HDTV OTA antenna recommendations?

[LS20]

looking to watch OTA HD broadcasts in area with high buildings. how important is it to get a good, hd-specific antenna. and, if very, which ones are generally good? are hdtv designated antennas anything special or are they just marketing snakeoil? ie. can i use normal bunny ears to pick up the same signal?

thsnk

 

[yllus]

Channel Master CM4221 is about $50 CDN around here. I use it facing completely the wrong direction in Toronto from the 5th floor, buildings all around me, and get 3 channels out of a possible 21.

My "neighbour" on the 24th floor faces the right way and using the same antenna gets all 21 from Buffalo, crystal-clear.

 

[WT]

You can try here for starters. I am using the indoor unit that came with my ATI HD Wonder .. its very similar to the Silver Sensor unit.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

The Zenith Silver Sensor is excellent, and it's only about $20 from Amazon. With a SS, my mother is able to receive something like 17 digital channels. (I can't get away with an indoor OTA antenna because I live in one of the few hilly neighborhoods in Minneapolis.)

 

[Quasmo]

Originally posted by: WT
You can try here for starters. I am using the indoor unit that came with my ATI HD Wonder .. its very similar to the Silver Sensor unit.

I'm beginning to wonder if the silver sensor is better than the ATI branded unit. I pick up one station, and thats only because it's 4 miles away.

 

[Wag]

Yeah, Zenith Silver Sensor or Radioshack Double-Bowtie will do you fine as a set-top antenna.

 

[Staples]

I have had a Silver Sensor for the past three years and have never had another.

It is decent but it is hard to get all the channels without having to adjust it since it is a directional antenna.

What seems to matter more than the antenna I find is how sensitive is your tuner. On my first TV I could never get CW and with the one I have now, it isn't a problem. Also I have a PC ATSC card. The tuner is not so great in it.

And although it is an indoor antenna, mine is outside sitting on the fence.

I'd like to know if I can get the power of the Silver Sensor in all directions with a non directional antenna. This way I would be able to get every channel without having to adjust the thing for some channels.

 

[Ramma2]

I use the Channel Master, mounted in the rafters in my garage and I get all HD channels broadcasted from about 20 miles away.

 

[IGBT]

..I connected a 6" jumper wit aligator clips to my 40"Bravia. Not expecting to get anything I auto scanned 30+ digital ota channels with some in 720p and 1080i. I was amazed. I get more digital channels with that jumper and only a few analog locals. And the oic quality is amazing. I'm near Sutro Tower in SF.

 

[flashbacck]

Most of the HD signals are in the UHF. So bunny ears don't really work. But regular UHF antennae (the metal loops) should work. I have also heard very good things about the Silver Sensor mentioned above.

 

[Baked]

I tried using the same antenna that comes w/ the ATI HD Wonder on my HDTV w/ built-in HD tuners. Didn't pick up anything. I just pay the $5 for the Comcast HD Box.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Originally posted by: IGBT
..I connected a 6" jumper wit aligator clips to my 40"Bravia. Not expecting to get anything I auto scanned 30+ digital ota channels with some in 720p and 1080i. I was amazed. I get more digital channels with that jumper and only a few analog locals. And the oic quality is amazing. I'm near Sutro Tower in SF.

Yes but if you had a tuner on your TV, you should be getting more. I scanned 220 channels with Comcast. I don't even have Digital cable. =) There's a LOT of HD stuff.