Best short-range antenna?

[c.coyle]

. . . . You are not asking for much from it and I suspect that it will pickup your 3 stations fine. What more do you need? . . .

50-50 that some basic rabbit ears work as well as anything else for local stations.

 

[GO-NAD!]

I borrowed a friend's indoor antenna and couldn't pick up squat on our bedroom TV....then I realized that this TV doesn't have it's own ATSC tuner. It's an older model Sharp that we bought before it was mandated that all new TVs had to have the ATSC tuner. So, I'll have to get a tuner, such as the Mediasonic or the Channel Master, if we're gonna keep that TV.

And, in discussions with the house CEO, I am encountering resistance to the idea of cutting the cable, even though pretty much everything she watches is on the 3 OTA channels we can get (other than programs on Netflix, of course). Looks like I'll have to accomplish my goal by increments. We have a 4:3 Sharp 13" LCD in the kitchen that is 480i only. I won't be able to get an HD OTA signal on it anyway, so I've received clearance to replace that TV with a new one with an ATSC tuner, along with an indoor antenna. After that's set up, we'll see how she likes that and go from there. I think it'll be a Samsung 22" F5000 series - inexpensive, dumb, but with a very good picture quality, according to CNET. It's an upfront expense that I hope will pay off in the long run.

 

[markw]

Good move. With the prices of TV's nowadays, getting a new TV, particularly a small screen, makes more financial sense than buying a standalone tuner. Plus, the picture will be far, far superior to that antique.

(I've still got an old CRT still running,but off of cable.)

 

[GO-NAD!]

Well, I picked up the TV and a Philips SDV1125T/27 passive VHF/UHF antenna on the way home from work. Two channels come in crystal clear, but I can only receive the third one with the antenna in the dining room window, which won't be acceptable. That channel is in the VHF band and some friends have told me that they needed amplified antennae for best performance. Looks like I'll need something better.

 

[markw]

I assume the two that come in clear are in the same area and that third one is off in a different direction?

 

[GO-NAD!]

I assume the two that come in clear are in the same area and that third one is off in a different direction?

Actually, they are all close together. But that troublesome one broadcasts in the VHF band, while the others are up in the UHF band. I just don't think the antenna is good enough to get good reception in the VHF band. I have a brick house too. Don't know if that affects signal strength more than other materials. I think my indoor antenna options are: huge, in the window, or amplified. The only tolerable one will be amplified. I'm hesitant to go with an attic/slash outdoor antenna right now, until/unless the wife decides she's ready to cut the cable.

Wow, just listen to me - I've been reading up on this stuff for a couple of days, and now I'm pretending to know what I'm talking about.

 

[Adam]

I have a brick house too.

I guess Doug wasn't exaggerating after all.



Dude, why did you get a ~$12 antenna? You cheap bastard. Anyway, enough of that...how long did you spend trying to adjust the dipoles to get that VHF channel? So, adjusting the length and orientation (shut up ). Btw, like a stalker, I looked up your stations last night and saw that they're all in line with each other and which one was VHF.

 

[Rickster71]

...how long did you spend trying to adjust the dipoles to get that VHF channel? So, adjusting the length and orientation .

Two good points.
I'll bet if you put that up in the attic and adjusted to that station it would make a difference.
Height is a big deal with an antenna, not just length, like Adam and Doug are always talking about.

 

[markw]

Actually, they are all close together. But that troublesome one broadcasts in the VHF band, while the others are up in the UHF band. I just don't think the antenna is good enough to get good reception in the VHF band. I have a brick house too. Don't know if that affects signal strength more than other materials. I think my indoor antenna options are: huge, in the window, or amplified. The only tolerable one will be amplified. I'm hesitant to go with an attic/slash outdoor antenna right now, until/unless the wife decides she's ready to cut the cable.

Wow, just listen to me - I've been reading up on this stuff for a couple of days, and now I'm pretending to know what I'm talking about.

VHF and UHF are two different bands and require different antenna for best reception. UHF, the norm for HDTV uses a smaller antenna while VHF works best with those big, clunky ones we all grew up with.

HDTV antennas sold today, at least here, are all UHF antennas.

Maybe an old-fashioned pair of rabbit ears in parallel (through a splitter/combner) with your new UHF/HDTV antenna might work.

 

[Adam]

Maybe an old-fashioned pair of rabbit ears in parallel (through a splitter/combner) with your new UHF/HDTV antenna might work.

The antenna that he bought has VHF dipoles. It's not a great antenna, but it might work if he spends some time to place them correctly. That said, his wife is probably going to hate how it ends up looking.

I get the VHF digital stations here well with my "UHF" antennas, but the stations here in VHF are close to the top end of the spectrum, so easier to get. I do have a pre-amp and amplifier for my antennas, though, which is essential at my house.

 

[GO-NAD!]

I guess Doug wasn't exaggerating after all.



Dude, why did you get a ~$12 antenna? You cheap bastard. Anyway, enough of that...how long did you spend trying to adjust the dipoles to get that VHF channel? So, adjusting the length and orientation (shut up ). Btw, like a stalker, I looked up your stations last night and saw that they're all in line with each other and which one was VHF.

Yeah, it's a cheap antenna, but I just picked something that was available at the store where I got the TV, as I had no idea what I was going to need. And, it worked perfectly for all three channels - as long as it was sitting in our dining room window. After putting it on the stand beside the TV, I lost the VHF channel; I must admit, I didn't spend much time trying to adjust it. Tomorrow, I'll try messing with it some more. Another friend lent me a different antenna this afternoon - a RCA CANT 1400. He gets all three channels with it, but I can't get that VHF channel with it, even when I put it in the window. I'm hesitant to invest a lot in an antenna, while my wife is still on the fence about cutting the cable.

 

[GO-NAD!]

Two good points.
I'll bet if you put that up in the attic and adjusted to that station it would make a difference.
Height is a big deal with an antenna, not just length, like Adam and Doug are always talking about.

Hey, if she agrees with cutting the cable, I'd be willing to put an antenna in the attic that wouldn't look out of place on a destroyer.

 

[GO-NAD!]

The antenna that he bought has VHF dipoles. It's not a great antenna, but it might work if he spends some time to place them correctly. That said, his wife is probably going to hate how it ends up looking.

I get the VHF digital stations here well with my "UHF" antennas, but the stations here in VHF are close to the top end of the spectrum, so easier to get. I do have a pre-amp and amplifier for my antennas, though, which is essential at my house.

You got that right. If I'm able to get the antenna set up in such a way that it picks up the VHF channel, it'll probably look like cr@p.

 

[GO-NAD!]

Eureka! I messed with the Philips antenna some more and I finally got reception on all three channels with it sitting on the stand beside the TV. The picture on all three channels is fantastic! One of the rabbit ears is straight up, while the other is almost horizontal. It looks a bit wonky, but at least I don't have to put it in the window. The RCA would have been less visually distracting, as it's about the same size as an iPad, but I couldn't get the VHF channel with it. If the wife comes around and agrees with cutting the cable, I'll get a "proper" antenna and put it in the attic or outside. I'll need to feed two more displays with it and the cable runs will be fairly long.

Some possibilities:
http://overtheair.saveandreplay.com/channel_master_2016.asp

http://overtheair.saveandreplay.com/channel_master_3016.asp (This would probably work better)
Thoughts?

 

[Adam]

Congrats!

For an attic system with multiple displays, I highly recommend a preamp and amp combination - which means that you'll want all of your splitter/combiners to be able to pass power through them (I think I've seen that called "power pass," "DC pass," or "DC power pass").

 

[GO-NAD!]

Congrats!

For an attic system with multiple displays, I highly recommend a preamp and amp combination - which means that you'll want all of your splitter/combiners to be able to pass power through them (I think I've seen that called "power pass," "DC pass," or "DC power pass").

I'm really not clear on the difference between a pre-amp and an amp in this application. Just looking at Channel Master devices, I read the descriptions of their pre-amps and distribution amps and it appears to me that they do the same thing, except the distribution amps just feed more displays. Why would one need both? In case it hasn't dawned on you yet, I'm pretty clueless about this stuff...

 

[Alex2507]

In case it hasn't dawned on you yet, I'm pretty clueless about this stuff...

... not to mention cheap.

 

[Adam]

I'm really not clear on the difference between a pre-amp and an amp in this application. Just looking at Channel Master devices, I read the descriptions of their pre-amps and distribution amps and it appears to me that they do the same thing, except the distribution amps just feed more displays. Why would one need both? In case it hasn't dawned on you yet, I'm pretty clueless about this stuff...

An amp by itself, at least in my case, didn't do much. It's the combo that you want. I'd have to go refresh my memory as to all of the details, but I just remember that I need both. The preamp goes as close to the antenna as possible. I think it conditions the signal and filters some stuff out. The amp, if memory serves, only amplifies the signal post-preamp...so it's amplifying the filtered signal.

You can get amplified antennas that have the preamp built in, and the amp is a pretty small inline cable that you connect to your TV. For example, this Monoprice antenna for about $20 (which I used and was fairly impressed by...except the mount would move too much in the wind when outside). I forget if I've recommended that one to you in the past...I've recommended it to a few folks who want to try something small first (shut...up...).

 

[GO-NAD!]

Well, it's a couple years later and SWMBO has come around and wants to cut the cable. So, I'll be going with an antenna in the attic. We aren't going to hook up the bedroom TV, as we haven't watched it in ages. Right now, I'm leaning towards the RCA ANT751R or the Channel Master CM2016. From what I've been reading, I should just hook up each display in turn and make sure I'm getting a good signal, then insert a splitter to feed 2 displays. If the signal is good, amplification may overload the tuner - as I understand it. If I get good reception, I'm done. If not, I may be looking at amplification.

 

[Swerd]

Well, it's a couple years later and SWMBO has come around and wants to cut the cable. So, I'll be going with an antenna in the attic.

Great news. Cable is so 20th century.

Right now, I'm leaning towards the RCA ANT751R or the Channel Master CM2016. From what I've been reading, I should just hook up each display in turn and make sure I'm getting a good signal, then insert a splitter to feed 2 displays. If the signal is good, amplification may overload the tuner - as I understand it. If I get good reception, I'm done. If not, I may be looking at amplification.

Get whichever antenna is the easiest to install. They look like they have similar gain. Those are both UHF antennae, but with local signals they might be good enough for upper band VHF.

Avoid using an antenna pre-amp (goes between antenna and TV) if you can. It can amplify noise as well as the signal. You'll also need electrical power for it in your attic. You can always add one later, if needed.

The worst building materials that interfere with TV signals are aluminum foil-backed insulation, or steel-reinforced concrete. I don't believe brick walls interfere nearly as bad with TV signals. You already know what works indoors. Try it and see what you get. You have local broadcast towers and I hope their signal is strong enough to work for you.