[TriLUG] [OT] HD Antenna suggestions, was: TV Tuner Card suggestion

Thu Jan 8 11:11:25 EST 2009

All,

It is my understanding that when the digital switch is made in
February, all full power vhf tv stations will begin broadcasting on
uhf only. No longer channel 2 - 13. Only low power vhf stations will
continue. If this be the case then uhf antennas will be much better at
picking up the digital feeds over-the-air.

I believe WRAL-DT will be somewhere around channel 50.

Also, make certain that any distribution amplifiers you get cover the
uhf range. There may still be some out there for vhf only.

jcj

On Thu, Jan 8, 2009 at 9:56 AM, Jon Fraley <jfraley at glenraven.com> wrote:
> I bought this Channel Master CM3418 Distribution Amplifier (CM3418).  I
> now split it to six TVs.  I have not seen any noticeable loss of signal.
> One TV is on about a 60 ft run from the amplifier.
>
> Jon
>
> On Thu, 2009-01-08 at 09:09 -0500, Steve Litt wrote:
>> How do you split the signal between different TVs (or do you have only one?).
>> From what I hear, splitting lowers the signal by 3db each split, or something
>> like that, and it requires special hardware.
>>
>> If I had only 1 TV, I'd love to have an external antenna!
>>
>> SteveT
>>
>> On Wednesday 07 January 2009 11:57:31 am Jon Fraley wrote:
>> > I bought an amplified rabbit eared antenna from Wal-mart a while back,
>> > it worked somewhat better than just plane old rabbit ears.  I have since
>> > mounted a rooftop antenna and are very pleased with the results.  I get
>> > over 40 channels OTA.  Granted alot of them are redundant (3 CBS, 2 Fox,
>> > 3 NBC, 3 different sets of PBS and more weather than I will ever need)
>> > and I have to reposition the antenna to get some.
>> >
>> > Jon
>> >
>> > On Wed, 2009-01-07 at 09:53 -0500, Brian Henning wrote:
>> > > Hi gang,
>> > >
>> > > Thought I'd hijack this thread to see if anyone might have advice on HD
>> > > antennas.  I just got the converter box (I have an old analog-only TV
>> > > right now, and dropped TWC a few months ago when they wouldn't let me go
>> > > straight from one promo deal to another) and I've been trying different
>> > > antennas and have had somewhat surprising results.  Note: low-profile is
>> > > a requirement; I don't have room for something I can't mount on the
>> > > wall.
>> > >
>> > > First I tried a $20 passive antenna.  Looks cheap, but scanning found
>> > > about 12 channels (though I can't actually watch all of them; I get
>> > > weak- or no-signal messages on all the NBC channels, and most channels
>> > > suffer frequent dropouts).
>> > >
>> > > Then I tried a $100 "smart" antenna.  It works WAY WORSE than the $20
>> > > contraption; I can only pull in PBS with that thing.  Granted I was
>> > > testing during the icky weather last night, but I was
>> > > half-expecting/hoping that the $100 guy would always outperform the $20
>> > > guy.  Caveat emptor.
>> > >
>> > > So next I'm thinking about trying a $60 amped not-smart antenna.  Should
>> > > I bother?  It seems my reception (in a ground-floor apartment near
>> > > Southpoint) is poor all around, but even with a low SNR, more amplitude
>> > > still means more signal, right?...  until you start to overwhelm the
>> > > receiver, but one amped antenna shouldn't do that...
>> > >
>> > > All suggestions welcome.
>> > >
>> > > Thanks a lot!
>> > > ~Brian
>> > >
>> > > -----Original Message-----
>> > > From: trilug-bounces at trilug.org [mailto:trilug-bounces at trilug.org] On
>> > > Behalf Of OlsonE at aosa.army.mil
>> > > Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2009 9:38 AM
>> > > To: trilug at trilug.org
>> > > Subject: Re: [TriLUG] TV Tuner Card suggestion [may be OT]
>> > >
>> > > LOL! C-SPAN would be the last channel on my list I'd pay for!
>> > >
>> > > -----Original Message-----
>> > > From: trilug-bounces at trilug.org [mailto:trilug-bounces at trilug.org] On
>> > > Behalf Of Tanner Lovelace
>> > > Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2009 9:36 AM
>> > > To: Triangle Linux Users Group General Discussion
>> > > Subject: Re: [TriLUG] TV Tuner Card suggestion [may be OT]
>> > >
>> > > On Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 7:55 AM, Josh Vickery <josh at vickeryj.com> wrote:
>> > > > If you have Timer Warner Durham, I find this list to be wonderfully
>> > >
>> > > helpful:
>> > > > http://home1.gte.net/res18h39/channels.htm
>> > > >
>> > > > as Time Warner seems to like to change their channel assignments.
>> > >
>> > > I wonder why, out of all the possible channels, it lists C-SPAN  as
>> > > "(encrypted)".  I would have thought that would be one of the first
>> > > ones to leave unencrypted.  I guess they just can't have people
>> > > watching their government without paying for it!
>> > >
>> > > Cheers,
>> > > Tanner
>> > >
>> > > --
>> > > Tanner Lovelace
>> > > http://wtl.wayfarer.org/
>> > > (fieldless) In fess two roundels in pale, a billet fesswise and an
>> > > increscent, all sable.
>> > > --
>> > > TriLUG mailing list        :
>> > > http://www.trilug.org/mailman/listinfo/trilug
>> > > TriLUG FAQ  : http://www.trilug.org/wiki/Frequently_Asked_Questions
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > --
>> > > TriLUG mailing list        :
>> > > http://www.trilug.org/mailman/listinfo/trilug
>> > > TriLUG FAQ  : http://www.trilug.org/wiki/Frequently_Asked_Questions
>>
>>
>> --
>> TriLUG mailing list        : http://www.trilug.org/mailman/listinfo/trilug
>> TriLUG FAQ  : http://www.trilug.org/wiki/Frequently_Asked_Questions
>>
>
> --
> TriLUG mailing list        : http://www.trilug.org/mailman/listinfo/trilug
> TriLUG FAQ  : http://www.trilug.org/wiki/Frequently_Asked_Questions
>

-- 
Jc Jones
Blogs -
http://www.wendellgeek.com/weblog/
http://kixtech.blogspot.com/

webmaster for:
http://www.raleighchurchofchrist.org
http://www.wendellgeek.com
http://classof1955.org
http://www.tuftux.com
http://www.dabeak.com
http://www.therealpatpatterson.com
http://jonesjc.freeshell.org
http://www.trilug.org/~jonesjc