Channel Master OTA Gear & Antennas - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

Plugplay · 2004-04-26, 03:13 PM

I am looking for suggestions. I currently get all the Buffalo DTV stations between 75 and 98% with my Silver Sensor but I only get WNLO from 20-40%. I just need a small boost as to not create problems with the others. can anyone provide suggestions on a good booster for me and where to find it. Thanks.

seanb10 · 2004-05-04, 02:19 PM

Here is a link on some antennas. It includes pics of the ones mentioned in the write up which includes the 4228. I remembered the 4228 as JohnnyG had mentioned it before and I wanted to see one. Sorry if it's a dup of what was already posted before somewhere else here. Also, I don't really know the significance of the gains you'll see in the comparison graphs, but I would think with what was mentioned here in this thread about hdtv service channels being in the 2-51 range, some weight has to be given to some of the other antennas out there that perform better in the low range.

Anyways here it is. There is some other good reading there also.

http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html

JohnnyG · 2004-05-04, 04:20 PM

That article says the 4228 is heavy (15lbs) but I always thought it seemed feather light! I'll have to weigh one when new stock arrives. Maybe it just seems light for something that size.

JohnnyG · 2004-05-06, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyG

That article says the 4228 is heavy (15lbs) but I always thought it seemed feather light! I'll have to weigh one when new stock arrives. Maybe it just seems light for something that size.

I thought that sounded odd...just weighed one and it came in at 3.5KG, or 7.7 pounds.

Phobos · 2004-11-01, 10:40 AM

I have an Channel Master 4228 antenna installed in my attic. I would like to add a mast mounted amplifier that connects the 300 Ohm connectors on the antenna. The grounding block would then have to connect the the 75 Ohm coax line that comes from the amp.

My concern is that the amplifier is not protected since the ground occurs down-line from it. Wouldn't the ground occur through the amp's power supply before it reaches the current reaches the grounding block? ...or amp power supplies cords only 2- prong?

Thoughts?

Should I get a amp that accepts 75 Ohm (i.e CM 7776) to avoid this issue?

peano · 2005-04-06, 05:38 PM

The Channel Master 4228 is also good.

If you can find an old Hughes E8 or E86 DirecTv receiver when you are in the states, it has an OTA HD tuner in it and you don't need satellite service for it to work.

tigerbangs · 2005-04-25, 04:26 PM

Howdy, Stampeder!
I popped in here since Stampeder told me that there is now an OTA HDTV thread here. I have been in the antenna business for over 30 years in the US, and have installed literally hundreds of antennas over the years. I also own a place in Ottawa, and frequently go acoss the border betwen Canada and the US.

HDTV has evolved very differently in Canada than it has in the US. In the States, HDTV was driven by over-the-air broadcasting, and cable TV and satellite followed after OTA broadcasting took hold: Since Canada has a much higher level of cable penetration than the US does, cable TV and satellite introduced HDTV to the public, and the Canadian OTA broadcasters are just beginning to build digital transmitters.

Many Canadians have been on satellite or cable TV for so long that they have forgotten all about terristial broadcasting, but those Canadians who live in GTA and Windsor who have access to OTA HDTV broadcasts from the US know how much better the uncompressed OTA HDTV signals look. Now, for the first time, Canadians outside of those areas will begin to see OTA HDTV, and are searching for answers as to how to solve reception problems.

I would expect that in 2 years or so, OTA HDTV transmissions will be much more common in the larger Canadian cities, however, expect that smaller communities will wait quite a bit longer before they see OTA HDTV.

The US has a few websites that help predict TV coverage, but those sites don't work for Canada, but a safe rule of thumb is that one can expect reliable digital reception at a distance of 80-100km from the transmitters when the proper receiving equipment is used.

Many Canadians are finding that there are few antenna distributors in Canada, and many are finding it difficult to buy the equipment that they need. One good bet is to seek out Wade Antenna in Simcoe, ON, a manufacturer of high-quality OTA antennas and mounting equipment. My impression of the company is that they make good products, and are well-regarded on both sides of the border, but that they aren't very market-savvy, and haven't really gotten their arms around the OTA digital revolution. Their VHF and combination VHF-UHF antennas are among the very best available, but their line of UHF-only antennas is not up to the standards set by Channel Master or Winegard.

The most highly regarded UHF-only antenna these days is the Channel Master 4228, which is an 8-bay bow-tie design that has a combination of high gain and a large receiving apature, making it ideal for fringe-area UHF reception. Yagi-type UHF antennas, while they are quite directional, are rarely suited to deep-fringe UHF reception, not because of a lack of gain, but because UHF signals scatter at distances of 50KM or more, and the receiving apature of a Yagi antenna is much smaller than that of a multi-bay type antenna.

I have seen several posts regarding the Winegard 9032 UHF yagi, and I have to laugh, because I have recent replaced 2 of those antennas for customers with Channel Master 4228 antennas, with FAR superior results. Buying an antenna based on published gain figures does not guarentee adaquate reception. While I am glad that those people who have bought the Winegard 9032 are pleased with their purchases, to tout that antenna's superiority based solely on it's gain figure is to misunderstand how fringe UHF reception works.

987654321 · 2005-04-25, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tigerbangs

.

Yagi-type UHF antennas, while they are quite directional, are rarely suited to deep-fringe UHF reception, not because of a lack of gain, but because UHF signals scatter at distances of 50KM or more, and the receiving apature of a Yagi antenna is much smaller than that of a multi-bay type antenna.

If only Channel Master would start making that 7' parabolic again...

tigerbangs · 2005-04-26, 12:32 AM

I agree with you: the Channel Master 4251 was the best consumer UHF antenna ever made, but it was huge, heavy and acted like a mainsail in a stiff wind. Since that antenna was designed, however, UHF thansmitters and transmitting antennas have gotten much better, and few consumers would benefit from an antenna that large today. For those who would, and have the means to properly mount them, Wade Antenna still makes some very good UHF parabolic antennas meant primarily for the CATV market, and I'm sure that, with a little bit of coaxing, they would sell them to a consumer.

http://www.wade-antenna.com

stampeder · 2005-04-26, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tigerbangs

Howdy, Stampeder! I popped in here since Stampeder told me that there is now an OTA HDTV thread here. I have been in the antenna business for over 30 years in the US, and have installed literally hundreds of antennas over the years. I also own a place in Ottawa, and frequently go acoss the border betwen Canada and the US.

Tiger! Great to have you here, and I bow to your experience and wisdom. Okay I'm not going to bow after all, but thanks for dropping in

.

leafian · 2005-04-26, 04:30 PM

Which one would you recommend? THE 9032 or CM4228?
I'm in Markham and would like to get the Buffalo and Toronto stations.
With a cheap RCA amplified indoor antenna I was able to get CBC,CTV, WIVB,OMNI, FOX and CITY. Of course I had to keep turning it to get all the stations. I would like to have an antenna that doesn't require a rotor.

PS. I just enabled PM and email replies. It was turned off earlier

tigerbangs · 2005-04-26, 09:00 PM

Hands down, the Channel Master 4228 is the better fringe area antenna: for your purposes, it also has a wider beamwidth, which will make it a bit less likely to require a rotator to work, but I would still include a rotator if you are looking for signals from more than one direction, especially if you are 60km or more from the signals.

Cable Free · 2005-04-27, 12:27 AM

Without taking a shot at anyone's choice of antenna, my research on the question of best antenna for UHF reception also seems to dovetail with Tigerbangs practical advice, namely the CM 4228 8 bay bowtie.

I found the following link comparing the gain of various antennas across the channel spectrum and thought people might find this interesting:

http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html

And this is from someone who is running his system with a Rat Shack Yagi (Toronto West End) so no bias on my part. See my other posts for a summary of my reception if interested.

HDTV101 · 2005-04-27, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cable Free

Without taking a shot at anyone's choice of antenna, my research on the question of best antenna for UHF reception also seems to dovetail with Tigerbangs practical advice, namely the CM 4228 8 bay bowtie.

I found the following link comparing the gain of various antennas across the channel spectrum and thought people might find this interesting:

http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html

And this is from someone who is running his system with a Rat Shack Yagi (Toronto West End) so no bias on my part. See my other posts for a summary of my reception if interested.

Actually there is alot of interesting info on that site here too: http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ISSUES/erecting_antenna.html

BTW what are all you people doing up at this time? Don't you people have to work???

I'm watching Conan in HD that's why I'm up!!!!!!!!!

leafian · 2005-04-27, 11:00 AM

Good! My first choice was always the CM4228 but some people recommended the 9032. Can you confirm the pricing on the CM4228? I will ask my friends if they want to get it too.
I'm not sure how many other people on this forum have expressed interest in getting it from you, but would 3 orders be enough for you?

2004-04-26, 03:13 PM	#1
Plugplay Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 98	Channel Master OTA Gear & Antennas I am looking for suggestions. I currently get all the Buffalo DTV stations between 75 and 98% with my Silver Sensor but I only get WNLO from 20-40%. I just need a small boost as to not create problems with the others. can anyone provide suggestions on a good booster for me and where to find it. Thanks.

2004-05-04, 02:19 PM	#2
seanb10 Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Windsor, Ont. Posts: 12	Channel Master Model 4228 & 4228HD Antennas Here is a link on some antennas. It includes pics of the ones mentioned in the write up which includes the 4228. I remembered the 4228 as JohnnyG had mentioned it before and I wanted to see one. Sorry if it's a dup of what was already posted before somewhere else here. Also, I don't really know the significance of the gains you'll see in the comparison graphs, but I would think with what was mentioned here in this thread about hdtv service channels being in the 2-51 range, some weight has to be given to some of the other antennas out there that perform better in the low range. Anyways here it is. There is some other good reading there also. http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html

2005-04-26, 04:30 PM	#11
leafian Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 8	Which to buy: Winegard 9032 or Channel Master 4228? Which one would you recommend? THE 9032 or CM4228? I'm in Markham and would like to get the Buffalo and Toronto stations. With a cheap RCA amplified indoor antenna I was able to get CBC,CTV, WIVB,OMNI, FOX and CITY. Of course I had to keep turning it to get all the stations. I would like to have an antenna that doesn't require a rotor. PS. I just enabled PM and email replies. It was turned off earlier

2005-04-27, 12:27 AM	#13
Cable Free Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 63	Channel Master 4228 is advised for UHF Without taking a shot at anyone's choice of antenna, my research on the question of best antenna for UHF reception also seems to dovetail with Tigerbangs practical advice, namely the CM 4228 8 bay bowtie. I found the following link comparing the gain of various antennas across the channel spectrum and thought people might find this interesting: http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html And this is from someone who is running his system with a Rat Shack Yagi (Toronto West End) so no bias on my part. See my other posts for a summary of my reception if interested.

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2004-05-04, 04:20 PM	#3
JohnnyG Veteran Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: North York, Ontario Posts: 10,405	That article says the 4228 is heavy (15lbs) but I always thought it seemed feather light! I'll have to weigh one when new stock arrives. Maybe it just seems light for something that size.

2004-11-01, 10:40 AM	#5
Phobos Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 6	I have an Channel Master 4228 antenna installed in my attic. I would like to add a mast mounted amplifier that connects the 300 Ohm connectors on the antenna. The grounding block would then have to connect the the 75 Ohm coax line that comes from the amp. My concern is that the amplifier is not protected since the ground occurs down-line from it. Wouldn't the ground occur through the amp's power supply before it reaches the current reaches the grounding block? ...or amp power supplies cords only 2- prong? Thoughts? Should I get a amp that accepts 75 Ohm (i.e CM 7776) to avoid this issue?

2005-04-06, 05:38 PM	#6
peano Veteran Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3,586	The Channel Master 4228 is also good. If you can find an old Hughes E8 or E86 DirecTv receiver when you are in the states, it has an OTA HD tuner in it and you don't need satellite service for it to work.

2005-04-25, 04:26 PM	#7
tigerbangs Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Springfield, MA and Ottawa Posts: 42	Howdy, Stampeder! I popped in here since Stampeder told me that there is now an OTA HDTV thread here. I have been in the antenna business for over 30 years in the US, and have installed literally hundreds of antennas over the years. I also own a place in Ottawa, and frequently go acoss the border betwen Canada and the US. HDTV has evolved very differently in Canada than it has in the US. In the States, HDTV was driven by over-the-air broadcasting, and cable TV and satellite followed after OTA broadcasting took hold: Since Canada has a much higher level of cable penetration than the US does, cable TV and satellite introduced HDTV to the public, and the Canadian OTA broadcasters are just beginning to build digital transmitters. Many Canadians have been on satellite or cable TV for so long that they have forgotten all about terristial broadcasting, but those Canadians who live in GTA and Windsor who have access to OTA HDTV broadcasts from the US know how much better the uncompressed OTA HDTV signals look. Now, for the first time, Canadians outside of those areas will begin to see OTA HDTV, and are searching for answers as to how to solve reception problems. I would expect that in 2 years or so, OTA HDTV transmissions will be much more common in the larger Canadian cities, however, expect that smaller communities will wait quite a bit longer before they see OTA HDTV. The US has a few websites that help predict TV coverage, but those sites don't work for Canada, but a safe rule of thumb is that one can expect reliable digital reception at a distance of 80-100km from the transmitters when the proper receiving equipment is used. Many Canadians are finding that there are few antenna distributors in Canada, and many are finding it difficult to buy the equipment that they need. One good bet is to seek out Wade Antenna in Simcoe, ON, a manufacturer of high-quality OTA antennas and mounting equipment. My impression of the company is that they make good products, and are well-regarded on both sides of the border, but that they aren't very market-savvy, and haven't really gotten their arms around the OTA digital revolution. Their VHF and combination VHF-UHF antennas are among the very best available, but their line of UHF-only antennas is not up to the standards set by Channel Master or Winegard. The most highly regarded UHF-only antenna these days is the Channel Master 4228, which is an 8-bay bow-tie design that has a combination of high gain and a large receiving apature, making it ideal for fringe-area UHF reception. Yagi-type UHF antennas, while they are quite directional, are rarely suited to deep-fringe UHF reception, not because of a lack of gain, but because UHF signals scatter at distances of 50KM or more, and the receiving apature of a Yagi antenna is much smaller than that of a multi-bay type antenna. I have seen several posts regarding the Winegard 9032 UHF yagi, and I have to laugh, because I have recent replaced 2 of those antennas for customers with Channel Master 4228 antennas, with FAR superior results. Buying an antenna based on published gain figures does not guarentee adaquate reception. While I am glad that those people who have bought the Winegard 9032 are pleased with their purchases, to tout that antenna's superiority based solely on it's gain figure is to misunderstand how fringe UHF reception works.

2005-04-26, 12:32 AM	#9
tigerbangs Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Springfield, MA and Ottawa Posts: 42	I agree with you: the Channel Master 4251 was the best consumer UHF antenna ever made, but it was huge, heavy and acted like a mainsail in a stiff wind. Since that antenna was designed, however, UHF thansmitters and transmitting antennas have gotten much better, and few consumers would benefit from an antenna that large today. For those who would, and have the means to properly mount them, Wade Antenna still makes some very good UHF parabolic antennas meant primarily for the CATV market, and I'm sure that, with a little bit of coaxing, they would sell them to a consumer. http://www.wade-antenna.com

2005-04-26, 09:00 PM	#12
tigerbangs Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Springfield, MA and Ottawa Posts: 42	Hands down, the Channel Master 4228 is the better fringe area antenna: for your purposes, it also has a wider beamwidth, which will make it a bit less likely to require a rotator to work, but I would still include a rotator if you are looking for signals from more than one direction, especially if you are 60km or more from the signals.

2005-04-27, 11:00 AM	#15
leafian Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 8	Good! My first choice was always the CM4228 but some people recommended the 9032. Can you confirm the pricing on the CM4228? I will ask my friends if they want to get it too. I'm not sure how many other people on this forum have expressed interest in getting it from you, but would 3 orders be enough for you?