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Old 18-Feb-2013, 7:07 PM   #1
lbo
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Help with new set-up, is an attic antenna possible?

My mom is dropping DISH and I am helping her in setting up reception OTA. We just bought a new TV and a ROKU for time being, next step will be an antenna.

Here is her signal analysis;
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...1dda39df810ea3

Good thing is most of the stations are equal distance and equal direction, for the most part. Bad thing is she really doesn't want an outdoor antenna. She has a 2 story home with the family room (where the TV is) on the backside of the house with no roof overhead........ this part of the home faces north and a good location for an outdoor set up.

If I could get away with an attic set-up I am not sure how I would feed the coax to this living room. Would it be best to route it to a current junction box? She says her Verizon FIOS is currently wired where Comcast came into the home though and not sure if that's ideal.

I am looking at the RCA ANT751R possibly or the Winguard HD7694P. If I can convince her to an outdoor installation I would go with the RCA, attic I would choose the Winguard and use a pre-amp for both.

Suggestions or comments appreciated.
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Old 18-Feb-2013, 7:36 PM   #2
GroundUrMast
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If you want to include WPVI in the line up, you'll need to use an all channel antenna. Both the ANT-751 and the HD769XP series lack support for real channels 2 through 6. An outdoor mounted Winegard HD7082P or 7084 would not be overkill. If you're given no other choice than in the attic, then an Antennacraft C490 or larger would be my choice, it can be re-folded if you need to get it out of the attic in the future.

To get coax from the attic to the existing distribution point, you may need to run on the outside of the building. Simply run through the attic to a point above the existing distribution point, drill a 3/8" hole from the outside into the attic, then run the coax down along the trim to minimize the visual impact. The big box home centers stock fastener clips that are sized for coax.

Last edited by GroundUrMast; 18-Feb-2013 at 7:41 PM.
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Old 18-Feb-2013, 7:48 PM   #3
lbo
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Thanks for the info, I will check out the other antennas as well.

I have a question about WPVI, I read that VHF Lo stations were moved during the digital transition and no longer broadcast in this freq range. Maybe not?
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Old 18-Feb-2013, 9:17 PM   #4
Dan4328
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lbo View Post

If I could get away with an attic set-up I am not sure how I would feed the coax to this living room. Would it be best to route it to a current junction box? She says her Verizon FIOS is currently wired where Comcast came into the home though and not sure if that's ideal.

I am looking at the RCA ANT751R possibly or the Winguard HD7694P. If I can convince her to an outdoor installation I would go with the RCA, attic I would choose the Winguard and use a pre-amp for both.

Suggestions or comments appreciated.
While I am planning on moving my TV Antenna outside in the next few days, I have the same RCA ANT751R as you, and for your conditions, all the stations at 20.1dB and up will come in with at least 50-55% signal for VHF stations. I am guessing that the same thing would happen for UHF, also. It all matters on fine tuning and turning the antenna to the best spot possible.

I would really recommend outdoor installation, because the attic for whatever reason blocks a lot of the signal coming in. It's still there, but up to 20% or 30% worse, even if it's 20/30 feet above the ground. I got better reception with a rabbit ears on my deck (3 feet above the ground) than with an amplified Terk 1080a one floor above.

Regarding your attic statement, I think most houses would have cables that all lead up to and through the attic, because that's where all the rooms could be re-wired in one spot without taking a cable guy hours to do so. At least that is my situation. It only took 20 seconds to find the main area where I could plug my antenna into my room cable.
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Old 18-Feb-2013, 10:35 PM   #5
GroundUrMast
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Many of the stations that were broadcasting on L-VHF before the digital transition did move to UHF or H-VHF, but not all. The L-VHF band remains... I think in part, because the cell phone / PCS providers don't what it as badly as the UHF spectrum.

There are issues with noise in the L-VHF band that make it necessary to use a larger antenna than you might expect. In your case, WPVI appears to be your best opportunity for reception of an ABC affiliate, and the signal strength is high enough to give you a good shot at reliable reception. Still, your best results will be with an outdoor mounted antenna that is designed to receive L-VHF channels. Much of the noise that troubles the L-VHF band is generated by electrical and electronic devises... which the typical home is filled with. So, attic mounting will likely place the antenna close to interference generating devises while blocking some of the desired TV signal.

http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=2858
http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=109

Last edited by GroundUrMast; 18-Feb-2013 at 10:43 PM. Reason: links
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Old 18-Feb-2013, 11:24 PM   #6
lbo
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Thanks for all the feedback. She is getting new siding and a new roof in the next week or so, this work and having to take down the dish prompted her to cancel DISH all together. I will probably wait until the new siding is up, they will replace the aluminum with vinyl siding.

Quote:
Originally Posted by GroundUrMast View Post
In your case, WPVI appears to be your best opportunity for reception of an ABC affiliate, and the signal strength is high enough to give you a good shot at reliable reception.
I was looking at some of those antenna's, they are HUGE! I am guessing the wider the elements in the rear of the antenna the better it will pick up the lower VHF frequencies. One too narrow won't pick up that station as well.

There is no way she would go for an antenna of that size outside. As a matter of fact she is trying to talk herself in being content with just Netflix and other Roku channels but I know she will want local news and programming. Plus can't let a beautiful 46" HD Samsung go to waste, I bet the HD signal will be a sight to behold.

I will have her ask the contractors if the new siding has foil on the inside, and I will check the attic for existing cables. I haven't been in the attic so I don't even know how much room I have in there. Ideally for her I will put one in the attic if it's doable. If she will go for one outdoors it will have to be the smallest, sleekest, less of an eyesore yet functional outdoor antenna I can find to get the job done.
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Old 19-Feb-2013, 2:04 AM   #7
teleview
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VHF low band channels 2 thru 6 are still here , some Class A Full Power Tv stations , deliberately , intentionally , on purpose , stayed on the VHF low band channels and will continue to stay on the VHF low band channels and New Tv stations are choosing to transmit on the VHF low band channels.

I am in 100% agrement with transmitting on VHF low band and receiving the VHF low band.

____________________________________________

Looks like WPVI REAL VHF channel 6 is your receivable ABC Tv station.

I recommend at a -->absolute minimum<-- a Winegard HD7000R All Channel antenna installed , outside in the clear , above the roof in such a manner that reception is not blocked by the roof and house in the directions of , north , north east , east.

Aim the antenna at about 49 degree magnetic compass direction.

A Winegard HD7082P All Channel antenna is the one I would install , outside in the clear , above the roof in such a manner that reception is not blocked by the roof and house in the direction of , north , north east , east.

Aim the antenna at about 49 degree magnetic compass direction.

Here is how to aim antennas , http://www.kyes.com/antenna/pointing/pointing.html.

Here are some above the roof antenna mounts.

http://www.ronard.com/909911.html , if using the tripod antenna mount use the 5 foot antenna mount.

http://www.ronard.com/34424560.html , if using the eave antenna mount use the #4560.

http://www.ronard.com/ychim.html.

http://www.ronard.com.

Buy the ronard antenna mounts at solidsignal by typing the word ronard in the solidsignal search box or buy from ronard.

Here are some places to buy antennas and etc. , http://www.solidsignal.com , http://www.amazon.com , http://www.winegarddirect.com.
__________________________

For 1 Tv connected use No splitter. No amplifier.

For 2 Tv's connected use a simple common 2 way splitter. No amplifier.

_____________________________

I recommend , do not , go cutting into coaxes here and there.

As an example.

If the coax cables go up through the walls into the attic and are routed to a outside location or to a location in the house , do not cut into any of the coaxes in the attic , the correct way is to route the coax from the antenna to the location that the coaxes from the locations in the house go to.

If that location that the coaxes go to is in the attic then Ok , but do not just go cutting coaxes , willy nilly.

____________________________

As always , trees and tree leaves do a good job of , reflecting , absorbing , blocking , Digital Tv reception and so do buildings and other obstructions including your own roof and house.

It is best to install the antenna at a location that has the least amount to no amount of obstructions of any type or kind in the directions including your own roof and house.

The Tv's Must Channel Scan for the Digital Broadcast Tv stations/channels , often named the 'Air Channels' or 'Antenna Channels' in the Tv Setup Menu Because the Tv transmissions travel through the Air from the transmitting antenna to the receiving antenna.

Some Digital Tv's will automatic channel scan for cable tv channels.

DO NOT channel scan for cable tv channels.

Go into the Tv Setup Menu and select , 'Air Channels' / 'Antenna Channels'.

Last edited by teleview; 20-Feb-2013 at 2:49 AM.
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