asking for help

[dusty]

Ok guys, this is the situation. I have direct tv or dish network (not sure which one, i don't pay that bill) and the deal is that only 4 tvs can connect to the satillite. I don't want to pay some outrageous amount of money for the 5th tv. This 5th tv will be in my workshop, so i don't need all the channels. Ive looked on the radar and it seems i can get some channels with my antenna. This antenna is roof mounted, about 30 ft up.
My question is: do i need anything special to hook a new flat screen to an antenna? If so, what? Any help is greatly appreciated!!!

[Stereocraig]

Welcome to the forum.

You'll need to post your TVFool report and your desired channels, for anybody to make accurate recommendations.

Otherwise, it's pretty much just antenna/ coax/ TV. "If the set is digital".

[dusty]

Im just looking for any channels really. After reading your reply that I will need coax cable I have another question. The wires coming from the antena are 2 wires in a plastic coating. They are spaced about 1/4" apart. Can this still be used?

[Stereocraig]

Im just looking for any channels really. After reading your reply that I will need coax cable I have another question. The wires coming from the antena are 2 wires in a plastic coating. They are spaced about 1/4" apart. Can this still be used?

Replace that 300 ohm wire w/ a BALUN and hook the coax cable to that.

[ADTech]

Can this still be used?

Maybe, maybe not. Since you haven't provided any information about where you are, what stations might be around you, whether your TV is modern enough to have a digital tuner, or even what kind of antenna you have, it is impossible to provide any advice until you fill in all those blanks.

[teleview]

+=>

Please make and post a tvfool report.

Use the Exact address to make the tvfool report.

Make the antenna height in the report 25 feet above ground.

[dusty]

ok, i understand. I'm not crazy about listing my physical address on the web, i'll give the results that I got from my search. And I plan on buying a new tv, if you will help me choose the appropriate one.

Overlays off
Predicted Channel Availability (Current)
Analog Digital
Callsign Chan Network Dist
(mi) Path NM
(dB)
W51CV 51 11.1 1Edge 13.2
WPNY-LP 11 11.2 2Edge 10.7
W04AE 4 14.4 2Edge 7.2
W31BP 31 18.7 2Edge -3.9

Callsign Chan Network Dist
(mi) Path NM
(dB)
WFXV-DT 27 (33.1) Fox 11.2 LOS 58.4
WVVC-LD 33 3.8 LOS 55.9
WUTR-DT 30 (20.1) ABC 11.2 LOS 48.3
WKTV-DT 29 (2.1) NBC 15.0 1Edge 37.4
W22DO-D 22 11.1 LOS 37.2
W51CV 51 (51.1) 11.1 1Edge 14.5
WRGB 6 (6.1) CBS 64.8 2Edge 7.2
WNYT 12 NBC 64.8 2Edge -5.8
WXXA-TV 7 (23.1) Fox 64.8 2Edge -6.4
WTEN-DT 26 (10.1) ABC 64.8 2Edge -8.9
WCWN 43 (45.1) CW 64.8 2Edge -11.4
WMHT-DT 34 (17.1) PBS 64.8 2Edge -12.7
WNYA-DT 13 (51.1) MyN 65.2 2Edge -17.0
A icon next to a station's callsign means a coverage map is available for this transmitter.

Background color Estimated signal strength
Green An indoor "set-top" antenna is probably sufficient to pick up these channels
Yellow An attic-mounted antenna is probably needed to pick up channels at this level and above
Red A roof-mounted antenna is probably needed to pick up channels at this level and above
Grey These channels are very weak and will most likely require extreme measures to try and pick them up

[ADTech]

Your address isn't displayed.

Unfortunately, your edited listing is not useful. The plot, posted per the instructions on its page, is what is required.

[teleview]

+=>

You can use the address of a building that is -->Close<-- To The Reception Location.

-->Close means Close<-- , not miles and miles away.

A address of a business of some type or kind , Walmart , a Fire Station , a Police Station , a 7-11 , a Grocery Store , a etc. .

Do not use a address that is on the other side of a hill or mountain.

Do not use a address that is down in a hole from your reception location.

Do not use a address that is obstructed by 40 story buildings.

[Stereocraig]

There is no way that anybody will ever see your address.

[stvcmty]

[...]and the deal is that only 4 tvs can connect to the satillite. I don't want to pay some outrageous amount of money for the 5th tv. This 5th tv will be in my workshop, so i don't need all the channels.


Are all 4 of the other TV’s in use at the same time? If not, you could take the RF out from one of the satellite receivers, run it to your workshop, get a remote extender, and just use one satellite box for two TV’s. (The catch being both TV’s will watch the same channel.)

[ADTech]

Generally, only the standard def satellite boxes have an RF output. Any HD receiver that might have an RF out (Dish only) is going to provide that signal in analog anyway. None of Direct's current HD boxes have RF outputs.

[dusty]

i'm unsure how to post the info that you guys need to this thread.....help?

[dusty]

how do you make the 2 wire into coax?

[dusty]

I'm sorry I'm such an idiot about this stuff guys. If you want me to remodel your kitchen or bath, I'm all over it. Build you a deck, sure!!! I've just never had any experience with antenaes or cable or satelite tv........none!!

[Tower Guy]

how do you make the 2 wire into coax? Use a balun. That is short for balanced to unbalanced.

[dusty]

balanced or unbalanced what? and what is a balun?

[teleview]

+=>

Go to the tvfool home page.

Click on , >>Start MAPS<< .

Enter a zip code.

Move the pointer to the reception location.

Click on , (Map This) , button.

Make the antenna height 25 feet above ground.

Click on , (Make Radar Plot) , button.

At the top of the computer screen is the address bar.

The address bar starts like this , http://

Following the , http:// , is tvfool report information.

From a certain point of view / a way of thinking about it.

The information following the http:// , is a address , it is the Complete tvfool report.

It is not only about your address , it is the Complete Tvfool Report.

The information in the address bar is in Fact a address in the computer and on the internet.

A address is where you find what you are looking for.

Copy the information in the address bar on to paper.

And return to your thread at tvfool.

In a information box like this one , you will see a Blue Circle with a Double Link Chain at the top of the box where you type in information , click on the blue circle with the double link chain.

Enter the information you copied from the address bar.

[Tower Guy]

balanced or unbalanced what? and what is a balun?

2 wire is balanced. Coax is unbalanced.

[dusty]

and to make this connection?

[rabbit73]

i'm unsure how to post the info that you guys need to this thread.....help?
I'm not crazy about listing my physical address on the web,I'm not either. You have already given us enough info to know that you probably live SE of Utica, near Litchfield. A tvfool report for you would look something like this:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3de1c6ab563d51bd

That link is the one in bold type near the top of the report. Just before it you will see "If you would like to share these results with others, this page can be referenced as:" At the top of the posting box, you will see an icon with a chain link. If you hover your cursor near it you will see the flag "Insert Link." Click on that, and copy and paste the link into the box. If you still have trouble, just copy and paste the link into the text box; we can then make it an active link.

For your protection, if you enter your exact address, it will not show on your report and will just say "exact address." If you enter coordinates, the numbers at the end will be blocked out.

In order for us to give you good answers, we need a good tvfool report from you, just like the posting rules say.

The wires coming from the antena are 2 wires in a plastic coating. They are spaced about 1/4" apart. Can this still be used?

and to make this connection? A balun is also called a 4:1 matching transformer because it connects an older antenna with two wires like yours to the 300 ohm terminals on the balun. The coax to your TV connects to the 75 ohm connector on the balun. Note that the ratio between 300 and 75 ohms is 4:1. It looks like this:
http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?mc=03&p=CM3075&d=Channel-Master-CM3075-Outdoor-Matching-Transformer-(CM0089)&c=Mounting Supplies&sku=

[rabbit73]

dusty:

If you are having trouble generating your tvfool signal report in the first place, and you are using the interactive maps feature, just click on the Make Radar Plot >> button at the upper right corner of the map.
http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=14508

The term "balun" is a contraction of BALanced-to-UNbalanced. The 300 ohm port is balanced because it has two wires, neither of which is grounded; the 75 ohm coax port is unbalanced because the coax shield grounded.

Please let us know if adding the balun to the old antenna for your workshop makes it work.

Best regards,
rabbit