New to OTA, need guidance picking antenna

HopDevil · 1-Nov-2010, 2:10 AM

Hi All,

Aaron here, newbie with OTA.

I am in the need of guidance in picking the right antenna for our home as we are finally cutting the cable. We are keeping high speed internet of course. Netflix streaming rocks!

Here is my TV Fool assessment:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...81a3b4441df68b

Single story raised ranch home. I would prefer a roof top antenna as I would like to pick up as many channels as I can. We are in a rural area. Antenna will be approximately 15-18 feet off the ground. There is a mounting bracket from a Direct TV dish lag screwed to my roof. I also have the pole for the bracket and am hoping to use to mount the antenna. Running cable to one TV for right now approximately 40ft from antenna. A second TV may be connected to it as well but will be only 20 feet from antenna.

Trees surround my house and the landscape is quite hilly but hopefully wont be an issue. Do I need a set top box for my TV to display the channels?

Thank you in advance. I appreciate it.

Aaron

John Candle · 1-Nov-2010, 8:36 AM

I recommend the Winegard HD7695P antenna and a rotator. The Channel master CM9521A rotator or the http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=460 . http://www.solidsignal.com . If the tv has a built in broadcast digital tuner then will not need a digital to analog tuner. The antenna is a big antenna , needs a Strong mount. The tripod type roof mounts are strong mounts. Chimney mounts are strong mounts.

HopDevil · 4-Nov-2010, 3:40 PM

Thanks John

I don't need the rotator if I only point it in the south direction to pick up most of the channels in the green zone correct? After some thought, those channels in the green zone are the only ones we will need. Could you recommend a set top antenna?

Would it be worth it to try a set top antenna first to pick up the strongest channels? Or maybe a antenna in the attic? It would make things cheaper with a set top or attic mounted antenna.

Thanks

HopDevil · 4-Nov-2010, 4:04 PM

I read your post, John, under the Antenna recommendation thread. The link for teleview's thread talks about Non-Amplified indoor antenna's. I am guessing with the distance I am from the transmitters I would need an amplified antenna? I have foil lined insulation in my house. I guess that is going to cause a problem. Would I be better off with a antenna in the attic?

Thanks

John Candle · 4-Nov-2010, 7:13 PM

For the strong stations in the green you can give a indoor antenna a shot. A NON Amplified indoor tv antenna. As it says in the information of indoor antennas with amplifier indoors also amplifies electric noise and electronic noise in the house, this can block out digital tv reception. Multipath (reflected signals) is much higher indoors , digital tuners do have multipath correction , however too much will make the digital tuner throw up. I like to expermint and so do you , so yes try the reception all different kind of ways.

Dave Loudin · 4-Nov-2010, 7:51 PM

Your local network stations, even though they are 20 miles away (with two exceptions), are all pretty strong. After that, there are three translators of moderate strength and then things fall off quickly. An indoor antenna can work (that's what the color scheme implies), as it is cost prohibitive to go for the very weak stuff. You need both UHF and VHF capability (see the real channel column). The most recommended indoor antenna for this situation is the Terk HDTVi - the NON-amplified version. If the HDTVa is the only one available, be sure to operate it with the amplifier switched off.

For digital reception, a pre-amp only overcomes the loss in the cable between antenna and receiver. Typically, it takes 50 feet of cable to lose enough signal to make the use of a pre-amp worthwhile. That means amps in indoor antennas are generally useless.

John Candle · 4-Nov-2010, 9:12 PM

If you will like to experiment like I do then yes you can put a simple indoor antenna in the attic and you can put the HD7696P in the attic and if there is room the attic HD7696P can be pointed some where in between 32 and 50 , or better yet put the HD7696P on the roof and see if can get the channels by pointing the antenna somewhere in between 32 and 50 with out a rotor. And yes you can even put the simple indoor antenna outside to improve reception. Here are some pictures that are about antenna pointing http://www.kyes.com/antenna/pointing/pointing.html

John Candle · 4-Nov-2010, 9:50 PM

Here at Tvfool and at http://www.hdtvantennalabs.com we do what we can to make it so those installing and using a Tv antenna will get the best reception on the First try. I understand that many people now days have a head full of information , however have no idea what to do with it.

John Candle · 4-Nov-2010, 10:37 PM

It is Ok to read all of the other posts and learn more of what to do. In one post , the question asker has trees all around the house , but beyond that there where not many trees , I suggested put the antenna beyond the trees. Dense thick masses of leaves absorb the tv signals , when the leaves are off of the trees such as the fall , winter and early spring the signal strength will be better. It is possible to use a tall tower so the antenna can be above the trees. Before cable tv , before satellite tv , before vcr's , before dvd's , before video games , before internet tv , before cell phones and before the ultra small computers that will be implanted in peoples heads so they can have all the entertainment 24/7 - 365. Tall towers with tv antennas on top were a common sight.

Dave Loudin · 5-Nov-2010, 10:19 AM

Back to the topic: I forgot that you want to feed two TVs. Get an RCA ANT-751 and aim it at the cluster of strong stations in your list. You should be able to feed both TVs with a simple splitter. If you have trouble with any of the stations in the green section of the table, then you will need a preamp mounted at the antenna.

HopDevil · 5-Nov-2010, 2:11 PM

Thanks for the info Dave and John.

I like the looks of the RCA ANT-751. With its smaller form
factor, it will fit easily in my attic. The larger ones would as well but
this will be easier to handle getting it up there. I am only going to hook
one tv now but a second may come down the road. Plus it comes with a mounting bracket.

I take it I have to get a 75 ohm coax cable as one does not come with this model. I see some cables are quad shielded. Is this necessary? Im not sure of the distance to my tv from where i plan to mount this in my attic. Will have to take a measurement. Im guessing it is less than 50ft, maybe 20-30 feet.

If it doesn't work well in my attic, then I could mount it to a mast out side with a chimney mount.

Thanks