Attic install only. What antenna do you recommend?

[Shawn8121]

Attic installation only. What antenna would you recommend?

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...51340307cd86e0

[rabbit73]

Antennas Direct C2 or C2V

Make a temporary test before drilling any holes

[Shawn8121]

how do you do temp tests?
Other than the obvious connection to a tv and scan the channels

Too bad I need to buy the antenna first, I'd hate to waist the money.

Thanks for the quick response too. B

[ADTech]

He means, do not permanently mount the antenna and expect it to work just because that was a convenient spot. It is frequently necessary to try multiple locations in order to find one where everything plays nice.

Boston only requires a UHF antenna. Most of our B&M retailers have switched over the the C2V but you don't need the VHF attachment. If you end up with a "V" version, simply do not install the VHF attachment. BJ's Wholesale is the last retailer to routinely carry the UHF-only version that I can think of.

Purchase the antenna from a retailer with a reasonable return policy. Note that Best Buy has the most restrictive policy of only 14 or 15 days unless you buy a "membership". Walmart is super easy to deal with, they allow 90 days.

[Shawn8121]

I figured that is what he meant, find the best location can be time-consuming since my only method would be to be doing the digital scan option of the TV and we know how long the TV automatically takes to search for channels

What do professional installers use for tools or test equipment to determine the best system for your home I'm curious how they would do it and I doubt I'm gonna run out and buy anything to do it myself because I'm sure it's expensive

[rickbb]

A professional would avoid the attic if they could. Results are very un-predictable anywhere inside a building. Results are barely predictable outside.

TV signals, UHF especially, are blocked and otherwise interfered with by anything in-between the transmitter and the antenna.

You may find a good spot in your attic, or not. It's all trial and error for inside a building.

You are correct put it in a place and aimed the way you think will be right based on your TVFool report and scan the channels. Move and repeat as necessary.

[rabbit73]

Too bad I need to buy the antenna first, I'd hate to waist the money.

So do I, but there is no way we can give you a guarantee.

What do professional installers use for tools or test equipment to determine the best system for your home

A professional installer would look at your tvfool report and be familiar with the signals in your area. He would pick the best antenna for those signals in the best location available. So, far that's what we have done.

But, he can do something we can't do, which is measure the signal strength of your signals with a signal level meter while trying different locations in your attic. His meter might also be capable of measuring the signal quality which is just as important as signal strength with digital signals. Signal quality is defined by SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) and errors in the digital stream of information.

This is what my signal level meters look like:



My Sony TV has a diagnostics screen that gives relative signal strength, SNR, and uncorrected errors.

bad signal with SNR below 15 dB and errors:



good signal:



I have also used a converter box with dual signal bars for signal quality and signal strength:



If you are into computers, you can use the signal monitor of the SiliconDust HDHR.

Hopefully, your TV has a signal strength indicator that can help you find the best location in your attic for the antenna. If it does, you will soon find out how weak a signal can be and still give satisfactory reception.

What make and model is your TV?

I gave you the short answer in my first post to you because that is all the time I had then. The other guys filled in the blanks as I knew they would.

This was my long answer.

Please let us know the results of your tests on this same thread.

[Tim]

A friend used a small battery powered TV that had a signal strength bar graph display when he installed his antenna. It saved him a lot of trips up and down the ladder.

When I installed my antenna I set up my wife's iPad pointing at the TV with the signal strength and quality screen and used my iPad on the roof. We connected using Facetime so I could see the display in real time.

[ADTech]

Some good suggestions have been offered. You can also try a web cam and a smartphone combo, if you can pull that off.

I use a hand-held spectrum analyzer, but a $1500 tool for a single job isn't practical for a home owner doing a one-time install.

[Shawn8121]

Yes, all great suggestions. I will be able to succeed with your help.. All else fail, you guys have really entertained the GEEK in me.

I don't remember my tv model but I do remember it having a signal strength meter. A friend of mine offered to loan me his Spectrum Analyzer too. He says its very big and heavy but will do what I need.

I'll purchase the antenna and start with the built in in the TV first and go from there.

[rickbb]

Also for not a lot of money you can get a USB TV tuner for a laptop. I use that when setting antennas for family and friends.

And when I just feel like getting up on the roof and playing around with some antennas I've built.