Can anyone reccomend a good indoor antenna for digital TV signals?

[john262]

When I connect a passive rabbit ears antenna to my digital TV I get a lot of channels, but on most channels I get pixalization, and sometimes the channels cut in and out.

I think I need a better indoor antenna. I cannot use a rooftop antenna. Can anyone recommended a good indoor antenna?

Thanks.

John

 

[boba]

Buy a signal amplifier about $30 and connect to your rabbit ears.

 

[john262]

Thanks. So that would be preferable to getting another antenna with a built in amplifier?

 

[Plazzman]

john262 Hi

I had the same problems as you with rabbit ears. If you would like to go on the cheap and are slightly crafty I have built 2 of the following antenna's and they work great from about 15 -30 miles from transmitter towers.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw]YouTube - Coat Hanger HDTV Antenna![/ame]

Plazz

 

[Jim5506]

Buy a small outdoor antenna and use it indoors, if you must, but the best solution is to put it outside where all the reflections and such that occur indoors are not a problem.

Amplifier indoors can make the signal problems worse, not better, because often the probelm is reflections of a strong signal, not a weak signal.

 

[KenSoren]

If you make the YouTube antenna keep in mind that where the coat hangers cross over each other - two places - you need to keep them from touching - maybe a small piece of wood between them. This will get you much better reception.

 

[john262]

I live in a high rise building and there just is no way that I can use a roof mounted antenna. Plus the association rules prohibit putting an antenna on my balcony. I have heard that it is actually illegal for them to prohibit satellite dishes on our balconies, but I am not sure if that would apply to an antenna designed to pick up over the air TV signals.

I'm not sure if I want to bother to try to make that home made antenna, although I appreciate getting the information about it.

I just wanted to go out and buy a good indoor antenna from an electronics store, but I get the impression from responses in this thread that there may not be such an animal.

I am a cheapskate. I don't want to break down and subscribe to cable or satellite, especially when there are so many free over the air channels available.

I think part of the problem is that my condo faces north, and all of the TV transmitters in my area are to the south.

 

[goldengoose]

I don't think they can legally prevent you from putting antenna on balcony.

But in the spirit of getting along- there are some small outdoor ones like the "square shooter" that don't look like regular antennas and may be all you need to get a great signal.

 

[?Sa?dma???]

try the Zenith Silver Sensor, they work pretty good indoors for about a 25 or 30 mile range and they are very small and lightweight if you need to point it in a different direction

 

[philiphotog]

I've been using a RS 2186 (Model DA5200) for a while now. HDTV Outdoor/Indoor Antenna - RadioShack.com Not bad if you're no more than 20-25 miles from the transmitters. Can be installed in or outdoors.
I'm just about to install my new Channel Master 4228 HD outdoors since I'm now just beyond the range of the RS antenna.

 

[csnare]

DIY Antenna for apartment use

I made a DB4 antenna using old coat hangers for my apartment. As I am on the third floor, facing west, and the building has metal rather than wood studs, it has to overcome a difficult environment for reception. However, I am able to pull in some over the air hd stations as well as analog signals. Now I have changed to a Gray-Hoverman antenna (just bent copper wires) which hang on my windows (inside). It pulls in a better signal. More experimentation is in the works!

Both of these homemade antennas beat any commercially available antennas without question!

 

[stratcat50]

See my post "Gray-Hoverman in-attic antenna".

 

[Barry Erick]

Go to Solid Signal | Digital Converter Boxes, DIRECTV® Systems, HDTV Antennas, DISH Network, satellite equipment and home entertainment supplies & accessories and look at some of the flat panels that look like a picture and hang on the wall. Rabit ears stink on digital. I know one person that has a outside antenna behind his couch. I would think it would be touchy when moving around, but he says not.

 

[roashru]

A balcony could be an advantage acting as a large feed horn (the screen door opening) you need to check the direction of your dma antenna farm!.

 

[dodge]

When I connect a passive rabbit ears antenna to my digital TV I get a lot of channels, but on most channels I get pixalization, and sometimes the channels cut in and out.

I think I need a better indoor antenna. I cannot use a rooftop antenna. Can anyone recommended a good indoor antenna?

Thanks.

John

I have a Winegard HD8200u in my living room and it works well indoors

 

[Jim5506]

:yikes

I have a Winegard HD8200u in my living room and it works well indoors

:yikes