HDTV service - How does Voom compare?

Thx much. I think Im done. Getting all the stuff this weekend and Ill let you guys know how it all turns out. Cant wait.......

DwArFlOrD

 

Check the HD channel assignments/mapping at www.antennaweb.org:
4.1 is 48
5.1 is 36
7.1 is 39
9.1 is 34

 

Thats what I was thinking, but the specs on the antenna confused me.
So it looks like TV frequencies are mapped to channels, which the channels are only relevant via the tuner and the frequencies are only relevant to the antenna, yet the antenna specs say "for channels 14-69", which is actually incorrect. It should state for frequencies 14-69. This stuff is great and addictive.....
I got my antenna and samsung 360 and all the hardware last night. Ill be installing all of it later today and hopefully will be watching one of the nfl games in HD tonight...., or at least the olympics (if thats in HD).

DwArFlOrD

 

Wow!
Piece of cake.
Put the antenna in the attic away from any metal (there is some for the connectors in the rafters, but not much), pulled a cable out the ridge vent soffet, pulled it down to ground level, plugged into to the side of my house, then down to the patch panel in the basement. Plugged in the receiver and I must get like 15 stations in digital. I even get as far away as 57.1 which is in the dark blue spectrum on antennaweb.org and I have no pre-amp installed.
The olympics HD looks very very nice and so did the f'ball game on friday night. Im very very happy with the picture.
2 things I notice that I have ??s about

1) I see the signal meter going crazy. It will go up to 77%, 64%, 0, 10, 43, 0, 77 it just jumps everywhere on any channel I check the strength on. Is this normal? I dont get any dropouts, but from time to time on fast moving video, I will get some pixelation in some areas of the picture.

2) On non "upconverted" HD picture (true 1080i) I get lip synching problems. The picture is just slightly ahead of the audio. I havent confirmed this but on one channel (not many true 1080i out there, hope to confirm later on another channel). Im hoping it may just be the station since I dont get this on any upconverted displays. Anyone else seen this problem?

Thanks everyone for your help in getting me this beautiful HD picture. Its a bigger difference than I thought it would be. Even the standard def reception is better than satellite. Its just so crisp.

BTW, I couldnt find a CM 4221 or 4228 locally at a decent price so I bought this uhf only antenna at radioshack for $24
http://www.radioshack.com/product.a..._name=CTLG_003_001_002_000&product_id=15-2160

and I have a samsung 360 I got from circuit city.
thanks again.....

DwArFlOrD

 

The 15-2160 from RS didn't work that great for me. You should try a 4221 or 4228. You can borrow mine (4221) if you want to test it out. I also have a CM 7777 pre-amp. I had both in my attic, but am going to be moving them to my roof soon, so for now I'm just using a RS double-bowtie inside antenna (http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name=CTLG&product_id=930-0998) which does awesome for being in my basement. I think the most channels I've scanned was like 18 via my HD tuner card for my PC hooked to my projector.

 

Dwarflord - What you are experiencing w/ the fluctuation in signal level is probably multipath issues. "...Multipath propagation occurs when radio frequency (RF) signals take different paths from a source to a destination. A part of the signal goes to the destination while another part bounces off an obstruction, then on to the destination. As a result, part of the signal encounters delay and travels a longer path to the destination...." This confuses the reciever. Some antennas are better at handling this issue (called multipath rejection).

I have an 8' Wingard that was the same style (yagi ?) and it is very directional and didn't handle multipath issue well. This thing was HUGE and worked great installed on the roof of my previous house, but in that attic the multipath made it unwatchable. I bought a smaller antenna (CM4221) and have had no problems. The 4221 is less directional and its design helps with multipath rejection.

My advice .. use the RS antenna and order a CM4221. If you still have some minor issues, look into a preamp (if needed). Most of all ... enjoy!

 

Ahhh, that makes great sense. How about I keep using this RS antenna for now and when you get your HD setup via openband, Ill buy your CM 4221 from you? I would rather have that CM4221, but I can wait till you get your HD via Openband, if your open to selling it at that time.
[8D]

DwArFlOrD

 

That works. That way you will also get to try it first. I'll let you know soon as I hear something on the Openband install.

Chad

 

does anyone have Adelphia w/ HD here? I'm interested if they will be sending the local HD channels out via unencrypted QAM...

 

I have Adelphia HD, not sure if the channel is encrypted or not, we do have to have an HD cable box. However, we can pick up the audio on our digital (not HD) box equipped TV.



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

Looks like VOOM will be going down soon:

http://news.com.com/Cablevision+sells+satellite+to+EchoStar/2100-1041_3-5544499.html?tag=nefd.top

Now if only Echostar would license TiVo i would be a happy camper...