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Thread: HD antenna?

  1. #1

    HD antenna?

    I am wondering what experiences any have had with this whole HD antenna thing (knowing its just an antenna). We are "cutting the cord" or whatever its called at the house. Work is so swamped we are never home and 80+ a month for a TV that we dont watch is ridiculous. Getting the OTA stations coupled with Netflix would more that suffice at home.

    I have been reading but man its a gauntlet of information that is all covered by the "an antenna that works well in one location may not work well in another". We are at least 35 miles from the nearest station but we are on a 1500' ridgeline with a clear line of sight for, well, forever.

    Just wondering if anyone had any words of wisdom before I just close my eyes, point to the screen, and order which ever one I am pointing at.

    Thanks,
    Mark

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Grand Rapids, MI
    Posts
    144
    I've been using an antenna for a couple of years and I would have a really hard time pay for cable/satellite again. I would look at http://antennaweb.org/ which will give you distances and headings for each of your local stations. My stations range from 11-35 miles from my house and all of them are SE expect for 2 stations which NW. I bought a Terk HDTVO which I point NE and can pickup all the stations. I gave the antenna a try because it was inexpensive and easy to mount.

    Antenna reviews can't be trusted because it really varies per location if the antenna performs well. My recommendation is to try an inexpensive antenna if the stations you want are relatively close.

    Another option for TV watching that is good to combine with Netflix and an antenna is to look at iTunes TV rentals/purchases or Amazon on-demand. If there are certain shows you want to watch, you can purchase/rent them from either place relatively inexpensively. If you need a set top box for watching Netflix streaming, look at an Apple TV or Roku. Sony Playstation 3 also makes a great Netflix streaming device and Blu-Ray player.

    Hopefully this helps.

  3. #3
    Eric,
    Thanks for the input its greatly appreciated. We have looked at most of the on-line options you mention however the streaming thing wont fly at the house as its pretty remote and no internet. Mentioned in another post that we had satellite internet but that is out for streaming as they limit data transfer and we have long since bailed out of its high monthly cost.

    We both (wife and I) work a lot so we watch/listen to a lot of podcasts and many shows she likes she can watch online here at the shop. (just goes to show, Sunday 12/26 7:18PM and we are here at the shop working).

    I like your advice of the inexpensive antenna. We have stations to the south, SE, SW and N so I had been thinking of a long range directional (one of these 150 mile deals). Under 100.00 isnt bad but a lot of them seem pretty cheap/chincy to where you may be buying one every so often.

    Mark

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Peshtigo,WI
    Posts
    1,395
    Mark

    I'm using a antenna that's over 20 years old and I pick up most of the seven channels that are about sixty miles away. Some days are spotty but I'll get at least three of them all the time. Alot of what I've read says that if you had good reception with your antenna before you should still have good reception after the switch to digital...I know I'll catch heck for that statement. But it's been true for me YMMV

    Jerry
    Confidence: The feeling you experience before you fully understand the situation

  5. #5
    It really is pretty simple. If your receiving antenna can "see" the xmit antenna and you can position the elements of your antenna 90 degrees from the direction of the signal, reception will be good with any HD antenna. When signals come from different directions is when it becomes more complicated. It sounds like you are in an ideal situation to just pick one out and point in the right direction. I live in a valley that would require at least a 60' mast so it wont work for me, darnit.
    I do it right, cause I do it twice.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Bruette View Post
    Mark

    I'm using a antenna that's over 20 years old and I pick up most of the seven channels that are about sixty miles away. Some days are spotty but I'll get at least three of them all the time. Alot of what I've read says that if you had good reception with your antenna before you should still have good reception after the switch to digital...I know I'll catch heck for that statement. But it's been true for me YMMV

    Jerry
    Jerry,
    Thanks for the info. The statement you make is why I said in my initial post (knowing its just an antenna). At least from what I have read what you say is dead on true. There is no such thing as an HD antenna it just becomes an issue of an antenna's ability to separate wide spread signals.

    My only history in this location with an antenna has been with an indoor rabbit ears/loop setup before we fell trap to the 200 channel beast. We did get decent reception, perhaps great, as I recall so I too think, as Rick said, we are in a prime location. I do remember at times doing the old, spread the antenna-hold a leg in the air-tie a piece of foil to one ear and hook it to that door hinge-type thing, but it was very rare.

    I guess I am just trying to come to the old decision of do I go with the basic unit that just sits there and gets what it gets or do I fall prey to another 200 channel beast (divided by 10) that touts to pickup every channel for 150 miles (whether it will or not). Of course these "super" antennae are directional, have rotors, and need to be pointed somewhat for a given set of tower locations.

    There are a core set of stations (perhaps 7) in the nearest city (30 miles) but there are some 40 odd stations in a 100 mile radius of us. There would surely be a lot of redundancy, and we have a tree line to the north which may affect our ability to catch some of those.

    Its the age old, can I get by with the 5" Dewalt ROS for 50 bucks or do I want to spring for the Festool? Only difference here is the price spread is like 65.00 up to 150.00 but neither one is guaranteed to work in the first place.

    Mark

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Monroe, MI
    Posts
    11,896
    You might look around for a local antenna dealer (not a big box or Radio Shack.) They should be able to tell you what will and won't work.


  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Matt Meiser View Post
    You might look around for a local antenna dealer (not a big box or Radio Shack.) They should be able to tell you what will and won't work.
    Matt,
    I did try that, and as much as I love it here and wouldn't trade it for the world, a lot of WV is kinda the armpit of the universe with regards to availability to such things. I guess its one of the trade offs for the bonus'.

    It's kinda that way here with everything, mainly chain food, chain stores, and so on. I am still looking though as I am always more willing to get my info from a local source, support the locals, as well as the likelihood of being able to swap out one that didn't work for one that does.

    Still looking, and Thanks!
    Mark

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Toronto Ontario
    Posts
    11,248
    Mark, I probably have no advice that's applicable to your location, however we went with off air TV last spring.

    I receive 17 digital and 9 analogue channels which is great.

    One of them is PBS Buffalo, where we receive the normal program as well as the ThinkBright program. ThinkBright is great, I receive 4 woodworking shows on Saturday.

    We normally watch public broadcasters such as PBS, CBC, TVO etc, as I find the remainder of the programming designed to kill what few functioning brain cells I still have.

    The suggestion to purchase an antenna and try it is good, you may need an antenna rotator depending upon where the stations are located.

    Regards, Rod.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    The Hartland of Michigan
    Posts
    7,628
    Retailers have been pitching so called "HD antennas" with a higher price attached to them. There is NO difference between the rooftop antenna of years past, and the HD ones of today.
    An antenna is an antenna. If it picks up TV stations, that is all you need.
    Never, under any circumstances, consume a laxative and sleeping pill, on the same night

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Rod Sheridan View Post
    We normally watch public broadcasters such as PBS, CBC, TVO etc, as I find the remainder of the programming designed to kill what few functioning brain cells I still have.
    This is us as well. My wife does like some of the mind numbing stuff on occasion but I am much more the Nova, Frontline, etc. type. I will be making a decision today and we will see how it goes. Thanks for the input.

    Mark

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Myk Rian View Post
    There is NO difference between the rooftop antenna of years past, and the HD ones of today.
    An antenna is an antenna. If it picks up TV stations, that is all you need.
    Myk,
    Yeah, I have said that here in the thread. I am just trying to find one that works well but as has been gone over when your out a little ways it can be very location specific. I am also trying to balance a little bit as I dont really want one of the traditional looking antenna's on the roof if I can avoid it. Beggars cant be choosers as my mom use to say, but if I could find something a little more compact or that I could mount lower or on the side of the house (if I forgo the northern stations) it would look a little better.

    Just as always, lots of criteria, and then trying to insure something works.

    Mark

  13. #13
    Mark, I went through this a year ago and like you I couldn't find anyone who carried them that I felt knew what they were talking about. Found several antenna's that I thought were good but when I checked them against that antennaweb org site they were not listed for some reason. Then I contacted these folks. http://www.dennysantennaservice.com/ Its a family run business and those folks are great. In just one call they told all the stations that I could expect to recieve and gave me several options for a antenna. I ended up with a Winegaurd 8200U, the biggest and baddest IMO. They only carry one rotor and its a far cry from anything I can remember, I love it. Then I picked up a signal booster, also from dennys. In short I regularly recieve channels that the antenna web site says I cannot get, but dennys said I can. Since you don't have anyone in your area qualified for this my best advice is get with them.

  14. #14

    HD Antenna

    Don't laugh, but consumer reports actually recommends this one.

    http://blog.makezine.com/archive/200...v_antenna.html

    If you are hanging around here, this shouldn't be a problem.

    Eric
    I keep cutting and it is still too short.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Conway, Arkansas
    Posts
    608
    Quote Originally Posted by eric mah View Post
    Don't laugh, but consumer reports actually recommends this one.

    http://blog.makezine.com/archive/200...v_antenna.html

    If you are hanging around here, this shouldn't be a problem.

    Eric
    That is the one I built 2.5 years ago and it works perfectly. I get all the available stations as clear as my neighbor across the street with a fancy $100 antenna.

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