The DB8 is superior to the CM4228 for most channels. I've used both back to back (exact same install location, exact same weather conditions, exact same equipment).
Born2bwire
Diamond Member
- Oct 28, 2005
- 9,840
- 6
- 71
Been there, feel your pain. I also have one of those Walmart Phillips antennas and got pretty disgusted and was close to throwing the thing out. Then I did some reading on how it was supposed to be used. This might seem obvious, but it took me a while to get it working. I don't quite think of myself as an idiot, but it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. As others mentioned, go to Antennaweb and look up what you should be able to get, the direction, and frequency. Anything within about 20 miles should be fair game, depending of course on whats in the way and interfering with your signal.
Here are a couple of useful links:
AntennaWeb.org
AVSForum - Lots of good info.
The thing I didn't realize about those little antennas is that they are pretty directional and UHF/VHF really makes a difference. First off, the antenna has to be pretty much away from signal interference, so unless you have a good one, avoid placing behind the TV. Best bet is to elevate the antenna as much as possible, but if you use a long cable run you'll get too much loss. Probably 25' or less, maybe 50', is ok. I use about 15'. For UHF (above broadcast 13), you pretty much just point the loop in the right compass direciton/azimuth and you're good to go. For VHF (channels 13 and lower) they're going to be hard to pick up regardless because of a lot of interference, etc. in that frequency range. (One of mine was on 13, hence the difficulty.) The loop part doesn't do much for you there, it's all the rabbit ears. Now here's a tip. As long as I've used rabbit ears, I never heard this, but the way to mount them is horizontal with a total span of a factor of twice the frequency. So if you really want channel 13, put them horizontal pointed at the broadcast tower with an optimum span of 26" or 52"; channel 10 would be 20" or 40"; etc. If your antenna is powered, you'll want to start with that off, because too much gain can also drown out the signal. You pretty much use the least amount of gain possible to still get a signal. I even read about people buying high dollar UHF antennas and then taking an ordinary wire of the correct length and mounting that on a strip of wood to serve as a VHF antenna! Do a little reading before you give up entirely. It's well worth it.
I'm routing mine through a Dish receiver, so I get a digital signal meter when I switch to an OTA channel. I get a couple in the 90% range and one about 70+/- and it works pretty well. HD signal is also all or nothing, so don't expect any fuzz or snow like the old manual sets. Again, this may seem obvious, but it would have helped me a few months ago when I started learning it all....
Here are a couple of useful links:
AntennaWeb.org
AVSForum - Lots of good info.
The thing I didn't realize about those little antennas is that they are pretty directional and UHF/VHF really makes a difference. First off, the antenna has to be pretty much away from signal interference, so unless you have a good one, avoid placing behind the TV. Best bet is to elevate the antenna as much as possible, but if you use a long cable run you'll get too much loss. Probably 25' or less, maybe 50', is ok. I use about 15'. For UHF (above broadcast 13), you pretty much just point the loop in the right compass direciton/azimuth and you're good to go. For VHF (channels 13 and lower) they're going to be hard to pick up regardless because of a lot of interference, etc. in that frequency range. (One of mine was on 13, hence the difficulty.) The loop part doesn't do much for you there, it's all the rabbit ears. Now here's a tip. As long as I've used rabbit ears, I never heard this, but the way to mount them is horizontal with a total span of a factor of twice the frequency. So if you really want channel 13, put them horizontal pointed at the broadcast tower with an optimum span of 26" or 52"; channel 10 would be 20" or 40"; etc. If your antenna is powered, you'll want to start with that off, because too much gain can also drown out the signal. You pretty much use the least amount of gain possible to still get a signal. I even read about people buying high dollar UHF antennas and then taking an ordinary wire of the correct length and mounting that on a strip of wood to serve as a VHF antenna! Do a little reading before you give up entirely. It's well worth it.
I'm routing mine through a Dish receiver, so I get a digital signal meter when I switch to an OTA channel. I get a couple in the 90% range and one about 70+/- and it works pretty well. HD signal is also all or nothing, so don't expect any fuzz or snow like the old manual sets. Again, this may seem obvious, but it would have helped me a few months ago when I started learning it all....
ColdFusion718
Diamond Member
- Mar 4, 2000
- 3,496
- 9
- 81
- Oct 28, 1999
- 62,484
- 8,345
- 126
Depending on where you live, signal strengths are really starting to drop too because the trees are getting leaves back on them.
In the winter I could pull and hold a signal for about any station I wanted. Now that things are starting to green up and block signals, I'm having troubles pulling OTA signals inside the house.
In the winter I could pull and hold a signal for about any station I wanted. Now that things are starting to green up and block signals, I'm having troubles pulling OTA signals inside the house.
Aikouka
Lifer
- Nov 27, 2001
- 30,383
- 912
- 126
Like someone mentioned, AntennaWeb is a good site to go to to get an idea of what type of Antenna you really need. But remember to heed their warning, it's only an approximation, but for me, they were pretty good/accurate. Where I am right now, I only get PBS in HD using the Philips indoor HD antenna. But that's a bit amazing to me, because AW said I'd need a relatively powerful outdoor antenna to pull in any HD channels. The philips unit pulls in channels very well no matter where I put it as well.
I may buy that unit from Radio Shack if my Philips antenna doesn't do well when I move, although I bet it will*. If my apartment people don't want me to mount it anywhere (they do allow satellite dishes), I can give it to my mom
. $30 is a pretty good price if it doesn't work out.
EDIT:
*Note: My bet coming off of AW mentioning needing an even less powerful antenna to pull in even more HD stations... so if my current one is powerful enough to pull in stations that AW says I need an even more powerful antenna for, I should be golden. It's also good to note that I think my TV acts as an amp as it has an option to amplify/strengthen the OTA signal in the settings.
I may buy that unit from Radio Shack if my Philips antenna doesn't do well when I move, although I bet it will*. If my apartment people don't want me to mount it anywhere (they do allow satellite dishes), I can give it to my mom
. $30 is a pretty good price if it doesn't work out. EDIT:
*Note: My bet coming off of AW mentioning needing an even less powerful antenna to pull in even more HD stations... so if my current one is powerful enough to pull in stations that AW says I need an even more powerful antenna for, I should be golden. It's also good to note that I think my TV acts as an amp as it has an option to amplify/strengthen the OTA signal in the settings.
Aikouka
Lifer
- Nov 27, 2001
- 30,383
- 912
- 126
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
On my TV, if the signal for a DTV/HD channel is too weak, it just flashes a message about weak signal. I was under the impression that was how they all were, either you get a channel or you get nothing.
Mine too, he must be talking about the normal analog channels such as channel 20 rather than 20.1 or 20-1 (whichever naming convention you use).
Is it just me, or does anyone else notice if it's raining or it's cloudy that you get WAAAAAAY better OTA reception than if it's dry/not a cloud out?
I've been having trouble getting Fox to get a decent regular signal with my Silver Sensor. I'll get a picture/5 bars on the reception for a good 2-5 minutes, then it drops out for no reason (didn't even move), then picks back up 10 seconds later. Last night watched 24 without interruption, then went outside and realized it rained pretty hard. (Last time it rained hard I picked up 24 just fine)
I've been having trouble getting Fox to get a decent regular signal with my Silver Sensor. I'll get a picture/5 bars on the reception for a good 2-5 minutes, then it drops out for no reason (didn't even move), then picks back up 10 seconds later. Last night watched 24 without interruption, then went outside and realized it rained pretty hard. (Last time it rained hard I picked up 24 just fine)
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