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HDTV antenna.

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iGas

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Anyone here live in the North West, or BC Canada have a home made HDTV antenna?

If so, how many/what channels do you get? What is the quality like?

Thanks.
 
HDTV will ALL be digital signals because standard analog TV channel assignments do not provide enough bandwidth for all the HD info. Now for OTA (that is, broadcast by transmitters over the air), almost all digital signals are being done in the UHF band (channels 14-51, frequencies from 470 to 698 MHz in the USA). The former UHF channels from 52 through 83 (698 to 890 MHz) are reserved for other uses after the full conversion to digital TV. Some digital TV is still being done in the VHF Hi band (channels 7 through 13, 174 to 216 MHz), and almost none in the old VHF Lo band (channels 2 - 6, 54 - 88 MHz). Just to confuse us all, some digital TV signals are NOT in High Def, but I believe that all High Def TV is being done digital.

The USA has finished converting their OTA TV system to digital signals. Canada likely will do that within 2 years, date not yet absolutely firm.

Incidentally, OTA systems are using a digital signaling system called ATSC, whereas cable operators are using a different digital system called QAM. Result is that most digital TV tuners and converters, designed for OTA signals on the ATSC system, cannot pick up the QAM signals on a cable system without a different tuner box. Exception (for now) is those people who have computer tuner cards that handle both types of digital TV signals equally well.

So, for picking up HDTV what you really need is any good antenna that works for UHF signals - channels 14 to 51, 470 to 698 MHz. There are some broad-band antennas that do that and much more, down to the VHF Hi band to channel 7 (174 MHz), and a few that even manage to get into the FM radio region a little below 100 MHz. There are good home-made antenna designs for the UHF band, and some that appear to work all the way down to FM Radio.

Google for the Gray-Hoverman Antenna, here's one good site:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/ota/superantenna/

Follow links to get plans and then more advanced plans and .... on to as complicated as you like. You'll see both details of several designs and technical discussions of their performance. All done by dedicated and talented "amateurs" who seem to know a lot!
 
Originally posted by: Paperdoc
HDTV will ALL be digital signals because standard analog TV channel assignments do not provide enough bandwidth for all the HD info. Now for OTA (that is, broadcast by transmitters over the air), almost all digital signals are being done in the UHF band (channels 14-51, frequencies from 470 to 698 MHz in the USA). The former UHF channels from 52 through 83 (698 to 890 MHz) are reserved for other uses after the full conversion to digital TV. Some digital TV is still being done in the VHF Hi band (channels 7 through 13, 174 to 216 MHz), and almost none in the old VHF Lo band (channels 2 - 6, 54 - 88 MHz). Just to confuse us all, some digital TV signals are NOT in High Def, but I believe that all High Def TV is being done digital.

The USA has finished converting their OTA TV system to digital signals. Canada likely will do that within 2 years, date not yet absolutely firm.

Incidentally, OTA systems are using a digital signaling system called ATSC, whereas cable operators are using a different digital system called QAM. Result is that most digital TV tuners and converters, designed for OTA signals on the ATSC system, cannot pick up the QAM signals on a cable system without a different tuner box. Exception (for now) is those people who have computer tuner cards that handle both types of digital TV signals equally well.

So, for picking up HDTV what you really need is any good antenna that works for UHF signals - channels 14 to 51, 470 to 698 MHz. There are some broad-band antennas that do that and much more, down to the VHF Hi band to channel 7 (174 MHz), and a few that even manage to get into the FM radio region a little below 100 MHz. There are good home-made antenna designs for the UHF band, and some that appear to work all the way down to FM Radio.

Google for the Gray-Hoverman Antenna, here's one good site:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/ota/superantenna/

Follow links to get plans and then more advanced plans and .... on to as complicated as you like. You'll see both details of several designs and technical discussions of their performance. All done by dedicated and talented "amateurs" who seem to know a lot!
Click to expand...
Awesome!
 
I have a cheapo antenna I got from Best Buy. It picks up all the local HD channels that are broadcast from Seattle. Fox (from Tacoma) is a lit skippy.
 
Originally posted by: iGas
Originally posted by: sdifox
I just picked up a cheap hdtv antenna for 20 bux, it's 18 now. I get quite a few channels. Will raise it further up to get more 🙂



http://www.fortunecomputer.com/
Click to expand...
Thanks,

What is the dimension of the digital antenna with ATSC tuner?
And, how large is the digital premium 8 bay antenna?
Click to expand...

err, about 1.5'x4' or so, not sure of the exact dimension. the 8 bay is double that. The 8 bay is sturdier than the el cheapo one I bought. Not sure that store is out west, but I don't think it is that unique an item.


 
Are the $100 OTA HDTV antennas any better than the $20 Wal-Mart Magnavox antennas?

I live about 2 miles from all the major network broadcast antennas.
I still can't find an antenna position that gives me OTA HD Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS all without moving the antenna.

It's like I am 5 years old again... back in the days non-cable.
 
Prompted by small error in one post of "previous thread" above:
The Gray-Hoverman antenna, like many large exterior units, has an output impedance of 300 ohms, so you need to connect to it that flat cable with 2 wires about 3/8" apart. Coaxial cable (like what screws into the connector on most current TV's) is 75 ohm impedance. To connect them together you need an impedance matching transformer or "balun". That's one of those little cans with a coax connector on one end, and two short wires coming out of the other end with little U-shaped fittings on their ends. Put the U-shaped pieces under the screws on the antenna output terminals and tighten down, then connect your coax to the other end of the balun. Doing this gets you a stronger signal with fewer signal drop-outs on digital TV.

Edro, you are so close to transmission towers that almost any antenna will pick up a decent signal if pointed in the general direction of the tower. Most people don't have that. A common design for antennas is to make them deliberately unidirectional so they get a better signal - IF you point it right. In your case it might actually be better to get an omnidirectional antenna for a strong-signal area. Ask around at electronics shops. My only other suggestion to try (don't know if this really would work) is to get 4 relatively cheap antennas, aim them in 4 directions to pick up all your local channels, and then use a 4-to-1 splitter backwards to combine them. You know those little boxes you use to make 4 cable signals to go to different TV's out of one cable input source? Well, they should work backwards, too, so put 4 antennas into the 4 "output" connectors, and take the "input" connector to your TV. You will lose some signal strength, but if each antenna is not real bad and you are so close to transmitters, it should work. I am NOT talking about those amplifier boxes that plug into the wall for power and boost your signal strength. Just a 4-to-1 splitter.

Oh, and by the way the $100 antennas ARE better than the cheaper ones for picking up weak signals. BUT one important feature in them is the always are VERY unidirectional and require pointing the right way to work. Not your situation at all!
 
Because the broadcasts still use the same bands as before (UHF/VHF), there is no such thing as an "HDTV antenna." These gimmicky new ones that look funny actually perform poorly and usually ignore one band entirely.
Theydoworkwellifyouliveinthecity,orsomewhererelativelyclosetothestation.
 
Originally posted by: edro
Are the $100 OTA HDTV antennas any better than the $20 Wal-Mart Magnavox antennas?

I live about 2 miles from all the major network broadcast antennas.
I still can't find an antenna position that gives me OTA HD Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS all without moving the antenna.

It's like I am 5 years old again... back in the days non-cable.
Click to expand...

not if its just rabbit ears. in any case the bigger the better. and you probably want uhf+vhf , its the same as it ever was, as said already, a good antenna is a good antenna. the strange shapes of some of the new packaged ones are a bit confusing on whether they deliver any real benefit.
 
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