Help with a new setup

[rickbb]

Originally Posted by TX1228

Anyone have any experiences with using DVR's on an OTA setup?

I made my own with a windows PC and a Hauppauge dual tuner card. Added a video card that had a HDMI video feed. Works great.

The software that came with the tuner card will even let you stream live or recorded shows over your local network or the internet so you could watch on a tablet, laptop, phone, etc. I've watched recorded local shows when traveling for work. Which is great if they send me overseas to a non-English speaking country.

PS. I just saw that Hauppauge just came out with a quad channel tuner card. I'm going to try one, they dual model I have has a great tuner in it.

[TX1228]

Well I've got things temporarily set up on a 4ft pole in the yard and have received all the way down through WJXX which is fine for me. Thinking of trying the attic tomorrow to see how the reception is. If that's sufficient I'll leave it there, if not I'll look at mounting outside.

Just wanted to thank everyone for their help. I'll still be looking at DVR options, and may look at the PC option mentioned by Rickbb.

This forum and the people who have helped are awesome, thanks again.

[TX1228]

So first of all, thanks everyone for the help already provided.

I've been running the Wineguard 7694 for almost a year and for the most part it's great. However, occasionally (especially mornings) I can't get several of the major channels that I normally can get. The antenna is mounted on a pole approximately 6 ft above my roofline or 30' or so in the air.

My question is what can I do to eliminate these deadtimes? I've considered the following options, but don't know which to start with or how to decide:
Increase height of mount
Install pre-amp
change antennae

Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions.

[rabbit73]

Hello again, TX1228

Which channels are giving you a problem?

Are you splitting the signals for more than one TV? If you are, are those channels better on just one TV without the splitter?

Do you have a signal strength indicator on your TV to give you an idea of how weak a signal can be and still be received?

Is your coax grounded with a grounding block that is connected to the house electrical system ground?

Did you try the Channel Plus NF-471 Notch Filter with and without a preamp as suggested earlier?

[rabbit73]

Originally Posted by TX1228

Thank you both for your time and recommendations. I also appreciate the advice for a mounting method. I'll start with this and see what happens.

If I do have to put in a filter to reduce the ION channel strength would that antenna still be sufficient to reach the other channels down that bearing that are approximately 50 miles out?

Reducing the strength of WPXC ION should make it possible to use a preamp to make it easier to receive your weaker signals, but I can't guarantee it; you must be willing to experiment.