Pre-2005 Thread About OTA Antenna & Gear - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

james99 · 2003-09-20, 12:33 PM

Did you look at cheaper indoor antennas like the Jensen that they sell at Radio Shack and Futureshop.

If you're that close to Detroit, you should be fine.

The train show is probably the one that's on HDNET from time to time.

JohnnyG · 2003-09-20, 12:52 PM

The s-video out is always plain old NTSC s-video...no need to switch anything.

Try raising your current antenna as high as you can. 5 feet can make a bit difference sometimes.

buritto · 2003-09-20, 03:34 PM

Update:

I had to rearrange all my STB, Xbox etc...what a mess of wires lol.

I ended up getting a multi-directional RCA with a built in amp. Now I know that there not as good as big 'ol Yagis but I'm installing this myself and I don't care for ladders, so I went with this for ease.

Now, my signal strength with the Recoton indoor was 4 out of 20 bars with lots of drop outs.

I have the RCA outdoors just hanging of the deck (not a permanent spot) and it is at 10 bars, but still drops out. I'm taking a break as CBS will show a colllege game in HD at 3:30pm.

Whe nmy neighbour gets home I'll have him help me attach it to the chimmeny.

I can hear PBS dropping out as I type this.

I didn't get another indoor antenna becasue I just want to do this once and that's it. Know what I mean?

Off to watch a bit of HD

buritto · 2003-09-20, 03:45 PM

Another update:

I just went outside and moved the antenna over 5 feet on top of one of my padio chairs and I just locked into NBC. I couldn't do that before...amazing how that works, lol.

buritto · 2003-09-20, 07:53 PM

Well it's on my dormer on the roof and I'm not at all impressed. As of 7:45pm I can't get NBC or CBS. I still only get a signal strength of 10 bars which is half power. And it drops out to boot, not as bad as with the indoor antenna I was using. I even put the RG-6 straight into the SIRT151 without going into the supplied power adapter to see if the amp was hurting the signal and my signal strength dropped to 3 bars. So the amplification helps me.

I might very well be in a bad spot for OTA as there's a huge DCX (Chrysler) plant 6 blocks away but I'm only 15km from Detroit :-?

I plan on raising the antenna asap. It's only about 1-2 feet above the roof line. I need to get a pole to extend the antenna another 5 feet or so.

Any suggestions...but it can't cost anything, I'm taking hell for this not working out as good as I'd said it would.

buritto · 2003-09-20, 08:48 PM

I lost PBS an hour ago :cry:

But I found a 4 foot pole in the garage

I'll extend the antenna tomorrow after church :wink:

digitalcable · 2003-09-20, 09:20 PM

Maybe your having multipath problems. I get 9 bars on my Buffalo channels with no dropouts and always great reception. You should be able to receive a picture with 2 bars without dropouts. I think you need a good directional UHF antenna maybe or your amp is noisy.

buritto · 2003-09-20, 10:45 PM

I dropped $170 on the RCA multi-directional antenna today so I'm stuck with it. Mines a UHF/VHF and it has an amp 'built in' or whatever the box says.

jurassicjockey · 2003-09-20, 11:45 PM

If you're stuck with it this won't help you too much, but for others this might be of help. Multi-directional antennas are notorious for multipath, and current generation tuners can not handle multipath. Do yourself a favour and get a decent outdoor antenna such as a channel master 4228, or if you're shooting long range a yagi (I'm partial to the Televes series). You've spent this much on the stb and the TV, consider it a 170 lesson, it'll save you a lot of aggravation. Maybe you can ebay it.

buritto · 2003-09-21, 09:09 AM

Is this what you mean?

http://www.consumer-direct.com/detail.cfm?vpartno=4228

jurassicjockey · 2003-09-21, 09:54 AM

That's the one. I don't use one personally but lots of folks on AVS swear by them.. They are fairly directional however so if you're looking for stations in different directions you will most likely need a rotor.

buritto · 2003-09-21, 10:04 AM

I raised the antenna by at least 5 feet and I still only have 50% strenght. But I know pulled in Toledo(13) and 38 and 39 out of Detroit.

I have:
2
4
7
13
38
39
56
62

PBS is showing there HD demo loop and there's no sound on it. Should there be? I have sound on all the rest of the channels.

JohnnyG · 2003-09-21, 11:53 AM

Quote:

I dropped $170 on the RCA multi-directional antenna today so I'm stuck with it.

Sorry, but you can't say I didn't warn you. The cheapest outdoor Yagi you can get your hands on would most likely outperform this for digital reception.

Even a little Silver Sensor mounted outside would probably perform better.

JohnnyG · 2003-09-21, 11:56 AM

The 4228 is probably a bit overkill...the half-sized 4221 would probably be more than enough in this location.

buritto · 2003-09-21, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyG

Quote:

I dropped $170 on the RCA multi-directional antenna today so I'm stuck with it.

Sorry, but you can't say I didn't warn you. The cheapest outdoor Yagi you can get your hands on would most likely outperform this for digital reception.

Even a little Silver Sensor mounted outside would probably perform better.

I know but I was in a rush and the HD excitment over came me :lol:

But it all seems good to go. I only wanted ABC, NBC, CBS, OX and PBS out of Detroit, all else would have been an added bonus. At this time yestersay NBC, and CBS weren't showing on my TV and PBS was dropping out.

Right now I haven't seen any problems. PBS had one flicker in abot 1 1/2 of veiwing. NBC has doppler radar on 4.2 very cool.

I have lost Toledo 13 but no big deal.

I'm happy with the major networks as long as there's no drop-outs, we'll see as the day goes on.

I also plan on moving hopefully next summer or next fall at the new house I will most certainly invest in the best antenna I can find with professional installation. For now the multi-directional should and hopefully will be fine.

Thanks to all who have brought there advice to me on the forums.

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2003-09-20, 12:33 PM	#1
james99 Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Burlington Posts: 24,791	Did you look at cheaper indoor antennas like the Jensen that they sell at Radio Shack and Futureshop. If you're that close to Detroit, you should be fine. The train show is probably the one that's on HDNET from time to time.

2003-09-20, 12:52 PM	#2
JohnnyG Veteran Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: North York, Ontario Posts: 10,405	The s-video out is always plain old NTSC s-video...no need to switch anything. Try raising your current antenna as high as you can. 5 feet can make a bit difference sometimes.

2003-09-20, 03:34 PM	#3
buritto Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 2,321	Update: I had to rearrange all my STB, Xbox etc...what a mess of wires lol. I ended up getting a multi-directional RCA with a built in amp. Now I know that there not as good as big 'ol Yagis but I'm installing this myself and I don't care for ladders, so I went with this for ease. Now, my signal strength with the Recoton indoor was 4 out of 20 bars with lots of drop outs. I have the RCA outdoors just hanging of the deck (not a permanent spot) and it is at 10 bars, but still drops out. I'm taking a break as CBS will show a colllege game in HD at 3:30pm. Whe nmy neighbour gets home I'll have him help me attach it to the chimmeny. I can hear PBS dropping out as I type this. I didn't get another indoor antenna becasue I just want to do this once and that's it. Know what I mean? Off to watch a bit of HD

2003-09-20, 03:45 PM	#4
buritto Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 2,321	Another update: I just went outside and moved the antenna over 5 feet on top of one of my padio chairs and I just locked into NBC. I couldn't do that before...amazing how that works, lol.

2003-09-20, 07:53 PM	#5
buritto Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 2,321	Well it's on my dormer on the roof and I'm not at all impressed. As of 7:45pm I can't get NBC or CBS. I still only get a signal strength of 10 bars which is half power. And it drops out to boot, not as bad as with the indoor antenna I was using. I even put the RG-6 straight into the SIRT151 without going into the supplied power adapter to see if the amp was hurting the signal and my signal strength dropped to 3 bars. So the amplification helps me. I might very well be in a bad spot for OTA as there's a huge DCX (Chrysler) plant 6 blocks away but I'm only 15km from Detroit :-? I plan on raising the antenna asap. It's only about 1-2 feet above the roof line. I need to get a pole to extend the antenna another 5 feet or so. Any suggestions...but it can't cost anything, I'm taking hell for this not working out as good as I'd said it would.

2003-09-20, 08:48 PM	#6
buritto Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 2,321	I lost PBS an hour ago :cry: But I found a 4 foot pole in the garage I'll extend the antenna tomorrow after church :wink:

2003-09-20, 09:20 PM	#7
digitalcable Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 499	Maybe your having multipath problems. I get 9 bars on my Buffalo channels with no dropouts and always great reception. You should be able to receive a picture with 2 bars without dropouts. I think you need a good directional UHF antenna maybe or your amp is noisy.

2003-09-20, 10:45 PM	#8
buritto Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 2,321	I dropped $170 on the RCA multi-directional antenna today so I'm stuck with it. Mines a UHF/VHF and it has an amp 'built in' or whatever the box says.

2003-09-20, 11:45 PM	#9
jurassicjockey Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ayr, Ontario Posts: 216	If you're stuck with it this won't help you too much, but for others this might be of help. Multi-directional antennas are notorious for multipath, and current generation tuners can not handle multipath. Do yourself a favour and get a decent outdoor antenna such as a channel master 4228, or if you're shooting long range a yagi (I'm partial to the Televes series). You've spent this much on the stb and the TV, consider it a 170 lesson, it'll save you a lot of aggravation. Maybe you can ebay it.

2003-09-21, 09:09 AM	#10
buritto Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 2,321	Is this what you mean? http://www.consumer-direct.com/detail.cfm?vpartno=4228

2003-09-21, 09:54 AM	#11
jurassicjockey Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ayr, Ontario Posts: 216	That's the one. I don't use one personally but lots of folks on AVS swear by them.. They are fairly directional however so if you're looking for stations in different directions you will most likely need a rotor.

2003-09-21, 10:04 AM	#12
buritto Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 2,321	I raised the antenna by at least 5 feet and I still only have 50% strenght. But I know pulled in Toledo(13) and 38 and 39 out of Detroit. I have: 2 4 7 13 38 39 56 62 PBS is showing there HD demo loop and there's no sound on it. Should there be? I have sound on all the rest of the channels.

2003-09-21, 11:56 AM	#14
JohnnyG Veteran Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: North York, Ontario Posts: 10,405	The 4228 is probably a bit overkill...the half-sized 4221 would probably be more than enough in this location.