TV Antenna

[Seekermeister]

This is probably beneath the dignity of the forum, or at least too far back in the memory of some of the members, but I stumbled over my rabbit ears last night, because the only place that I can put them for a good picture is in the floor in front of my patio door. So I need to replace it, but hopefully with something a little better than I had.

None of my hardware is digital or HDTV, so I need something for regular old analog reception. However, I noticed that there are a few digital indoor antennas that don't have ears dangling from them. They just sit neatly whereever you decide to put them. But this raises two questions: Will a digital antenna receive an analog signal properly? And, since I read an article somewhere, that said that onmi-directional antennas were a bunch of hype, I kind of think that this antenna might fall into that catagory.

Should I just stick with conventional rabbit ears, or be optomistic and get something more "modern"? Forget cable or DSS.

 

[Big Lar]

Try a Terk antenna

 

[Markbnj]

You need one of those big, spread-out aluminum things that looks like it is tracking sputnick, then you put it way up on a tower and after dinner Uncle George climbs up there and twists it around, all the while shouting "Any goddamn better!?" at Aunt Millie.

 

[KELBOY]

Originally posted by: Seekermeister
. But this raises two questions: Will a digital antenna receive an analog signal properly? And, since I read an article somewhere, that said that onmi-directional antennas were a bunch of hype, I kind of think that this antenna might fall into that catagory.

Should I just stick with conventional rabbit ears, or be optomistic and get something more "modern"? Forget cable or DSS.

Digital HDTV antennas are mainly UHF antenna's from what i understand...since 99% of all HD signals are carried via UHF....so they may not work for VHF(2-13).....
I've only had marginal success with powered indoor antenna's...But they are usually an improvement over rabbit ears & tin foil....

my advce is to buy them both at a nearby store and try them out..whichever doesn't work well U can just take back...i did that at walmart, & I actually stuck with the just a notch over rabbit ears antenna...

 

[Seekermeister]

Markbnj,

Thanks, but that is exactly what I don't need. I live in a complex that won't allow me to have an outdoor antenna, so I need the best indoor antenna that I can find.

 

[Seekermeister]

Kelboy,

The rabbit ears that I have is powered, and the best that I could find at WalMart. I hope that I can find something better, but if not, I'll go back to WalMart.

 

[mshan]

http://www.antennaweb.org

 

[Seekermeister]

Originally posted by: mshan
http://www.antennaweb.org

Thanks, but this was right below the selector button:

*Indoor antennas are not included in this mapping system because many variables determine the quality of reception in a specific location.

 

[bendixG15]

If ... that is .. If you have an attic, big antenna will work fine from there.

Big upstairs closet ???

Attached garage ????

(Hey, I'm trying, I went thru the rabbit ears era ... yuck.
Put up a ... skip it )

 

[Seekermeister]

Thanks, but I'm on the lower floor...no attic...small closets...only a parking lot.

 

[Paperdoc]

Digital vs. analog antenna is not important. What counts is the frequencies. The standard rabbit ears and the big outdoor antennae all are designed for longer wavelengths - that is the lower frequencies used for channels 2 through 13. If that is what you want to pick up, that's the kind of antenna you need. If you are looking to get UHF channels, analog or digital, you need one of the much smaller antennae for that UHF band.

From there you have to experiment with which one works best in your location, and where best to place it. Others have suggested trying several - good idea. An amplified antenna MAY help, but it all still comes down to where you can pick up the strongest signal BEFORE the amplifier.

Since you have had success placing it just inside the patio door, have you considered placing outside on the patio and running a light wire through the door? In this case, the old flat "twin lead" 300-ohm line might work well from antenna to TV, with an impedance converter at the TV. Depends whether the antenna has 300-ohm terminals.

You might also try an in-between concept. In between little rabbit ears and the huge yaki-yagi antennas mounted on roofs, they used to sell small outdoor antennas much better than rabbit ears, but still not good enough for weak signals in fringe reception areas. Maybe one of those clamped out on the patio would work well without being an ugly space-hog.

And you are right about "omni-directional" antennae. None can be optimal in all directions. Some MAY be designed to pick up sort-of-OK in many directions, but they still won't be as good as a directional antenna aimed properly. The big trick then is, are all your transmiiters in the same direction? Or, do you need to allow for antenna rotation?

 

[Seekermeister]

The strange thing is that I have esternal DVD/VCR player, TV and TV tuner all connected to the same set of rabbit ears, and if they are designed to best receive 2-13, that only works on the TV tuner, because the TV and external player receive the UHF channels best. I had thought about using a twin lead, as you suggested, but none of my hardware is designed to receive it directly, they all have only coaxial connectors. I don't want any kind of outdoor antenna that requires a coaxial connection, because the only way that I have to pass through the patio door, is by crimping it between the door and the jam...a coaxial cable would prevent the door from closing properly. Even with a twin lead, I'm afraid that the opening and closing of the door would damage the cable. I suppose that I could drill through the wall, but if I did, my apt. manager would probably give me the dickens. At the moment, I'm thinking about using a combination of 2 or more antennas all connected together, perhaps then I could improve the reception of all of the channels. And no, unfortunately the stations are not aligned, but come from all points of the compass.

 

[Shawn]

You do know that by 2009 you will no longer be able to get an analog signal right?

 

[bendixG15]

Shawn just wrote off 2007 and 2008