Cool home made High Def antenna

[Tom Henry]

OK...I just got a 47" 1080p LCD TV and I am getting Fios tomorrow. The TV comes with a built-in HD reciever and I was thinking I could get some rabbit ears to pick up local HD to use the picture in picture with the Fios. I went out and got some HD rabbit ear and I only got like 2 channels in clear. Then I found this on a HD forum and built it. I now can get all the local channels in without a problem and all in HD. So when I get Fios I will be using it with the picture and picture with 2 football games...:eek: :D

Here is the link on how to build the rabbit ears...It really works!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw

[Mike Henderson]

That looks like a yagi antenna (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yagi_antenna) (or a log periodic antenna (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Log_periodic_antenna)). They were very common back when people had outside antennas, before cable. It would work best when pointed at the transmitting tower, if the elements are of the right length.

While home made antennas work, a well made commercial antenna should work even better.

Mike

[Tom Henry]

For less than $5...For a back up to my Fios and use Picture and Picture...Its Great!!!

[Peter Stahl]

Here's a commercial one someone on another forum bought and said it worked really well.

http://www.amazon.com/Antennas-Direct-DB8-Directional-Antenna/dp/B000EHWCDW/ref=sr_1_3/103-9042020-3394237?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1193333904&sr=1-3

[Ken Garlock]

IF you already have a good working VHF-UHF TV antenna, use it.

The Electro-magnetic waves, aka signal, don't know "HD" from applesauce. All the signal knows is that a particular antenna element is friendly to its frequency, and thus induces a minute voltage in the element, and hence on to you TV receiver.

IF you do have a working antenna, it is good practice to check for loose and/or corroded screws and bolts on it. Also, if your lead-in cable is old, it would be a good idea to replace it with good cable. Good cable is spelled B-e-l-d-e-n.

[Tom Henry]

It is just a regular antenna! But I did buy one of those "HD Antenna's" and it didn't get more than two channels in clear and this one gets them all.

[Todd Burch]

Pretty slick Tom! I watched the video. That's a no brainer!

Todd

[Ken Garlock]

It is just a regular antenna! But I did buy one of those "HD Antenna's" and it didn't get more than two channels in clear and this one gets them all.

Tom, there are many things that can impact antenna performance. As I noted above, old antenna lead-in cable can introduce signal loss. Corroded terminals can act like little rectifiers and literally short circuit the signal.

The number of elements the antennas has will impact antenna "gain." Antenna gain is a measure of how the antenna performs when compared to a single element antenna, commonly called a dipole. In general, the more elements the higher the antenna gain, and hence at your TV set the stronger the signal will be.

Your experience shows that you had a deficient antenna, and replaced it with a new one. The fact that it says "HD" on the box has absolutely nothing to do with the way the new antenna works. IF your old antenna was in good working order you would not have noticed a difference, ceteris paribus.

[Tom Henry]

I have Direct TV and never had an antenna. I don't think I ever had an antenna in my life! I go and buy an HD TV and someone tells me I can pick up a HD signal through the air, I am all over that. I am not about to go out and buy a huge antenna for outside my house. I just wanted the option to do picture in picture if I wanted to with the availablity of 2 HD receivers at the TV. I bought a $30 HD rabbit ears and only picked up 2 clear channels. I build this thing for $4 bucks and get them all clear as day. I am not an expert in antennas but the $4 one is going to work as a second to my Fios.

[Chris Padilla]

Darn, Ken, you beat me to everything!! :mad:

About the only thing I have to add is that when I took my antennas class in college, the professor always drilled into our heads to think of antennas as current devices. So currents get induced and flow around the elements of an antenna. :)

HD antennas...is that like Double Doppler or Super Doppler? :p

I think at most, the 300-ohm twin axial leaded cable will be replaced by 75-ohm coaxial cable and that is probably about it.