging.html)).

Well looks like I may just sacrifice the Toronto stations and put up the 4228. :-)

Hi,

Ive been thinking of my options to get OTA. I live at Midland and Steeles in Scarborough. My house faces south.

I purchased a MANT510 from Walmart just to test out what I can get with my Pinnacle HDTV USB Pro Stick. Results arent too great, just CBC english and french, CTV, and CITY. (I am in the back room of the house.)

What are my options for getting signals from the States? I am thinking of an attic installation at the most. Is it worth getting a SS to try it out? Also, what direction should I be directing my antenna?

Any help would be appreciated.

J

jaysunlp a SS will not help more than what you are currently receiving.

Where you are elevation is not bad but you do need to mount a antenna like a 4221 outdoor.

If you are south of Midland those houses should have a chimney an the idea place to mount a antenna.

Good luck.

so an attic installation wouldnt be sufficient?

so an attic installation wouldnt be sufficient?
An attic would improve because of height, but the antennuation due to roofing materials and longer cable run will counteract some if not all of your gains.

edit: any particular reason you are opposed to an outdoor install?

parents are opposed to it

plus im only there a couple months of the year..i go to university of waterloo...

we have a satellite dish on the side of the house aimed...south west... would an attachment antenna be any better?

parents are opposed to it
Ahhh,... hadn't encountered that one before :)

Yaamon, would a short ( say 2 ~ 3') mast fit in/over the top of a sat mast? Just a thought but if so, could jaysunlp mount an antenna to that??

ha ha yea..convincing them is the hardest part...

jaysunlp if you can show your parents what hd picture quality looks like I'm sure they wont mind a chimney install. ;)

Tell them it will be just like a satellite dish simple. :)

Another option but lower in height is wall brackets that extend out to clear the eaves. All you would buy a 10' pole at home depot and use that.

Good luck.

they really dont care... lol

but ive convinced them to go as far as an attachment to the sat dish...

anyone have any suggestions on model/brand? i read that i can combine the signal into the same coax as the sat signals, but i need to go to two places (my room and the basement)

is it possible to split at the antenna?

btw.. last night i got wnlo-hd at 45% strength :)

You can use a single cable to bring in satellite and ota signals.

All you need is a pair of diplexers.

With your current setup once you split the signal you will most likely lose all you weak stations(Buffalo) and maybe City.

Once you split the signal will drops in half. To proper distribute the signal you would need a good antenna with a preamp or a indoor distibutor amp.

Good luck.

but ive convinced them to go as far as an attachment to the sat dish...anyone have any suggestions on model/brand?

I think they are all equally bad. They are designed to fit the dish with no regards to making them actually work. If you could even convince them to let you install a 2-bay bowtie it would be a huge improvement.

So I have no global, sun tv or omni. I will try to take so pictures of the view from the roof. Any ideas how to improve the signal. For my bedroom, the run is about 30 feet and family room approximately 60 feet.

Hi,

As far as I know, Global is not broadcasting DTV OTA and Omni is on again, off again DTV OTA. So I wouldn't be too concerned that you aren't getting those. I am in Whitby and find it hard to get SunTV, although I usually have my antenna (home made db8) pointing more in the Rochester direction.

Don't be too discouraged.

jaysunlp and all, this thread is where you can find the current status of Global, Omni, and all other Toronto-area stations:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=58988

Hello,

I've been reading the OTA forums for a while now, and I think it's time to move forward with my OTA plans. I'm in a 2 story Pickering house, near Liverpool and Finch (Lynn Heights & Benton to be more specific) and my goal is to get all stations from Buffalo, and as many TO stations as possible. From TO, I'm interested in CBC (for HNIC), CTV, and CityTV, anything else from TO is a bonus. I'm thinking of the following antenna scenarios:

1) CM4228 pointed generally to the south, and aimed back to the east as much as possible without losing any Buffalo stations.

2) A pair of CM4221s, one aimed at the Buffalo towers, one aimed at the CN tower, and then the two signals combined.

In either case, I'm thinking of a chimney mount with a ~10' mast, and (unless it causes more harm than good) a pre-amp (CM7775 or AP-4800).

The house faces East, and the view to the South is pretty clear, but to the West (end of back yard) are four 70+ ft. pine trees, which I guess may be an issue for TO reception.

Currently there is an un-used ExpressVu dish (left behind by previous homeowner) already mounted on the chimney, and I'm planning to re-use this existing (RG6 ?) cable run which is ~50' long.

Once inside the house, I plan to split the signal 3 ways to 3 ATSC tuners (1xTV, 2xHTPC).

I'd greatly appreciate any suggestions or comments you may have regarding this setup.

Thanks,
E.

Hi E. Welcome!

I combined a 4228 and a 4221. back when i was installing, i tried both for comparison side by side. 4228 was better for all buffalo stations.

I'd suggest trying the 4228 by itself first, then you can add another if you really have too.

I tried an amplifier and had more signal, but poorer reception; the high power stations overloaded the tuners. so i gave it up. I took out my splitter and now i hardly ever get dropouts.

I'd suggest a powered distribution amplifier to split to multiple tuners.

As for direction, downtown toronto is west/southwest, buffalo almost due south.

Good Luck!!

Thanks Tom.F.1. Your suggestion sounds good to me. I'll go with the CM4228 and see how it goes.