Hello! I am located in Southern CT (Hamden, CT). I am looking to cut the cord from Dish (I am so tired of paying ~$80 for crappy reception, forced upgrade tactics, and rude customer service). I need some help selecting a better antenna.
I currently hooked up a
Clearstream CSM-1 indoor antenna to my HDTV on the norternmost side of the house in the second floor window (it's behind a screen, which probably blocking some of the signals). I get WTNH-DT 1,2 and 3, WEDY-DT 1,2 and 3, and sometimes I get WFTY-DT and WXTV-DT (amazingly, as they are quite distant). As the last two stations are Spanish speaking stations, I don't really care about getting them (I don't speak Spanish).
Here is my TVFool Signal Analysis report.
I also would like to include these reports
1 2
3
Obviously, I would like to get as many channels as possible. Here is a list of what I really need:
WCTX-DT
WEDY-DT
WTNH_DT 1
WVIT-DT
WFSB and/or WTIC
I would also really like to get:
WCCT-TV
WZME
WTBY
and any others possible.
My biggest challenge is terrain. I am in a valley, and the western sphere is blocked by a very long, high ridge (over 500 feet) that curves from almost due south, at a distance of 2-3 miles to just east of north at a distance of 8-9 miles. To the east, there is another series of ridges >50o feet high. WVIT, WFSB and WTIC are around 50 miles away (as the crow flies). There are a lot of terrain obstructions, and a tower is out of the question. Maximum height for the antenna (I can mount it outside) would be <30 feet. The house is a Cape, <50 feet above sea level, facing east by south (92.81 deg.). The antenna would be on the southernmost side of the house (at the peak of the roof ridge) mounted on a short mast. Utility connections are near the opposite peak, preventing the mounting of the antenna on the northernmost peak of the roof ridge).Cable run length would be approximately 35 feet to TV 1 (currently an older NTSC SDTV with a
TR-40 CRA converter) and approximately 75 feet to the HDTV.
I am looking for the following suggestions:
What is the best onmidirectional antenna(s) I could use?
What is the best directional antenna(s) I could use? (I would prefer not to have to rotate an antenna, but realize it's probably necessary for the best reception/number of channels. However, both TVs will be in use at the same time quite often, on different channels.)
Should I split the cable off at TV 1, then run to TV 2, or split the cable at the antenna and run them seperately? (Again, both TVs will be often used at the same time, on different channels.)
Just to make it even more intersting, I might even hook up another TV (another older NTSC SDTV with an
RCA DTA800B1 converter) but I may just leave that on the original Clearstream antenna;if not,and I hook it into a new system, only 2 tvs would be on at one time, as this TV is in my bedroom.
What is your opinion of multiple (ganged) antennas? Is there a way to automatically determine properly-oriented antenna for the signal source?
What, if any, amps or pre-amps are necessary and which do you recommend?
Lastly, is either of the converter boxes better than the other one (as far as reception, not features)?
I would appreciate as many options/opinions as I could get. Thanks!