Amplifying OTA signal...
- Thread starter beelzerob
- Start date
beelzerob
Senior Member
But by channel, that's not the same as "10.1", right? It's the un-translated channel specified?
KenM
Active Member
beelzerob,
Decades ago, in the time before cable (BFC), in my area, I had a similar problem. I experimented with various setups, and actually ended up with one of the 'two part' inline amplifiers similar to what you have described.
For your original question, the part with the power plug was made to be located near the TV. The Idea (for the one I had) is that the higher gain module will be located as near to the antenna as possible. The one I had, allowed for a small amount of gain at the power module, with an option to turn that part off.
I did discover that (in my case) a lower gain/higher noise antenna did not work. I ended up with the best (most elements/most directional) antenna that I could locate and life was good.
If you live in an area where all of the stations come from one area, I would suggest buying a good quality directional antenna. No one here can guess at what you might need unless they live in your area. From my own past experience (mistakes), do not start out with the cheapest antenna. I am not familiar with the newer (HD?) antennae. I can only confirm that the HDTV channels, do indeed, reside in the same band as the analog TV signals, antennae operate the same. All that means is that a TV antenna is still a TV antenna, no matter what the HDTV sales guy might say. The older antenna will still work as good as they ever did.
Good luck with your project.
Ken
Decades ago, in the time before cable (BFC), in my area, I had a similar problem. I experimented with various setups, and actually ended up with one of the 'two part' inline amplifiers similar to what you have described.
For your original question, the part with the power plug was made to be located near the TV. The Idea (for the one I had) is that the higher gain module will be located as near to the antenna as possible. The one I had, allowed for a small amount of gain at the power module, with an option to turn that part off.
I did discover that (in my case) a lower gain/higher noise antenna did not work. I ended up with the best (most elements/most directional) antenna that I could locate and life was good.
If you live in an area where all of the stations come from one area, I would suggest buying a good quality directional antenna. No one here can guess at what you might need unless they live in your area. From my own past experience (mistakes), do not start out with the cheapest antenna. I am not familiar with the newer (HD?) antennae. I can only confirm that the HDTV channels, do indeed, reside in the same band as the analog TV signals, antennae operate the same. All that means is that a TV antenna is still a TV antenna, no matter what the HDTV sales guy might say. The older antenna will still work as good as they ever did.
Good luck with your project.
Ken
beelzerob
Senior Member
But most of the tables include a "real" channel value as well. For instance, in the tvfool table that shows 10.1, that's listed as the "virtual" channel, and the "real" channel is 32. So when looking at whether a channel is VHF or not, do I look at the REAL channel or the one I tune to?
Use the Real channels.
beelzerob
Senior Member
Well in that case, none are VHF that I care about.
Sooo...what I have to decide now is if it's worth packaging the big antenna back up to get the channelmaster or other type. same with the amplifier. I guess in this circumstance, I should be going for all the advantage I can be.
Sooo...what I have to decide now is if it's worth packaging the big antenna back up to get the channelmaster or other type. same with the amplifier. I guess in this circumstance, I should be going for all the advantage I can be.
In general, you want to get the best antenna you can, as reception can also fade due to weather and other parameters outside of your control.
Unfortunately, the decision is a bit harder than it seems. Unless all of your stations are in one direction, an antenna with high gain, will often be narrower in the angle that it captures the signal. So while you may optimize for one station in one direction, you may lose some reception in the other. So do pay some attention to the compass view in tvfool output. To the extent you only care about one set of stations in specific direction, then get the highest gain. Otherwise, if for example, some stations are 180 degrees behind you, look up the actual peformances tests and see how much the "back lobe" (the amount of signal coming from behind) contributes. If you have needs in other directions, then a higher gain antenna may not be the best bet.
Maybe this works. Instead of returning the big one first, buy the other, test both and see which one works better and return the other one.
beelzerob
Senior Member
Well, that's always good advice. I think I'm just scared of bending an element or something and ending up with a $100 160" paperweight.
Plus I've already extended the elements once to test it, and then I folded them back down so I could get it up into the attic...I don't think the plastic tabs will take another round of that.My big concern now is just finding the darn receipt for the amplifier. Darnit, how do I always lose those things when it really matters???
As far as channels, yes, they're essentially all in one direction. I believe there is one other channel behind us, but unfortunately, it's also behind a hill, and we're too far below the ridge to hope to see over it. So oh well...no HD Sunday night games.
v1rtu0s1ty
Senior Member
I bought this before and was very happy with the results. I didn't put any amp. So connection of RG6QS is from external antenna to Air2PC on linux box. I didn't have any signal issue with CBS HD, no dropouts. With this antenna, I was even able to receive 2 channels from Wisconsin and 3 on Rockford. To do this, I had to move my rotator. The former is like 80 miles. I got all HD channels in Chicago transmitter, no pixelization(not noise/rain since noise is for analog). CBS HD here is in the VHF band though which is pretty tough to get.
I'm about 50 to 55 miles from Chicago tower.
http://www.radioshack.com/sm-160-long-dual...pi-2103087.html
I'm about 50 to 55 miles from Chicago tower.
http://www.radioshack.com/sm-160-long-dual...pi-2103087.html
beelzerob
Senior Member
Humourously, that's the antenna I have now. According to tvfool, I'm only 20 miles from the transmitters. But perhaps it's earth obstruction that's keeping them from being clearly seen. Unfortunately, hdtvprimer doesn't show the UHF gain numbers for that antenna, only the VHF gain.
*grumble*
*grumble*
v1rtu0s1ty
Senior Member
If I am not mistaken, earlier somewhere on your thread, you put it on your attic. That is going to affect a lot of signal. Mine is on top of roof via a solid steel tripod, from RS too.
beelzerob
Senior Member
Well, I'm still against putting it on the roof...besides having to get up there to do it. Aesthetics is an issue, as there is no unobtrusive corner to put it on. But with the weather we've had here, I'm concerned about wind AND lightning vs. an antenna, and I don't want to run a ground wire to the panel.
I've gotten decent reception so far with my first antenna up in the attic, and I got better reception with the radio shack antenna just sitting assembled on the 2nd floor...so I have hopes that it will do even better up in the attic.
What it boils down to me is, would a different antenna be THAT much better to be worth ordering and getting. There's really no way to know I guess. But it seems as far as antennas go that channelmaster is...well, the master, I guess. I don't know why they show only VHF results for the radio shack antenna, when it's VHF/UHF, and they show the UHF results of other dual types.
Interestingly, one of the channelmaster antennas I was looking at apparently comes pre-assembled. That would probably mean I couldn't get it up into the attic! That is going to be hard to discern from pics online....
I've gotten decent reception so far with my first antenna up in the attic, and I got better reception with the radio shack antenna just sitting assembled on the 2nd floor...so I have hopes that it will do even better up in the attic.
What it boils down to me is, would a different antenna be THAT much better to be worth ordering and getting. There's really no way to know I guess. But it seems as far as antennas go that channelmaster is...well, the master, I guess. I don't know why they show only VHF results for the radio shack antenna, when it's VHF/UHF, and they show the UHF results of other dual types.
Interestingly, one of the channelmaster antennas I was looking at apparently comes pre-assembled. That would probably mean I couldn't get it up into the attic! That is going to be hard to discern from pics online....
v1rtu0s1ty
Senior Member
Do you have Comcast?
