Need Your Expert Advice - Leaving DirecTV - Taylor, TX

jkitsmiller · 13-Dec-2010, 4:12 AM

So we have decided to stop paying through the (insert explicative here) for DirecTV.

Ordered a Dell Zino HD tonight and subscribed to Hulu+ and NetFlix Streaming.

Need to put up an antenna for locals and am excited to get a good antenna that will even pick up some "not-so-local" stations. Below is the link to our location.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...da32e184e47842

As you can see we have channels in different directions.

Looking for the best option for an antenna. We live rurally and on our own 40 acres so don't have to worry about anyone complaining about it.

We will have 3 TV's hooked up to it, one through the Zino with a TV Tuner card and running Windows Media Center tweaked to included Hulu+.

The other two are LCDs and will just have the OTA channels.

Would really appreciate as much detail as you are willing to provide, including your opinion of the best antenna for my needs as well as other parts I should get (pre-amp, amp, etc.)

Thanks much!

John

GroundUrMast · 13-Dec-2010, 4:43 AM

It looks like you can get a full line up of programing if you aim a http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp...0Antennas&sku= or similar antenna toward 233° per your compass. The CW network affiliate on real channel 5 is a duplicate that will not be received well. (KNVA - 49 is much closer)

Mount outside at 20' AGL or greater with a preamp like http://www.amazon.com/Winegard-HDP-2...2219326&sr=1-3 . Then RG-6 from the amp to a ground block http://www.amazon.com/F-Type-Groundi...2219058&sr=1-5 adjacent to your electrical service ground.

Then rg-6 to a passive 3 or 4 way splitter and then RG-6 to each receiver. Terminate any unused splitter port with a 75 ohm F-terminator.

I'm sure there are several other good recipes out there... Welcome

jkitsmiller · 13-Dec-2010, 3:37 PM

Thanks GroundUrMast! That's exactly the information I needed. I really, really appreciate it, although I think my wife is going to puke when she sees the size of the antenna!

jkitsmiller · 13-Dec-2010, 5:05 PM

What about the Winegard AP-8700, http://www.amazon.com/Winegard-AP-87...ref=pd_cp_e_0? Looking at Amazon it seems more folks purchase that one.

Tower Guy · 13-Dec-2010, 9:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GroundUrMast

or similar antenna toward 233° per your compass.

The GUM suggestion is the best possible system at your location.

You could try the antenna shown without the preamp or consider a smaller antenna (HD7694P) with the HDP-269 preamp.

jkitsmiller · 13-Dec-2010, 9:19 PM

I wound up calling Solid Signal and ordered the following:

- Winegard HD 7698P High Definition VHF/UHF HD769 Series TV Antenna (HD7698P)
- Winegard AP8275 Chromstar 2000 Series VHF/UHF Pre Amplifier (AP-8275)

This was after talking with one of their techs and explaining where I live and that I don't want to mess with getting an antenna that SHOULD get everything we want - I'd like to spend a little more money up-front than do all this work only to find out I should have gone with a different one.

Seem reasonable?

Tower Guy · 14-Dec-2010, 1:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkitsmiller

- Winegard HD 7698P High Definition VHF/UHF HD769 Series TV Antenna (HD7698P)
- Winegard AP8275 Chromstar 2000 Series VHF/UHF Pre Amplifier (AP-8275)

Seem reasonable?

Yes & No.

The AP8275 is intended for fringe reception. The stations are LOS to you. I would not install it. You have sufficient signal strengths even with no preamp at all.

GroundUrMast · 14-Dec-2010, 2:13 AM

My reasoning for the particular preamp originally suggested, was to give you those stations low in the yellow and down into the red on your TVF report...

I did not want to see you experience problems with strong local signals and so recommended the preamp with modest gain and the ability to handle strong local signals.

TG's suggestion of running with no preamp is sound, especially if the more distant stations to the SW are of little interest to you.

Tower Guy · 14-Dec-2010, 1:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GroundUrMast

My reasoning for the particular preamp originally suggested, was to give you those stations low in the yellow and down into the red on your TVF report...

That would require a rotator.

Tigerbangs · 14-Dec-2010, 3:30 PM

I suspect that you could easily have gone smaller and gotten everything that you were looking for, but you will definitely see Austin without any problems using that system. You do need either a preamp or a distribution amplifier to power all of the TV tuners that you have, however, I am kind of iffy about the overload characteristics of the AP-8275. I think that you have to install it and see how it does; If you find that you don't see all the Austin stations that you are looking for, my first reaction would be to pull the preamp and power supply out of the line and see if the the stations re-appear.

In any event, always be wary about what a vendor tells you, as you never know what the qualifications of the salesman are. I think that most of us on this site might have handled this situation differently.

Tower Guy · 14-Dec-2010, 6:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tigerbangs

I am kind of iffy about the overload characteristics of the AP-8275.

AP 8275 maximum UHF input 29,000 microvolts

Next add the strengths of all the UHF stations

signal strength of KXAN -32.6 dbm = 6420 microvolts
gain of HD7698P antenna on channel 21 = 10 db +/-
signal strength of KXAN into amplifer = 20,302 microvolts

signal strength of KVUE -35.1 dbm = 4814 microvolts
gain of HD7698P antenna on channel 33 = 10.4 db
signal strength of KVUE into amplifer = 15,940 microvolts

signal strength of KLRU -35.5 dbm=4598 microvolts
gain of HD7698P antenna on channel 22 = 10 db +/-
signal strength of KLRU into amplifer = 14,540 microvolts

signal strength of KEYE -35.8 dbm = 4442 microvolts
gain of HD7698P antenna on channel 43 = 10.5 db
signal strength of KEYE into amplifer = 14,879 microvolts

signal strength of KNVA -35.8 dbm = 4442 microvolts
gain of HD7698P antenna on channel 49 = 10.7 db
signal strength of KNVA into amplifer = 15,226 microvolts

Add them together, and so far we have a total signal strength of 80,887 microvolts. The AP8275 amplifier is easily overloaded and I've ignored the weaker stations. The AP 8700 at 93,000 microvolts of overload works with very little margin. The HDP-269 is the only amplifier that can't be overloaded.

Tigerbangs · 14-Dec-2010, 9:18 PM

As usual, Tower Guy comes in with the facts! Thanks, TG!