Hi all,
I've been free of cable and satellite for a few years now, and am really only missing PBS. I pretty much get all my content via a "Media Center" setup - lots of netflix, lots of streamed stuff, plus my library of ripped DVDs.
So as luck would have it, our NYC PBS station is the one that I'm having the most trouble with. My plot is here:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...cd7213d3416710
The odd thing is that stations further down on the list come in without issues.
I just hung a VHF-hi/UHF combo in the attic tonight in an effort to catch the Doors movie on 13 late tomorrow night. The RatShack antenna is this:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=3740646
I have about 20' of cable (RG-6? heavy stuff) running to the DTV converter box. No splitters, just one box on one TV. The antenna is about 23' or so above ground. I am surrounded by large trees in all directions.
Landlord prohibits any outdoor antennas.
WNET is what I really want - our "local" PBS stations (NJN) don't carry much of the national programming. Currently WNET comes in, but it blocks up and the audio stutters at times. The signal meter has some very wide swings from "bad" to "ok" (If they had a numeric scale, I'd guess at 30%-60%). The UHF stations seem to be at 60% or better. The other VHF stations seem to be around 40% and more stable.
Any ideas how to improve things?
Back in 7/09, the station posted this update about asking for more power, but nothing since:
http://www.thirteen.org/insidethirte...ting-thirteen/
I've been considering buying the cheap RatShack inline amp to see if it will push me over the edge a bit more:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2103913
Mixed reviews on that thing - but it sounds like if you don't try to use it in an area with strong signals that swamp your receiver it could be helpful.
I wonder if anyone knows what devices could be contributing to noise on vhf-13? I do have some CFLs, plenty of computers, etc.
Pic of the attic setup attached - after that was taken, the antenna was levelled off and a hole was drilled for the coax a few feet back from the antenna.