Clones of CM4228 That Fold / Bifurcate - Page 3 - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

ota_canuck · 2009-11-10, 08:05 PM

One setback that I see with this [foldable] Eaglestar-Pro 6308 and with those other similarly designed folding 8bay chi-tennas is that it has 2 baluns & a joiner, whereas the Channel Master 4228 has 1 common balun. I don't believe that the design was ever intended to be used in the folded position. The foldability was intended for packaging and shipping cost advantages only. It is the North American marketers that have since added the antenna's foldability as somehow being an added advantage in order to compete in the marketplace with the superior Channel Master products.

If your going to go the route of having 2 four-bay antennas, mounted side by side with a joiner,... I'd still prefer using a CM4228 or use 2 hacked CM4221"s and use a joiner to join the balun cables into the downlead,... or even better would be to attempt to modify the phase-lines connections [using a pair of phase line jumpers] to be able to use one single balun for the 2 hacked CM4221 antennas.

HQS · 2009-11-11, 09:51 AM

It would be interesting to have a CM4228HD and a EP6308 hooked up and scanned in the exact same position, height and see what the final results are.
That's about the only was to have a "controlled" experiment.

I have tried two single EP's one towards BUff and one Towards T.O and have had satisfactory results. Hooked up two EP singles side by side and signal increased by 15points on signal meter. From my experiments with the 6305 singles and then placed side by side, the side by side method works the best for both Toronto and Buffalo.

Wonder what two complete 6308's, one pointed towards Buffalo and one towards Toronto would yield??

Marbles_00 · 2009-11-12, 10:48 AM

Well now, I think a neighbor down the road a little has the 8-bay version of this antenna on his roof. I thought it was a CM-4228, but looking at it last night, I noticed the elements looked exactly the same as the ones pictured here. I also noticed he had it setup with the reflectors slightly pointing away from each other. I was confused as to what he was trying to accomplish as they are both pointing in the general direction of the CNTower. Now I'm wondering if a by-problem of opening them straight is that they skew apart slightly more.

Unfortunately I don't know the guy well enough to go to his door and strike up a conversation with him, but if I see him outside, I will for sure ask about it more. Maybe I'll get a picture of it.

sunnydays · 2009-11-13, 04:27 AM

HQS,
Please try and conduct the experiment if u have the time as I am thinking of upgrading to a CM 4228hd but I'm really not a handy man and i hate to put one outside that looks like a piece of crap. It would be great if the one u bought is on par with the modified CM 4228HD, the best thing is, all I need to do is to install it and everything is all set to go.

Thanks so much, appreciate it!

300ohm · 2009-11-13, 09:50 AM

Does that Frequency Mixer read - Insertion Loss >/= 4.8 db ?

stampeder · 2009-11-13, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 300ohm

Does that Frequency Mixer read - Insertion Loss >/= 4.8 db ?

Yikes, that's what their "Frequency Mixer" (UHF antenna joiner) says!

That's a good candidate for replacement with a reversed splitter.

roger1818 · 2009-11-13, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 300ohm

Does that Frequency Mixer read - Insertion Loss >/= 4.8 db ?

It says <= 4.8 dB (not >=). Still that seems a bit high. I would expect between 3.5 and 4.0 dB. Having said that, they are quoting the European frequency range, and maybe the losses are higher above 800MHz (channel 69 in North America).

roger1818 · 2009-11-13, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stampeder

I wonder if Channel Master's legal department knows about these clone manufacturers who steal their trade names? This company uses 4228,

As Intel discovered, a model number cannot be trademarked. They tried to sue AMD for calling their microprocessors 286, 386 and 486 and lost. That is why Intel went with the name Pentium instead of 586.

stampeder · 2009-11-13, 04:01 PM

But when they used "Antenna Master 4228" they made it much more easy for Channel Master to allege a trademark offense if they so choose.

HQS · 2009-11-16, 05:54 PM

Hello Folks..

O.k. I had a chance today to put up the EaglestarPro 6308 antenna and hooked it into my Chinese Pre-amp which also has the CM4228 old style hooked into it also.
I pointed the antenna 6308 towards Buffalo and Erie PA and my CM4228 is pointed towards Hamilton. Performed a channel scan a received about 28 channels. Pretty much the same I had before using the CM4228 by itself.
I can't comment on just the 6308 by itself as it was gettin dark and my testing was coming to a close. When I get a chance, I'm going to disconnect the 4228 and just try the 6308 for results.

Attached are a couple of pics of my setup..

Thanks,,

HQS

tedsky · 2009-11-21, 03:37 PM

HQS,

Where exactly are you located?
From one of the pics ...

it appears you might be on Lake Ontario facing Toronto - from Grimsby perhaps?

That`s a pretty hefty fold in the antenna. Appears to be around 90° concave.
Wonder whether the signals being received by each screen in the array are crossing out some percentage of one another.

Have you had any luck with folding either concavely (to say no greater than 225°) or convexly (to say no less than 135°) and seeing what results?

Great that you`re in the position of having both types of antennae (being discussed) in your possession to try.

We`re all proverbial flies on the wall in anticipation here!

TTYL
Ted

stampeder · 2009-11-22, 01:50 PM

tesdky you can click on another member's user name and pull down to "Find More Posts by..." to see where they've previously posted their location.

HQS · 2010-01-02, 08:29 AM

Guys...

Didn't notice any additional gain or loss to my OTA setup with the addition of the antenna's.

tesdky located at the highest point in the Niagara Pen. You can see Niagara Falls in the distance. When it get's a little warmer, I'm going to add a 7777 and make some adjustments to the EP Antenna.
Just TOO COLD now!..

Hope everyone had a great Xmas and Happy New Years.

HQS

CSaanich · 2010-07-23, 09:12 PM

I noticed that NCIX is now offering a smattering of TV antennas.
One looks particularly interesting, the Multi-directional Antennas Direct DB8.

If it works as advertised, it could solve my problem of signal reception from 2 different directions -- without the need for either an AB switch or rotator.

Has anyone done any tests on this (re-newed design) antenna?

Thislilfishy · 2010-07-24, 12:02 AM

I only see the DB4 on NCIX, either way I am not sure why it's being advertised as multi-directional. It seems to have a moderately wide reception area (I think about 20 degrees) for a directional antenna, but I wouldn't really call it multi-directional. I just purchased the 'new' DB8 and installed it recently. Looking to add a rotor and pre-amp when I can afford it to get a few channels outside of my aiming area.

Ian

2009-11-10, 08:05 PM	#31
ota_canuck Veteran Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Dunnville, Ontario on the Grand River, North shore Lake Erie Posts: 2,405	It all about marketing strategy One setback that I see with this [foldable] Eaglestar-Pro 6308 and with those other similarly designed folding 8bay chi-tennas is that it has 2 baluns & a joiner, whereas the Channel Master 4228 has 1 common balun. I don't believe that the design was ever intended to be used in the folded position. The foldability was intended for packaging and shipping cost advantages only. It is the North American marketers that have since added the antenna's foldability as somehow being an added advantage in order to compete in the marketplace with the superior Channel Master products. If your going to go the route of having 2 four-bay antennas, mounted side by side with a joiner,... I'd still prefer using a CM4228 or use 2 hacked CM4221"s and use a joiner to join the balun cables into the downlead,... or even better would be to attempt to modify the phase-lines connections [using a pair of phase line jumpers] to be able to use one single balun for the 2 hacked CM4221 antennas.

2009-11-12, 10:48 AM	#33
Marbles_00 Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Hamilton: Garth and Rymal Posts: 592	Well now, I think a neighbor down the road a little has the 8-bay version of this antenna on his roof. I thought it was a CM-4228, but looking at it last night, I noticed the elements looked exactly the same as the ones pictured here. I also noticed he had it setup with the reflectors slightly pointing away from each other. I was confused as to what he was trying to accomplish as they are both pointing in the general direction of the CNTower. Now I'm wondering if a by-problem of opening them straight is that they skew apart slightly more. Unfortunately I don't know the guy well enough to go to his door and strike up a conversation with him, but if I see him outside, I will for sure ask about it more. Maybe I'll get a picture of it. __________________ Mayhem Creations-"The Art Of Emotional Creation" sites.google.com/site/maycreates/Home -for viewing all my DIY projects

2009-11-13, 09:50 AM	#35
300ohm Veteran Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Somewhere in Delaware on the flat side Posts: 7,002	Does that Frequency Mixer read - Insertion Loss >/= 4.8 db ? __________________ My builds/plans (not the latest models) are located here.

2010-07-23, 09:12 PM	#44
CSaanich Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: (Shaw) Victoria Posts: 106	Multi directional DB8? I noticed that NCIX is now offering a smattering of TV antennas. One looks particularly interesting, the Multi-directional Antennas Direct DB8. If it works as advertised, it could solve my problem of signal reception from 2 different directions -- without the need for either an AB switch or rotator. Has anyone done any tests on this (re-newed design) antenna?

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2009-11-11, 09:51 AM	#32
HQS Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 28	It would be interesting to have a CM4228HD and a EP6308 hooked up and scanned in the exact same position, height and see what the final results are. That's about the only was to have a "controlled" experiment. I have tried two single EP's one towards BUff and one Towards T.O and have had satisfactory results. Hooked up two EP singles side by side and signal increased by 15points on signal meter. From my experiments with the 6305 singles and then placed side by side, the side by side method works the best for both Toronto and Buffalo. Wonder what two complete 6308's, one pointed towards Buffalo and one towards Toronto would yield??

2009-11-13, 04:27 AM	#34
sunnydays Rookie Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 18	HQS, Please try and conduct the experiment if u have the time as I am thinking of upgrading to a CM 4228hd but I'm really not a handy man and i hate to put one outside that looks like a piece of crap. It would be great if the one u bought is on par with the modified CM 4228HD, the best thing is, all I need to do is to install it and everything is all set to go. Thanks so much, appreciate it!

2009-11-13, 04:01 PM	#39
stampeder OTA Forum Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: North Delta, BC (96Av x 116St) Posts: 23,338	But when they used "Antenna Master 4228" they made it much more easy for Channel Master to allege a trademark offense if they so choose.

2009-11-16, 05:54 PM	#40
HQS Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 28	Hello Folks.. O.k. I had a chance today to put up the EaglestarPro 6308 antenna and hooked it into my Chinese Pre-amp which also has the CM4228 old style hooked into it also. I pointed the antenna 6308 towards Buffalo and Erie PA and my CM4228 is pointed towards Hamilton. Performed a channel scan a received about 28 channels. Pretty much the same I had before using the CM4228 by itself. I can't comment on just the 6308 by itself as it was gettin dark and my testing was coming to a close. When I get a chance, I'm going to disconnect the 4228 and just try the 6308 for results. Attached are a couple of pics of my setup.. Thanks,, HQS

2009-11-21, 03:37 PM	#41
tedsky Rookie Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Niagara Region Posts: 14	HQS, Where exactly are you located? From one of the pics ... it appears you might be on Lake Ontario facing Toronto - from Grimsby perhaps? That`s a pretty hefty fold in the antenna. Appears to be around 90° concave. Wonder whether the signals being received by each screen in the array are crossing out some percentage of one another. Have you had any luck with folding either concavely (to say no greater than 225°) or convexly (to say no less than 135°) and seeing what results? Great that you`re in the position of having both types of antennae (being discussed) in your possession to try. We`re all proverbial flies on the wall in anticipation here! TTYL Ted

2009-11-22, 01:50 PM	#42
stampeder OTA Forum Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: North Delta, BC (96Av x 116St) Posts: 23,338	tesdky you can click on another member's user name and pull down to "Find More Posts by..." to see where they've previously posted their location.

2010-01-02, 08:29 AM	#43
HQS Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 28	Guys... Didn't notice any additional gain or loss to my OTA setup with the addition of the antenna's. tesdky located at the highest point in the Niagara Pen. You can see Niagara Falls in the distance. When it get's a little warmer, I'm going to add a 7777 and make some adjustments to the EP Antenna. Just TOO COLD now!.. Hope everyone had a great Xmas and Happy New Years. HQS

2010-07-24, 12:02 AM	#45
Thislilfishy Rookie Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Orangeville, Ontario Posts: 13	I only see the DB4 on NCIX, either way I am not sure why it's being advertised as multi-directional. It seems to have a moderately wide reception area (I think about 20 degrees) for a directional antenna, but I wouldn't really call it multi-directional. I just purchased the 'new' DB8 and installed it recently. Looking to add a rotor and pre-amp when I can afford it to get a few channels outside of my aiming area. Ian