Trying to do it Right from the Beginning

[bmxsteve]

Wow, first off I want to say what an awesome community you all seem to have here! My wife and I have decided to ditch cable TV and want to go OTA. Not so much for financial reasons (although that's a nice perk), but just to cut back on the TV consumption our family relies on.

With that said I initially thought I would just go online, buy the nicest antenna out there and stick it up. I quickly realized there is not a one size fits all solution and scammers are simply preying on low information consumers like me.

I am hoping that some of you here could help me out. Below are my results, and for me, this might as well be in Greek. I live in Louisville, KY and ideally I would like to grab stations in Indianapolis, IN and Lexington, KY as well (our hometowns). I would like to get the best antenna and setup possible to achieve this.

I have a total of 5 TVs. I live in a 2 story with an attic, and have to mount up there, due to HOA rules.

Am I living in a pipe dream to be able to pick up stations in Indianapolis and Lexington (as well as Louisville)? What is my best setup? Thank you all for your guidance!

Steven

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3de1c6e2e359a900

[GroundUrMast]

Are you aware that the FCC has rules that protect your right to use an antenna for reception of over-the-air TV signals? http://www.fcc.gov/guides/over-air-reception-devices-rule These rules bar the HOA and local municipality from stopping you from installing and using an antenna.

I would concentrate on Louisville signals. Even with a very large antenna system, reception from distant markets will be sporadic... At best.

If we were neighbors, you'd likely see a Winegard HD7694P above my roof, pointed at about 295°. I'd try using just a passive splitter. If this test, http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=13646 proved the need for amplification, a Channel Master CM-3410 distribution amplifier can easily be added between the antenna and splitter.

[bmxsteve]

Thank you Groundurmast for your reply! What are you thoughts on the hd stacker with channel master 7777?

[GroundUrMast]

The stacker could work. I have never found any source of performance data for it, so I avoid recommending it. But I also won't aggressively dissuade folks who are interested in using it.

The CM-7777 is a deep fringe preamp. I would be afraid that it may overload in the presence of relatively strong signals. I'd get the antenna up and aimed, then perform the ABC test I linked to in my first post. The CM-3410 has far better capacity to deal with a mix of strong and weak signals.

[ADTech]

The stacker has low VHF elements that increase its size and weight but most people don't need.

I usually try to dissuade almost everyone from using the 2012 version of the CM7777 as it has way more gain than does its predecessor. I'm not alone, check out what Channelmaster themselves has to say about it at http://www.channelmasterstore.com/TV_Antenna_Preamplifier_p/cm-7777.htm

WARNING - The CM-7777 is recommended for professional installers only. This amplifier has a high gain output and can result in over amplification if not used in the appropriate scenario. Over amplification can cause issues with a television tuners ability to receive and display some or all channels. An ideal scenario for the CM-7777 is an application where ALL broadcasts towers are 80+ miles from the broadcaster and a splitter is used to distribute to multiple televisions. Just one high power signal or broadcaster that is close in proximity can cause over amplification resulting in the loss of reception. The CM-7777 is a high quality, high gain amplifier and is subject to misuse, less than 1% of the CM-7777's that are returned are actually defective.
Channel Master recommends the CM-7778 amplifier for consumers that do not have the ability to measure or calculate signal levels. In 98% of consumer applications, the CM-7778 is the best choice and will outperform every other professional grade amplifier on the market without having to worry about over driving strong signals.