A little help with choosing the right antenna

[C1B3R5NYP3R]

Ok so I have had to cancel my cable and now I am looking to buy an antenna. First of all let me post some useful info....
http://www.antennaweb.org/Stations.aspx?Address=&City=Bradenton&State=FL&ZIP=34210&Housing=S&Accuracy=4&Height=6&Obstructed=False&StationList=&Lat=27.4361633&Lon=-82.6159271

I am looking a couple different antennas...

This is the one I'm really interested in just because of the VHF capabilities

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882145017

And here is a comparison of a couple different ones I have narrowed it down to...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=-1&IsNodeId=1&Description=long%20range%20tv%20antenna&bop=And&CompareItemList=-1%7C82-145-017%5E82-145-017-S01%2C82-881-003%5E82-881-003-TS%2C82-881-009%5E82-881-009-03%23

Looking for thoughts, info, and suggestions....

Thanks!
ciber

[GroundUrMast]

Please read the Guidelines When Asking for Help (http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=4) then post a link to your TV Fool report.

Thanks

[C1B3R5NYP3R]

Sorry about being "that guy" who doesn't read the directions first....

Here is a link for my report

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d9900c4de241c61

[teleview]

Is this a , house , town home , condo , apartment , mobile home , motor home , or etc.??

If a apartment or etc. , what floor , and windows and patio or balcony what directions , and what is the top floor.

Is the building wood frame with wood or vinyl siding and standard composition single roof.

Does the building have reception reducing and reception blocking , metal siding , metal roof , solar panels , concrete walls , concrete blocks , cinder blocks , bricks from ground to roof , big rocks for walls , stucko Wire , metal backed insulation ??

Trees and tree leaves and what directions and how close??

[signals unlimited]

The Terk HDTVi is your best choice. If possible place the antenna at an East facing window. Scan for digital channels.

[C1B3R5NYP3R]

Is this a , house , town home , condo , apartment , mobile home , motor home , or etc.??

If a apartment or etc. , what floor , and windows and patio or balcony what directions , and what is the top floor.

Is the building wood frame with wood or vinyl siding and standard composition single roof.

Does the building have reception reducing and reception blocking , metal siding , metal roof , solar panels , concrete walls , concrete blocks , cinder blocks , bricks from ground to roof , big rocks for walls , stucko Wire , metal backed insulation ??

Trees and tree leaves and what directions and how close??

I live in an apartment on the first floor. It is an older apt building that I believe is made of wood. It has a shingled roof. 2 story building. It has some sort of stucco type finish but I am not sure if it has a metal backing. (Lathe) my apartment has walls that face north and west (I think) and I have an adjoining apartment to the east.

[GroundUrMast]

Sorry about being "that guy" who doesn't read the directions first....

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No worries...

It's amazing how far off the other antenna selection service can be some times.

Be sure to avoid getting sucked in by amplified antennas... If the signal is strong enough to be received indoors, an amplifier is added expense that provides no benefit, and is often a source of trouble.

The Terk HDTVi is non-amplified, avoid the HDTVa.

http://www.amazon.com/Terk-Technology-HDTVi-Indoor-Antenna/dp/B0001FV36E/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1343231483&sr=1-1&keywords=terk+hdtvi

[C1B3R5NYP3R]

My problem is the entire east wall of my apartment is the wall that seperates my apartment from my next door neighbor. So essentially I will have to pull the signal through their apartment. That is why I am thinking I should go amplified....

[teleview]

Quote , "be sure and avoid getting sucked in by amplified antennas".


Is there a Patio ?? and what side of the building??

Any windows on the north north east??

[C1B3R5NYP3R]

back porch is on the west side. Like I said, I would have to pull a signal through my neighbors apartment or stick it out back and hope it picks up a signal around the walls.

[GroundUrMast]

The amplifier in the Terk HDTVa model does not and can not 'pull' any signal from the antenna or the air... It is like all other amplifiers, capable of 'pushing' the signal trough the loss of the cable and possible splitter that comes after. Given the typically short length of cable that is often integral to indoor antennas, there is little if any useful purpose for adding an amplifier to the design... unless 'pulling' or 'sucking' more money from your wallet is considered 'useful' by one or both parties to the transaction. (If I'm sounding testy, it's not at you. It's toward the antenna industry that's willing to sell amplifiers when they know they're serving their interests, at your expense.)

If you need more signal due to building penetration loss, use an antenna with more gain. That means you may find yourself using an antenna designed for outdoor installation.

Unfortunately, we have no way to accurately predict the building penetration loss. The least expensive way to gauge the situation would be to spend about $5 on a simple indoor antenna. Try it, then if you have trouble with reception, we can compare the TV Fool prediction to the known capability of the $5 antenna. That would give us a solid point of reference from which to estimate how large an antenna would be needed.

As of 11/29/2011, the Zenith VN1ANTP1 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003E3029Y/ref=s9_simh_gw_p23_d0_g23_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=05D68PADP09C8GGBDRSD&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846) was priced at under $5 at Amazon. I see it's gone up though.

There are others to consider here: http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=2828

[teleview]

Here is a antenna that looks like a small satellite dish on Purpose.

It is not a satellite dish , it is in fact a Tv antenna.

Many apartment buildings have small satellite dishes out side of the buildings.

This Tv antenna will blend right in.

For your reception situation the antenna is mounted Up High in a manner that the roof does not block reception , and the antenna is aimed at about 25 degrees magnetic compass.

http://www.antennacraft.net/Manuals/HDX1000_manual.pdf.

[C1B3R5NYP3R]

I just assumed that the T.V stations are 35 miles away so I needed an antenna that is rated for 35+ miles. That is why I was going with the amplified antennas. The whole satellite looking antenna is definitely a contender just for the camouflage aspect of it....

I will have to talk to the office about that HDX1000 and see what they say. I know there are people with dish's here so it will be interesting to see what they say.

One other thing I should mention is I plan on running into the existing cable wiring of the apartment. There will be 3 t.v.'s connected to it. So an amp might be needed after all. I don't know.

[GroundUrMast]

Mileage estimates are not based on a standard method or procedure. They are sometimes conservative, under-stating the performance of an antenna in many real world applications. Sometimes a mileage 'estimate' is wildly over-stated and only the most rare and extreme installation would hope to obtain the claimed results.

TV Fool offers a mathematical approach to predicting the signal strength at your location. Using the data in your customized estimate along with the measured and or calculated performance data available for reputable antenna system products, we are able to be far more accurate predicting the performance of an antenna system.

We simply ignore the marketing departments ad copy in favor of the engineering departments science based information.

http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=109

[teleview]

The HDX1000 is a outdoor outside antenna and the HDX1000 does have a built in amplifier.

This is important --> the HDX1000 needs to be mounted/installed so the HDX1000 has the Least Obstructed View of the Tv stations to the north east.

For 1 Tv connected use no splitter.

For 2 Tv's connected.

http://www.hollandelectronics.com , also available at , http://www.solidsignal.com.

HFS-2D , 2 way splitter.

HFS-3D , 3 way splitter.

The HFS splitters pass power from the power supply in the apartment to the amplifier in the HDX1000 antenna outside.

The cable Tv system needs to be COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED from the coax wiring that is used for the Tv antenna.

[GroundUrMast]

The Winegard SS-1000 is a competing product, similar in appearance and unamplified.

[teleview]

It is true that the HDX1000 is a Tv antenna however the reception ability is severely compromised in favor of , Looks , Aesthetics , the reception ability of UHF channels 14 thru 51 is no better then a loop of wire and the reception ability of the VHF channels 7 thru 13 worse then a loop of wire.

When Tv signals travel through long lengths coax wire and splitters , signal strength is reduced , so the HDX1000 has a small amplifier that makes up the difference of signal loss through coax and a splitter.

The HDX1000 is designed for certain type and kind of reception situation , like your reception situation , a apartment dweller that has little or no rights for installing a antenna outside.

The rights issue.
That is why I asking to the point questions about the patio , you do have the right to install a better antenna on a patio or balcony. But the patio or balcony needs to be in a position so that a better antenna will have a good shot at the Tv transmitters.

Any way on to the next antenna.

The Winegard SS1000 Square Shooter , is also designed for , Looks , Aesthetics , has about the same reception ability as the HDX1000 but has no amplifier.



The reason that indoor antennas with amplifiers are not very effective is because inside of a dwelling there high levels of electric and electronic noise , the amplifier in a indoor antenna amplifies the noise along with the Tv signals.
The noise interferences with reception and can be the cause of bad reception or no reception.


Outside antennas are exposed to a lot less noise. So amplifiers with outside antennas are often used when required.

Before your next move consult tvfool first and move to a place that has a good view of the Tv transmitters.

[C1B3R5NYP3R]

So I went out and bought a $10 RCA UHF/VHF indoor antenna. Didn't pick up squat! But if I'm ever in the mood for a little winter time fun I can always turn on the T.V. to watch the snow falling...

[teleview]

The Tv/s Must Channel Scan for the Digital Broadcast Tv Channels sometimes named the 'Air Channels' or 'Antenna Channel' in the Tv set up menu because the Tv transmissions travel through the air from the transmitting antenna to the receiving antenna.

DO NOT channel scan for cable tv channels.

[GroundUrMast]

Does your TV have a digital, ATSC capable tuner? If you're not certain, what's the make and model?

[C1B3R5NYP3R]

I have 2 flat screens. The one I am testing with is a 42" aquous. And yes I went through the quick setup. Its set for air and performedx a scan.

If I. Hold up the antenna and the dipoles are touching th ceiling, I get one channel. (Spanish) lol

[teleview]

Most of the Tv stations/channels are to the north east , what about a antenna outside of the building on the north side or is there a window on the north wall.

Is the patio close to the north wall , so that a extinision of some kind such as a board could be stuck out past north wall to have a antenna out there to get reception.

[C1B3R5NYP3R]

I think I may go with that terk. I'm going to have to go with an indoor antenna. My porch is prob about 10' from corner of the apartment. And even then I have a bunch of trees blocking clear path. And no north facing windows.