antenna for HDTV

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

In my opinion... ;^) avoid the indoor antennas. You've got to be in a
situation where you're literally saturated with signal for an indoor
antenna to work. The fact that you're already having slight problems
suggests to me than an indoor antenna simply is not in the cards. Here's
where to look for suitable antennas: http://www.antennaweb.org - again
just my opinion, but whatever model/color band is recommended, consider
going one notch better.

There really is no such thing as "marginal reception" with digital signals
and HDTV. You either have solid, magnificent video or else you have none.
Between those two extremes you have pixelation and moments of frozen
video.

Also beware, the larger, higher gain antennas are much more directional
than the smaller ones. The high gain antennas can often pull in signals
from B.F. Egypt, but with fringe area signals you've got to be -POINTING-
-AT- the broadcast tower, not just somewhere in its general direction.


In article <d2i8m7$fvm$1@news.netins.net> "jb" <st1@cpsv.com> writes:

>Ok new to this.
>Bit the bullet and now have a HDTV receiver USDTV. Works good but I'm always
>looking for better...
>I've been using an outdoor antenna for years for 'normal' TV and am
>wondering if there is something better now a days.. It's an older Radio
>Shack, don't know the model number. Six element about 4 feet long.
>
>The HD stations are around 30 to 40 miles away. All but one that is
>available local I can get on calm 'no wind' days. Thinking about.... indoor?
>newer outdoor?
>
>Any suggestions?
>
>jb.
>

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

How is the signal strength with the existing antenna? Can you receive the HD
programmes without dropout? Maybe just upgrading the antennea head and feed
line will work? Maybe you need to consider a preamp at the antennea headend?
"hdtvfan" <hdtvfan@earthlink.com> wrote in message
news:aegp411dpcgm6f7278eutvl4vqrq37nk5c@4ax.com...
> Try something like the Winguard PR-4400 or even better the PR-8800.
> Actually the latter is two PR-4400 stacked side by side. A single
> 4400 gives about 10.5 gain. The 8800 is about 12 or 12.5. Its a
> strong but lightweight antenna. I have a 8800 up 30 feet and get a
> great digital signal with no dropouts from 80 miles away. It is line
> of site with no trees, just desert where I live.
>
> I included a 24 db pre-amp to overcome the 180 foot of RG6 coax. You
> may not need all that for the 30 miles.
>
> hdtvfan
>
> On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 20:04:09 -0600, MrFixit@msn.com (Mr Fixit) wrote:
>
>>In my opinion... ;^) avoid the indoor antennas. You've got to be in a
>>situation where you're literally saturated with signal for an indoor
>>antenna to work. The fact that you're already having slight problems
>>suggests to me than an indoor antenna simply is not in the cards. Here's
>>where to look for suitable antennas: http://www.antennaweb.org - again
>>just my opinion, but whatever model/color band is recommended, consider
>>going one notch better.
>>
>>There really is no such thing as "marginal reception" with digital signals
>>and HDTV. You either have solid, magnificent video or else you have none.
>>Between those two extremes you have pixelation and moments of frozen
>>video.
>>
>>Also beware, the larger, higher gain antennas are much more directional
>>than the smaller ones. The high gain antennas can often pull in signals
>>from B.F. Egypt, but with fringe area signals you've got to be -POINTING-
>>-AT- the broadcast tower, not just somewhere in its general direction.
>>
>>
>>In article <d2i8m7$fvm$1@news.netins.net> "jb" <st1@cpsv.com> writes:
>>
>>>Ok new to this.
>>>Bit the bullet and now have a HDTV receiver USDTV. Works good but I'm
>>>always
>>>looking for better...
>>>I've been using an outdoor antenna for years for 'normal' TV and am
>>>wondering if there is something better now a days.. It's an older Radio
>>>Shack, don't know the model number. Six element about 4 feet long.
>>>
>>>The HD stations are around 30 to 40 miles away. All but one that is
>>>available local I can get on calm 'no wind' days. Thinking about....
>>>indoor?
>>>newer outdoor?
>>>
>>>Any suggestions?
>>>
>>>jb.
>>>
>

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

> How is the signal strength with the existing antenna? Can you receive the
> HD programmes without dropout? Maybe just upgrading the antennea head and
> feed line will work? Maybe you need to consider a preamp at the antennea
> headend?
>> Try something like the Winguard PR-4400 or even better the PR-8800.
>> Actually the latter consists of two PR-4400 stacked side by side. A
>> single
>> 4400 gives about 10.5 gain. The 8800 is about 12 or 12.5. Its a
>> strong but lightweight antenna that has a good front to back rejection
>> and for a mast antenna system, induces very little side to side torque in
>> the wind. It will also receive upper vhf signals with about 5 db of
>> gain. I have a 8800 up 30 feet and get a
>> great digital signal with no dropouts from 80 miles away. It is line
>> of site with no trees, just desert where I live.
>>
>> I included a 24 db pre-amp to overcome the 180 foot of RG6 coax. You
>> may not need all that for the 30 miles.
>>
>> hdtvfan

Wind is not an issue unless your antenna is moving with the wind, in that
case consider guying and reduceing the extension (height) of the antenna.
Moisture in the air is an issue and high humidity days can reduce your
signal strength expecially with the higher UHF channels. If you install an
antenna amp beware that FM stations and STRONG local channels can overdrive
the amp, reduceing the gain for the weaker channels and potentially
modulating all channels causing sound dropouts on some channels slow channel
change and remapping issues. Also with an antenna amp you might have more
problems with skip in the early morning.

The US Digital is a 4th generation STB without the QAM support for cable.
So you will receive a picture even with slight co-channel (skip) and
modulation due to overdrive.

>> On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 20:04:09 -0600, MrFixit@msn.com (Mr Fixit) wrote:
>>
>>>In my opinion... ;^) avoid the indoor antennas. You've got to be in a
>>>situation where you're literally saturated with signal for an indoor
>>>antenna to work. The fact that you're already having slight problems
>>>suggests to me than an indoor antenna simply is not in the cards. Here's
>>>where to look for suitable antennas: http://www.antennaweb.org - again
>>>just my opinion, but whatever model/color band is recommended, consider
>>>going one notch better.
>>>
>>>There really is no such thing as "marginal reception" with digital
>>>signals
>>>and HDTV. You either have solid, magnificent video or else you have none.
>>>Between those two extremes you have pixelation and moments of frozen
>>>video.
>>>
>>>Also beware, the larger, higher gain antennas are much more directional
>>>than the smaller ones. The high gain antennas can often pull in signals
>>>from B.F. Egypt, but with fringe area signals you've got to be -POINTING-
>>>-AT- the broadcast tower, not just somewhere in its general direction.
>>>
>>>
>>>In article <d2i8m7$fvm$1@news.netins.net> "jb" <st1@cpsv.com> writes:
>>>
>>>>Ok new to this.
>>>>Bit the bullet and now have a HDTV receiver USDTV. Works good but I'm
>>>>always
>>>>looking for better...
>>>>I've been using an outdoor antenna for years for 'normal' TV and am
>>>>wondering if there is something better now a days.. It's an older Radio
>>>>Shack, don't know the model number. Six element about 4 feet long.
>>>>
>>>>The HD stations are around 30 to 40 miles away. All but one that is
>>>>available local I can get on calm 'no wind' days. Thinking about....
>>>>indoor?
>>>>newer outdoor?
>>>>
>>>>Any suggestions?
>>>>
>>>>jb.
>>>>
>>
>
>

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Thanks for the answers.. Since the post I've been doing some more looking..
Found the antenna.org web site. Looks like all of the HD stations in my area
are in the 'yellow' band except one. It's a 'purple'? way out. To bad it's
the CBS station.

Would a 'bow tie' style enable me to get to the far station and still be OK
for the close ones?

Thanks
jb..


"Dennis Mayer" <Polaris1@execpc.com> wrote in message
news:424D909A.B6EAE85D@execpc.com...
>
>
> jb wrote:
>>
>> Ok new to this.
>> Bit the bullet and now have a HDTV receiver USDTV. Works good but I'm
>> always
>> looking for better...
>> I've been using an outdoor antenna for years for 'normal' TV and am
>> wondering if there is something better now a days.. It's an older Radio
>> Shack, don't know the model number. Six element about 4 feet long.
>>
>> The HD stations are around 30 to 40 miles away. All but one that is
>> available local I can get on calm 'no wind' days. Thinking about....
>> indoor?
>> newer outdoor?
>>
>> Any suggestions?
>>
>> jb.
>
>
> If your 'TRUE' channel numbers range between 7 thru 59...
>
> UHF is chan 14 thru 59...
>
> Buy a $25 UHF Channel Master 3021 4 bay bow tie and use
>
> dual shielded RG-6 antenna Cable...
>
> UHF antennas are usually of the Bow Tie or Yagi style....
>
> Range goes up to 60 miles on UHF Channels...

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

The "bow tie" antenna is a yellow zone antenna unless you have a
multi-stack cophased array of them, i.e., a 4-bay or 8-bay array.

In article <d2m4bc$d37$1@news.netins.net> "jb" <st1@cpsv.com> writes:

>Thanks for the answers.. Since the post I've been doing some more looking..
>Found the antenna.org web site. Looks like all of the HD stations in my area
>are in the 'yellow' band except one. It's a 'purple'? way out. To bad it's
>the CBS station.

>Would a 'bow tie' style enable me to get to the far station and still be OK
>for the close ones?