Ground Level LA Apartment

[Sean33]

Hi Guys,

New to the forum, long time OTAHD user.

I've lived in Chicago and Seattle and never had any issues using an antenna for OTA HD. I just moved to West L.A. assuming reception would be piece of cake but I was wrong.

My Living situation:
Ground floor apartment with external walls to the West and North. My building is in a courtyard with shrubs and other buildings around us. I don't have an easy way to add an antenna outside (can't get the cable inside) so I am stuck using an indoor antenna. I have 8ft ceilings.

My TVFool Report:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...46ae909b41d1cc

I just want to get the normal ABC,NBC,CBS, PBS and Fox Channels

My Current Set-up:
I use a TiVo so I am able to see signal strength when setting up an antenna. I've tested both the Terk HDTVa and the Winegard FL-5000 FlatWave antenna. Both can pull in a signal for some of the channels but require a significant amount of luck and require me to use a super long cable to stretch to weird locations in the apartment. The highest signal strength I'll see is in the 50s and then I need to move the antenna just to get my next channel.

My Question:
Is there any reality that I can have an indoor antenna which I can leave alone and receive all the major broadcast stations? If I need to move the antenna all the time it negates owning a Tivo. I have TWC in our building and if I plug in the coaxial cable to my TV, standard cable is not scrambled but the TiVo won't work unless I use CableCards, and I don't want to deal with that mess. I'm not sure if the free standard channels is normal

I would love to get any recommendations on what might work, if I'm using the right antenna or it is what it is due to location.

Thanks.

The main group of Digital Broadcast Tv stations/channels are to the , North East , East , with a smaller group to the North West.

Recommend put the HDTVi antenna in/at a North facing window and aim the antenna in the direction of ~ North East ~ the best you can.

If a Long coax running through the apartment is required to connect the HDTVi antenna to the Tv , Then So Be It.

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

Digital Tuners can develop - Digital Glitches - that are not cleared out with simple channel scans.

Do Double Rescan , http://www.wchstv.com/DoubleRescanAlert.pdf.

_____________

[Sean33]

Is there a better antenna option than the two I've been working with?

[Sean33]

Asking for a little more advice and I am still struggling with reception. I have a North facing window. Since we live in a ground floor unit with high wall shrubbery all around is that my undoing?

The Current Plus Pending Applications Included Digital Tvfool radar map and channel list shows the the Main Group of Digital Broadcast Tv stations is/are to the , North East / East , with a few to the , North West.

Many of the Tv reception stations/channles are Strong Signal Strength at your location.

Low Signal strength at your location is not the problem.

The problem at your current reception location is Strong Signal Multi-Path Reflections bouncing all around.

Digital Broadcast Tv tuners can correct multi-path up to a point and can correct strong signal strength multi-path up to a point , and then the Tuner is Over Loaded.

A over loaded tuner will fail to tune some channels.

Recommend switch off the amplifier of the HDTVa antenna.

-->The HDTVa Must Remain pluged in to the electric power.<--

With the HDTVa pluged in and the switch of the HDTVa in the off position , The HDTVa will be a Non amplified antenna.

A Non amplified antenna will not be amplifing the Multi-Path Reflections.

This will improve reception.

Do a Double Rescan.

_______________________

Your problem is no clear obstruction free reception to the , North East / East.

The more obstructions that are in the way of reception , the worse reception will be.

_____________

Recommend move to a apartment that has a clear view or improved view to the , North East / East.

_____________

If can not do that then is there a window or patio door window to the North East / East , that can put the HDTVa antenna in??

_____________

If can not do that then is there any way to install a ANT751 antenna at a outside location that will provided a better view to the North East / East.

_____________

A question that helps with expandad thinking.

Are there any of those small satellite dishes on the outside of the building or on the roof of the building??

And if so , then the coax of the small dishes will most likely be going through the outside wall to inside of the apartment.

If so then , most likely you can install the Small ANT751 Antenna , also on the outside of the building / roof.

-->Remember the following fact.<--

-->The More Clear the view to the North East / East the antenna has , the better the reception will be.<--

_____________

[ADTech]

You need a north-east facing view towards Mt Wilson (Pasadena). Trees, buildings, shrubbery, doghouses, etc will all make it difficult for the signals to get to your antenna. If they are in your path, then signals will be obstructed or blocked.

Building materials commonly use in southern California, notably radiant barrier insulation, steel reinforced concrete, and stucco exteriors all do a great job of killing signal penetration leaving little left over for an indoor antenna to pick up. Sometimes, you just end up being snake bit.

[Sean33]

Thanks for the information. I'm giving it one more hero's try with a longer coax cable to see if I can pick anything up and investigate around the apt complex for other options.