Do you use HDTV digital outdoor antenna?

Reba

Reba

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If you use an outdoor antenna instead of cable or satellite TV, can you tell me about your experience? How many channels do you get, and is the quality consistent? What brand/model do you use? Any pros or cons?

We're investigating switching a TV from cable to antenna, and really need some help. I've checked out some antennas that are for sale online but I would like some input from real-life users.
 
I have one and I love it. The image quality is astonishing, I have to say.

It depends how many stations and towers are around where you live. I receive my signals from Buffalo, Hamilton and Toronto. Probably 40 to 60 channels all together. I think I may have around 20 to 30 in HD, I'm not sure.

I would recommend Channel Master.

http://www.channelmaster.com/

You can buy antennas from them, and you can even buy a personal video recorder from them! I don't have a personal video recorder yet, but I'm considering it since this one has support for CC and it has a dual TV tuner too as well.

HDTV Antenna compatible DVR record Digital TV and HDTV with a HD digital recorder CM-7000PAL DVR by Channel Master. This is the best hd dvr on the market and is a subscription free DVR
 
Banjo said:
I have one and I love it. The image quality is astonishing, I have to say.

It depends how many stations and towers are around where you live. I receive my signals from Buffalo, Hamilton and Toronto. Probably 40 to 60 channels all together. I think I may have around 20 to 30 in HD, I'm not sure.

I would recommend Channel Master.

http://www.channelmaster.com/

You can buy antennas from them, and you can even buy a personal video recorder from them! I don't have a personal video recorder yet, but I'm considering it since this one has support for CC and it has a dual TV tuner too as well.

HDTV Antenna compatible DVR record Digital TV and HDTV with a HD digital recorder CM-7000PAL DVR by Channel Master. This is the best hd dvr on the market and is a subscription free DVR
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Thanks! That's the kind of input I need.

Any cons or things I need to watch out for?
 
You may locate TV transmitters, choose indoor and outdoor HDTV antennas.

TV Fool
 
According to the TV Fool site, I might get 6-8 stations with an attic-mount antenna. :hmm:
 
Callsign Chan Network

W26CF 26 (26.1)
WTAT-DT 24 (24.1) Fox
WLCN-CD 18
WMMP-DT 36 (36.1) MyN
WCBD-DT 50 (2.1) NBC
WCIV-DT 34 (4.1) ABC
WCSC-DT 47 (5.1) CBS
WITV-DT 7 (7.1) PBS
WJWJ-DT 44 (16.1) PBS
 
What I want to know is if bad weather affects the reception. I think so, but am not sure.
 
Is that existing cable that runs to the tv your 'old' UHF/VHF antenna? You could probably end up rewiring that to use instead. Or, do you mean by cable as in cable TV?

Not sure if you know of this, but as far as I am aware of in terms of engineering, there is no such classification as a 'HDTV' antenna, it's still the same antenna because it is the same band and analog as standard antennae of the past, as long as it can receive digital content. But what you most likely need to add is db gain of course.
 
naisho said:
Is that existing cable that runs to the tv your 'old' UHF/VHF antenna? You could probably end up rewiring that to use instead. Or, do you mean by cable as in cable TV?
Click to expand...
As in coax cable TV.
 
Reba said:
As in coax cable TV.
Click to expand...

Nada you can do with that coax cable unless you modify it, there's going to be impedance mismatching going on. However, not all hope is lost. I think you can buy some converters at an electronics store like radioshack if you are serious in this endeavor. You're going to need EE assistance to determine what you need though.
 
If you live in low like in valley where the signal would be more like block and get difficult to receive toward the antenna. I had on my previous resident location. Now, I live new one is much better. I able to receive all major network I need to meet such as

ABC, NBC, CBS, CW and FOX and few location network that offer. Up to 10 to 15 channels include spanish. Amazing crispy HD than compare to cable subscriber.
 
PowerON said:
If you live in low like in valley where the signal would be more like block and get difficult to receive toward the antenna. I had on my previous resident location. Now, I live new one is much better. I able to receive all major network I need to meet such as

ABC, NBC, CBS, CW and FOX and few location network that offer. Up to 10 to 15 channels include spanish. Amazing crispy HD than compare to cable subscriber.
Click to expand...
Our area is very flat; no hills, mountains or valleys. We are close to sea level. Still, our reception is bad. Maybe it's the trees and buildings that are blocking the signals. :dunno:

It looks like we'll be able to get ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX (local), and PBS.

We'll probably use an outdoor antenna, maybe with a rotator.
 
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