HDTV off air Antennas, is it worth going all out?

[Robio]

Hello I hooked up a few of my friends plasma and LCD TV’s for them and before they got cable or sat light I ran cable with a piece of wire and was amazed at how many digital stations I got plus the quality was amazing. What I did find was from time to time the picture would pixilated out so I suggested a proper Antenna and not a cable to a coat hanger LOL. With a slightly better indoor antenna it was a bit more stable and got a couple more stations but with each station only having good content for about 1 hour a week more stations would be better. Would it be worth going balls out on an antenna? How far will it reach I was told nothing really gets past the 50 mile mark and some land lords do not like the antenna farm on there dwelling

Whats good what works even if you are not near the lake

http://www.remotecentral.com/hdtv/

http://www.remotecentral.com/hdtv/bigmap.htm

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_pg_2...dtv antenna&rh=n:172282,k:hdtv antenna&page=2

 

[my2cents]

I have a router antenna with a standard tower UHF antenna and get alot of HD off air channels and they come in consistantly. I am in North Toronto. The picture is not compressed as much as it is on cable etc. and it is free. Any HDTV with a built in ATSC tuner can pick up off air. I only have the UHF antenna on my tower so can't say about the other ones.
If broadcaster were forced to provide a digital signal off air to all of their coverage area then people would give up cable because the true off air digital signal is better than a cable signal.
As most HDTV with ATSC tuners have a cable and off air input you could have both if you wanted.

 

[Robio]

Cool what channels do you get ?

I have a router antenna with a standard tower UHF antenna and get alot of HD off air channels and they come in consistantly. I am in North Toronto. The picture is not compressed as much as it is on cable etc. and it is free. Any HDTV with a built in ATSC tuner can pick up off air. I only have the UHF antenna on my tower so can't say about the other ones.
If broadcaster were forced to provide a digital signal off air to all of their coverage area then people would give up cable because the true off air digital signal is better than a cable signal.
As most HDTV with ATSC tuners have a cable and off air input you could have both if you wanted.

cool are you north center ,west or east ? look at this map do you get hamilton and grand Island channels ?

http://www.remotecentral.com/hdtv/bigmap.htm

 

[my2cents]

Not so much Hamilton except as NTSC but Grand Island, Buffalo I get. Of course Toronto. Location north west T.O.
Over the air digital signal is the best once you have seen it compared to cable etc. The signal is picture perfect not like old analog over the air signals.

 

[Freewheelin Franklin]

I'm in a condo not far from the CN Tower but unfortunately blocked to everything by another huge hi-rise right across the street.

With an indoor antenna (Zenith Silver Sensor) I can reliably receive 3 or 4 HD stations. When the planets align (e.g. HD programming of something in which I'm interested being broadcast on a station I can receive), the effect is unbelievable. I'm not a big NASCAR fan but I couldn't take my eyes of a NASCAR race broadcast in HD on Fox.

 

[baci2004]

ATI makes a HD tuner card that can be outputed to your HD TV. I believe you can receive all of the digital channels with it but it's not sold in Canada. I did a search on Ebay last year and saw them for around $100 USD.

 

[my2cents]

ATI makes a HD tuner card that can be outputed to your HD TV. I believe you can receive all of the digital channels with it but it's not sold in Canada. I did a search on Ebay last year and saw them for around $100 USD.

Check out www.tigerdirect.ca they used to sell it in Canada. They also have other HD tuners that work with your computer.

 

[Stymie]

free high def is good

using channel master 4221 antenna pointed south mounted on chimney
gets you GTA plus buffalo HD

using rabbit ears or an indoor antenna from the source will only get you GTA
silver sensor and clones are the best indoor models, a pre amp helps

all HD picture quality is perfect

receiving OTA HD
2.1 NBC
4.1 CBS
5.1 CBC
7.1 ABC
9.1 CTV
23.1 WLNO
25.1 CBC French
29.1 FOX
43.1 PBS
49.1 my TV
66.1 SUN

plus some standard def for a total 35

free OTA unchains you from the dependance on rogers

and you get all the american commercials,
that are not shown on cable during superbowl

all OTA HD is true/pure HD not upconverted
without any signal noise

who woulda thought true HD could be free

 

[my2cents]

using channel master 4221 antenna pointed south mounted on chimney
gets you GTA plus buffalo HD

using rabbit ears or an indoor antenna from the source will only get you GTA
silver sensor and clones are the best indoor models, a pre amp helps

all HD picture quality is perfect

receiving OTA HD
2.1 NBC
4.1 CBS
5.1 CBC
7.1 ABC
9.1 CTV
23.1 WLNO
25.1 CBC French
29.1 FOX
43.1 PBS
49.1 my TV
66.1 SUN

plus some standard def for a total 35

free OTA unchains you from the dependance on rogers

and you get all the american commercials,
that are not shown on cable during superbowl

all OTA HD is true/pure HD not upconverted
without any signal noise

who woulda thought true HD could be free

Spread the word on how great free over the air HD is and maybe people will leave rogers and bell expressvu. We should force broadcasters to expand their over the air coverage if they want to keep their HD license.

 

[Robio]

ATI not sold in Canada?

ATI makes a HD tuner card that can be outputed to your HD TV. I believe you can receive all of the digital channels with it but it's not sold in Canada. I did a search on Ebay last year and saw them for around $100 USD.

I believe it but I think it is funny because ATI is a Canadian Company but Bel makes radar detectors in Mississauga and are not sold here either

 

[Robio]

I get a few with my coat hanger Creation

using channel master 4221 antenna pointed south mounted on chimney
gets you GTA plus buffalo HD

using rabbit ears or an indoor antenna from the source will only get you GTA
silver sensor and clones are the best indoor models, a pre amp helps

all HD picture quality is perfect

receiving OTA HD
2.1 NBC
4.1 CBS
5.1 CBC
7.1 ABC
9.1 CTV
23.1 WLNO
25.1 CBC French ( Who Cares )
29.1 FOX
43.1 PBS
49.1 my TV
66.1 SUN

plus some standard def for a total 35

free OTA unchains you from the dependance on rogers

and you get all the american commercials,
that are not shown on cable during superbowl

all OTA HD is true/pure HD not upconverted
without any signal noise

who woulda thought true HD could be free

I get
2.1 NBC and 2-1 Sub but not stable
4.1 CBS
5.1 CBC
7.1 ABC and 7-2 sub
9.1 CTV
23.1 WLNO
25.1 CBC French
66.1 SUN

I also get 57-1 not on your list

but I do not get
29.1 FOX
43.1 PBS
49.1 my TV

I was looking at this
http://www.a-neutronics.com/shop/pr...id=30&osCsid=23b577364ee9f34011e64dbd50635537

or http://www.a-neutronics.com/shop/popup_image.php?pID=34

It is a good Price $45us plus $19us shipping it would end up costing less then the wall mount

 

[Robio]

Does any one get Ch 8 Rochester in hd ?Looks strong but kinda far especially from the west

 

[Stymie]

the neutronics looks like crap

your best indoor performer is zenith silver sensor or clone
http://www.zenith.com/sub_prod/product_Display.asp?cat=&id=131

i recently added 7' mast to antenna
and additionally receive
44.1 omni2
57.1 city
64.1 omni1

where you live
and where you point the antenna impacts performance

 

[mmouse]

Here's an interesting thread about building your own HDTV antenna. Apparently it works very well.
http://www.lumenlab.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9613

 

[Robio]

I found that the omni 1 and 2 channels come and go because they are only testing now .I sent them an email about this and the say by July 26th they will be on solid

 

[Robio]

Thank you mmouse I have looked into making my own HDTV but the neutronics has a rotor and signal amp. When it comes in I will let you know how it works. My home made coat hanger actually works well then some store bought indoor types. The Toronto airport is in my way so analog channels are really sh*t no matter what I use. The digital HD Channels seem to cut threw