Need advice on OTA antenna for HDTV

Got my LG OTA HDTV receiver. But now I'm looking for an antenna that works well in our area. Anyone have a recommendation or a particular model to stay away from? I was looking at the Zenith Silver Sensor model from buy.com. Thanks.

-Teak

 

A silver sensor might get you some of the DC channels most of the time, but BL is a far-suburban area where a properly installed exterior UHF antenna will give you the best, most trouble free performance. I suggest a rotor as well if you are interested in receiving all 43 DTV and HDTV OTA channels in the DC/Balt area.

See the posts in:

http://hoa.broadlands.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=889&whichpage=3

 

You also might be interested in this forum where we recently discussed this exact topic:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?postid=3881844#post3881844

Read it from my posts yesterday, on to today.

 

I've used both a Terk TV50 (now TV55) inside my attic and a ChannelMaster Yagi UHF antenna. The ChannelMaster was a little overkill but both worked very well. I really didn't expect much from the Terk but it was able to pull in very well with an amp. Both antennas pulled in Digital signals very well on both my Dish and Panasonic HD STB's. Even from WHD when it was on the air in '98-'99.

 

Okay how did you all install the antenna in the attic? Professional installation? I don't think I really want to tear down my drywall. Just want some HD channels until openband gets there act together. The tech said sometime later this year we'll have it. I want it now.

Anyone have a suggestion on how to exactly get an attic antenna hooked up to my reciever in my main living room?

-Teak

 

Teak,

If you don't already have a cable line run into your attic you would probably want to go the professional install route and have them run a wire on the outside and put the antenna on your roof. If you have a cable line in your attic, than you could try it yourself. I bought a Jensen preamped antenna at Best Buy for $45 and used this site to figure out the positioning: http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx

You just enter your address and type of home and it will tell you which stations are available and what type of antenna you need to pick them up. When you get the results, click on "street level map" and it shows you the direction to point the antenna. It does require some some fine tuning of the angle on your part but I did not find it difficult. I found the VHF directional with preamp worked best. I get 4, 5, 7, 9, 50 and few others I don't really care about. I have not had any problems with drop outs. If you want to spend $300 - $400 for a pro install you may be able to get more channels.

Skins fan

 

I bought a Terk TV55 and it was horrible. Channel Master 4228 is very highly recommended on the AVS forums: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=45. That is a 8 bay bowtie.

If you go Yagi, there are other good antennas out there.

Right now I'm using a Radio Shack double bowtie antenna inside and it works resonably well, but I want to get baltimore stations since they broadcast in DD5.1 and the DC stations don't... so I'm thinking about the 4228, but I need a ladder to get up on the roof first!

If you go the professional route, Fairfax Antenna http://www.fairfaxantenna.com/ is raved about on the forums from people into the NoVa area...I think they charge ~200-300 depending on if you supply the antenna or not...

 

As far as running an antenna into the attic... if you don't already have a run of RG6 into the attic it's easy enough to do yourself. Just find your wet wall and run the cable inside the wet wall. There is no need to run it outside or to rip up any dry wall. But if you don't have the time then a pro install is the easiest.

Just goes to show that what antenna works will depend on your exact location. The Terk TV50 was/is even able to pull in Baltimore stations if I aim it a little north. And I tried a Radio Shack VHF/UHF antenna and it was the pits. I can't remember what model ChannelMaster I have but you'll have a hard time finding a better antenna. The Terk is very directional and needs to be pointed in the right direction to work and the included preamp is the pits.

Aiming the antenna is also important with high gain directional antennas. If you go pro you want to make sure that they use a TV Signal Level Meter. In most cases you shouldn't need it but if you're pulling in a marginal signal the meter will help you point the antenna a little better and can make the difference. Here in the Broadlands we're almost due west from the TV Towers. Most are located just north of DC. I often see antennas pointed East-South-East when they may be better pointing East-North-East.

 

the wall that has all of your water pipes in it

 

What brim said

It's generally a direct shot from the basement to the attic with only the middle floor in between. It's used for water and vent pipes.

 

I'm going the wet wall route. I figure I'll get an attic mount and drop the wire to the furnace room and wire it to an existing outlet next to the TV. Thanks everyone.

-Teak

 

leave some extra cable in the attic in case you end up having to put it on the roof!

 

I have rabbit ears positioned next to my basement window which works well enough for me. I get 4,5,7,9,50. I also bought the Terk TV50 and discovered that I had better luck with the rabbit ears, may have been me. So, my setup is rabbit ears-> coax -> multi switch in basement hub.

 

I broke down yesterday at circuit city. I bought a Trek antenna that looks like the silver sensor ($40). Couldn't bare to see my OTA receiver just sitting there in my cabinet idle. The antenna is very picky, I don't get a strong signal but it's decent. Late night with Leno last night was awesome. Better than openband cable signal. Colors were rich. I got 8 or 9 channels. The antenna is atop my TV on the second level (3 story TH). I paid alot for my receiver and thought about returning it due to the low # of channels but now I decided to keep it.

-Teak
LG #LST3510A
Trek antenna

 

I see the discussion in this old thread about OTA antennas and the unpowered Zenith Silver Sensor.

Any advice on one of the cheap powered UHF antennas. I see that Best Buy has a powered RCA antenna on sale for $30. Is it just money down the drain?

How about the 30 mile VHF/UHF Channel Master (3016?) available at Lowes?

I am just looking to pull in the DC HD channels.

My house is located in one of the lower elevation levels in B'lands and the TV is on the first floor.

Thanks.

-Jim

 

Channel Masters are a good bet. I wouldn't bother with VHF for HD though. I have a CM Yagi UHF antenna inside my attic and I can pull DC channels. It was about 1998 when I set the thing up and I can't remember the model number but if you want I'll take a peek tomorrow.

 

No need to go up in the attic.

Thanks.

 

I had just a simple $30 antenna sitting on top of a bookcase in my first floor living room. It had a "power booster", and for the most part I picked up all of the DC HD stations fine. The only time I would get problems is when the cats would sit in front of it or mess with the alignment. In my opinion, it worked as well as Adelphia's HD offerings do, without the annoying cable injected commercials.