Couple Questions

[rowdy235]

okay, fall/winter is approaching and I'm still trying to get my tv situated.

Problem 1: DTV Transition coming up in February. I get a couple analog channels OK, but my buddy brought up his DTV box and I only got one channel (the CW). Thats with a huge ass roof-top antenna and 3 amplifiers, mind you. The only time I watch networks is for news and some shows, so I'm pretty much up the creek without a paddle (or antenna) when it comes to digital. My question, back many years ago, I used to be able to pick up LA CBS signals on analog c-band unscrambled. Does anything of the sort exist now?

Problem 2: My 4DTV setup. Well actually two problems. First is the Previous user jack-leg connected some coax, so I'm not able to get very good signal at all (we're talking like 27 tops). I'm getting a proper connector ASAP. Also, I NEED AN ACTUATOR, I'm getting tired of walking 20+ yards in the rain, at night, etc. to change the damn satellite.

If anybody can help, let me know.

 

[truckracer]

On your digital tv reception keep in mind you need a dedicated UHF antenna. I have found that uhf/vhf combo antennas don't work as well.

You may have to use a stacked array to get enough gain to pick up your digital stations.

I used a single stack array (2 yagi UHF antennas on the same pole 1 wavelength apart using a splitter ran backward to combine the two into one coax into a line amp.

Coax jumpers need to be the same length.

You can also do a quad stack where you have two sets of antennas (4 total identical antennas with 2 sets of 2 using a 4 way splitter ran backward combining the antennas.

All antennnas point the same direction exactly.

Do a google search on "antenna stacking".

It will help you.

 

[rv1pop]

One OTHER question on OTA TV. Are you in the boonies (or out past the boonies like us - 10 miles toward town to get to boonies!!), and if so, are your TV signals from low power or repeater stations? If so, these are not affected by the digital revolution until 2011, at least. They may still be analog. Four of the five stations we can get sometimes OTA are not going digital - two of them say never going digital! Therefore, if you get a digital box, make sure it has analog pass through - gets analog from antenna to TV when converter turned off.
There is a lot of confussion about the issues, particularly if you watch the Comcast ads. Comcast "technician" told me ALL stations, including low power, have to go digital, so I needed to convert to cable. He is downright wrong.

 

[rowdy235]

Nope, we pick up our stations from the station directly, but we are 5 miles past the boonies. I'll check out the antenna stacking or maybe just change my antennas direction?

 

[rowdy235]

Got another question, I'm getting a new actuator come pay day, and I'm trying to figure out my receiver. Everybody told me to set it to g1-3, but there is no g1 on my receiver. Somebody mentioned g9? Help!