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Originally Posted by SoonerDude
If I wanted to get a stronger antenna, like the Winegard 8200U, would I be able to do the split to the 3 bedrooms and the living room without a preamp?
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Yes, I think that would work too. You can go with more antenna to make up for more splits. The 8200U is wider than you need it to be because it is designed to include low VHF signals (longer wavelengths mean more longer antenna elements at the back). That antenna is about 14 feet long and about 9 feet wide.
The HD7698P (the largest of the HD769xP series) is also 14 feet long, but only about 4.5 feet wide. It has about the same performance as the 8200U except that it only covers channels 7-69. It doesn't actually do anything to save money, but it can improve the weight, size, and wind loading considerations for your mount.
If you only care about the Oklahoma City stations, then you probably don't even need to go that big. An HD7697P is probably big enough for stations this close.
Also, FYI, splitters are usually built in even powers of 2 (i.e., 2, 4, or 8) because that helps keep the power distribution balanced. Even 3-way splitters are usually 4-way splitters internally with one extra path capped off.
If you do end up using a splitter with more outputs than you need, please remember to terminate the unused ports (inexpensive F-type terminator caps are available for this). This prevents any extra signal from being reflected back into the coax and creating the potential for self-interference.
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I might even pick up some Tulsa stations, it looks like I'm in the violet zone for Tulsa using the KMZ file for Google Earth.
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This depends on whether or not you install an antenna rotator. The Tulsa stations are coming from the north-east. You will be able to reach stations like this using a good antenna, but you will need the ability to turn your antenna between the two markets (or use two antennas with an A-B switch).
Sometimes it's nice to get programming from multiple metros (maybe different local news, weather, community programming, and sports), but you will also notice a lot of duplicate programming. A lot of the major network programming will simply be redundant. You have to ask yourself whether the added programming is worth the added expense/complexity of having a multi-metro antenna setup.