Antenna advice (apt. building)

mb2 · 10-Nov-2010, 3:03 PM

Hello!

I'm very happy to have found this site and this friendly forum.
I have a question about my current situation.

Right now, I have cable tv but I plan to cancel it. I live on the second floor of an apartment building. I have a large window pointing north-west, with a faux-balcony (I don't think I can put much on that..).

My report can be found here:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...81a3733a57970f

The signals are coming from north-east. I'm fine with having only the channels in green. But there are buildings (my own and others) between me and the signals.

I don't currently have an antenna. So my questions are:

will I get the green channels with an indoor "set-top" antenna even with the buildings blocking the way?
if so, do you have any recommendations regarding an antenna?

Thanks so much!

GroundUrMast · 10-Nov-2010, 5:17 PM

I would try a basic (inexpensive) set top antenna with no amplifier (built-in or external). (http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp...or%20Only&sku=) is an example. If you are still using an analog tuner/TV, expect ghosting and other interference. If you have a DTV capable tuner or converter, I expect that you will be amazed at the quality of the picture on CH. 38 PBS. As Canada switches to DTV, expect the quality of the pictures on all channels to improve dramatically.

John Candle · 10-Nov-2010, 7:24 PM

http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=233 , http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=695

Dave Loudin · 10-Nov-2010, 8:13 PM

Please consult with folks in your area at Digital Home, a Canadian site. There's bound to be someone on that site from near your location.

John Candle · 10-Nov-2010, 9:25 PM

Please take note that the first 6 channels are high lighted with RED NM(db) this means that ANY TYPE OR KIND OF AMPLIFIED ANTENNA WILL OVER LOAD AND CAUSE A BAD PICTURE. The current + pending channels show CFCF and CKMI will begin transmitting digital at any time and will be over the top strong transmissions. Be sure and rescan often because the tv channels in your area are in a high rate of transition from analog to digital. And new digital subchannels are being added all the time. Most of your channels are being transmitted from the north east. Go to the digital home canada web site. http://www.kyes.com/antenna/pointing/pointing.html

mb2 · 14-Nov-2010, 12:06 AM

Thanks so much everyone for your help. So after your replies, I started looking for non-amplified antennas. The ones you mentioned don't seem to be available in my area.

I will probably buy one of these two :

RCA Universal Indoor VHF, UHF, FM Antenna (CANT110)
http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/produ...784ff21fbaen02

Jensen Passive TV Antenna (TV611C)
http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/...a3938ed89cen02

To me, as I read the description, they seem to offer the same thing. Can I go either way or do you see something in one that could make it better than the other? The Jensen one does extend a few inches more.

Thanks again for your advice.

John Candle · 15-Nov-2010, 5:59 PM

What gets my attention is the degree that products and information are with held from canada citizens by their own government and business. . Having to choose one or the other , I would choose the Jensen it has both VHF rods and UHF loop. However it's not a good choice because the two seperate leads that connect to the tv are flimsy plastic and wire that will break easy.