Do I want an antenna? will hit help?

Semidevil

Diamond Member
Apr 26, 2002
3,017
0
76
So with my new 50 inch samsung PDP, I have made up my mind and decided to not get a converter for HD channels. I'm thinking about an antenna to get HD stations over the air though.

One thing I noticed is that when I first bougt the TV and scanned it, I actually picked up some local HD channels. However, I felt that the quality was not the same for all the channels. there are 1 or 2 channels which are great quality, but a majority of teh channels are just so so. when I go to these channels, the TV tells me that the stations are at 480i. There is also a "DTV" in the corner. the really great channels are showing to be at 1080i.
also, majority of the channels are not in full screen. there are black horizontal lines and vertical lines on a lot of the channels.

so my question is this:
since I am already getting some form of HD without any equipment, will buying an antenna help? will it make some of the 480i be 720p? will it make some of the stations full screen?
 

alfa147x

Lifer
Jul 14, 2005
29,307
106
106
well the 480i channels i dont think your looking at the digital broadcast... on my samsung ill either get digital or not their is no in between I got an antenna now I get all of the digital channels with no problem

buy an antenna and if i doenst work or help just return it...
 

ProfJohn

Lifer
Jul 28, 2006
18,161
7
0
If you are getting anything via digitial then you are getting what the station is putting out over the air.

Digital is all or nothing when it comes to signals, having a better antenna will not make a channel you already get any better.

The only time you get HD shows over the air is sports programing and prime time, the rest of the time it is just digital at 480i or whatever.