want to add HD antenna

deldest · #1 08-16-2005, 11:35 AM

I've got an HD reciever (with DISH sattelite) going (component) to an Optoma H31 front prjector. The HD channels I get thru the sattelite feed are just amazing, but I believe I need an (off air / UHF?) HD antenna to actually recieve the (ABC/NBC/CBS) network broadcasts (when HD). I did not think this was the case originally as those channels showed up in two places (the normal 02-XX spot and 8XXX-9XXX spots) and I did get the HD package from dish. But it is strikingly obvious when compared that both (local network channel) feeds I'm getting from the dish are not HD.
As I check the Dish website this seems to confirm my suspicions.
My question is, What is a GOOD ANTENNA to get?? Are there any real differences for a huge range in price?? Does a normal, old fashioned UHF antenna actually transfer a HD signal? (some for sale that look just like an old UHF one). Is the only difference a new "standard" plug type to connect to my reciever? (instead of a two wire?). Is there a 'new standard' plug type for antennas (are they all the same?) as my reciever has a funny plug slot for an aux antenna.
I see some cheap "HD" antennas for sale for like $30 (are they good enough?)that look somewhat different than the old 'rabbit ears' that claim to be 'unidirectional' 'designed for HD' 'have signal amplification' etc. What features are important for this type of antenna??
Anyone have any recommendations on one, and what are you guys using??

Duffinator · #2 08-16-2005, 12:03 PM

How far are you from the broadcast towers as that will make a difference on what type of antenna you buy and where it's placed. I had a Zenith Silver Sensor indoors and it worked fine. Now I have this radio shack antenna mounted in my attic and it works fine. I live about 30 miles from the towers with nothing but flat land between us.

http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...5Fid=15%2D2160

Spiffyfast · #3 08-16-2005, 12:18 PM

www.hdtv.net is a great site and if I remember right you can search by your zipcode and see what ove the air channels you can pick up and it will even reccomend different types of antennas.

deldest · #4 08-16-2005, 12:30 PM

I'm guessing I am about 20 miles from the towers (they gotta be located somewhere in the city of Philadelphia).

And a little bit of searching/learning it looks like we're back to old style antennas. I think I would want a full sized one as I could mount in the attic as well (unless you guys know a really good indoor one that would make it unnecessary) and they all seem reasonable/cheap enough. It looks like most come with a regular coaxel cable now (gotta go home and check that input plug but somehow It looked a little different).
Also is there seperate broadcast frequencies for HD than VHF and UHF? I was assumming If I got a fullsize one I should get one that does both (UHF/VHF), but are some "tuned" better for (my main purpose) HD frequencies?

deldest · #5 08-16-2005, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spiffyfast

www.hdtv.net is a great site and if I remember right you can search by your zipcode and see what ove the air channels you can pick up and it will even reccomend different types of antennas.

Your right. Great site. seems to have everything I need. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!
No one else seems to be really covering this (why do I feel so stupid?) and I can understand why cable/sat providers aren't promoting it.

EDIT: Wish me luck, I'm gonna try for at least a 100+ mile Antenna as I can now see that there is many more HD channels in the NYC area (that I can't get from my dish). As well as not being forced to watch only Eagles games (I'm a NY Giants fan) I would be able to get a couple more NFL games (and other sports) per week if I can pull broadcasts from both media markets.....WOOHOOOOO.

Duffinator · #6 08-16-2005, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deldest

I'm guessing I am about 20 miles from the towers (they gotta be located somewhere in the city of Philadelphia).

And a little bit of searching/learning it looks like we're back to old style antennas. I think I would want a full sized one as I could mount in the attic as well (unless you guys know a really good indoor one that would make it unnecessary) and they all seem reasonable/cheap enough. It looks like most come with a regular coaxel cable now (gotta go home and check that input plug but somehow It looked a little different).
Also is there seperate broadcast frequencies for HD than VHF and UHF? I was assumming If I got a fullsize one I should get one that does both (UHF/VHF), but are some "tuned" better for (my main purpose) HD frequencies?

HD broadcast are all UHF. The FCC will sell off the VHF channels once the conversion to digital is complete. The antenna I posted previously is a full size UHF antenna. You do not need to go out and spend a fortune on an antenna. The back of your Dish box is coax. I've recommended that antenna to two friends that also installed them in their attics and it works great. But installing in an attic will not work in all situations. My suggestion is to temporarily mount it in your attic to see if it works. If it does great. If not then it will have to go on your roof.

gellor · #7 08-16-2005, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duffinator

HD broadcast are all UHF. The FCC will sell off the VHF channels once the conversion to digital is complete. The antenna I posted previously is a full size UHF antenna. You do not need to go out and spend a fortune on an antenna. The back of your Dish box is coax. I've recommended that antenna to two friends that also installed them in their attics and it works great. But installing in an attic will not work in all situations. My suggestion is to temporarily mount it in your attic to see if it works. If it does great. If not then it will have to go on your roof.

So if the Dish receiver has a coax input in the back, how hard is it to program the channels into the receiver? Or does it happen automagically when the receiver queries for channels?

deldest · #8 08-16-2005, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gellor

So if the Dish receiver has a coax input in the back, how hard is it to program the channels into the receiver? Or does it happen automagically when the receiver queries for channels?

When I was playing with my reciever (Dish sattelite) last night I found a menu/system setup/selection that toggled between "locals from dish/locals from off air". When you toggled to locals from off air it will invoke the search for channels (looks like it will provide a list that you select off of to add to your regular channels). Since mine (don't have antenna setup yet) didn't find any, I had no channels 0-100 until I toggled/set it back. I am assuming that when I install an antenna it will place it will put the (broadcast)regular channels in 0-13 and the new (broadcast) HD channels in 14-100. I should still get the locals (digital as streamed over the sattelite band) in the 8XXX-9XXX range.
Different recievers may be slightly different, and DirecTV might have a slightly different menu to scan/search for channels but I think the concept would be the same.

Has anyone had luck pulling channels from adjacent markets with the HD signals?? I know back in the day the analog reception was pretty good from far away in the NYC market. I know it all depends on the station and signal strength. Just wondering if the signal type (digital?) would freeze/drop on the fringes (read unwatchable) as apposed to just being a little snowy like the old analog signal. Thus giving it shorter transmission abilities? I'm probably about 80 miles from NYC, what does everyone think my chances are of getting an HD signal (used to be able to get an anolog on a good day)?

Duffinator · #9 08-16-2005, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gellor

So if the Dish receiver has a coax input in the back, how hard is it to program the channels into the receiver? Or does it happen automagically when the receiver queries for channels?

Basically what deldest said. I have DirecTV and it is similar. Once you have the setup options set correctly it will pick up the channels automatically and bring in the guide as well. It works very well.

I setup a friends Dish HD box but don't remember exactly what options need to be set but it should be pretty straight forward.

pidus · #10 08-16-2005, 03:02 PM

i also have direct tv (dtv) with local channels but not the HD setup...just the regular dtv....i will be adding a HD antenna soon and if i understand correctly i can feed the HD signal from the antenna into my dtv receiver and then out to my tv (which has it's own built-in HD tuner)........then i can have the function of the guide???.....how do i go about setting the receiver to not look for local channels from the dish signal and use the antenna signal?????