Anyone get their newfangled digital TV the old school way? I'm dead set to avoid paying for anymore tv. I picked up a cheapo set top antenna that can pull in a station or two if I stand in the middle of the room and hold it in just the right way, so I'm looking around at something to stick on the roof.
Anyone bringing in their tv through an antenna? While not living a stone's throw from the transmitter? Whatcha got? Any recommendations?
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There is no such thing as a "Digital" TV antenna. Antennas are the same for the old analogue signal and the new digital signal. The only difference would be you might need a bigger antenna for the new digital signal because it's range is a bit more limited compared to analogue at the same power output.
People who used to be able to watch programs on the fringe before, are likely to not get a picture at all now.
If you want to pick up more channels I suggest a good, large, yagi style antenna (highly directional) and a rotor that allows you to rotate it 360 degrees.
I built an antenna like the one described at http://www.tvantennaplans.com/ out of cardboard, aluminum foil, and coat hangers. It's in the attic and pulls in a lot of channels. I'm about 30miles from most broadcasters.
I believe the reason digital TV has less range is because during the switch they didn't take down the analog transmitters which sat at he top of the tower and got full power. Now that the switch is done, the signals should get stronger as old equipment is removed, the new gets moved up top, and full power is applied...hopefully, if/when they get around to it.
I built an antenna like the one described at http://www.tvantennaplans.com/ out of cardboard, aluminum foil, and coat hangers. It's in the attic and pulls in a lot of channels. I'm about 30miles from most broadcasters.
I believe the reason digital TV has less range is because during the switch they didn't take down the analog transmitters which sat at he top of the tower and got full power. Now that the switch is done, the signals should get stronger as old equipment is removed, the new gets moved up top, and full power is applied...hopefully, if/when they get around to it.
I work in the communications construction industry( Yes we climb those towers) and most of this work as already been done at least in the southeast.
I was thinking of going another way with it. In the next month I am only going to pay for internet and switch my TV to being CPU based programing only. I'll be streaming hulu and Netflix straight to TV. However if this would n't work for you + 1 on the YAGI and buy a signal booster( wal-mart about $30) and hopefully you get decent signal. Seems like a healthy investment to not be sure it works.
I got rid of my cable service last August. Been loving it since. I have an older TV, so I had to pick up a digital converter. My antenna picked up a lot more in the flatter areas around Cleveland. Now that I live in the foothills of upstate South Carolina, I get a lot less. I do get ABC, so watching LOST isn't a problem. I also pick up FOX and NBC I think. Plus like 50 PBS flavors. I really watch most of my programming through Hulu like hoppy monkey said. I'll be getting a new TV and internet capable DVD player so I can stream that and Netflix striaght to the TV. What that and what I can get through my antennae, I'm perfectly happy.
I don't know too much about cable companies, but it seems like more and more people are saying "hey, do I really need cable". Especially with the economy the way it is. Does anyone think that one day they will go to an "a la carte" system? There are some channels I genuinely liked on cable (FX, Discovery, History, ESPN etc). I just can't warrant paying what comes to an extra $50-80 a month for what boils down to less than 10 channels I watch regularly.
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We ditched our cable services as well and went to OTA reception and streaming Netflix and Hulu to the xbox360 with PlayOn.
For the antenna you'll need a basic UHF/VHF antenna. Most digital channels are on UHF frequencies but there are a few transmitting on VHF. Get one that does both and you'll be covered. I picked one up that also does AM/FM so that I could get much better signal on our stereo. Since I dropped cable I don't get the Tigers broadcast but I can listen to the radio and follow the team.
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I built an antenna like the one described at http://www.tvantennaplans.com/ out of cardboard, aluminum foil, and coat hangers. It's in the attic and pulls in a lot of channels. I'm about 30miles from most broadcasters.
I believe the reason digital TV has less range is because during the switch they didn't take down the analog transmitters which sat at he top of the tower and got full power. Now that the switch is done, the signals should get stronger as old equipment is removed, the new gets moved up top, and full power is applied...hopefully, if/when they get around to it.
I've been without pay TV for 6 years now. We ditched it when we had our first kid and haven't looked back.
I made a similar antennae except I used some spare copper wire for the bow ties and skipped the reflector. The copper wire made a huge difference compared to my coat-hanger prototype. With that setup, I pick up stations up to 50 miles away. I stick the antenna out the window and have a clear shot of the sky in the direction I need to pick up. From Commerce, GA I pick up Fox Carolina, and Asheville's ABC and NBC stations (I think they're also coming from Greenville towers). But I don't pick up anything from Atlanta even though I'm closer to Atlanta. It really sucks when I'm stuck watching stupid Panthers instead of the Falcons.
As far as digital vs. analog, in my experience if you could get the analog feed in decent shape, you can get the digital feed. The only analog channel I lost was unwatchable anyway (a CBS feed from somewhere in the Carolinas).
I also supplement my over-the-air TV with Internet. It's almost gotten to the point that if Hulu, broadcast TV, or ESPN360 doesn't carry it, I'm not watching it. Doctor Who is the only currently-existing exception to that in my house. But even without internet TV, we got by just fine for 2 or 3 years.
Go to http://antennaweb.org and you can input your address and they'll tell you how well you can get a digital signal and how many stations. They have info as to what direction to point the antenna and other such stuff. I used that site when I put mine up and got tons of channels on the first try, granted I'm in the SF Bay Area and there are tons of stations up here...
Go to http://antennaweb.org and you can input your address and they'll tell you how well you can get a digital signal and how many stations. They have info as to what direction to point the antenna and other such stuff. I used that site when I put mine up and got tons of channels on the first try, granted I'm in the SF Bay Area and there are tons of stations up here...
you beat me to it I guess. Great site, type in all your info click on the map view or whatever it's called and it shows the direct to the towers, get the appropriate antenna and point away
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Thanks Homer... "Digital TV Antenna" was meant as "An antenna for picking up digital TV", but thanks for the semantic clarification.
I already checked and there's plenty of stations I can get in my area if I can get up above the roof. Not a whole lot that'll come in with a cheapy indoor antenna.
I might try the do-it-yourself route since it'll cost next to nothing to give it a shot first, but I think I'm going to be going with a mast and antenna on the roof. There's already coax running up there from the previous owners so I just have to get an antenna and attach it.
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Digital tv antennas?
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